A Randomized Controlled Trial Of A Comprehensive, Research-Based Framework for Implementing School-Based Law Enforcement Programs, Texas, 2017-2020 (ICPSR 38263)

Version Date: Apr 14, 2022

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Principal Investigator(s):
Brenda K. Scheuermann, Texas State University

https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR38263.v1

Version V1

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Summary

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a comprehensive, research-based framework of recommended practices for integrating police into the educational environment. This research tested use of a multi-faceted school-based law enforcement (SBLE) framework to determine how the framework contributes to multiple outcomes. The objectives for this study were to: (1) implement a randomized controlled trial to test a comprehensive framework for SBLE involving 25 middle and high schools; (2) assess the impacts of this framework on student victimization and delinquency, use of exclusionary discipline practices (e.g., suspension, expulsion), school climate measures, and student-officer interactions; and (3) disseminate tangible findings that can immediately be translated into practice and further research in schools nationwide.

Citation

Scheuermann, Brenda K. A Randomized Controlled Trial Of A Comprehensive, Research-Based Framework for Implementing School-Based Law Enforcement Programs, Texas, 2017-2020. Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2022-04-14. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR38263.v1

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Funding

United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. National Institute of Justice (2016-CK-BX-0003)

Subject Terms

Geographic Coverage

Smallest Geographic Unit

None

Restrictions

Access to these data is restricted. Users interested in obtaining these data must complete a Restricted Data Use Agreement, specify the reason for the request, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research.

Distributor(s)

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
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Time Period(s)

2017-09-01 -- 2020-10-31
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Study Purpose

This study operationalized the project objectives as research questions organized around project impact and implementation. This resulted in the following impact research questions and implementation and counterfactual research questions:

Impact research questions:

  1. Does using the comprehensive research-based framework for implementing school-based law enforcement programs:
    1. Reduce student victimization and delinquency in treatment schools compared to control schools?
    2. Reduce the use of exclusionary school discipline in treatment schools compared to control schools?
    3. Enhance school climate in treatment schools compared to control schools?
    4. Improve student perceptions of police in treatment schools compared to control schools?

Implementation and counterfactual research questions:

  1. To what extent were all framework elements implemented as designed in treatment schools?
  2. To what extent did fidelity of implementation affect treatment impacts?
  3. What did control schools implement during the study period?

Study Design

The study utilized a true, cluster-randomized experiment design with repeated measures to estimate and understand the treatment impacts of the comprehensive framework on relevant outcomes in 25 schools. The Texas School Safety Center guided all treatment activities outlined in the comprehensive framework over two full school years. Schools in the control group did not use this framework and continued to run their school-based law enforcement program as they saw fit. At the end of the final year, the intervention was delivered to seven schools in the control group who chose to participate. All data collection procedures and instruments were pilot tested during the pre-baseline period in a middle school and high school in an adjacent district not participating in the study.

Sample

A stratified random sampling design to assign 25 schools from six separate school districts with 13 schools in the treatment group and 12 schools in the wait-listed control group.

Time Method

Longitudinal: Cohort / Event-based

Universe

Twenty-five schools from six separate school districts with 20,536 middle and high school students responses.

Unit(s) of Observation

School, Individual

Data Type(s)

Mode of Data Collection

Response Rates

Not applicable

Presence of Common Scales

Scale models present in the study include the Bullying and victimization - Hanson and Voight (2014), Delinquency - Hanson and Voight (2014), Adult-student relationships - Hanson and Voight (2014), and Rule clarity- Bear et al. (2014). See student survey data collection instrument for scale values. School bonding- Goodenow (1993), You et al. (2011) Connectedness and safety- Hanson and Voight (2014) Perceptions of police- Zullig et al. (2015)

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Original Release Date

2022-04-14

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Weight

None

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Notes

  • The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.

  • One or more files in this data collection have special restrictions. Restricted data files are not available for direct download from the website; click on the Restricted Data button to learn more.