Dissertationen zum Thema „Education, Evaluation|Education, Administration|Sociology, Criminology and Penology“

The focus of this study was to determine the characteristics of successful re-entry programs for youth as they transition back into the educational mainstream. The study was also used to determine the implementation needed for effective inter-agency coordination of social service systems for students to successfully transition into the educational setting. The NCLB accountability measures were reviewed to discover how the measures influenced educators and created a reluctance to accept delinquent youth when they re-enter public school. The three overarching questions addressed in this study were: What inter-agency involvement is necessary in implementing a successful re-entry program? What are the characteristics of successful school re-entry programs for juvenile delinquents as they transition back into the public school setting? Due to the pressures of NCLB accountability measures, what are the reasons educators are reluctant to accept delinquent youth back into the educational mainstream? This study yielded findings showing few schools had few schools had a transition plan in place. Transition data results revealed the process for schools and juvenile officers differ from that of Division of Youth Services (DYS), with DYS having more proactive transition planning protocols. Inter-agency involvement is necessary for successful re-entry plans and involves transition planning, positive parental involvement, increased inter-agency coordination, and positive relationships. This research study also revealed that successful re-entry programs involve consistent communication, progress monitoring, provide protective factors, parent involvement, meet individual needs of students, and provide positive connections. Schools and various agencies must strive to improve inter-agency coordination and collaboration practices.

The ever-changing implementations of assessing our students have driven instruction to focus on measuring academic growth for school improvement. Now that most of our nation has adopted the common core state standards to educate and prepare our students for college and career, the challenges will be even greater for those who are currently struggling such as many of the incarcerated youth.

According to the Juvenile Court Schools (JCS) fact sheet (Los Angeles County Office of Education; LACOE, 2012), many of the incarcerated youth generally "have serious gaps in their education and poor academic skills" (JCS Facts, bullet No. 4). Taking academic assessments can be challenging without external factors, but add in the fact that the student may be facing a life sentence in prison, placement in a group home or foster care facility away from family, or dealing with mental health issues drives the challenge of academic growth sometimes out of reach while incarcerated. Furthermore, the short period of stay in the incarcerated juvenile facility adds an even greater challenge to success or growth in their academic progress.

This study examined the challenges of measuring academic growth of incarcerated youth in a juvenile hall school facility. Through the use of mixed methods, a review of available student assessment data - increased frequent formative assessments, utilizing components of the RISE Educational Services and Total Educational Systems Support (TESS) Focused Adaptable- Structure Teaching (F.A.S.T.) Framework within the teacher's delivery of direct instruction - along with an online survey of the teachers' ability to collaborate in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), and a focus group with those who spearheaded the implementation of the instructional method, teacher-leads and administrators, resulted in finding that a unique instructional method is needed for those students attending school in an incarcerated juvenile facility to measure academic growth.

The qualitative and quantitative data measured what needed to be continued, what needed to be stopped and what should be implemented regarding the instructional delivery, along with pre/post assessments of students who attended the incarcerated juvenile school facility and the dimensions of PLCs.

The problem addressed through this program evaluation was that no formal study had been conducted regarding the implementation and effectiveness of the BlueTeam Program (BTP) within the law enforcement agency (LEA) serving as the study site. The BTP is a program that utilizes a computer application to track officer behaviors and alert administrators to potential trends in officer misconduct and complaints against officers. The program evaluation was guided by the process and product segments of Stufflebeam's (2003) content, input, process, and product model.

To conduct the evaluation, the researcher used a mixed methods approach for analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data. The perceptions of LEA stakeholders regarding the BTP, such as the sufficiency of staffing, budget, training, and ongoing support for effective implementation, were first collected. Quantitative data, consisting of archived, deidentified indicators of officer misconduct and complaints against officers acquired through the BTP, were then analyzed.

Findings of the study were that the BTP was effective in reducing incidents of officer misconduct and complaints against officers and for use in identifying which alerts were valid indicators of misconduct and complaints against officers. The one concern of stakeholders involving the BTP was limited nighttime vision; the recommendation for program improvement is that this shortcoming be addressed to determine possible solutions. Recommendations for future research involve the need for initial determinations, as well as formative evaluations, pertaining to the following three areas: (a) ascertaining the way in which the early intervention system will be used, (b) identifying the indicators of misconduct that will be tracked, and (c) determining the threshold at which the system will issue an alert.

Firearm violence is occurring on America's higher education campuses killing not only students but faculty and employees as well (International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, 2008). Even in light of this bloodshed, there is little accurate information available about the role that firearms play in preventing or exacerbating campus violence (Miller, Hemenway, & Weschsler, 2002). Wyoming community college campus security directors are specifically given the authority to allow, or not, concealed firearms on their campuses by state law (Wyoming Senate, 2011). The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore the perceptions, attitudes, and understandings of campus security directors concerning concealed carry firearms on their campuses.

Using qualitative research methods, the study was conducted utilizing semi - structured interviews with the seven campus security directors for each of the Wyoming community college districts. Smith's (2012) interpretative phenomenological analysis qualitative method of inquiry guided the data analysis. In accordance with an interpretative phenomenological approach, data analysis was undertaken to examine for patterns, trends, and themes that emerged from the campus security directors' responses. The analysis used personal and in - depth detail derived from individual interviews to describe the perceptions, attitudes, and understandings of participants. Analysis of the data presented four super ordinate themes supported by fifteen subthemes.

This research yielded information concerning the possession of concealed carry firearms at Wyoming community college districts. Findings indicated that the unrestricted carry of concealed firearms would likely harm the overall safety of Wyoming community colleges. However, if proper vetting and training of persons carrying concealed firearms were to occur, campuses may be safer. Wyoming community college districts were considered safe places pursuant to participant responses, and no concealed firearms had been used in any Wyoming community college district to commit a violent crime. Campus security directors stated that possession of firearms by a victim would not have prevented any violent campus crime.

Campus security directors indicated that concealed carry firearms may be irrelevant to the safety of Wyoming community college districts. Rather it was the proactive stance and involvement of campus security officers that was important to campus firearm safety. The interview data yielded information and considerations for campus security directors, college administrators and all persons interested in firearm safety at Wyoming community colleges. This information may be used to assist in the crafting of sensible firearm policies at community colleges.

The purpose of the study was to examine what role social control, in the context of family, school, and community, played in the participants' decision to join gangs in their adolescent years. The study examined the lives of four male ex-gang members over the age of 18, with extensive criminal records and poor academic histories. Participants were chosen from a Stockton reentry facility where ex-offenders were in the process of improving their lives by breaking the chains of street gang involvement, criminality, and incarceration.

The findings revealed that social control administered by family, school, law enforcement, and community all played a significant role in shaping each participant's decision to join his prospective gang in adolescence. The researcher found that while the family life of the participants was the prime mover in terms of a nudge toward gang life, school was also a place where they were constantly devalued, in large part because educators did not understand them, and the teachers arrived to their classrooms ill equipped for the realities of teaching in schools located in violence-ridden neighborhoods where the youth suffered morbid and multiple exposure to trauma. In fact, the teachers and law enforcement's inept ways of addressing the participant's maladaptive behaviors—with a propensity for handling all issues with punitive measures—ended up creating incentives for the participants to join a gang.

The purpose of this project was to develop a program, explore potential funding sources, and complete a grant application to secure funding for an expressive arts showcase for clients at Homeboy Industries who have a criminal and gang-affiliated past, and are now attempting to re-integrate in their communities. Narrative therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, art therapy, and mindfulness may significantly ameliorate the conditions faced by this population, as well as the overall well-being of the community through a showcase of expressive arts composed and performed by the clients of Homeboy Industries. A search for potential funding sources led to The Goldhirsh Foundation as the most appropriate source for this grant. A grant proposal was written describing an expressive arts program for Homeboy Industries that will ultimately result in a showcase for community consumption. Actual submission and/or funding of the grant were not required for the successful completion of this project.

This study describes police officers’ perspectives of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training. Ethnographic interviews were used to gather data, and Transformational Learning Theory guided this study. Implications of CIT training indicate that CIT officers are a part of a subculture within police culture, and respond differently to mental health calls differently than their non-CIT counterparts. Outcomes of these different response styles include decreased criminalization, decreased injury to officers/consumers, decreased use of force, and increased confidence in responding to mental health calls for officers who are CIT trained. Implications of this study are discussed in relation to sustainability of partnerships between law enforcement officers and mental health professionals.

This study presents the specific problem surrounding the lack of empirical research for improving engagement and ongoing supervision between criminal justice practitioners and offenders. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive single-case study dissertation aimed to investigate job roles and social contact for improvement of engagement with special needs federal offenders in community corrections. This study used a descriptive framework comprised of, education, training, and leadership and management as a special interest. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews used a purposeful and snowball approach. The participants were 10 criminal justice practitioners, five Case Managers and five United States Probation Officers that provide transitional services to the federal offenders with special needs. Three themes emerged based on the participant’s perceptions and experiences regarding job roles and social contacts with offenders. The themes were as follows: (a) managing offenders and professionalism, (b) influence of education and training, and (c) setting the tone and culture of the organization. The research discovered that a professional rapport is essential for engaging offenders. This study discovered the ramifications of communicating expectations of transitioning into society and its impact on recidivism. Further implications for leadership to consider based on this study is a need for a comprehensive approach for how to properly mange offenders with special needs. Recommendations for seeking appropriate means for offering professional development opportunities for all practitioners in community corrections is proposed to correctional leaders.

The primary purpose of this study was to examine successful instructional practices that promote high academic achievement for at-risk students in juvenile detention centers, and possibly lead to a reduction in recidivism in the juvenile justice system. A case study was conducted at 2 Los Angeles juvenile detention centers, known as "The Sports Camp" and "The Vocational Camp." Qualitative research methods provided data triangulated from a document and artifact examination, interviews, and observations. Analysis of the data suggests that, contrary to popular belief, there are successful instructional practices that positively impact student academic achievement. However, the findings also indicate that extenuating circumstances prevent some students from taking advantage f their educational opportunities. Although the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) is committed to improving educational outcomes for incarcerated youth, there are no magic formulas or solutions. Therefore, multiple strategies will be needed to significantly improve educational outcomes for students in this nontraditional school setting.

Commercial sexual exploitation affects young people all over the United States. Yet minimal services are available to restore, and reintegrate this population. One of the challenges involves assessing and training parents as mentors to provide round-the-clock care for their unique needs. This curriculum serves as a guide for agencies using the Child Welfare League of America PRIDE Model of Practice curriculum and is an adaptation of the original curriculum, which primarily focuses on neglected children.

The purpose of this curriculum is to provide child welfare agencies and prospective mentor parents with the tools to make an informed decision regarding their ability, willingness, and resources to support commercially sexually exploited youth. The curriculum also seeks to equip mentor parents with the skills to provide a safe and nurturing environment for these youth to develop healthy relationships, expand their social skills, increase cognition, and function as positive members of their communities.