EDUCATION UNDER ARREST: - Justice Policy Institute

6 JUSTICE POLICY INSTITUTECommunity Oriented Policing Funds (Dollarsin Thousands)$140,000$120,000$100,000$80,000$60,000$40,000$20,000Funding from COPS programs, Secure Our Schools and COPS InSchools peaked in 2002 and has since decreased 90 percent.$-$68,000$103,800$127,700$26,300$20,700$14,700$14,806 $15,997 $13,0002000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011Sources: Community Oriented Policing Services Press Releases, 2011 – 2000www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2010AwardLists/2010-COPS-Secure-Our-Schools-(SOS)-Awards.pdf,www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2009SOSGrantRecipients.pdf, www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/GrantAnnounce/SOS-StateSummary.pdf, http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/GrantAnnounce/2007SOSGranteeList.pdf,www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp?Item=1763, www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp?Item=1592,www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp?Item=1062, www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp?Item=920,www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp?Item=748, www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp?Item=564,www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp?Item=524Note: No specific funds were allocated to COPS In Schools or Secure Our Schools under the American Recoveryand Reinvestment Act (ARRA), however, some jurisdictions did use general COPS funds under ARRA to fundthose programs.suspending and expelling children for pranks 17or other acts that rationally could be seen ashaving little potential for harm; these haveincluded bringing to school a butter knife, Advil,acne medication, and a toy gun. 18In order to enforce zero tolerance policies, therewas a concurrent increase in surveillance andsecurity measures in schools that included metaldetectors, locker checks, security cameras, andlaw enforcement or security personnel. Forexample, the regular presence of security guardsincreased 27 percent between 1999 and 2007. 19SROs became part of the increase in lawenforcement in schools.The dramatic growth in the number of SROs wassupported by the allocation of $68 millionthrough the Community Oriented PolicingServices (COPS) In Schools Program. The COPSIn Schools Program led to the hiring of 599 SROsin 289 communities in 2000, 20 which fostered acontinued growth in SROs from 9,446 in 1997 toan all time high of 14,337 in 2003. 21 Since thattime, COPS has contributed a total of $905million to hire 6,300 SROs and develop otherschool safety measures. 22 COPS funds awardedunder the Secure Our Schools and the COPS inSchools programs increased dramatically from2000 to 2002, not including some funds that mayhave been directed to localities from theAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Actdirectly through COPS but not recorded asSecure Our Schools or COPS in Schools; thesefunds have dropped since, leaving many localschool districts to decide whether to pay the costof keeping SROs.