Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Factors Influencing Latino Academic Attainment

The purpose of this case study was to draw from the personal experiences of young adult Latino males with a criminal record to obtain a better understanding of how to support them in making gains toward their high school diploma. The conceptual framework that guided this study draws from the existing work of Crenshaw's (1989) notion of intersectionality, a term that identifies the manner in which social constructs impact individual lives. Research has shown that 1 in 6 Latino males will enter the prison system at least once in their lifetime (Saenz & Ponjuan, 2009). In addition, approximately 50% of young men of color return to a life of crime when they are unable to find an alternative such as continued education (Abrams, Terry, & Frankie, 2011). Therefore, it is vital that educators and other stakeholders learn strategies to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline in an effort to best support Latino males in completing their high school diploma. Hyatt (2010) explains that Latino males continue to struggle in education while simultaneously there is a rise in criminal activity from this same group. Students' past and present educational experiences along with criminal history was analyzed through two sets of interviews and a transcript analysis to better understand their perspective on how to best support this particular student population. Also, the participants in the study provided a deeper understanding of why young Latino males are involved in criminal behavior and related challenges in earning a high school diploma. The participants in this study identified social class as a major contributing factor in impacting criminal activity that limited their education gains. Other factors such as age, race and gender influenced peer association of the participants in the study. The participants identified teachers and counselors as playing a significant role impacting their educational attainment. Students in this study identified supportive services that had an impact in making gains toward their high school diploma as well as services that are currently lacking. Also, participants identified both present and past environmental factors that impacted making gains toward earning a high school diploma.