Stop the Preschool-to-Prison pipeline

LANSING, Ill. (November 21, 2017) – Elvis Slaughter, Lansing resident and current member of the Fire and Police Commission, has released his new book, Preschool to Prison. The book discusses risk factors and problem behavior in children and teenagers, and offers advice for effective handling of such situations.

Slaughter’s work explores the question, “Is the journey to prison determined by the school, environment, or parent?” He draws from his experience as an educator, retired sheriff’s superintendent, fire and police commissioner, and criminologist, including a tour of duty at one of the largest penal systems in the nation.

“Contrary to popular belief,” says Slaughter, “acting out is not the only cause for concern. Countless factors come together to create a criminal. Some factors are controllable; others are not.” Preschool to Prison explains those factors and offers research-based solutions for dealing with criminal behaviors. “The best and most effective time to stop the cradle-to-prison pipeline,” asserts Slaughter, “is as close to the beginning of the pipeline as possible.”

Slaughter’s goal for the book is to encourage collaboration among parents, school administrators, and community members to raise responsible children. He believes that by working together, society can create enabling elements that influence the decision-making process during the various stages of a person’s development.