The Detrimental Effects of the School-to-Prison Pipeline
Written by Patricia Moreno
Edited by Aaron Wright
July 31st 2021
Edited by Aaron Wright
July 31st 2021
The school-to-prison pipeline is a cruel fabrication many schools have adopted that disproportionately affects Latinx and African-American youth. The school-to-prison pipeline is a system where suspensions, expulsions, and referrals can weave out marginalized students from oppressed communities and funnel them into the justice system. In 2009-2010, more than 2 million middle and high school students were suspended in the US (Losen & Martinez, 2013). Students are suspended for minor actions following extreme punitive measures, like facing the juvenile justice system. Additionally, office referrals can be detrimental since they can prevent students from participating in learning opportunities, and can increase chances for suspension and expulsion (Scott & Barett, 2004).
A research study funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIDA) addressed the relationship between referrals, suspensions, expulsions, and delinquencies with disciplinary actions by surveying 10th-12th grade students in 16 different public schools. Results found that more African-Americans and Latinos were suspended or expelled compared to their White counterparts. For instance, 6% of Latinos and 8.5 % African-Americans got suspended or expelled, whereas only 4.3% Whites and 1.9% Asian-Americans experienced such discipline (Mizel, 2016). This data strongly suggests that Latinos and African-American students were suspended or expelled more, which shows a racial bias towards punishment in schools. Furthermore, data found that youth who had previously been involved in delinquencies and had low academic preparation had a higher chance of receiving referrals, while suspension and expulsion rates were greater for students involved in delinquencies and prior marijuana usage (Mizel, 2016). This shows how delinquencies increase the risk of facing expulsions or suspensions, which can impact student’s life trajectories and progressively divert them away from academia into the prison system.
Why is this important? All students should be given an equal opportunity to further their potential and succeed and expand in academia. Schools should reflect and ensure that the needs of their student body are met daily by prioritizing student academic engagement and readiness. It is crucial to invest more time and energy in a student's academic preparedness since it can help them avoid deviation from academia into the prison system. Moreover, some alternatives to punitive measures, instead of direct conflict with the police, are youth diversion practices, such as mentoring programs, which can be an alternative strategy to disciplinary measures. Using restorative justice practices and culturally rooted healing practices can also help foster youth leadership development (Gregory et al., 2014). Ultimately, offering more support services, rather than enforcing punitive measures, on school campuses can help empower and inspire youth to pursue their goals and change their community for the better, instead of funneling them directly behind bars. Adults must take accountability for fostering a suitable learning environment for students. Disadvantaged youth need greater support and mentorship from positive role models, which in turn, can help reduce school discipline disparities (D’Amico et al., 2008).
Works Cited
D'Amico, E. J., Edelen, M. O., Miles, J. N., & Morral, A. R. (2008). The longitudinal association
between substance use and delinquency among high-risk youth. Drug and alcohol
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Gregory A, Clawson K, Davis A, Gerewitz J. (2014) The promise of restorative practices to
transform teacher-student relationships and achieve equity in school discipline. Journal of
Educational and Psychological Consultation. 2014:1–29. doi:
10.1080/10474412.2014.929950
Losen, DJ., Martinez, TE (2013). Out of school & off track: The overuse of suspensions in American
middle and high schools. The UCLA Center for Civil Rights Remedies at The Civil Rights Project; . https://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/resources/projects/center-for-civil-rights-remedies/school-to-prison-folder/federal-reports/out-of-school-and-off-track-the-overuse-of-suspensions-in-american-middle-and-high-schools/OutofSchool-OffTrack_UCLA_4-8.pdf
Mizel, M. L., Miles, J., Pedersen, E. R., Tucker, J. S., Ewing, B. A., & D'Amico, E. J. (2016). To
Educate or To Incarcerate: Factors in Disproportionality in School Discipline. Children
and youth services review, 70, 102–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.09.009
Scott TM, Barrett SB. (2004). Using staff and student time engaged in disciplinary procedures to evaluate the impact of school-wide PBS. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions. ; 6(1):21–27. DOI: 10.1177/10983007040060010401
Image Source: “Criminal Justice System” by Patricia Moreno