The role of critical literacy and the school-to-prison pipeline: What was learned from the life histories and literacy experiences of formerly incarcerated young Latino males

Critical literacy skills give one access to different ways of thinking, participating, and engaging in society, ultimately providing a source of power in being able to better understand the world. Latino male adolescents, in particular, are not having a supportive and engaging school experience where academic literacy skills can develop and flourish, resulting in a school-to-prison pathway. This study will provide an original contribution to the field of education due to its specific focus on the population of formerly incarcerated young Latino males and the life history method that inquires about the relevance of their personal and academic experiences. This study provides life history narratives from a disenfranchised population with little access to public dialogue about educational problems. A broad membership from the school community---teachers, parents, literacy coaches, and educators in both traditional and juvenile school settings---will benefit from learning about the lives and literacy experiences of this specific population. The insights gained from the study will provide educators and community members with ideas and strategies to keep Latino male youth who are struggling in school to stay on a path towards school completion. Educators will also learn how to support youth from juvenile institutions and provide them with appropriate services needed to successfully transition from this setting to a public school.