The School to Prison Pipeline: A UK Perspective

What’s on offer?

We invite you to attend a lively and engaging debate at the University of Birmingham campus where academics Professor Sid Bandyopadhyay, Dr Tara Lai Quinlan and Dr Juste Abramovaite will engage with Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Festus Akinbusoye and distinguished guests to examine the link between school exclusion and poor outcomes in later life. An introduction to this important issue from the panel will be followed by a Q&A session where the audience will have the opportunity to share their views and ask questions.

Light refreshments will be available and free online registration is required. 

What’s it about?

School exclusions and school absenteeism have long been linked to poorer outcomes in later life, including higher rates of engagement in criminal activities. Shockingly, pupils excluded from school at the age of 12 are four times more likely as other children to be jailed as adults. Hence the phenomenon is often called ‘The School to Prison Pipeline’. This phenomenon is particularly concerning given the disproportionate rates of children from low-income and BAME backgrounds who are excluded from UK schools.

How can schools play a part in providing better outcomes for young people, and divert them from crime? Join us for an event looking at the links between school exclusions, criminalisation and imprisonment.

This event will bring together academics, a Police and Crime Commissioner and members of the public to discuss solutions to the issue through a fascinating and interactive panel session involving youth social services and on-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Who’s leading the event?

Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay - Professor of Economics at Birmingham University. Professor Bandyopadhyay has been researching the criminal justice system and inequalities for over 25 years.

Festus Akinbusoye - Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire

John Campbell-Muir - Founder of the 'Training the Future' scheme that supports skill development in young people

Malik Harrison - Lead trainer in the ConnectFutures programme that works to build resilience against violent extremism and exploitation

Tara Lai Quinlan - Lecturer in Law and Criminal Justice at the University of Birmingham

Juste Abramovaite - Research Fellow in 21st Century Transnational Crime at the University of Birmingham

Open to

The event is open to everyone – we encourage members of the general public, policy makers, NGOs, think tanks, students, academics to attend.

Of particular interest to

Anyone interested in schools, school exclusions, economic, racial and ethnic disproportionality in schools and the criminal justice system, criminal justice system diversion programmes, rehabilitation, recidivism and strategies for reducing the likelihood for repeat offending with targeted interventions.