Social Welfare SW- 314- 51

Monsivais 1
Policy Issue (School Violence)

Several education facilities across the United States implement the zero tolerance policy.
A policy intended to address and minimize drug use and violence in schools. The following is a
specific description of what the policy entails: The offender (s) would be subject to suspension,
expulsion, and arrest because zero tolerance policies greatly limit discretion in individual cases,
involve law enforcement personnel, and mandate removing students from school (Kang-Brown,
Trone, Fratello, and Daftary-Kapur, 2013, p. 1). Furthermore, although, intended to create a
positive effect this policy has constantly been critiqued for its harsh mandates on every offense.
There are times when the offense was minimal, yet the offender faced the same repercussions as
a chronic offender. In addition, even when the offender did deserve to be punished for his wrong
doing, the zero tolerance policy further aggravated the situation for the offenders permanent
records were tainted and their education suffered to a certain extent. Moreover, this causes a
series of unprecedented events in the weeks and months that follow. Therefore, the zero tolerance
policy is a less than optimal approach for it causes more damage than good. This is due to the
fact that taking the adolescents out of school increases the amount of time that the angry bored
youngsters spend in unsupervised settings streets. Therefore, expulsion, suspension, and time
could increase the probability of deviance. Subsequently, a different approach that would better
suit the teens in the long run should be implemented. One where the students can work out their
actual issues instead of simply addressing the surface of the problems. A policy that would allow
offenses to be dealt with case by case as well as not interrupt students education.
Reference:
Kang-Brown, J., Trone, J., Fratello, J., Daftary-Kapur, T. (2013) A generation later: what weve
learned about zero tolerance in schools. Retrieved from
https://blackboard.marygrove.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-444277-dt-content-rid1387252_1/courses/CJ-495-HY-WI16/zero-tolerance-in-schools-policy-brief.pdf