Evaluating Impacts of the Philadelphia Police School Diversion Program: An Alternative to Arrest Policing Strategy

Drexel University proposes to examine the long-term impacts of the Philadelphia Police School Diversion Program, an alternative-to-arrest policing strategy. To provide an alternative to school-based arrests the Philadelphia Police Department developed and implemented this pre-arrest diversion program across Philadelphia in 2014. The request for funding is to examine the long-term impacts of this strategy. The applicant will conduct a quasi-experimental longitudinal study examining youth that participated in this program to youth arrested in school in the year prior to program implementation to determine the impact of this program on diverting at risk juveniles from committing future crime. Additionally, the applicant proposes to examine the return on investment of this strategy to the taxpayer. This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law, and complies with Part 200, Uniform Requirements - 2 CFR, 200.210 (a) (14). CA/NCF