Classroom to Prison Cell: the relationship between school and youth offending - Dr Alison Sutherland (Resource teacher of Learning and Behaviour)

Working Together Conference

Classroom to Prison Cell

The relationship between school and youth offending

Dr Alison Sutherland (Ph.D.)

• 6 females, 19 males• Average age 15 years 9 months• Invercargill to North Auckland• Ethnicity (self reported):

‘From Classroom to Prison Cell: Young offenders perception of their school experience.’

M56%

NZE/M16%

PI16%

NZE8%

PI/M4%

There is a direct relationship between alienation from school and youth offending

Existing research indicates there are 7 risk factors the school experience contributes to students’ alienation and the pathway to youth offending.

It is not any one risk factor, but the combination of risk factors that leads a young person to offend.

1. Inadequate/traumatic transition to school

At school entry

I didn't want to go to school because it was the first time. Freaking out in front of everybody, I started crying to my mum saying I don't want to

mummy. (Patrick)

Between schools (e.g. primary and intermediate; intermediate and college, one school to another)

I felt like I was a little boy, and I didn't want to come to this school because I didn't really know anyone. It was just the beginning when I start school, I don't feel, it's like I don't feel welcome. (Albert)

2. Unhealthy school climate

High rates of student and teacher absenteeism Air of disrespect between staff and students

“There was a lot of yelling at school from the teachers and, um, everybody.” (Elle)

Lower expectations from teachers and studentsDiffering values between home and school community

“I don’t stop things when I go to school. I’m not like, I’m one person here and then I’m one person at school. I’m always the same person.” (Georgie)

3. Academic failure

Learning difficulties (deficits in reading/math/writing)

Underachievement Reduced self esteem Increased alienation

“Just do it, do it, do it.” I can't do it. 'Cause I need help with it. [Whispers in female voice] “Just try, just try.”

[Angry] “And I've been there so many times and I can't do it.” (Nick)

4. Antisocial peer relationships formed at school

Rejected by their pro-social peers Mix with other anti-social students Contagion effect increases anti-social

behaviours Girls particularly vulnerable

Got my cheeky mouth from my boy mates. If a girl would get smart to us, I'd just say something real stupid but we all thought it was funny, so I'd just get real cheeky. I was like, if you want a fight, bring it on. (Siara)

5. Negative student/school-personnel relationships

Behaviour challenging students more likely to be punished

High levels of conflict and negative interactions Cycle of negative responses Teacher seeks solace/support in the staffroom Child develops negative reputation

“Because each teacher that I went to just didn't like me because they heard other things from other teachers, and they'd think that I'm naughty, and yeah.” (Alan)

6. Mistreatment by school personnel

May be intentional or unintentional Withdrawal from the only school activites the

child enjoys or is good at Using their work to demonstrate poor example Verbal and/or physical assault Using fear, criticism, ridicule, intimidation to

control Racism and other forms of prejudice

“I was walking off just to cool down so I don't want to get into anger, then [the PE teacher] goes, yeah, get lost then you little black nigger.” (Patrick)

7. School policy abuse

Retaining/labelling/streaming at-risk students

Use of intolerant zero-policies Ejecting the child from the school system Transfers anti-social behaviours from school

to the community

When I got expelled I was told to walk home and I didn't come home for a few days because I was scared to go home. The first time was for smoking. Smoking cigarettes. (Craig)

We were suffering from nicotine withdrawal

The teachers and principals treated us unfairly

They expected too much from usSchool’s expectations and rules were different from home

The subjects they taught had no meaning for us

They wanted us to be compliant all the time

We were always being punished

The young people’s voices

We feel powerless and unheard in school

We couldn’t do the work like the other kids

It was compulsory to go; we didn’t have a choice

My Ph.D. Research

Research Findings

The school experience does not cause a y/p to offend, but exacerbates existing predisposition created by external and internal risk factors

All of the young people were alienated from school; it was meaningless

The cumulative effect of negative school experiences contributed to their sense of alienation

School policy abuse

Mistreatment by school personnel

Negative transition into school

Negative school climate

Academic failure

Anti-social peer relationships

Negative student-teacher relationships

School dropout – increase in criminal activity

Critical risk factors brought into the school setting: family dysfunction, low socio-economic status, and involuntary ethnic minority status.

The ‘Tsunami Effect’

Research Findings cont.

They exhibited severe antisocial behaviours when they were in school

Legally obliged to attend school, powerless, they used their behaviours to get themselves ejected

The more tolerant the school, the more frustrated they became and the more their behaviours intensified

They wanted to learn about things that mattered to them

My Conclusions

Children at risk of future serious offending are identifiable within the school setting

Agencies can take advantage of the compulsory requirement to attend school

Students who exhibit severe antisocial behaviours can be ‘red-flagged’ by school personnel

Using a validated ‘early assessment of risk tool’, we can reduce the negative effect of false positives

NZ-EARLCritical Risk Assessment Screening Tool

Uses a triangulated approach to data gathering

Yields a one-page scoring sheet

Identifies research-based ‘critical risks’ to guide targeting of appropriate interventions

Parents involved as active participants in the assessment process

Involves the child through interview and observation

Risk factors divided into ‘Family’, ‘Child’, and ‘Responsivity’ categories

Recommendations

• Schools be better equiped to manage and support children exhibiting severe behaviour

• Children at risk of future criminal offending referred through the school setting from age 6 years

• The NZ-‘Early Assessment Risk List’ trialed as a school-based identification tool

• Key agencies form ‘Critical Risk Intervention Teams’

• Results from Critical Risk Assessments be kept on secure database for ongoing research purposes

• Consideration be given to long-term residential school support for our most at-risk young people

Recommendations cont.

If schools are part of the problem, we have a moral and social obligation to be a part of the solution

But we cannot do it alone.