The School-to-Prison Pipeline in Stockton
Social Sciences
SOCY 195A, B, and C
The prison boom in the United States has created an overall shift in the country’s focus from rehabilitation to criminalization. This shift has resulted in the school-to-prison pipeline which can be defined as a combination of laws, policies, and funding which create a direct path for children from school to prison. These practices tend to have their greatest effect on children who are racial minorities of lower socioeconomic status. The purpose of this study was to examine schools in Stockton, California through school-to-prison pipeline theories to answer the question, what is the extent of the relationship between schools in Stockton and prisons? This study applied theories to public records such as suspension and expulsion records, school districts’ budgets, and high school policies. The study found that Stockton schools use suspensions and expulsions, policing, and zero-tolerance policies, thus indicating the presence of a pipeline in Stockton. These findings shed light on how common practices in American schools can contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline and therefore the United States prison boom.
