This paper describes the process, which lead to the school-to-prison pipeline concept. The changes that came about in the educational policies and disciplinary practices have enhanced the success of the school-to-prison pipeline concept in the Public Schools across the United States. During the 80’s, the war on drugs and cruel sentencing laws lead to an increase ratio of incarceration per capita in the United States. After the 80’s era, the 90’s brought about a zero-tolerance policy. Law enforcement was used as a solution versus the traditional measures to handle disciplinary problems by the school administration. As a result of this approach, many schools were treated as sheltered facilities which overtime lead to increased disciplinary conduct. The increase sentencing of minor offense by juveniles supported what is now referred to as the industrial prison of complex. Private prisons today, have become big business supported by the judiciary system in its sentencing and are evident by the increase sentencing of young offenders. This paper describes the connection between prison construction and the criminalization of students. In conclusion, this report will look at some policies and initiatives that have formed the school-to-prison pipeline initiative. In researching this topic, I will show the measure from the fact sheet of how North Carolina fair from School-to-Prison Pipeline. I totally find the school-to-prison pipeline to be an injustice to our youth and our society.

Introduction In the nine years since congress reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA), an alarming, 95,000 youth under the age of 21 are in custody in publicly and privately operated facilities in the U.S. (Livsey, Sickmund, and Sladky, (2009). More and more, youth are finding themselves involved in the juvenile justice system because of school-related conduct. The policies’ aimed to discipline and/or throw out problem students. These policies do nothing toward educating our youth. Instead, they exclude them and treat them as criminals. Expelling a student is not criminal but expelling them may perhaps seen part of a process leading to crime related incidents. In essence, the findings are students that misbehave in school and doing things that are not a threat to public safety in some cases are being arrested or expel from school and punished as if it is a criminal act. With the expelling of our youth, it has caused damage to our youth, families, and communities not to mention the cost in dollars and cents as states struggle with the cost of police, courts, and incarceration, which adds continual added stress to our state’s budget. Furthermore, little interest in education toward our youth has contributed to the progression of the school to prison pipeline. In my observation of schools, the accountability of our educational outcomes I recognize the needs of every student learning abilities and outcomes; whether it is by race or socioeconomic status should not be reasons for the school-to-prison pipeline.