Hartford — Joyhissa Bouknight, a student at Hamden High School, almost got suspended after getting into what she described as a friendly argument, over sports, with a friend.

"They called all the security guards in the school," Bouknight told a group of 150 people gathered at the state Capitol Tuesday for a conference on keeping young people out of the criminal justice system. "They never did that with other kids."

By other kids, Bouknight, who is African-American, meant white kids.

Recurring themes at the Comission on Human Rights and Opportunities conference on the so-called school-to-prison pipeline included the unintended consequences of zero tolerance policies and other school safety measures on students with behavioral issues and the implicit biases often experienced by students of color.

"There is a distinct trend of children being funneled out of schools and into the criminal justice system in this country," said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who briefly addressed the gathering. He said Connecticut has become a leader in juvenile justice reform.

In 2010, the General Assembly passed legislation removing 16- and 17-year-olds from adult criminal courts, except for serious crimes.

And as part of Malloy's Second Chance Society initiative, a school-based-diversion program in 10 school districts that is aimed at addressing behavioral issues, is expanding. He said 65 to 70 percent of children in juvenile detention have a diagnosable behavioral health condition.

"When a young person or child acts out, in many cases it is a cry for support," Malloy said.

Bill Howe, retired Title IX coordinator for the state Board of Education, said children who are suspended or expelled from school are more likely to drop out and to end up in the criminal justice system.

He said also there is clear evidence that children of color are singled out for punishment at a higher rate than other students. He said some schools are unable to properly investigate incidents and lack clear policies on school climate.

Teachers should be trained in cultural competence as well as handling behavioral and emotional problems, he said.

In their zeal to keep students safe, schools have created an uncomfortable, adversarial and unsupportive climate for some students, according to several speakers.

New state laws prohibit schools from suspending students until they reach third grade and require school superintendents to enter memoranda of understanding with police agencies regarding the duties of school resource officers.

Cheryl A. Sharp, deputy director of the CHRO, said students have been arrested at school for committing assault and battery and breach of peace.

"Technically they have committed a crime, but they're schoolchildren," she said. "Back in the day, you didn't get hauled off in handcuffs in front of your friends."

Mike Lawlor, Malloy's undersecretary for criminal justice policy and planning, said the state is gradually choking off the school-to-prison pipeline, in part by undoing policies that had unintended consequences.

The "raise the age" legislation for juveniles reduced the number of prison inmates aged 18 to 21 by more than half, he said, and there are fewer children in juvenile facilities and on probation.

He cited as positive efforts the School Based Diversion Initiative and the use of juvenile diversion boards.

"Schools, police officers and others are acting differently with kids who are acting out in school," Lawlor said

k.florin@theday.com

Twitter: @KFLORIN