Abstract
Juvenile delinquency and education are a subject that lacks streamlined research for many reasons. According to a report by Sawyer and Wagner (2020) of the Prison Policy Initiative, each institution and system collects its own data for its own purposes. Data may not be consistent with data coming from other systems, so some individuals may be counted more than once or not at all. Culminating research is difficult for this reason, and therefore, not much reliable data on the system as a whole is available. The lack of streamlined data is problematic in evaluating what impact incarceration has had on children. There are common experiences and factors of those who struggle with literacy and find themselves involved in the criminal justice system, especially at a young age. The field as a whole is lacking in research of educational factors, especially specific areas such as literacy. Data was collected through a survey that utilized both qualitative and quantitative items. Participants were recruited through a snowball method and posters placed strategically around Sacramento, California. Qualifying for participation in this survey required individuals to be over the age of 18 years old and to have been previously incarcerated. I collected 16 responses to my survey and reported them as descriptive statistics. It is clear that there is not just one reason that students who struggle academically often find themselves involved in the criminal justice system. There are many factors, including access, attitudes, and experiences with school, and more specifically, reading. Other findings from this research included an overrepresentation of minority juveniles in the justice system and lack of access to books. Consistent with other studies, this research found that many individuals who were once involved in the justice system struggled in school, had a difficult time with reading, and some were even told they had a learning disability. The education policies currently in place have let down some of the most vulnerable populations in our nation. There is much work to be done in all areas involved including education, juvenile justice, prison reform, and family literacy.