Our Schools Make Criminals

For several years have suspected that our schools condition some criminals-that for many school-age children, present educational practices backfire in their social intent. But couldn't put my finger on the how and why of it until visited a children's court recently. There saw a little tike start out along a road which had begun in his school classroom and which probably will end at a prison gate. know, for after twenty years equally divided between public and prison educational work, know both ends of that road. The youngster made a brave pretense at toughness-apparently the only test of manhood he knew-but behind the attempt was just a frightened boy. have seen this same reaction in youthful offenders too often to be fooled by it. Your Honor, a court investigator testified, I know this case well. John's teacher and the principal of his school agree that he is a confirmed truant and trouble-maker, who refuses to respond to proper influence and treatment. have read hundreds of juvenile case histories without realizing that a second-hand opinion may become prosecutor and jury for what in effect constitutes a criminal trial. There could be no defense -John was a truant, and he certainly appeared to be a troublemaker

Criminology · Political science · Sociology · Computer Science · Education Discipline and Inequality · Psychology