The Experiences of Black Parents in Choosing Intervention Programs for Juvenile Offenders

The Experiences of Black Parents in Choosing Intervention Programs for Juvenile Offenders by Deborah Hawkes MPhil, Walden University, 2019 MBA, University of Phoenix, 2005 BS, Purdue University, 1996 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Human Services Walden University November 2019 Abstract Juvenile offense is a social problem that affects communities and families. Black juvenile offenses occur at a higher rate than White juvenile offenses. The parents of these offenders may engage in the intervention process of their juvenile offender with the intent to improve the intervention outcome. The literature on this topic, however, is primarily focused on the treatment outcomes of various types of intervention. The identified gap in the literature is research on Black parental input on the process used to select various types of intervention for their offending children. The high rate of incidence compounded by the racial disparity furthers the need to better understand the intervention and treatment selection process from the Black parental perspective. The research question for this study was what are the experiences and perceptions of Black parents involved in selecting juvenile intervention programs for their children who have offended? The theoretical framework used to explain and interpret the participant data was Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. This generic qualitative study involved 7 interviews with Black parents of juvenile offenders residing 20 miles outside of metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. Thematic analysis revealed that participants’ selection process is driven by feelings of responsibility, community and church guidance, unaddressed emotional needs of their children, and intervention challenges and outcomes. Findings support the need for preintervention services; intervention resource availability; parental awareness; and intervention strategy, reform, and efficacy. Policy makers may use these results to inform actions to reduce the juvenile offense rate among Black youth and foster better outcomes for this population group.Juvenile offense is a social problem that affects communities and families. Black juvenile offenses occur at a higher rate than White juvenile offenses. The parents of these offenders may engage in the intervention process of their juvenile offender with the intent to improve the intervention outcome. The literature on this topic, however, is primarily focused on the treatment outcomes of various types of intervention. The identified gap in the literature is research on Black parental input on the process used to select various types of intervention for their offending children. The high rate of incidence compounded by the racial disparity furthers the need to better understand the intervention and treatment selection process from the Black parental perspective. The research question for this study was what are the experiences and perceptions of Black parents involved in selecting juvenile intervention programs for their children who have offended? The theoretical framework used to explain and interpret the participant data was Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. This generic qualitative study involved 7 interviews with Black parents of juvenile offenders residing 20 miles outside of metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. Thematic analysis revealed that participants’ selection process is driven by feelings of responsibility, community and church guidance, unaddressed emotional needs of their children, and intervention challenges and outcomes. Findings support the need for preintervention services; intervention resource availability; parental awareness; and intervention strategy, reform, and efficacy. Policy makers may use these results to inform actions to reduce the juvenile offense rate among Black youth and foster better outcomes for this population group. The Experiences of Black Parents in Choosing Intervention Programs for Juvenile Offenders by Deborah Hawkes MPhil, Walden University, 2019 MBA, University of Phoenix, 2005 BS, Purdue University, 1996 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Human Services Walden University November 2019 Acknowledgments I would like to first acknowledge my husband, Kevin Hawkes Sr., for his love and support throughout this process. You are always kind, encouraging, and wise. I have had many ups and downs throughout the process that only you are fully aware of. Thank you for hanging in there with me through all of this. I would not have finished this journey without your care and constancy. You are the rock of our family, and I am so appreciative of you. Next, I would like to acknowledge my son, Kevin Hawkes Jr., who motivated me to complete this process. You are the blessing of my life, and I work hard to prove this to you every day. Now that this process has ended, I hope that you can see the fruits of hard labor and faithfulness. Thank you for your unconditional love and sweetness. I would also like to acknowledge my many friends and family who supported me throughout this journey. From babysitting to providing an ear for my concerns, your love and support are appreciated. Thank you for understanding when I was unavailable for calls and events. The pride you have shared has served as a motivator for me to stay the course. I look forward to resuming a more engaging social life with you all. Finally, I would like to acknowledge my dissertation committee: Dr. Tracey Phillips (committee chair) and Dr. Tracy Jackson (second committee member). You have both provided me with the coaching and instruction that was necessary to complete this difficult journey. I thank you for the phone calls, redirection, and support provided throughout this process.