Schools as jails: Urban African American Adolescent Males’ (UAAM) experiences and perceptions of violence in low‐income public schools

Abstract

AbstractThis manuscript presents urban African American adolescent males’ (UAAM) experiences and perceptions of violence in low‐income public schools. Findings derived from a qualitative study that investigated the meanings and experiences of violence among UAAM. Nine and six UAAM participated in in‐depth phenomenological interviews and a focus group, respectively. Findings revealed that UAAM experience and perceive school as a site for criminalizing their behaviors, peer fights, and being undereducated by teachers. Implications for counselors, educators, and service providers are discussed.