Built Beyond American Borders: Comparing the Construction and Maintenance of the School-to-Prison Pipeline in the United States and New Zealand

Abstract

The school-to-prison pipeline (STPP) is the process by which children of colour are disproportionately funnelled from education institutions into the criminal justice system. This article investigates how the STPP was developed through unfolding systems of oppression in both the United States and New Zealand. Harsh disciplinary measures and zero-tolerance policies were implemented in both countries, facilitating a rise in exclusionary discipline for minority youth. Compounded by negative police contact, state care involvement, and structural inequality, children who face disciplinary measures in school are significantly more likely to become involved in the criminal justice system. The analysis presented here demonstrates how systemic racism and ongoing oppression embedded within the education systems of both the United States and New Zealand produce long-lasting, detrimental outcomes for minority children. By uncovering the underlying contributors to the pipeline, options to dismantle it can be explored.