School to Gang Pipeline
Faculty Department
CRJ/LGL
Presentation Type
Powerpoint
Location
K324
Zoom Link
Start Date
26-2-2025 10:45 AM
End Date
26-2-2025 11:05 AM
Description (Abstract)
In 1994, the Federal government passed the Guns Free School Act (Pub L No. 103-882, §14601) mandating public school systems seeking to procure federal funding impose a no less than one year expulsion to any student when determined to have brought a weapon onto school property. The signing of this act escalated the adoption of zero tolerance disciplinary practices. These “no-nonsense” policies represented the automatic implementation of harsh school punishments for specified infractions to deter student misconduct and maintain school security, regardless of behavioral circumstances or mitigating factors (American Psychological Association Zero Tolerance Task Force, 2008; Fabelo et al., 2011; Kang-Brown et al., 2013). Through the criminalization of education and the stigmatization of youth, zero tolerance policies initiated the emergence of the school-to-prison pipeline (STPP); a disconcerting national trend whereby American youth are pushed-out of the academic setting and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. A subsidiary to the STPP, the school-to-gang pipeline, has emerged whereby school exclusionary policies may increase the prospect of youth gang membership. Research has shown that young people who receive a single school suspension are more likely to join a gang; students who experience multiple suspensions are at an even greater risk of gang association (Widdowson, Guarduno, &Fisher, 2020).
The following exploratory case study exemplified the interrelationship between school exclusionary discipline and youth gang affiliation. Through the distribution, collection, and evaluation of survey data, completed by 50+ New York State current and former male gang members, aged between 18 and 30, the subsequent study validates the prevalence of the school-to-gang pipeline. The findings suggest a correlation between the participants’ gang membership and a history of suspensions and expulsions during their educational years. In conjunction with prior scholarship, this study identified an overrepresentation of Black and brown participants who were disproportionately affected by exclusionary discipline
Keywords
Gang, gang affiliation, exclusionary discipline, suspension, expulsion
Related Pillar(s)
Community, Study
School to Gang Pipeline
K324
In 1994, the Federal government passed the Guns Free School Act (Pub L No. 103-882, §14601) mandating public school systems seeking to procure federal funding impose a no less than one year expulsion to any student when determined to have brought a weapon onto school property. The signing of this act escalated the adoption of zero tolerance disciplinary practices. These “no-nonsense” policies represented the automatic implementation of harsh school punishments for specified infractions to deter student misconduct and maintain school security, regardless of behavioral circumstances or mitigating factors (American Psychological Association Zero Tolerance Task Force, 2008; Fabelo et al., 2011; Kang-Brown et al., 2013). Through the criminalization of education and the stigmatization of youth, zero tolerance policies initiated the emergence of the school-to-prison pipeline (STPP); a disconcerting national trend whereby American youth are pushed-out of the academic setting and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. A subsidiary to the STPP, the school-to-gang pipeline, has emerged whereby school exclusionary policies may increase the prospect of youth gang membership. Research has shown that young people who receive a single school suspension are more likely to join a gang; students who experience multiple suspensions are at an even greater risk of gang association (Widdowson, Guarduno, &Fisher, 2020).
The following exploratory case study exemplified the interrelationship between school exclusionary discipline and youth gang affiliation. Through the distribution, collection, and evaluation of survey data, completed by 50+ New York State current and former male gang members, aged between 18 and 30, the subsequent study validates the prevalence of the school-to-gang pipeline. The findings suggest a correlation between the participants’ gang membership and a history of suspensions and expulsions during their educational years. In conjunction with prior scholarship, this study identified an overrepresentation of Black and brown participants who were disproportionately affected by exclusionary discipline
Short Biography
Wilson Marrero is an Assistant Professor in the Criminal Justice and Legal Studies Department at Molloy University. He is also the Coordinator of the Legal Studies program. He is a former New York City Police Officer and retired Detective of the Nassau County Police Department. Professor Marrero received his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice (Cum Laude) from Long Island University, C.W. Post, his Master of Professional Studies in Criminal Justice Leadership and Terrorism from St. John’s University (Summa Cum Laude), and his Juris Doctorate from Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsburg Law Center. Professor Marrero is also a graduate of the 190th Session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. During his 38-year law enforcement career Professor Marrero was assigned to uniform patrol duties, precinct squad detective duties, Narcotics Bureau, Special Investigations Squad, Gang Investigation Squad, and as a Task Force Officer (TFO) with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Professor Marrero is recognized as a gang expert by the Florida Gang Investigators Association and has presented the following lectures on the subject. “Gang Identification”, Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, Mineola, NY, 2005, “Gangs 101A”, Presented at Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, Nov. 2003, “Gangs 101”, Presented at Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, Feb. 2003, “Gang Awareness”, SAJES Prejudice Reduction Conference, Touro Law Center, Long Island Hilton, 2000-2004, 2006, “Gang Identification”, Middle Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime Law Enforcement Network -Gang Conference, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, 2001, Joint Symposium, “Gang Issues Within the Correctional System”, Hauppauge, NY, 2000, Sex, Teens, and Violence- A Comprehensive Look at Teen Sexual Assault, “Teens at Risk – Gang Initiation and Violence” Kings County District Attorney, New York, NY, 2000, FBI National Academy-Street Gang Awareness, Hempstead, NY, 2000, New York State Juvenile Officers Association Conference on Youth Violence, “Gang Identification”, Ithaca, NY, 1998. He is currently working on a study related to male gang members and the school-to-gang pipeline. All inquiries are welcome.