A Promising Approach to Narrowing the School-to-Prison Pipeline: The WISE Arrest Diversion Program. (April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fader, Jamie J.; Lockwood, Brian; Schall, Victoria L.; Stokes, Benjamin
• Is Part Of: Youth violence and juvenile justice. Volume 13:Number 2(2015:Apr.)
• Page Start: 123
• Page End: 142
• Publication Date: 2015-04
• Subjects: school-to-prison pipeline -- arrest diversion -- program evaluation -- juvenile justice; Youth and violence -- United States -- Periodicals; Juvenile justice, Administration of -- United States -- Periodicals; Juvenile delinquency -- United States -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Juvenile corrections -- United States -- Periodicals; 364.360973
• DOI: 10.1177/1541204014521249
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1541-2040

Abstract

Recent dramatic increases in the number of youth arrested for nonserious behavior in schools have led some jurisdictions to search for solutions to the "school-to-prison pipeline." In this article, we evaluate the WISE arrest diversion program in Utica, New York. We use a mixed-methods evaluation design including: (1) a pre–post program comparison of school conduct by participants, (2) a pre–post program comparison of school-based arrests at Upstate High School, (3) a multivariate analysis that estimates the influence of the WISE program on school-based arrests while controlling for citywide juvenile arrests and the passage of time, and (4) interviews conducted with students, program staff, and stakeholders. Although the program appeared more successful in reducing Upstate High School's reliance on arrest than in improving school conduct among participants, results suggest that the WISE arrest diversion program contains promising elements and lessons for narrowing the school-to-prison pipeline.