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Evidence-Based Leadership Practices Of Reentry Program Leaders To Reduce Recidivism Among African American Women, Mabrey Raymond Duff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rate of recidivism among African American women is disproportionately higher than among European American or Latino women in a southeastern state. The problem identified was the high prevalence of recidivism among African American women despite undergoing reentry programs. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the practices of reentry program leaders in a southeastern state that reduce recidivism among formerly incarcerated African American women. Evidence-based leadership development provided a conceptual framework for assessing the results of practices in the reentry program. Current reentry program leaders in a southeastern state were asked to describe the leadership practices …

Forgotten Population: The Value Of Correctional Education Programs From The Lived Experiences And Perspectives Of Formerly Incarcerated Women In New York State, Cassandra D. Garrett

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

In the United States correctional education programs are part of the federal and state prisons effort to rehabilitate offenders. Prisoners may be rehabilitated by learning skills that can prepare them for reintegration into society post-release. This study explored the value of correctional education programs in assisting formerly incarcerated women in avoiding recidivism in New York state. The qualitative interpretive study used semi-structured interviews of 10 formerly incarcerated women released from a New York state jail or prison during 2017 – 2022. The results of this study suggest that low school attainment is one of the educational risk factors associated with …

Delivering Computer-Based Training Within State Prisons, Kunal Jha

Theses and Dissertations

Internet-connected devices are ubiquitous, and our built environment allows us to tap into formerly impossible solutions. As our world increasingly depends on technology to operate, one demographic cannot gain exposure to internet-connected devices or web-based educational programs: incarcerated individuals. The Department of Justice reports that 5 out of 6 State Prisoners are arrested and returned to prison within nine years of their initial release. Research shows that education is a pathway to reducing the U.S. prison population. Individuals who participated in any educational program are 43 percent less likely to return to prison.1 Prisons in the United States often partner …

The Effects Of Long-Term Incarceration On Women: An Investigation Of The Re-Entry Journey Of Four Long-Term Incarcerates Living At A Re-Entry Program, Francine White

Theses and Dissertations

The social problem under investigation was that although there had been a general rise in the number of incarcerated women in the United States, these women faced several challenges trying to re-enter society upon their release from incarceration. The purpose of this qualitative single case study research was to explore how a re-entry program, from the perspective of previously incarcerated women, attempted to integrate incarcerated women back into society. The study considered how the re-entry program could be designed to reduce recidivism in women. The research design was a qualitative case study with six data sources: individual interviews of previously …

Secondary School Administrators, Teachers, And Students' Perspectives On Reducing Recidivism In Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs, Chrissell Rhone

Dissertations

This mixed-methods study sought to explore student and staff perspectives on what led students to return to or remain in DAEPs for longer than they were assigned. The researcher reviewed literature related to the history of alternative education programs, placement policies, and alternative school practices. This researcher obtained permission from two schools in a rural county in a southern state. Qualtrics was used to collect all quantitative data. Data was collected using questionnaires and focus groups. The quantitative component of this study was employed so that students could maintain anonymity and honestly respond without feeling pressured or intimidated. Student data …

Beyond The Revolving Door: Reducing The Risks Of Recidivism So African American Male Youth Not Only Survive But Thrive, Kristy O. Yanney

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

This capstone project aims to reduce the recidivism rates for Black male youth. With 20 years of professional experience in law enforcement, and through the research and literature of this project, I have found that environmental influences contribute to the arrest, incarceration, and rearrest of African American juvenile offenders. These youth are often forced to figure out how to survive in environments that provide tremendous challenges. Adverse childhood experiences, the influence of gangs, poverty, rising rates of violence, lack of quality educational or employment opportunities, substance abuse, and negative family influences are some of the environmental factors that will be …

An Evaluation Of The County Of Santa Clara’S Reentry Alcohol And Drug Studies Peer Mentor Program, Sarah Oliveira

Master's Projects

In the United States, incarceration rates have increased dramatically over the last three decades, soaring above any other country. Significant factors contributing to the increase include changes in sentencing laws and policies that target drug-related offenders and prioritize punishment over rehabilitation. Strict sentencing laws have led to mass incarceration, which has caused severe prison overcrowding and led to the infringement of fundamental human rights in prisons (Gottesdiener, 2011).

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, approximately 600,000 individuals are released from federal and state prisons each year (Carson, 2018). In California, an estimated one in three adults has an arrest …

Reclaiming Our Humanity: Redemption, Reimagining, And Restorying Of The Foundations For Success Of Formerly Incarcerated African American Males, Robert Mossi Alexander Iii

Doctoral Dissertations

Reclaiming Our Humanity: Redemption, Reimagining, and Restorying of the Foundations for Success of Formerly Incarcerated African American Males African American men represent the highest population found in the criminal justice system. Systemic racism contributes to the high recidivism rates of formerly incarcerated Black men. Additional barriers to affordable education, job training, and other services exist for the formerly incarcerated. The purpose of this study was to interview formerly incarcerated African American men and provide a counter-narrative of the foundations for success post-incarceration. This research project explored the narratives of the lived experiences of formerly incarcerated Black men through the lenses …

How Women Who Have Recidivated Describe Their Readiness For Employment After Release From Prison, Simba Kathleen Fox

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the 1980s, the population of women prisoners incarcerated in the state of California had significantly increased by 500% more than that of the male prisoners. The United States had more incarcerated women than any other country. Along with this alarming rise in female incarceration, recidivism rates were also higher among female inmates. This problem has negatively affected women in California; whereas 57% of the women released from prison were rearrested within three to seven years. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to investigate how 18 women who had recidivated with the same or a different criminal …

American Epidemic: The Societal And Multi-Generational Impacts Caused By The Mass Incarceration Of Women In The United States, Jessica Younts

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the social impacts of incarcerating women, specifically mothers, as well as the far-reaching collateral consequences that the mass incarceration of women in the United States has on formerly incarcerated women’s successful reintegration back into society and analyzed how the harsh policies that exist detrimentally impact family members and society as a whole. This study revealed several themes that show the far reaching damage incarceration itself has on women and their families and provides a more comprehensive analysis of the incalculable costs of mass incarceration. By raising awareness to the long-term impact on society, this research can provide …

Community Attitudes Towards Juvenile Sex Offenders And Registration In Virginia, Paige Reed

Theses and Dissertations

The collateral consequences and harmful effects of juvenile sex offender registration and restrictions has been the forefront of conversation surrounding sex offender legislation in the United States. The literature available has consistently shown that juveniles profoundly differ from adults in significant areas such as decision making, cognitive capability, judgment, and overall development. The literature has also consistently shown that juvenile sex offenders are amenable to treatment, have considerably low recidivism rates, and are unlikely to offend into their adulthood. Despite this, and even though the juvenile justice system prioritizes rehabilitation over punitive measures, juvenile sex offenders are commonly subjected to …

A Mixed-Methods Investigation Of Recidivism Among Ex-Offenders In Missouri, Norman James Vick

Dissertations

Ex-offenders return home to family and friends every day in the United States of America; seeking to reintegrate with family and society. Ex-offenders recidivate as well due to numerous reasons and fail at reintegration with family and society. The purpose of the investigation was to learn if substance abuse treatment and obtaining an education in the form of a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) would help the ex-offender avoid further recidivating The investigator was also interested in learning if trust played a vital role in gaining a GED and completion of substance abuse treatment with reintegration of the family for the …

Relationships Between Education Track, Adverse Childhood Experience, And Recidivism Among Juveniles, Catherine Gammage

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A high recidivism level, despite attempts by regulatory agencies and various institutions to decrease it, is currently a disturbing problem of the juvenile justice system. Adjudicated youth released from residential treatment centers are often reincarcerated within 3 years after their release. Residential treatment centers provide mandated educational and treatment services for all incarcerated youth. The educational programs offered by residential treatment centers should include academic and career technology programs which support community reintegration. The opportunity for students to receive a high school diploma and industry certifications for career readiness is an important way to decrease recidivism for juveniles. This study …

Staff Members' Perceptions Of General Education Development Programs In Virginia's Correctional System, Andrew Lee Beamon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Virginia Department of Corrections mandates that all offenders without a high

school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED) are required to be enrolled in

GED programs offered in the prison system. However, these programs have shown

varying rates of success. Supported by the constructivist theory, the purpose of this

qualitative case study was to identify how correctional education staff members

perceived the effectiveness of the GED programs. Data from surveys and interviews with

9 educational correctional staff members were collected and analyzed for themes.

Findings indicated that (a) participants use computer software for effective instruction,

(b) offenders who were …

The Role Of Supervised Community Service And Socio-Economic Status In Recidivism Pertaining To Financial Crimes Among Ex-Convicts, David Adu-Boateng

Theses and Dissertations

An individual’s economic situation impacts the commission of crimes, and ex-convicts inability to earn a living and integrate into society increases their propensity to commit financial crimes. Researchers indicate that the high rate of recidivism points to the fact that ex-convicts face significant challenges in their bid to adjust to life outside prison. Prior research and extant literature show that most ex-convicts re-offend within three years after their initial release from prison. Generally, the propensity to commit a financial crime increases after prison time among convicted felons. However, an elevated socio-economic status reduces an ex-convict’s propensity to commit financial crimes …

The Prison-To-School Pipeline & The Role Of Private Higher Education In California, Kelly Mills

Master's Projects and Capstones

Given the realities of mass incarceration in the United States, the disproportionate effects that the criminal justice system has on already marginalized populations-particularly men of color-and our currently very high rates at which the formerly incarcerated return to prisons or jails, it is necessary to determine which programs reduce recidivism and create new opportunities for the formerly incarcerated. As the research has shown that educational opportunities for the currently and formerly incarcerated are successful at reducing recidivism rates, these types of opportunities have become more widely available. By the end of 2016, community college courses will be offered in prisons …

Educators' Perspectives On Secondary Education Alternative Placement, Student Recidivism, And Treatment Models, John Anthony Anzalone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The recidivism rate for disciplinary offenses has increased during the last 8 years in the secondary student population of a sizeable, urban school district in the southwest United States. Recidivism for this district is the act of committing a second disciplinary offense during a single calendar year following completion of a behavior program. Guided by Erikson's theory of social development, this case study was designed to collect a purposeful sample of 21 educators' perceptions of the impact of recidivism on students' education and the effectiveness of treatment models to reduce recidivism. Data were collected from qualitative semi-structured interviews and field …

The Interaction Effects Of Subjective And Structural Factors On Crime Among Formerly Incarcerated Males, Christopher Alvin Veeh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The high rate of recidivism in the over 600,000 individuals who return from incarceration each year is an important social problem facing U.S. society and the criminal justice system. Efforts undertaken so far early in the 21st century to address the problem of recidivism in the formerly incarcerated, particularly prison reentry programs, have produced disappointing results at reducing the rate of recidivism. Therefore, there is a need to identify new ways for prison reentry programs to reduce recidivism among individuals recently returned from prison, and social work with its person-in-environment perspective can make an important contribution through conducting research to …

Unlocking Doors For The Locked-Out: How Can Community Colleges Help To Demolish Barriers, Build Bridges, And Transition Male Ex-Offenders Into The Workforce, Jeannette Collins-Molden

Dissertations

Over 670,000 adult prisoners were released in 2004. It is estimated that by 2010 over 1.2 million inmates will be released annually. The purpose of this study was to explore (a) barriers that male ex-offenders encounter in their pursuit of entering the workforce and (b) various types of education and support services that community colleges could provide in order to assist this marginalized population in overcoming these barriers. This qualitative case study was conducted at a community college offering programs that attracted a population of at least 50% male ex-offenders. Six male ex-offender students, four of the case study institution …