title: A study of zero tolerance policies in schools: a multi-integrated systems approach to improve outcomes for adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  School officials throughout the United States have adopted zero tolerance policies to address student discipline, resulting in an increase in out-of-school suspensions and expulsions. The introduction of police on school campuses also increased the referral of students to the juvenile courts. Although school personnel generally view zero tolerance policies as a constructive measure, this approach denies recent research on adolescent brain development that mischief is a foreseeable derivative of adolescence.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case study method examined one juvenile court's innovative multi-integrated systems approach related to the adverse trends associated with zero tolerance policies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A multi-disciplinary protocol resulted in more effective youth assessments that reduced out-of-school suspensions and school referrals; increased graduation rates by 20%; and decreased delinquent felony rates by nearly 50%. The resulting protocol changed how the system responds to disruptive students by significantly reducing out-of-school suspensions and school referrals, and putting into place alternatives as well as providing community resources to address the underlying causes of the behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A multi-systems approach that targets the reasons for disruptive behavior improves student educational and behavioral outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Juvenile Court of Clayton County, Jonesboro, Georgia, USA. steve.teske@co.clayton.ga.us
authors.forename: Steven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Teske
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D003416:Criminal Law / Q000458:organization & administration; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011678:Punishment / Q000523:psychology; D044469:Racial Groups; D012574:Schools / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States