Flawed education and the origins of a school-to-prison pipeline

FORUM - Print ISSN 1474-7685 - Online ISSN 2047-7171
Volume 68 Number 3 (2026)

Flawed education and the origins of a school-to-prison pipeline
Simon Gibbs pages 112‑122
DOI: 10.3898/forum.2026.68.3.10

Abstract

In this brief essay I will examine some factors implicated in education and schools that may, plausibly, be associated with notions of alienation and a phenomenon known as the ‘school-to-prison pipeline’. I suggest there are a cluster of factors that relate to the behaviour of young people and their treatment in schools that often culminates in exclusion and, subsequently, juvenile crime and imprisonment. In light of available evidence, I will then outline alternative approaches that could help educational settings prevent young people entering this ‘pipeline’ and avert catastrophes for individuals and society. 

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To cite this article
Simon Gibbs (2026) Flawed education and the origins of a school-to-prison pipeline, FORUM, 68(3), 112-122 . https://doi.org/10.3898/forum.2026.68.3.10

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