Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline
An Action Guide for Libraries

Carrie Scott Banks (Author), Jill Anderson (Author)

9798892552646

Paperback / softback, published 16 March 2026

280 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.399 kg

The school-to-prison pipeline impacts communities across the country; often, this system and families impacted by it remain invisible. But librarians, educators, and others who work with youth know first-hand that libraries and reading can be life-altering for youth impacted by incarceration. Written by public librarians who have supported youth before, during, and after incarceration, this book draws from their own experiences while showcasing insights from other library workers, researchers, educators, people who work in the juvenile justice fields, and mental health professionals. Designed to empower libraries and their staff to provide children and teens with information, visibility, knowledge and skills, recreation, and role models, it shares practical strategies for helping youth avoid the school-to-prison pipeline or contend with it. Readers will discover

• a concise explanation of the school-to-prison pipeline, including statistics on how and why it disproportionately impacts LGBTQ , BIPOC, and disabled youth;
• concrete, proven strategies for disrupting youth incarceration pathways by giving young people the tools and support they need to avoid incarceration, including
• steps for bolstering youth engagement during out of school time;
• guidance on how to align disciplinary approaches with trauma-informed practices when dealing with rowdy youth and other disruptive behavior;
• an overview of what libraries are doing to provide programs and services inside a youth facility, including literacy support, high school equivalency/GED programs, and televisiting;
• strategies for combatting the isolation of children of incarcerated parents by creating inclusive and welcoming library environments;
• information about the complex and difficult process of reentry for incarcerated youth, with adaptable ideas and lessons from the work being done in libraries for reentering adults; and
• an inspiring vision, extrapolating from work in adjacent fields, of what libraries can do to overcome barriers to bringing more youth into the library.

Acknowledgments
Introduction

Part I Disrupting Incarceration Pathways

Chapter 1 An Overview of the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Chapter 2 A Fresh Look at Behavior

Chapter 3 Reimagining Library Policies and Practices

Chapter 4 Building Community in the Library

Chapter 5 Supporting Youth Impacted by the Foster Care System

Chapter 6 Partnerships


Part II Library Services to Incarcerated Youth

Chapter 7 Libraries in Detention Centers

Chapter 8 Outreach to Detention Centers

Chapter 9 Working with Schools in Facilities

Chapter 10 Programming in Detention Centers

Chapter 11 Literacy Support for Incarcerated Youth

Chapter 12 High School Equivalency/GED Programs

Chapter 13 College and Technical Programs

Chapter 14 Televisiting

Chapter 15 Supporting Teen Parents

Chapter 16 Connecting with Youth Held by Immigration Authorities


Part III Reentry Services to Formerly Incarcerated Youth

Chapter 17 Reentry Services and the Importance of Self-Narrative

Chapter 18 Reentry Begins During Incarceration

Chapter 19 Conditional Release

Chapter 20 Teaching Digital Skills

Chapter 21 Continuing Their Education

Chapter 22 Vocational Support

Chapter 23 Records and Documents

Chapter 24 Reentry Services for Disabled Youth

Conclusion: Moving Forward
Index