Pre-arrest diversion programs give kids a second chance before they’re put in handcuffs for minor offenses. The Philadelphia Police School Diversion Program has the potential to benefit individual students, as well as the rest of the school community, by keeping youth in school, preventing further disruptions, and creating a more peaceful school environment.
This brief, Keeping Kids in School and Out of Court, presents the rationale, strategy, and early successes behind the Philadelphia Police School Diversion Program, led by Stoneleigh Fellow Kevin Bethel. In addition, Stoneleigh Fellow Naomi Goldstein and her research team at Drexel University’s Department of Psychology serve as the program’s research partners.
