The school-to-prison pipeline, explained

Vox

11 Jan 201603:16

Summary

TLDRThe 'school-to-prison pipeline' refers to the systemic issue where schools, particularly in the 90s, implemented zero-tolerance policies leading to increased suspensions and expulsions. This policy inadvertently funneled students, predominantly black students, into the criminal justice system. The presence of police in schools further exacerbated the issue, with schools in areas with a higher black population more likely to have officers and higher arrest rates for minor offenses. Despite similar behavioral rates, black students face harsher punishments, contributing to racial disparities in school discipline and the justice system. Alternative approaches like restorative justice in Oakland have shown promising results in reducing chronic absenteeism and increasing graduation rates.

Takeaways

🏫 The 'school-to-prison pipeline' refers to the systemic issue where schools are inadvertently funneling students, particularly black students, into the criminal justice system.
⏱️ It originated in the 1990s with zero tolerance policies in response to crime fears, leading to mandatory suspensions and expulsions for certain violations.
📚 Schools began to enforce strict rules on minor infractions such as talking back or uniform violations, which contributed to a doubling of out-of-school suspensions since the 1970s.
👮‍♂️ The presence of police officers in schools increased by a third between 1997 and 2007, ostensibly for safety but leading to schools outsourcing discipline to the police.
🚨 Schools with police officers have five times as many arrests for 'disorderly conduct' compared to schools without them.
🔍 The racial disparity in the criminal justice system is exacerbated by schools, with a higher likelihood of having a police officer present if the student population is over 50% black.
📉 Despite increased arrests in schools with police, there is no significant difference in court charges for serious offenses like weapons, drugs, or assault.
📊 Black students are overrepresented in school arrests and disciplinary actions, with a three times higher suspension or expulsion rate compared to white students.
👶 This disparity starts early, with black preschoolers being disproportionately represented in multiple suspensions despite similar rates of behavior issues.
📝 Studies indicate that the difference in punishments cannot be fully explained by differences in behavior, with black students more likely to be suspended for subjective reasons.
🔄 The federal government is encouraging schools to make suspension and expulsion a last resort to address the issue.
🛑 Restorative justice practices, like those in Oakland, California, have shown promising results in reducing chronic absenteeism and increasing graduation rates.

Q & A

What is the term 'school-to-prison pipeline' referring to?
-The term 'school-to-prison pipeline' refers to the phenomenon where students, particularly black students, are channeled from schools into the criminal justice system due to disciplinary policies and practices.
When did the concept of the school-to-prison pipeline originate?
-The concept of the school-to-prison pipeline originated in the 1990s as a response to fears about crime with the implementation of zero tolerance policies in schools.
What are zero tolerance policies and how do they impact students?
-Zero tolerance policies are strict rules that mandate suspensions and expulsions for certain violations, including minor ones like talking back or uniform violations. They have led to an increase in out-of-school suspensions and have disproportionately affected black students.
How have the number of police officers in schools changed since the 1990s?
-The number of police officers stationed full-time inside schools has increased by a third between 1997 and 2007, ostensibly to prevent mass school shootings but often leading to schools outsourcing discipline to the police.
What is the impact of having police officers in schools on arrest rates for disorderly conduct?
-Schools with police officers have five times as many arrests for disorderly conduct compared to schools without them, indicating a significant increase in the criminalization of student behavior.
Why are schools more likely to have a police officer if their student population is more than 50% black?
-The script does not provide a specific reason, but it suggests that this might be due to racial disparities and a tendency to view schools with a higher black population as needing more security, despite no evidence of higher crime rates.
How do arrest rates at schools with police officers compare to those without, in terms of weapons, drugs, alcohol, or assault charges?
-According to one study, students at policed schools are more likely to be arrested but are not more likely to be charged in court for weapons, drugs, alcohol, or assault, suggesting that arrests may not always correlate with actual criminal behavior.
What was the racial disparity in school arrests during the 2010-2011 school year in the U.S.?
-During the 2010-2011 school year, black students, who made up one in six public school students, accounted for one in three arrests at school, highlighting a significant racial disparity in school discipline.
Why do black students receive more severe punishments compared to white students for similar offenses?
-Studies show that black students are more likely to be suspended for subjective reasons like talking back or insubordination, while white students are more likely to be suspended for provable offenses, indicating a disparity in how disciplinary actions are applied.
What are the long-term effects of school suspensions on students?
-Students who are suspended in school are more likely to later drop out or get arrested, indicating that school suspensions can have negative long-term consequences on a student's educational and life outcomes.
What is restorative justice and how is it being used in Oakland, California schools?
-Restorative justice is an approach where both parties to a conflict talk it out with a counselor instead of relying on punishment. In Oakland, California, public schools have adopted this approach, leading to a decrease in chronic absenteeism and an increase in graduation rates.
What is the federal government's stance on school suspensions and expulsions?
-The federal government is urging schools to make suspension and expulsion the absolute last resort, recognizing the negative impact these disciplinary measures can have on students' futures.

Outlines

00:00

🏫 School Discipline and the Criminal Justice System

This paragraph discusses the concept of the 'school-to-prison pipeline,' highlighting how certain school policies, particularly those implemented in the 90s, have inadvertently funneled students, predominantly black students, into the criminal justice system. The introduction of zero tolerance policies led to increased suspensions and expulsions for minor infractions, and the presence of police officers in schools has correlated with a higher number of arrests for disorderly conduct. The paragraph emphasizes the racial disparities in school discipline and the criminal justice system, noting that black students are more likely to receive severe punishments and are overrepresented in school arrests despite similar rates of misbehavior to their white counterparts.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡School-to-Prison Pipeline

The 'school-to-prison pipeline' is a concept that refers to the systemic funneling of students, particularly black students, from schools into the criminal justice system. It is a critical issue highlighted in the video, illustrating how certain school policies and practices can lead to increased incarceration rates. The term is used to describe the unintended consequences of zero-tolerance policies, which have disproportionately affected minority students and contributed to the cycle of crime and punishment.

💡Zero Tolerance Policies

Zero tolerance policies are strict rules that mandate suspensions and expulsions for certain violations within schools. These policies, introduced in the 90s, were designed to reduce crime and violence in educational settings. However, as the video explains, they have led to increased out-of-school suspensions and have been criticized for their disproportionate impact on black students, thereby exacerbating the school-to-prison pipeline.

💡Out-of-School Suspensions

Out-of-school suspensions refer to the practice of suspending students from attending school for a certain period due to disciplinary issues. The video script notes that these suspensions have doubled since the 1970s and continue to increase, despite a decrease in juvenile crime rates. This trend is linked to the school-to-prison pipeline, as suspended students are more likely to disengage from education and enter the criminal justice system.

💡Police in Schools

The presence of police officers stationed full-time inside schools is a key concept in the video. It discusses how the number of such officers increased significantly between 1997 and 2007, ostensibly for security reasons. However, the video points out that these officers often contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline by enforcing discipline and leading to higher arrest rates for minor offenses, such as disorderly conduct.

💡Racial Disparities

Racial disparities refer to the unequal treatment or outcomes experienced by different racial groups. In the context of the video, racial disparities are evident in the way black students are more likely to have police officers on campus and are more frequently subjected to school discipline and arrests. The video emphasizes that these disparities cannot be fully explained by differences in behavior, indicating systemic bias.

💡Disorderly Conduct

Disorderly conduct is a term used to describe behavior that disturbs the peace or violates public order. The video script reveals that schools with police officers have five times as many arrests for disorderly conduct compared to schools without officers. This highlights the role of police in schools in escalating minor disciplinary issues into legal matters, contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline.

💡Restorative Justice

Restorative justice is an alternative approach to traditional punishment that focuses on repairing the harm caused by wrongdoing and fostering understanding between the parties involved. The video mentions its implementation in Oakland, California, where it has led to a decrease in chronic absenteeism and an increase in graduation rates. This approach contrasts with punitive measures and is presented as a potential solution to the school-to-prison pipeline.

💡Chronic Absenteeism

Chronic absenteeism refers to the habitual absence of students from school without valid reasons. The video script indicates that the implementation of restorative justice in Oakland has led to a reduction in chronic absenteeism, suggesting a positive impact on student engagement and attendance, which is crucial for preventing dropouts and reducing the risk of involvement with the criminal justice system.

💡Graduation Rates

Graduation rates are the percentages of students who complete their secondary education within a specified timeframe. The video script notes an increase in graduation rates in schools that have adopted restorative justice practices. This improvement is significant as it indicates a positive correlation between alternative disciplinary methods and student success in completing their education.

💡Punitive Measures

Punitive measures are disciplinary actions taken against individuals that are intended to punish and deter undesirable behavior. In the context of the video, punitive measures such as suspensions and expulsions are criticized for their role in the school-to-prison pipeline. The video suggests that these measures can have negative long-term effects on students, including increased likelihood of dropping out or entering the criminal justice system.

💡Preschool Suspensions

Preschool suspensions refer to the suspension of very young children from preschool settings. The video script highlights a concerning statistic that 48% of preschoolers suspended more than once are black, despite black children making up only 18% of the preschool population. This early disciplinary action is part of the school-to-prison pipeline narrative, indicating that racial disparities in school discipline start at a very young age.

Highlights

The term 'school-to-prison pipeline' refers to the systemic issue of schools disproportionately funneling students, especially black students, into the criminal justice system.

Zero tolerance policies, introduced in the 90s, mandated suspensions and expulsions for certain violations, including minor ones like talking back or uniform violations.

Out-of-school suspensions have doubled since the 1970s, continuing to increase despite a decline in juvenile crime rates.

The number of full-time police officers in schools increased by a third between 1997 and 2007, ostensibly for safety but leading to outsourcing of school discipline to police.

Schools with police officers have five times as many arrests for 'disorderly conduct' compared to schools without them.

Schools are more likely to have a police officer if more than 50% of the student population is black, contributing to racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

Despite higher arrest rates at policed schools, there is no significant difference in court charges for serious offenses like weapons, drugs, or assault.

During the 2010-2011 school year, black students accounted for one in three arrests at school, despite making up only one in six of the student population.

Black students are suspended or expelled three times more frequently than white students, a disparity that begins in preschool.

48% of preschoolers suspended more than once are black, despite black students making up only 18% of preschoolers.

Behavior differences between black and white students cannot fully account for the disparity in school discipline.

Black students are more likely to receive serious punishment for subjective reasons like talking back or insubordination, compared to white students.

Suspended students are more likely to later drop out or get arrested, highlighting the negative long-term effects of school discipline practices.

The federal government is urging schools to make suspension and expulsion the last resort as part of a broader effort to address these issues.

In Oakland, California, public schools are implementing restorative justice practices, which involve conflict resolution through dialogue with a counselor.

Restorative justice in Oakland has shown promising results, with decreased chronic absenteeism and increased graduation rates in participating schools.

Other cities and districts are exploring new policies to prevent students from entering the criminal justice system due to school disciplinary actions.