Overview:

This project builds upon an initial evaluation of the first 3 years of program implementation of the Philadelphia Police School Diversion Program, which was initiated city-wide in 2014. This diversion program is designed to reduce schools' referral of students to Philadelphia's juvenile justice system, keep low risk youth in school and out of the justice system, and maintain a safe school environment. The initial evaluation found a significant reduction in number of arrests, expulsions, and school disciplinary transfers, while also seeing a reduction in number of school-based behavioral incidents, indicating that school climate can improve even when students remain in school following minor incidents. Researchers from Drexel University are using a quasi-experimental design to compare the police and school-related outcomes of participating youth who commit first-time, low-level misdemeanor delinquent acts on or about school grounds to those students who are arrested for similar offenses in the school year prior to program implementation. Participation in the program is not available to students accused of high-level offenses, such as drug dealing, gun possession, sexual assault, or arson. OJJDP is funding this evaluation under its FY 2017 Field Initiated Research and Evaluation Program, which supports innovative and methodologically rigorous research and evaluation efforts that inform policy and practice to advance effective delinquency prevention and juvenile justice system interventions.

Goals and Objectives:

The overall goal of the project is to learn if the Police School Diversion Program has an impact on justice involvement and educational outcomes for youth in Philadelphia schools. To conduct the study, researchers at Drexel University are partnering with the Philadelphia Police Department, the School District of Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Department of Human Services. 

This project extends and expands a previously conducted evaluation to study outcomes for diverted youth 5 years after program implementation. Researchers are examining whether diverted youth, when compared to a group of youth arrested in schools prior to program implementation, will have:

• Lower rates of recidivism, as measured by arrest,and longer time to recidivism when arrest does occur.
• Lower rates of exclusionary disciplinary sanctions in terms of suspensions, expulsions, and disciplinary transfers.
• Greater school attendance, grade completion, and graduation rates as indicators of academic success and school attainment.
• Lesser disparities in police and school disciplinary sanctions by race/ethnicity and special education status.

Additionally, beyond conducting the quasi-experimental comparison, the evaluators will assess whether the program-level success observed in the first 3 years is sustained over 5 years. These outcomes include:

• Reductions in the city's number of school-based arrests.
• Reductions in the number of school-based behavioral incidents as indicators of school safety.
• Higher rates of youth and families accepting voluntary diversion services.

Milestones:

This evaluation effort began in October 2017, and the researchers commenced data collection in 2018. OJJDP expects the final analysis to be completed in 2020. At the conclusion, OJJDP will post a final technical report of the findings.

Contact Information:

Barbara Tatem Kelley, Social Science Analyst
Barbara.Kelley@usdoj.gov | 202-616-9517

Naomi E. Goldstein, Professor of Psychology and Co-Director of the J.D./Ph.D. Program in Law and Psychology
Neg23@drexel.edu | 215-571-4299
Drexel University