Glossary
A
AdjudicateTo make a formal judgment or decision about a problem or disputed matter. Adjudication ends in a formal sentence, such as conviction (guilty) or acquittal (not guilty).
C
Class C MisdemeanorIn Texas, refers to non-traffic, fine-only misdemeanors. Class C Misdemeanors include disorderly conduct—like cursing, making offensive gestures, being too loud, or fighting in school—as well as other minor crimes like trespassing.
Custodial InterrogationA situation when a person is in a custodial setting and they are being questioned by the police.
Custodial SettingGenerally, a person is in a custodial setting when he or she is with the police and does not feel free to leave. The United States Supreme Court has said that whether or not a person feels free to leave can depend on their age: children may not feel free to walk out if they are being questioned by the police, even if an adult in the same situation may feel free to leave.
D
Deferred ProsecutionA voluntary alternative to either put off a case for a period of time or to dismiss a case up front subject to the accused fulfilling certain agreed upon conditions. With deferred prosecution, if at the end of the period all of the agreed upon conditions are met by the accused, the charges are dismissed and no plea or guilty judgement of conviction is entered.
F
FERPAThe Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, a federal privacy law that protects certain information pertaining to the child such as disciplinary records. The U.S. Department of Education handles complaints filed under FERPA and an individual can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education at: https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/file-a-complaint.
I
Implicit BiasRefers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. Implicit biases are usually developed over the course of a lifetime and allow us to quickly sort objects, beliefs and even people into various categories, but they also cause us to have certain feelings or attitudes about others based on characteristics such as age, appearance, race and ethnicity. For example, a police officer may not consciously believe that Black students are more likely to misbehave but nevertheless punish Black students more harshly than other students based on his implicit biases.
J
JurisdictionThe authority for a legal body (i.e., a court or an official organization) to make decisions and judgments within a defined area, like a school district, county or a state.
L
LGBTQIThis acronym describes students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or intersex. Detailed data about how and how often LGBTQI students are disciplined and have interactions with police in their schools are not widely collected. However, a few studies and reports from individual students, families, educators, and advocates show that LGBTQI students are overrepresented in the punitive school discipline system.
M
MOUsA shorthand term for a Memorandum of Understanding, which is a contract between school districts and local police departments. An MOU is a contract between 1) school districts and local police departments and 2) school district police departments and the local police departments with overlapping jurisdiction. MOUs often do not describe how officers should interact with students, when they should or should not be called to address student behavior, or training, reporting, or performance review requirements.
Adjudicate
To make a formal judgment or decision about a problem or disputed matter. Adjudication ends in a formal sentence, such as conviction (guilty) or acquittal (not guilty).
Class C Misdemeanor
In Texas, refers to non-traffic, fine-only misdemeanors. Class C Misdemeanors include disorderly conduct—like cursing, making offensive gestures, being too loud, or fighting in school—as well as other minor crimes like trespassing.
Custodial Interrogation
A situation when a person is in a custodial setting and they are being questioned by the police.
Custodial Setting
Generally, a person is in a custodial setting when he or she is with the police and does not feel free to leave. The United States Supreme Court has said that whether or not a person feels free to leave can depend on their age: children may not feel free to walk out if they are being questioned by the police, even if an adult in the same situation may feel free to leave.
D
Deferred ProsecutionA voluntary alternative to either put off a case for a period of time or to dismiss a case up front subject to the accused fulfilling certain agreed upon conditions. With deferred prosecution, if at the end of the period all of the agreed upon conditions are met by the accused, the charges are dismissed and no plea or guilty judgement of conviction is entered.
F
FERPAThe Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, a federal privacy law that protects certain information pertaining to the child such as disciplinary records. The U.S. Department of Education handles complaints filed under FERPA and an individual can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education at: https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/file-a-complaint.
I
Implicit BiasRefers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. Implicit biases are usually developed over the course of a lifetime and allow us to quickly sort objects, beliefs and even people into various categories, but they also cause us to have certain feelings or attitudes about others based on characteristics such as age, appearance, race and ethnicity. For example, a police officer may not consciously believe that Black students are more likely to misbehave but nevertheless punish Black students more harshly than other students based on his implicit biases.
J
JurisdictionThe authority for a legal body (i.e., a court or an official organization) to make decisions and judgments within a defined area, like a school district, county or a state.
L
LGBTQIThis acronym describes students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or intersex. Detailed data about how and how often LGBTQI students are disciplined and have interactions with police in their schools are not widely collected. However, a few studies and reports from individual students, families, educators, and advocates show that LGBTQI students are overrepresented in the punitive school discipline system.
M
MOUsA shorthand term for a Memorandum of Understanding, which is a contract between school districts and local police departments. An MOU is a contract between 1) school districts and local police departments and 2) school district police departments and the local police departments with overlapping jurisdiction. MOUs often do not describe how officers should interact with students, when they should or should not be called to address student behavior, or training, reporting, or performance review requirements.
Deferred Prosecution
A voluntary alternative to either put off a case for a period of time or to dismiss a case up front subject to the accused fulfilling certain agreed upon conditions. With deferred prosecution, if at the end of the period all of the agreed upon conditions are met by the accused, the charges are dismissed and no plea or guilty judgement of conviction is entered.
FERPA
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, a federal privacy law that protects certain information pertaining to the child such as disciplinary records. The U.S. Department of Education handles complaints filed under FERPA and an individual can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education at: https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/file-a-complaint.
I
Implicit BiasRefers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. Implicit biases are usually developed over the course of a lifetime and allow us to quickly sort objects, beliefs and even people into various categories, but they also cause us to have certain feelings or attitudes about others based on characteristics such as age, appearance, race and ethnicity. For example, a police officer may not consciously believe that Black students are more likely to misbehave but nevertheless punish Black students more harshly than other students based on his implicit biases.
J
JurisdictionThe authority for a legal body (i.e., a court or an official organization) to make decisions and judgments within a defined area, like a school district, county or a state.
L
LGBTQIThis acronym describes students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or intersex. Detailed data about how and how often LGBTQI students are disciplined and have interactions with police in their schools are not widely collected. However, a few studies and reports from individual students, families, educators, and advocates show that LGBTQI students are overrepresented in the punitive school discipline system.
M
MOUsA shorthand term for a Memorandum of Understanding, which is a contract between school districts and local police departments. An MOU is a contract between 1) school districts and local police departments and 2) school district police departments and the local police departments with overlapping jurisdiction. MOUs often do not describe how officers should interact with students, when they should or should not be called to address student behavior, or training, reporting, or performance review requirements.
Implicit Bias
Refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. Implicit biases are usually developed over the course of a lifetime and allow us to quickly sort objects, beliefs and even people into various categories, but they also cause us to have certain feelings or attitudes about others based on characteristics such as age, appearance, race and ethnicity. For example, a police officer may not consciously believe that Black students are more likely to misbehave but nevertheless punish Black students more harshly than other students based on his implicit biases.
Jurisdiction
The authority for a legal body (i.e., a court or an official organization) to make decisions and judgments within a defined area, like a school district, county or a state.
L
LGBTQIThis acronym describes students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or intersex. Detailed data about how and how often LGBTQI students are disciplined and have interactions with police in their schools are not widely collected. However, a few studies and reports from individual students, families, educators, and advocates show that LGBTQI students are overrepresented in the punitive school discipline system.
M
MOUsA shorthand term for a Memorandum of Understanding, which is a contract between school districts and local police departments. An MOU is a contract between 1) school districts and local police departments and 2) school district police departments and the local police departments with overlapping jurisdiction. MOUs often do not describe how officers should interact with students, when they should or should not be called to address student behavior, or training, reporting, or performance review requirements.
LGBTQI
This acronym describes students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or intersex. Detailed data about how and how often LGBTQI students are disciplined and have interactions with police in their schools are not widely collected. However, a few studies and reports from individual students, families, educators, and advocates show that LGBTQI students are overrepresented in the punitive school discipline system.
MOUs
A shorthand term for a Memorandum of Understanding, which is a contract between school districts and local police departments. An MOU is a contract between 1) school districts and local police departments and 2) school district police departments and the local police departments with overlapping jurisdiction. MOUs often do not describe how officers should interact with students, when they should or should not be called to address student behavior, or training, reporting, or performance review requirements.