Education, Career, and Recidivism.

Introductory Blurb: 

Students should have prior knowledge from Lesson 1 on juvenile justice system vocabulary, common crimes, and alternative programs to incarceration.

 Procedure: 

Students will reflect on warm up questions.

1. Do you think incarceration effects the juvenile's lives after they have been released from the justice system? In what ways?

2. What challenges do you think juveniles face in finding employment after being released from incarceration?

3. Have you seen disciplines in school that are similar to disciplines in prisons or jails? In what ways?

After, some students should share their answers.
Then direct students into the brainstorm discussion.
In groups, students should discuss these questions:

1. Why are youth being imprisoned? 

2. What crimes are most commonly the reason for incarceration? 

3. Do you think youth can be pushed towards incarceration based on circumstances in their life, before any incarceration?

4. What factors outside the law may push youth towards incarceration?

Students from each group should share what they heard from their peers. If students are not sure how to answer the last question, there are examples in the speaker notes.

Caveats:

• Some groups may finish their discussions earlier than others.

Options: Ask the students to discuss if they have seen examples of outside factors effecting youth towards incarceration. Where have they seen it? What was the result of this guidance?

Procedure:

Students will be lead to discipline in schools that impact youth and guide some demographics towards the prison system. The students should take notes on ISS, OSS and Expulsion. 

After taking notes, have students, if they are comfortable, raise their hand if they have experienced any of these disciplines. What did this look like?

Then transition into the school to prison similarities and connections.

Students should write down the definitions of school to prison, zero tolerance, and SRO. After each vocab has been explained, watch the corresponding video, before moving on to the next vocab. After watching each video, have the students answer these questions:

• After STPP video, what demographics are most affected by the school to prison pipeline? Do you agree that this structure increases the chances of youth entering the juvenile justice system?

• After ZTP video ask, after what you just heard do you this policy address behaviors in a positively effective way? Why or why not?

• After SRO video ask, if they think cops should be in schools? Are they positively impactful in what ways? Negatively?

Finally, after all videos have been watched, have students discuss the following questions in pairs or groups. 

• In what ways do these policies and structures impact youths lives?

• Do these structures direct specific demographics towards the justice system?

Have a few students share their answers with the class.

Procedure:

• Students will answer; 

  • Why are incarcerated youth more likely to return to the justice system after being released? 

This should direct students into repercussions after being incarcerated. They should take notes on the highlighted sections, like get a job, housing, etc. Students should then be led through impacts on career opportunities. Students do not have to take note on all of this information. 

Procedure:

• Students should be led through recidivism and answer the following: 

  • Why do most youth reenter the justice system? Students should write down the four resources youth don’t have to reintegrate into society. This will lead students to the Life After Detention video. 

• During this video, students should answer the questions on their worksheet. 

• After watching the video, they should discuss their answers with their peers for 2 min and fill in any information they missed.

• After 2 min of discussion, have students share their answers with the class.

Procedure:

• Students should be lead through a class reflection following these questions:

• In your opinion, what kind of resources should inmates have in order to prevent reentry?

• What is needed to provide youth with enough support and resources to reintegrate into society after incarceration?

Procedure:

 Before the lesson time ends, have students answer these questions.

• How does the zero tolerance policy guide youth into the school to prison pipeline?

• What repercussions are set for youth during life after incarceration?

• Optional: Find 1 program that has disrupted the school to prison pipeline, how have they caused disruption? Do you think this is a better alternative to SRO’s or should SRO’s stay in schools?