| Abstract: | Abstract Need has been recognized for communication and collaboration between the multiple agencies that respond to school crime, but the topic has not been well researched. This study is based on interviews with officials from middle and high schools as well as with police and other juvenile justice officials. Officials in rural, suburban, and urban communities were interviewed about interagency communication and interaction patterns in response to school crime. Findings revealed considerable interagency collaboration in the rural community, some communication in the suburban area, and minimal interaction in the urban setting. Communication between agencies was enhanced and inhibited by cultural, bureaucratic, and individual level factors. Implications are discussed for assessing and improving interagency collaboration. |
