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Testing the School‐to‐Prison Pipeline

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  • Emily G. Owens

Abstract

The School‐to‐Prison Pipeline is a social phenomenon where students become formally involved with the criminal justice system as a result of school policies that use law enforcement, rather than discipline, to address behavioral problems. A potentially important part of the School‐to‐Prison Pipeline is the use of sworn School Resource Officers (SROs), but there is little research on the causal effect of hiring these officers on school crime or arrests. Using credibly exogenous variation in the use of SROs generated by federal hiring grants specifically to place law enforcement in schools, I find evidence that law enforcement agencies learn about more crimes in schools upon receipt of a grant, and are more likely to make arrests for those crimes. This primarily affects children under the age of 15. However, I also find evidence that SROs increase school safety, and help law enforcement agencies make arrests for drug crimes occurring on and off school grounds.

Suggested Citation

  • Emily G. Owens, 2017. "Testing the School‐to‐Prison Pipeline," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(1), pages 11-37, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jpamgt:v:36:y:2017:i:1:p:11-37
    DOI: 10.1002/pam.21954
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Stephen Machin & Matteo Sandi & Steve Machin, 2024. "Crime and Education," CESifo Working Paper Series 11450, CESifo.
    2. Vesla M Weaver & Amanda Geller, 2019. "Transforming Police Surveillance of Kids to the Civic Incorporation of Youth," Working Papers wp19-08-ff, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    3. Amanda Geller, 2017. "Policing America's Children: Police Contact and Consequences Among Teens in Fragile Families," Working Papers wp18-02-ff, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    4. Emily K. Weisburst, 2019. "Patrolling Public Schools: The Impact of Funding for School Police on Student Discipline and Long‐term Education Outcomes," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(2), pages 338-365, March.
    5. Amaya, Elard & Aparicio Fenoll, Ainoa & Mendolia, Silvia, 2025. "Crime Prevention Programs Improve Citizen's Mental Health: Evidence from Peru," IZA Discussion Papers 17697, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Gottlieb, Aaron & Wilson, Robert, 2019. "The effect of direct and vicarious police contact on the educational achievement of urban teens," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 190-199.
    7. Benjamin W. Fisher & Anthony Petrosino & Hannah Sutherland & Sarah Guckenburg & Trevor Fronius & Ivan Benitez & Kevin Earl, 2023. "School‐based law enforcement strategies to reduce crime, increase perceptions of safety, and improve learning outcomes in primary and secondary schools: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(4), December.
    8. Fisher, Benjamin W. & Fisher, Amy E., 2023. "Criminal justice system contact of students with disabilities by race and ethnicity: Examining the role of school police," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    9. Andrew Bacher-Hicks & Stephen B. Billings & David J. Deming, 2024. "The School-to-Prison Pipeline: Long-Run Impacts of School Suspensions on Adult Crime," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 16(4), pages 165-193, November.
    10. Robynn Cox & Jamein P. Cunningham, 2021. "Financing The War On Drugs: The Impact Of Law Enforcement Grants On Racial Disparities In Drug Arrests," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(1), pages 191-224, January.
    11. Lucy C. Sorensen & Montserrat Avila‐Acosta & John B. Engberg & Shawn D. Bushway, 2023. "The thin blue line in schools: New evidence on school‐based policing across the U.S," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(4), pages 941-970, September.

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