Introduction to Racial/Ethnic Equity and School Safety

ABSTRACT

Racial/ethnic disparities and inequities in regard to community crime, educational experiences and outcomes, and school safety for youth in the United States are evident; however, race/ethnicity is typically in the background of most school safety research. It is also increasingly important to center the investigation, understanding, and policy implementations that highlight the correlates, root causes, and consequences of racial/ethnic inequality in the pursuit of school safety. Therefore, the aim of this special issue is to highlight the intimate connection between racial/ethnic equity and school and community safety, the consequences of current inequities, and to establish the way forward in terms of future research, policy, and practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Race
• ethnicty
• school safety
• disparities

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anthony Peguero

Anthony A. Peguero is a Professor of Criminology and Sociology at Arizona State University. His research interests involve youth inequality and justice, socialization and marginalization, schools, and the adaptation of the children immigrants. Dr. Peguero is the Director of the Laboratory for the Study of Youth Inequality and Justice. He is also a research affiliate Center on Crime, Race, and Justice at Northeastern University. He is a member of the Racial Democracy, Crime, and Justice Network (RDCJN) and Latina/o/x Criminology (LC) which hold the dual goals of advancing research on the intersection of race, crime and justice and of promoting racial democracy within the study of these issues by supporting junior scholars from under-represented groups.

Patricia Campie

Dr. Patricia Campie’s primary research focus is on preventing and reducing lethal violence among youth and young adults in the United States and other countries. Among her recent international work, she led two systematic reviews on conflict sensitivity integration in development sectors, and motivations and incentives to engage with, join, or support violent groups. In the United States, Dr. Campie has recently led community and hospital-based violence intervention research studies in Massachusetts, California and Philadelphia. Dr. Campie recently received funding to develop and test a framework for evaluating urban ecosystems of hospital and community-based violence intervention in the United States.

Maury Nation

Maury Nation, Ph.D., is the Robert Innes Chair, and Professor of Human and Organizational Development in the Peabody College of Education at Vanderbilt University. His research focuses on the prevention of violence among school-aged children, understanding community and neighborhood qualities/characteristics that promote youth development, and developing programs and practices that promote positive school climate and equity for students of color. His research is conducted in partnership with communities including schools, school districts, youth serving organizations, and city governments. Dr. Nation has been principal investigator on numerous grants from sponsors such as the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institute of Justice and the Health Resources and Services Administration.