Feds accuse Mississippi county of running a “school-to-prison pipeline”

A county in Mississippi has been incarcerating students as part of a “school-to-prison pipeline,” according to the U.S. Department of Justice (via CNN).

The Justice Department has given Lauderdale County, Mississippi, 60 days to reform its school disciplinary actions that are landing students in jail for offenses like defiance. And their treatment during incarceration is its own scandal: The Southern Poverty Law Center led a class-action against the “shockingly inhumane” treatment children were receiving.

You don’t have to work at a child advocacy group to know that investing in education is less expensive and more effective than simply jailing more kids. Yet there’s still not enough government investment in early education programs. These programs can head off behavior problems, level the playing field for all kids, and provide a better return on investment to the community. Check out the infographic Voices did last fall comparing the costs and benefits of early education versus incarceration.