Under Surveillance: How School Surveillance Measures Shape Students’ Perceptions of Themselves and Each Other
Location
FA-152
Start Date
1-5-2026 10:30 AM
Department
Sociology
Abstract
This study seeks to analyze how school surveillance measures, particularly cameras, metal detectors, and student resource officers influence the ways students in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system perceive themselves and their peers. Schools in urban cities saw an increase in security measures in the 1980s, which replicated the policing of their communities as a response to the War on Drugs. Tragedies such as the Columbine shooting gave additional purpose to these measures and led to an uptick of security and safety measures, from an increase in surveillance practices to emergency procedures, such as lockdown drills. It was assumed these tragedies could occur at any moment and further reinforced the idea that schools and students need to be surveilled and policed to be kept “safe”. Utilizing the school-to-prison nexus framework, this study will analyze how students experience surveillance in CPS. While the “school-to-prison pipeline” framework focuses on how students are fed into the criminal (in)justice system through the educational institutions they are a part of, the “school-to-prison nexus” emphasizes how surveillance, and ultimately criminalization of students’ actions, is a constant part of their lives. This study utilizes qualitative methods, drawing on semi-structured interviews with CPS alumni to understand their experiences with school surveillance. Interviews will be analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns related to students’ self-perceptions, peer relationships, and experiences with surveillance and discipline. Themes will then be compared with existing literature on school surveillance and the school-to-prison nexus to assess how lived experiences align with and/or challenge dominant narratives. Ultimately, this study seeks to highlight and amplify student voices, a population whose perspectives on and experiences with school surveillance measures are often overlooked.
Faculty Sponsor
Cristen Jenkins
Under Surveillance: How School Surveillance Measures Shape Students’ Perceptions of Themselves and Each Other
FA-152
This study seeks to analyze how school surveillance measures, particularly cameras, metal detectors, and student resource officers influence the ways students in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system perceive themselves and their peers. Schools in urban cities saw an increase in security measures in the 1980s, which replicated the policing of their communities as a response to the War on Drugs. Tragedies such as the Columbine shooting gave additional purpose to these measures and led to an uptick of security and safety measures, from an increase in surveillance practices to emergency procedures, such as lockdown drills. It was assumed these tragedies could occur at any moment and further reinforced the idea that schools and students need to be surveilled and policed to be kept “safe”. Utilizing the school-to-prison nexus framework, this study will analyze how students experience surveillance in CPS. While the “school-to-prison pipeline” framework focuses on how students are fed into the criminal (in)justice system through the educational institutions they are a part of, the “school-to-prison nexus” emphasizes how surveillance, and ultimately criminalization of students’ actions, is a constant part of their lives. This study utilizes qualitative methods, drawing on semi-structured interviews with CPS alumni to understand their experiences with school surveillance. Interviews will be analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns related to students’ self-perceptions, peer relationships, and experiences with surveillance and discipline. Themes will then be compared with existing literature on school surveillance and the school-to-prison nexus to assess how lived experiences align with and/or challenge dominant narratives. Ultimately, this study seeks to highlight and amplify student voices, a population whose perspectives on and experiences with school surveillance measures are often overlooked.