Breaking the School-to-prison Pipeline: A Critical Review of Factors Responsible for Students’ Truancy

Abstract

The main components of a "school-to-prison pipeline" have been identified as academic failures, punitive disciplinary methods, and dropouts. Truancy is a disciplinary problem, which frequently occurs among school students and it has many contributories as well as inter-related factors. It is a growing problem and it often becomes a prelude to other delinquent behaviours. The study objective was to determine the prevalence of truancy as well as factors related to it. Although there is a substantial amount of research on truancy, few studies have sought to explore the multi-faceted factors that amplify or mitigate this canker. This review work is based on 120 research papers from digital resources. Findings from various studies examined, identified the family, school related problems and the student themselves as the major factors contributing to truancy among the students. The findings from the review also indicated that supportive leadership, devoted and supportive staff, school-wide behaviour control, and efficient academic education are school-level features that can assist reduce truancy among students. For schools, parents and districts that want to put strategies in place that may shield students from the dangers of truancy, implications and recommendations are provided.