The school-to-prison pipeline is a phenomenon, which implies that expelling students can push them to face the criminal justice system. Cruel tactics of punishments resulting in suspension and the presence of police at schools contribute to this process. For example, in 2017, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in the U.S. Department of Justice, “more than 230,000 children aged 14 and under were arrested” (Meek & Austin, 2019, para. 7). This situation is especially meaningful to children with learning disabilities and people of color. The pipeline is a critical phenomenon, which requires close attention as more and more people are influenced by this irrational situation, and ways for stopping or slowing it need to be found.
The current school policy is one of the main reasons for the pipeline existence, as even minor violations of school rules are criminalized today. This strategy has received the name of “zero-tolerance,” implying that a person receives a severe punishment despite the circumstances (American Civil Liberties Union, 2020, para. 6). The youth faces the justice system in situations that should typically be handled at schools, for example, students may be expelled for bringing nail clippers (ACLU, 2020). The main cause of this phenomenon is the system of punishments, which allows student suspension. According to Letitia Basford, the associate professor at the Hamlin University, “when students are expelled <…>, they miss vital classroom time, fall far behind, and are more likely to drop out” (as cited in Kopas, 2020, para. 6). The research showed that when schools provide children with a friendly atmosphere, contemporary techniques, and flexible programs, they prevent the pipeline occurrence (Kopas, 2020). Keeping students informed about the existence of such a phenomenon and discussing it in classrooms also helps to fight the situation.
One of the most critical issues is concerns with children having learning disabilities, as they face the situation more often than healthy students. Most of their medical problems are untreated, thus, leading to disengagement. The suspension is the most dangerous practice in such cases, as children are released from the education facility, and their parents usually cannot be at home with them, either. It is obvious that this situation “hits the hardest: kids with cognitive impairments, kids in child protection, and Aboriginal kids” (Hopkins, 2019, para. 6). On this basis, the result of them facing the criminal justice system seems logical.
One of the most serious problems the pipeline arises is racial disparities. The disproportionality in expels from school resembles the known imprisonment rates. For example, data from 2014 indicates that “black children made up 33 percent of all children suspended, while <…> black adults make up 33 percent of the total prison population” (Meek & Austin, 2019, para. 12). Researchers have found that schools with more black students have higher suspension rates (Nelson & Lind, 2015). It is estimated that when dealing with identical behaviors, teachers rate black children as more difficult and choose more severe punishments for them. The problem of racial discrimination is a serious issue as it exists despite all the efforts of fighting it.
An important question is the measures for solving the problem, and many experts suggest returning to the previous system with “indigenous courts, restorative alternatives to suspension, community-led justice reinvestment initiatives” (Hopkins, 2019, para. 11). To avoid the pipeline, there are a few effective means, such as the creation of appropriate restrictions for the police intervention in schools and training teachers for supporting at-risk students. These measures may help to cope with the problem of the pipeline or lower the speed of its spreading.
In conclusion, a school-to-prison pipeline is a serious problem existing in society. The system impacts children in a negative way, interfering with their lives and pushing them toward a crime. A critical issue is that it raises discrimination, influencing black children and individuals with learning disabilities more than healthy white students. Measures, which are aimed at solving the problem, exist and continue to be researched in order to help people achieve success in life, and not to become victims of the current policy system.