Karen Kajmowicz discusses the relationship between school, philanthropy and criminal justice.

1. Schools and
Philanthropy’s
Relationship to
Criminal Justice
Karen Kajmowicz

2. Criminal justice reform advocate Kyle
Bacon writes that “funding strategies
like grassroots organizing and
advocacy garners a return of $115 for
every dollar invested.” That return
might not be seen in the form of cash,
but it can be seen in the form of
positive impacts made on the
communities most impacted by the
criminal justice system. Here are a few
positive societal impacts that are
driven by philanthropic dollars.

3. Students who struggle in school are more likely to exhibit
behavioral problems. When punitive measures are taken to
resolve behavioral problems, students are introduced into the
criminal justice system. This might not happen right away, but as
behavior declines and resources dwindle, a moment of positive
intervention can be lost.
Increased funding to non-profits and community-led
organizations, as well as supplemental grants to government
agencies, create partnerships between all of the entities that
come into contact with a troubled student. In this capacity,
philanthropic funding supports one-on-one mentoring, academic
enrichment, testing, counseling and other services that can
redirect a student toward better outcomes, such as higher
learning.
ACADEMIC
INTERVENTION

4. Punitive policies at the school level can introduce students into the
school-to-prison pipeline. Students with parents who already
incarcerated are familiar with punitive systems of justice and may find it
more difficult to escape the pipeline without policies that encourage
restorative practices. However, policy change requires evidence-based
success and measurable outcomes. Non-profit organizations and even
municipal level governments have difficulty defining success. Without a
clear definition, evidence-based solutions are nearly impossible to
achieve.
Enter grants and other forms of philanthropy. Grants requiring feedback
reporting data have evidence-based processes embedded into the
funding requirements. Entities receiving the grant must define success
and must make it measurable, and the effort to do is often funded by the
grant. In other words, philanthropy’s impact is at the most grassroots
level where it helps build a foundation upon which reform efforts and
policy change grow.
POLICY
CHANGE

5. Grants and other funding efforts
impact and disrupt the school-to-prison
pipeline at two levels. The first is at the
individual level, where funding is used
to intervene in the pipeline process. The
second is at the institutional level,
where policy change can be
accomplished.

6. THANKS!
Website: KarenKajmowicz.com
Twitter: @KarenKajmowicz
LinkedIn: Karen Kajmowicz