Juvenile Justice in Schools: A Litany of Impediments

The boundary between juvenile justice and school systems has eroded, a shift that is premised on the notion that police, court, and correctional system involvement in schools can be implemented appropriately, is effective in reducing crime, and causes no harm. Extending Klein’s identification of a “litany of impediments” to diversion, we critique the interpenetration of juvenile justice into schools. We argue that a litany of impediments, supported by theory and research, raises questions about the interpenetration of juvenile justice systems in schools, and suggest the need for hardening the boundaries between the two systems and employing approaches to reducing school crime that are founded on stronger science.