Contributing to the Cradle to Prison Pipeline - Zero Tolerance and Other Exclusionary School Discipline Policies

• In Event: Juvenile Justice: Perspectives From Initial Contact to Incarceration

Abstract

This paper explores the role that zero tolerance and other exclusionary school policies play in promoting the cradle to prison pipeline from the lens of critical race and racial threat theories. Just as research confirms that the get tough policies being employed by the juvenile justice system are ineffective to reduce juvenile delinquency, research likewise confirms that zero tolerance and other exclusionary policies do not meet the goals of deterring offensive student behavior in schools, promoting positive school climate or of making the schools safer for the remaining students who are on campus. In fact, research has revealed that the opposite is true. The increasing use of disciplinary sanctions such as in-school and out-of-school suspensions, expulsions, zero tolerance, or referrals to law enforcement authorities creates the potential for significant, negative educational and long-term outcomes, and can contribute to what has been termed the “cradle to prison pipeline.” Studies have suggested a correlation between exclusionary discipline policies and practices and an array of serious educational, economic, and social problems, including school avoidance and diminished educational engagement; decreased academic achievement; increased behavior problems; increased likelihood of dropping out; substance abuse; and increased involvement with juvenile justice systems.

Author

• Doris Lewis Edmonds, Norfolk State University