Campbell, Willa
(2023)
Implementing Harm Reduction Approaches in K-12 Pittsburgh Public Schools as a Strategy for Reducing School-initiated Juvenile Legal System Referrals: A Program Proposal.
Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.
Abstract
Introduction to the juvenile legal system has life course consequences far beyond adolescence. Youth who are referred to the juvenile legal system have often experienced trauma or childhood adversity. These adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can cause emotional disturbances that manifest as behavioral issues, many of which occur in schools where youth spend much of their time. Behaviors stemming from traumatic experiences are consequently punished, and regularly criminalized, by schools. These disciplinary actions, especially those involving law enforcement, are disproportionately carried out on marginalized youth including youth of color, youth with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ youth. Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) is a school district of nearly 20,000 students located in western Pennsylvania. PPS disproportionately refers Black students and students with disabilities to law enforcement for conduct violations. Harm reduction is a framework that has seen great success among people who use drugs and should be implemented more widely. Harm reduction’s success stems from its willingness to provide care to those who may continue to engage in harmful behaviors instead of the traditional model of requiring abstinence to receive support. This program proposal is based on the harm reduction principles developed by Hawk et al. for healthcare systems and has been adapted for the public school education system. The program aims to reduce school-initiated juvenile legal system referrals by implementing harm reduction approaches to Pittsburgh Public Schools code of conduct and subsequent disciplinary action.
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Details
| Item Type: |
Other Thesis, Dissertation, or Long Paper
(Master Essay)
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| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
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| Contributors: |
| Contribution | Contributors Name | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Committee Chair | Hawk, Mary | mary.hawk@pitt.edu | mary.hawk | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | Goodkind, Sara | sara.goodkind@pitt.edu | sara.goodkind | UNSPECIFIED |
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| Date: |
17 May 2023 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Number of Pages: |
72 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Behavioral and Community Health Sciences |
| Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
| Thesis Type: |
Master Essay |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
harm reduction, trauma, childhood adversity, adverse childhood experiences, juvenile justice, juvenile legal system |
| Date Deposited: |
17 May 2023 14:29 |
| Last Modified: |
17 May 2023 14:29 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/44779 |
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