Juvenile Courts and School Safety: The Collaborative in Clayton County, Georgia

In 2004, Judge Steven C. Teske, Juvenile Court of Clayton County, GA, brought together the juvenile justice system, law enforcement, the local school system, and social services groups to develop an agreement. His intention was to reduce inappropriate school referrals to juvenile court and the disproportionate involvement of students of color in the juvenile justice system.  As a result of a collaborative effort, misdemeanor delinquent acts, such as fighting and disorderly conduct, now seldom result in referrals to juvenile court. Today, youth receive warnings after a first offense and referral to mediation or school conflict training programs after a second offense.

This OSI-Baltimore event, which is cosponsored by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, is the first in a series of forums to examine various models of collaboration between law enforcement officials and public schools and their effect on school safety and student outcomes.

The second forum will feature another juvenile court judge from Birmingham, Alabama, who will discuss his approach to juvenile justice and school safety issues.  The third forum will feature a staff attorney from the Advancement Project, a nationally recognized civil rights advocacy organization with a long history of addressing school discipline and safety issues, who will discuss the Office of Civil Rights data collection effort, school discipline policies and student outcomes.