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Church Leaders' Perception Of Their Role In The Deterrence Of Juvenile Reincarceration, Sherine Sandrea Brown-Thomas Feb 2024

Church Leaders' Perception Of Their Role In The Deterrence Of Juvenile Reincarceration, Sherine Sandrea Brown-Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2019, U.S. law enforcement officers detained almost 700,000 juveniles under the age of 18. The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention stated that 55% of juveniles were rearrested within a year, and after that, 24% of juveniles were reincarcerated within a year. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore church leaders’ perceptions of their role, experiences, and activities in contributing to reducing the risk of reincarceration of juvenile offenders, and to create a model for other community leaders. The conceptual framework for the study was Shaw and McKay’s social disorganization theory. …


Juvenile Delinquency: The Effectiveness Of The Juvenile Direct File Law, Kimberlee Nicole Taggart Jan 2023

Juvenile Delinquency: The Effectiveness Of The Juvenile Direct File Law, Kimberlee Nicole Taggart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The juvenile direct file law stands firm among Florida laws despite lacking research to show its effectiveness in the prevention of juvenile delinquency. In Florida, juvenile delinquency and the juvenile direct file law cause significant concern due to the uncertainty surrounding the law. The Florida juvenile justice system fosters a vital position in the lives of many children, young adults, and families. Florida’s direct file law has a negative impact on the health, mental health, education, and brain development of juveniles and their ability to separate from a criminal lifestyle. Identifying the direct file law’s effects on the future of …


Juvenile Delinquency: The Effectiveness Of The Juvenile Direct File Law, Kimberlee Nicole Taggart Jan 2023

Juvenile Delinquency: The Effectiveness Of The Juvenile Direct File Law, Kimberlee Nicole Taggart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The juvenile direct file law stands firm among Florida laws despite lacking research to show its effectiveness in the prevention of juvenile delinquency. In Florida, juvenile delinquency and the juvenile direct file law cause significant concern due to the uncertainty surrounding the law. The Florida juvenile justice system fosters a vital position in the lives of many children, young adults, and families. Florida’s direct file law has a negative impact on the health, mental health, education, and brain development of juveniles and their ability to separate from a criminal lifestyle. Identifying the direct file law’s effects on the future of …


Juvenile Recidivism Risk Factors From The Juvenile Justice Professional Perspective, Fotini Stamidis Jan 2022

Juvenile Recidivism Risk Factors From The Juvenile Justice Professional Perspective, Fotini Stamidis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Juvenile crime and recidivism have devastated Baltimore City, Maryland, especially in the quality of life and social bond, producing fear in the city’s communities. The current situation is increasing the need to promote a better understanding of juvenile recidivism and delinquency of the risk factors causing juveniles to re-offend. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to add to the knowledge base on juvenile recidivism risk factors from the perspectives of juvenile justice professionals. Hirschi’s social bond theory was used to explore juvenile justice professionals’ experiences and perspectives on recidivism risk factors. Research questions focused on the perceptions of …


The Efficacy Of Juvenile Treatment Program Services As Evidenced By Posttreatment Re-Offenses, Michelle R. Valenzuela Jan 2022

The Efficacy Of Juvenile Treatment Program Services As Evidenced By Posttreatment Re-Offenses, Michelle R. Valenzuela

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe determination of whether juvenile intervention programs are effective in the reduction of future delinquency has been an ongoing research concern among scholars for over a century. Researchers have established that intervention programs are helpful for some juveniles but have not determined if intervention treatment outcomes continued beyond adolescence. The purpose of this quantitative study was to address the efficacy of services provided within juvenile intervention programs. This study addressed these gaps in previous research, focusing on the services provided within the intervention program and outcomes of continued delinquent behaviors beyond 3 years using multiple regression analysis. Social control theory …


Juvenile Recidivism Risk Factors From The Juvenile Justice Professional Perspective, Fotini Stamidis Jan 2022

Juvenile Recidivism Risk Factors From The Juvenile Justice Professional Perspective, Fotini Stamidis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Juvenile crime and recidivism have devastated Baltimore City, Maryland, especially in the quality of life and social bond, producing fear in the city’s communities. The current situation is increasing the need to promote a better understanding of juvenile recidivism and delinquency of the risk factors causing juveniles to re-offend. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to add to the knowledge base on juvenile recidivism risk factors from the perspectives of juvenile justice professionals. Hirschi’s social bond theory was used to explore juvenile justice professionals’ experiences and perspectives on recidivism risk factors. Research questions focused on the perceptions of …


Youth And Family Factors Affecting Completion Of A Diversion Program, Teresita Nuguid Jan 2022

Youth And Family Factors Affecting Completion Of A Diversion Program, Teresita Nuguid

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (FDJJ) has launched several diversion programs for at-risk youth in the state of Florida. Prior studies revealed the efficacy of diversion programming in helping mentally ill individuals, the community, and the criminal justice system. This study addressed a gap in the literature regarding how youth and family factors and characteristics can determine program completion. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate youth and family factors and characteristics associated with program completion for participants in diversion programs in the state of Florida. The family systems theory used for this study supports the idea …


Juvenile Justice And The Criminalization Of Mentally Ill Individuals, Michael Collins Jan 2021

Juvenile Justice And The Criminalization Of Mentally Ill Individuals, Michael Collins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Juvenile justice systems in the United States are using incarceration as a solution to the problem of youths with mental health disorders who commit violent crimes. Juvenile justice systems across the United States have a revolving door effect that arrests, adjudicates, and incarcerates youth offenders but fail to address the factors that contribute to recidivism. The purpose of the qualitative case study was to identify which treatment procedures were most appropriate for juvenile offenders who committed violent offenses in an effort to reduce recidivism for this offender population. For this study, an ecological psychology theory was used as a lens …


Multiple Case Analysis Exploration Of Prenatal Substance Exposure On Juvenile Adjudicative Competence, Danielle Leigh Williams Jan 2021

Multiple Case Analysis Exploration Of Prenatal Substance Exposure On Juvenile Adjudicative Competence, Danielle Leigh Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research into the neurological and cognitive factors influencing juveniles’ adjudicative competence psycholegal abilities is needed to ensure their due process rights and help inform qualified forensic mental health examiners offering their opinions on adjudicative competence in courts. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of prenatal substance exposure on neurological factors related to juveniles’ abilities to understand the charges against them and participate in legal proceedings. Jean Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory was the theoretical framework for this study. Concrete operational and formal operational stages of cognitive development were addressed to help frame juveniles’ factual and rational understanding …


Delinquent Behavior And Recidivism Among Juveniles In The Southeastern United States, Anthony Bernard Essix Jr. Jan 2021

Delinquent Behavior And Recidivism Among Juveniles In The Southeastern United States, Anthony Bernard Essix Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, juvenile delinquent behavior has continued to rise despite attempts by the legal system and policymakers. Much of the research contributing to the understanding of juvenile delinquency and recidivism has been focused on risk factors believed to push an individual to show signs of delinquency. Limited research has been conducted to explain how policies affect juvenile behaviors. The current study examined risk factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency to determine if a factor may have been overlooked in prior juvenile studies. Based on anomie and strain theory, a qualitative method of general inquiry was used to gain …


A Phenomenological Study Of Attachment And Juvenile Justice Involvement, Amanda Jean Gibson Jan 2021

A Phenomenological Study Of Attachment And Juvenile Justice Involvement, Amanda Jean Gibson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Juvenile criminal offending has become a serious social concern. The strongest predictors of juvenile delinquency are low parental attachments, the absence of capable guardians, and an unstable family structure. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of young adult men between the ages of 18 and 25 who, as children, experienced their fathers’ incarceration, how the incarceration influenced attachment between the father and son, and how it also influenced the sons’ involvement with the juvenile justice system. The theoretical base for this study was attachment theory. This theory was suitable for this study as attachment …


The Impact Of Mental Health First Aid Training On Law Enforcement Officer Mental Health Literacy, Cindy J. Blankenship Jan 2020

The Impact Of Mental Health First Aid Training On Law Enforcement Officer Mental Health Literacy, Cindy J. Blankenship

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An increasing number of juvenile offenders with untreated mental health issues are entering the justice system. Lack of adequate training of criminal justice personnel enhances the possibility of this population being arrested which is creating an overwhelming problem for stakeholders. This study sought to determine if the implementation of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training impacted law enforcement officers’ (LEOs’) mental health literacy. This mixed-methods study used a quasi-experimental, one-group, pretest-posttest design, with a qualitative survey. Participants consisted of a sample of 28 LEOs from a rural Southeastern United States law enforcement agency. Study findings indicated that MHFA training increased …


The Perceived Effectiveness Of Community Programs In Reducing And Deterring Juvenile Delinquency, Susan Michelle Newton Jan 2020

The Perceived Effectiveness Of Community Programs In Reducing And Deterring Juvenile Delinquency, Susan Michelle Newton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Indianapolis, the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, continues to experience a high rate of offenses committed by juvenile offenders. Community programs are in place to assist in the deterrence and/or reduction of juvenile crimes, yet the city’s crime rate continues to increase with youth being the perpetrator of many of these crimes. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived effectiveness of these programs, which has not been adequately studied. The research questions focused on identifying which of the city’s current programs are perceived as being effective or ineffective in reducing juvenile delinquency and why so. …


Individual Experiences Of Criminogenic Youth Participating In Outpatient Treatment, Seth Allen Garcia Jan 2020

Individual Experiences Of Criminogenic Youth Participating In Outpatient Treatment, Seth Allen Garcia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Outpatient treatment programs for low-level criminogenic youth have been shown to positively impact behavioral trends and recidivism rates. By providing juvenile offenders the opportunity to remain in the community while receiving clinical interventions to address their maladaptive behaviors, outpatient therapy enables participating youth to identify their negative decision patterns. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the individual experience of low-level criminogenic youth who successfully completed outpatient treatment. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory was used to frame the study, and audio recordings were collected during semistructured interviews with 8 participants. Subsequently, the recordings were transcribed and the data were coded …


Sexually-Abused Adolescent Females Versus Nonsexually-Abused Adolescent Females Regarding Rorschach Inkblot Assessments, Angela D. Jones Jan 2020

Sexually-Abused Adolescent Females Versus Nonsexually-Abused Adolescent Females Regarding Rorschach Inkblot Assessments, Angela D. Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored differences between female adolescents who experienced sexual abuse as children and those who experienced other forms of trauma or abuse. There is no previous research assessing the differences between these two groups. Some female adolescent victims of sexual abuse are sexually revictimized, sex trafficked, and exhibit delinquent behaviors. If differences are determined, a more tailored and appropriate intervention could be introduced to reduce these youths' revictimization and minimize adult sexual risk. This study was quantitative in nature and assessed the clinical profiles of 27 female adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system for being sex trafficked or …


Loneliness, Prosocial Relationships, And Recidivism In Long-Term Incarcerated Juveniles, Amy Rhoads Jozan Jan 2020

Loneliness, Prosocial Relationships, And Recidivism In Long-Term Incarcerated Juveniles, Amy Rhoads Jozan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prosocial bonds have been key in juvenile criminal desistance. Juvenile facility placement has resulted in deterioration of important prosocial supports and social isolation, increasing risk for recidivism. Loneliness has been increasingly prevalent in a facility setting, often leading to ongoing behavioral and health problems. Youth incarcerated longer than 1 year have experienced higher rates of physical and mental health challenges, lasting into adulthood. Lengthy juvenile incarceration impacts loneliness, postrelease prosocial relationships, and desistance implications have been underexplored. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore themes associated with reaffiliation motive, or lifelong problems resulting from loneliness, after experiencing youth …


Mental Health Courts: Mental Illness, Diversion Programs And Recidivism, Michelle Blount Jan 2019

Mental Health Courts: Mental Illness, Diversion Programs And Recidivism, Michelle Blount

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many large urban juvenile probation departments have begun to utilize mental health courts to meet the demands of the increasing number of individuals who have mental health issues that end up in the juvenile justice system. Diversion programs are designed to keep youth in the community and out of the juvenile justice system, but it is not clear whether these programs keep individuals from re-offending. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine whether diversion programs used in the mental health courts are helping to decrease recidivism for juveniles identified with mental illness. This study was also aimed at identifying how …


Student Perspectives Of Alternative Schools As Facilitators And Barriers For Positive Disciplinary Outcomes, Chasidy Phelps Jan 2018

Student Perspectives Of Alternative Schools As Facilitators And Barriers For Positive Disciplinary Outcomes, Chasidy Phelps

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inconsistent findings within the existing literature tend to confuse the ability of behavior-focused alternative schools to address behavior problems of at-risk juveniles. Recent studies have suggested that juveniles who successfully commit to greater self-regulation skills display both academic success and positive classroom behavior. Although self-regulation skills have been positively associated with behavioral success among juveniles placed in behavior-focused alternative schools, it remains unclear as to what aspects of these programs that juveniles experience as facilitating the development of such skills. This phenomenological study used semistructured interviews of 5 students in Grades 10 through 12 enrolled in a behavior-focused alternative school …


Police Officers' Perceptions Of Social Media's Involvement On Delinquent Behavior By Juveniles, Rachel K. Wisnefski Jan 2017

Police Officers' Perceptions Of Social Media's Involvement On Delinquent Behavior By Juveniles, Rachel K. Wisnefski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rapid growth of social media platforms coupled with the technological savviness of juveniles has led to their delinquent behavior involving social media. Researchers should investigate this phenomenon in order to establish its extent and to minimize the harmful effects this behavior may have. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate and explore potential connections between social media and delinquent acts committed by juvenile offenders through the use of police officers' perceptions of those types of acts. The primary research question focused on determining what the perceptions and experiences of police officers in a southeastern state were relative …


Recidivism Rates Among Juveniles With Mental Illness, Kia Chevon Russell Jan 2017

Recidivism Rates Among Juveniles With Mental Illness, Kia Chevon Russell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Treating mental illness is imperative to help reduce criminal justice involvement within the juvenile population. Receiving mental health care will help decrease the likelihood for youth to reoffend, ultimately reducing recidivism rates. Past studies showed there are risk factors associated with juveniles and recidivism; however, very few studies have examined what factors are prevalent after services have been received. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that increase the risk of recidivism among juveniles who have received psychiatric stabilization in Harris County, Texas. Risk factors that were assessed included age, gender, ethnicity, and criminal offense. The psychodynamic perspective …


Roles And Services Of Probation Officers Among Rural Female Juvenile Offenders, Amy Marie Warmingham Jan 2017

Roles And Services Of Probation Officers Among Rural Female Juvenile Offenders, Amy Marie Warmingham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Each year, hundreds of thousands of youth move through juvenile justice systems in the United States, and the number of female offenders is increasing. At the probation level, there appears to be a lack of services, such as mentoring, mental health services, sex education, and counseling, to meet the gender-specific needs of female juvenile delinquents in rural settings. The purpose of this study was to discover county probation officers' perceptions of girls' needs and the officers' decision-making processes related to recommending services. This case study was based on feminist criminology theory. The research questions sought to learn how probation officers …


Grandparent Support And Juvenile Delinquent Youth, Anita Marie Taboh Jan 2016

Grandparent Support And Juvenile Delinquent Youth, Anita Marie Taboh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Juvenile delinquency is a social issue which has been shown to have a significant cost to society in a variety of ways which include community safety, the cost of arrest, charges, and court processes, as well as the damage done in families and to the youth through the label of juvenile delinquent or Person in Need of Supervision (PINs). One important area in treatment and discharge planning for youth designated as either juvenile delinquent or Persons in Need of Supervision is the inclusion of supports to help youth change the trajectory from these behaviors into more socially acceptable activities and …