New research released by the Australian Institute of Criminology explores the association between out-of-school suspension from primary school and early contact with police among a sample of over 68,000 children. This study was undertaken by researchers from Queensland University of Technology, University of New South Wales and Griffith University, using longitudinal data from the New South Wales Child Development Study.
- By the age of 14 years, children suspended from primary school had almost quadruple the odds of police contact compared to non-suspended children, after controlling for other factors.
- Children with more suspensions, and suspensions for more serious reasons, had even greater likelihood of police contact, especially as a person of interest.
Full report: Out-of-school suspension and police contact: Identifying early opportunities to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline
Summary Trends & issues paper: Out-of-school suspension from primary school and early contact with police
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