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Formerly Incarcerated Adults In Higher Education: A Life-History Study Of A Restorative Approach To Prisoner Reentry, Robert Michael Ehnow

Dissertations

The U.S. is the world’s “leading jailer” with both the highest incarceration rate and the largest number of prisoners. Each year more than 700,000 inmates are released from prison and re-enter their communities. The majority of released prisoners lack the necessary education, work experience, and life skills to successfully reintegrate back into society.

One alternative to the retributive model of justice used in the United States is a restorative justice strategy. A restorative approach to prisoner reintegration seeks to re-establish community support and acceptance for criminal offenders in order to allow them to become beneficial members of society. The literature …

Teacher Candidates’ Perceived Psychological Wellness, Behavior Management Skills, And Mental Health Literacy, Elizabeth Coady Leeper

Dissertations

A teacher’s behavior management style has particular implications for those students who encounter difficulties due to social-emotional concerns. This study explored the relationship between teacher candidates’ perceived psychological wellness, behavior management skills, and mental health literacy. Four previously developed surveys were used to acquire information on these perceptions from undergraduate and graduate teacher candidates enrolled in a student teaching experience. Surveys were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, and convergent validity was examined between a newly developed wellness survey and a well-established wellness survey. The personal experiences of teacher candidates with social-emotional concerns and those of their close friends and family …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

The Impact Of Proactive Community Circles On Student Academic Achievement And Student Behavior In An Elementary Setting, Michele Lenertz

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine the differences in student academic achievement and student behavior prior to and after implementation of proactive community circles (PCC) in elementary schools in California that have implemented for a minimum of two years as measured by standardized test scores and student behavior records. The second purpose was to describe the impact of proactive community circles on student academic achievement and student behavior in elementary schools in California that have implemented proactive community circles for a minimum of two years as perceived by school administrators.

Methodology: The mixed method explanatory …

Online Socialization And Delinquency: Expanding The Study Of Peer Influence In Criminology, Timothy Mccuddy

Dissertations

Criminologists typically study peer influence within traditional contexts such as schools and neighborhoods. Spurred by the ubiquitous use of electronic devices, recent research finds that online peer delinquency can also have deleterious effects on adolescent behavior. This has important implications for the study of delinquency since youth today are digital natives, meaning their developmental years are spent in a world reliant on technology and Internet-connected devices. Through the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC), adolescents can forge friendships with those found within the cyber context, a virtual environment unrestricted by the confines of space and time. This context not only provides …

Restorative Practices In Schools And Its Relationship To Decreasing Discipline Infractions In African American Males, Leslie Muhammad

Dissertations

After passing the Zero Tolerance policies in 1994, schools began to have a substantial increase in the number of suspensions especially among African Americans and students of color. The researcher wanted to explore alternative methods to traditional discipline to ascertain if it would decrease the number of suspensions in African American boys. The purpose of this mixed-methods study on restorative practices is to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative discipline methods such as Restorative Practices and Mindful Activities in Midwestern urban inner city elementary school of African American male students, in third grade. There has been a true void in addressing …

Examining The Impact Of A Criminal Background In Social Work Education, Amy S. Vliek

Dissertations

Many returning citizens want to access higher educational institutions (HEIs) to access desired professions and increase employability. However, many HEIs and profession education programs have restrictions in place for returning citizens. An MSW is the most sought-after degree for returning citizens. However, social work education has restrictions in place for returning citizens. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the lived experiences of MSW returning citizen students considering these restrictions. The dissertation attempts to answer the following research questions: How did applicants who disclosed a criminal background at the time of application experience the MSW application process? Did the …

Educational Policy Development For Closing The Black And White Achievement Gap, Markisha Mitchell

Dissertations

Abstract

Across the United States in almost every city, every suburb, and every rural area, there is a gap between the achievements of Black and White students. The term “achievement gap” has become an accepted label in situations where Black students severely underperform relative to their White counterparts. Many school districts have discretely avoided discussing and/or addressing this gap for decades. School District Z, located in an urban suburb of a large Midwestern city, is the focus of this research as they attempt to address the gap. Approximately two-thirds of District Z is composed of students of color, yet the …

A Qualitative Study To Describe Behaviors That Exemplary Municipal Police Chiefs And Sheriffs Practice To Lead Their Organizations Through Conversation, Vincent Plair

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to describe the behaviors exemplary municipal police chiefs and sheriffs practiced leading their organizations through conversation using Groysberg and Slind’s (2012) four elements of conversational leadership: intimacy, interactivity, inclusion, intentionality.

Methodology. A phenomenology qualitative method was used to describe the behaviors of exemplary municipal police chiefs and sheriffs in southern California and their lived experiences related to conversational leadership. The study combined semi-structured interviews, observations, and artifact collection. These qualitative tools helped the researcher gain insight into participants’ conversational leadership behaviors. The researcher analyzed the data with the aid …

The Role Of Multiple Dimensions Of Organized Activity Participation, Impulsivity, And Parental Monitoring On Externalizing Behavior Among Low-Income, Urban Adolescents., Amy Governale

Dissertations

Because the majority of teenage deaths are not due to illness, but instead attributed to risk behaviors, it is pertinent to determine under what circumstances adolescents are likely to injure themselves or others. One well-studied protective factor of adolescent externalizing behaviors is participation in organized activities. Unfortunately, the majority of research involving adolescents’ engagement in organized activities examines single dimensions of participation (intensity, duration, and breadth) at a time, within samples of middle-class, Caucasian youth. Few studies have examined how multiple dimensions of participation in organized activities, including how uninterrupted engagement in organized activities from school year to summer months, …

Student, Caregiver, And Educator Perspective Of School Discipline Policy And Practice, Tawann J. Jackson

Dissertations

African-American students have historically been disproportionately represented in exclusionary discipline practices in our nation's public schools. Regardless of this fact, research has consistently shown that African-American students do not get into more trouble than students of other races, nor do they commit more severe infractions. Previous studies have explored factors such as student behaviors; low academic achievement; and socioeconomic status as reasons for the high rate of suspensions, yet when controlling for these factors race continues to make a difference in the imbalance of exclusionary discipline practices among African American students. "Implicit racial bias" has been associated as a contributing …

Analyzing Student-Teacher Relationships Of Cariño And Confianza And Their Impact On Academic Engagement By Latino Males, Nereida Robles Vasquez

Dissertations

Latinos attending California’s public schools often feel disconnected, unwelcome, and unsafe. This qualitative interview study uses the grounded theory approach to provide a platform for the voices of Latino male high school students to explain their experiences. This approach allows for understanding of why a large number of them are transferred from their schools to alternative settings which in turn greatly limit and often prevent them from continuing their education. Many describe experiences of rejection and hostility causing them to drop out, or to have no interest in furthering their education. Findings illustrate the impact of their perception of Required …

An Exploratory Study Of Jury Representativeness In Ireland, Josephine Mulherin

Dissertations

This research explores the representative nature of jury pools in Ireland and examines how the various stages involved in the jury selection process have the potential to compromise the achievement of a representative jury. Specifically this research addresses how the categories of those who failed to respond to their jury summons, those who were deemed ineligible or disqualified, and those who were excused as of right and for good reason shown, impact the achievement of a representative jury. The headings under which representativeness were examined included age, gender, occupation and nationality. The study was conducted using mixed methodologies and involved …

Homicide And The World Religions, Allen Shamow

Dissertations

Cross-national studies seeking to explain the variation in rates of homicide have examined a multitude of factors including religion, but fewer studies have examined how religion may influence homicide through a society’s institutional structure. Social institutions include entities such as the economy, the family, the political structure, and educational system; and these institutions serve as guides for human action and behavior. Through its emphasis on values, religion may influence the interests and legitimize the functioning within societal institutions. In the present study, I examine how the major world religions of Protestantism, Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism may …

Kindergarten For Equity: A Policy Advocacy Statement, Amy Houlihan

Dissertations

The urgency to close the achievement gap means it is our moral imperative to provide all children with the opportunities necessary to succeed as early as possible. Knowing the critical timing of a child’s brain development from birth to age five, we cannot afford to wait until a child is six or seven years old to begin developing their academic and social emotional capacity. This policy advocacy document supports a statewide mandate for children to attend kindergarten at age five throughout the state of Illinois. With little need for increased resources to accommodate the mandate, the social, moral and ethical …

Does Truth Promote Peace? Toward A Greater Understanding Of Truth Commissions As Transitional Justice Mechanisms In Post-Conflict Countries, Eric Royer

Dissertations

This study explores the societal effects of transitional justice mechanisms in post-conflict countries. In particular, an emphasis is placed on exploring whether truth commissions, which are suggested in virtually all post-conflict situations today, exhibit a positive or negative effect on key indicators, such as democracy, human rights, economic development, and the durability of peace. Three central research questions are examined. First, do truth and reconciliation commissions “work”? In other words, are they associated with a reduction in communal violence and improvements in democratic institutions, human rights protections, and economic development? Second, must truth commissions be coupled with transitional justice mechanisms …

The Effectiveness Of Treatment As Policy For Sex Offenders, Brooke Mayfield

Dissertations

The public’s perception of individuals who commit sexual offenses is much different than for other types of offenders. This can be seen in the passing of legislation targeting interventions specific to this population as a way to protect the public and reduce recidivism. In some states, sex offenders are required to participate in treatment as a condition for early release from prison. The impact of this policy is not well understood, and mandatory treatment is growing in popularity. This dissertation explores the impact of mandatory treatment for individuals incarcerated for sexual offenses on their recidivism over time. Missouri statute establishes …

Gender Inequality, Intersectionality, And Violence Against Women: A National- And State-Level Analysis Of Violence Against Women Trends, Cheyonna Sewell

Dissertations

Violence against women declined with other forms of violence during the 1990s. Nevertheless, the most popular macro-level theory regarding violence against women, which suggests that changes in gender inequality are associated with changes in the level of violence against women, has been studied primarily cross-sectionally and with mixed findings. In fact, the nature of the relationship between gender inequality and violence against women is undecided. One hypothesis, amelioration, suggests that as gender inequality decreases, and the genders become more equal, violence against women will also decrease (the inverse is also true that as gender inequality increases, violence against women will …

Gender Identity Work: Oppression And Agency As Described In Lifespan Narratives Of Transgender And Other Gender Non-Conforming Identified People In The U. S., Kathryn O'Brien

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to critically examine the gender identity work of white transgender and other gender non-conforming identified (TgNCi) people through their stories and the meanings they attach to important artifacts across the lifespan. A single question directed the investigation: How do TgNCi individuals describe gender identity work through lifespan narratives? Thirteen volunteers participated in two interviews: the first, a narration of their life stories and in the second, descriptions of the significance of personal artifacts selected by the participants and photographed by the investigator. Participants’ ages ranged from 22 to 66, according to four pre-determined age …

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: The Temporal Stability Of Crime Hot Spots And The Criminology Of Place, Michael J. Deckard

Dissertations

It is widely recognized that the distribution of crime in urban areas is not randomly distributed, but is highly concentrated in small pockets of space known as crime “hot spots”. While the empirical evidence supporting the law of crime concentration is strong, most studies that have examined the stability of crime hot spots over time have aggregated crime across years. This dissertation seeks to expand our understanding of the temporal stability of micro-geographic crime hot spots by addressing three research questions: (1) How are high-crime micro-places distributed at the monthly level? How much variation exists in the distribution of crime …

The Mother's Experience : A Phenomenological Study Of Maternal Self-Efficacy Among Mothers Attending Outpatient Treatment For Substance Abuse, Lisa Witkowski

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to better understand the perceptions of maternal self-efficacy among mothers in substance abuse recovery. A phenomenological research design using face-to-face, semi-structured interviews captured the lived experiences of mothers attending outpatient drug and alcohol treatment. For this study, the researcher distributed approved flyers to designated outpatient treatment centers to voluntarily recruit mothers for purposeful sampling. Eligibility requirements include women at least eighteen (18) years or older, at least one living child, attended prior rehabilitation services, and display good mental status after assessed by the researcher with the Mini Mental Status Exam. During the interview, the …

Perceived Influence Of The Ferguson Effect On Law Enforcement Officer Turnover Intentions, William P. Markopoulos Jr

Dissertations

Law enforcement officer turnover lacks the support of empirical research (Monk-Turner, O’Leary, & Sumter, 2010; Wareham, Smith, & Lambert, 2013), despite being costly in terms of both human and monetary capital (Peña, 2013; Reaves, 2012; Wilson & Sheer, 2013). What literature is available describes factors such as job dissatisfaction and monetary issues as reasons to leave an agency (Cyprian, 2009; Hubbard, 2008; McIntyre, 1990). A new phenomenon, known as the “Ferguson Effect” has been examined in terms of community involvement (Nix & Wolfe, 2016; Wolfe & Nix, 2016) and violent crime rates (Rosenfeld, 2015), but there is no research that …

Third Party Reforms In Corrections: A Qualitative Analysis Of Interest Groups’ Effectiveness At Reducing Entropy Using Litigation, James M. A. Pitts

Dissertations

Interest groups have been prevalent in American society for decades. Much of interest groups’ (IGs) influence has been examined by their effect on decision-making. IGs’ ability to affect policy choices is undeniable both legislatively and judicially. Analyses of judicial decision-making generally focus on the use of amicus curiae briefs (ACBs) by IGs. While most analyses of IGs’ influence have been conducted using quantitative methods, few have assessed IGs’ effect on decision-making qualitatively. Although the literature on IGs and decision-making is well established among political scientists, these concepts have been discussed much less among criminologists. The current analysis fill this void …

Dangerous Deals: A Case Study Of Nafta As A Criminogenic Policy, Daniel J. Patten

Dissertations

This study examines the creation of a criminogenic policy, NAFTA, and its subsequent social harms that primarily impacted poor rural farmers and indigenous people in Mexico. Previous research into state-corporate crime has focused on crimes committed by one state and one corporation, while little research has investigated the commission of crimes by more than one state operating in collusion. Previous research on human rights violations has emphasized genocide and physical integrity rights, while this study raises attention to “lesser” human rights violations such as abusive working conditions, lack of political participation in policy formation, and limited access to clean air …

From The Arab World To The American World: Transition And Adjustment Experiences Of Muslim Women, Nancy Hammoudah

Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the experiences of Muslim women from the Arab world who came to live and study in the U.S. This study gave voice to their daily lived experiences of transitioning to and adjusting to life and study in the American world. Nine bilingual women provided in depth responses to interviews and follow up phone calls. Women were raised in predominantly Muslim countries and attended institutions of higher education for the first time in the U.S. as international or domestic students, including refugees. Interviews were in English. Any spontaneous Arabic that was used by participants was immediately translated …

Validation Of The Young Adult Relational Aggression Scale, Caitlin M. Clark

Dissertations

Relational aggression has been associated with a host of negative correlates in previous studies of children, adolescents, and emerging adults. Further research is necessary for the purposes of identifying prevention and intervention strategies; however, research on relational aggression among emerging adults has been complicated by the lack of available psychometrically sound measures, particularly those that capture the proactive and reactive functions of relational aggression. The present study extended previous efforts to develop a new self-report measure of relational aggression for emerging adults called the Young Adult Relational Aggression Scale (YARAS). A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed using a sample …

More Than Mere Synonyms: Examining The Differences Between Criminogenic Thinking And Criminogenic Attitudes, David W. Gavel

Dissertations

More than 75% of prison inmates are arrested for a new crime within five years of being released from prison. Known as recidivism, this trend of repeated criminal activity accounts for more than half of annual prison admissions, and rehabilitative programs demonstrate varying degrees of success in reducing recidivism. Andrews, Bonta, and Hoge (1990) demonstrated that offenders are less likely to recidivate when they receive services that match their assessed level of risk factors (e.g., history of violence), intervention needs (e.g., mental health diagnosis), and responsivity (e.g., ideal learning environment). Criminogenic cognition, mental events (e.g., thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs) often …

Finding Common Ground: Learning From Leaders Who Have Utilized Conflict Transformation Behaviors In The Mental Health Field In The United States, Tamarah E. Tilos

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to discover and describe how exemplary leaders establish common ground and produce breakthrough results in the mental health field by utilizing the 6 domains of conflict transformation: collaboration, communication, problem solving, process, emotional intelligence, and ethics.

Methodology: This thematic, phenomenological study was accomplished through examination of the lived experiences of exemplary leaders with firsthand experience transforming conflict and finding common ground. The target population for this study included executive-level leaders of nonprofit organizations, governmental institutions, state and national associations, and private businesses serving adults and children with mental illness, developmental or behavioral disabilities, …

The Impact Of Female School Principals’ Leadership Traits On Teacher Morale In California Cbee Star Schools, Moira Zacharakis 8178731

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine how teachers with female principals at Campaign for Business and Education Excellence (CBEE) Star Schools in Contra Costa County, California (CA) rate their principals’ leadership skills, how they rate their own job satisfaction, and to determine if a relationship exists between the principals’ leadership skills and employee job satisfaction.

Methodology. The study employed a quantitative correlational research design using data from two instruments.

Findings. The sample size for this study was too small to generalize to a larger population; however, statistically significant relationships were found in the data. …

The Fort Mcmurray Wildfire 2016: Risk Perceptions And Behaviours Among Evacuees, Christopher James Kearns

Dissertations

The devastating wildfires in the Fort McMurray, Alberta, region in May of 2016 forced the evacuation of almost 90,000 people from their homes. This study examines and compares risk perceptions and evacuation behaviours between young adults, 18 to 24 years of age and older adults, 25 years and older, and between genders. The study participants (n = 299) were students and staff at Keyano College in Fort McMurray. They indicated only slight differences in their perceptions of risk and their evacuation behaviours between both the age groups and by gender. Environmental cues were significant indicators of risk for all participants. …