Each year, over 600,000 formerly incarcerated individuals are released from prison back into their communities (BJS, 2014a; Carson, 2018), with staggeringly high recidivism rates. As many as two-thirds will recidivate within three years (Alper & Durose, 2018; Antenangeli & Durose, 2021; BJS, 2014b), 79 percent within six years (Alper &…

The goal of the research was to learn about the opinions of Texas college students on the death penalty and to determine the impact that prior interaction with the criminal justice system through incarceration or employment had on their opinions. A sequential, explanatory mixed methodology was implemented during the data collection, analysis, and…

This study aimed to investigate mental health counselors' perspectives on the challenges associated with working with legally mandated adult clients, as well as their perceptions of their preparedness to work with this population upon completing their mental health training program. The literature revealed that mental health counselors working…

This qualitative narrative study shares the lived experiences of formerly incarcerated women, their reintegration into the community, and their journey to and through college. The eight participants span between 25 and 64 years of age, have spent varying lengths of time incarcerated, and are now either in college or recent graduates of both public…

A first-line police supervisor holds a large influence over street-level police officer behavior (Ingram, et al., 2014), but little consistency exists between police agencies regarding the minimum educational requirements necessary to successfully perform the functions of a first-line police supervisor. This study explored the experiences of…

This dissertation study focused on an interagency collaboration in juvenile justice which aimed to improve education and employment outcomes for youth and young adults. The period of reentry (also known as reintegration or transition) typically includes supports in education, employment, work experience, and mental health which have been shown to…

For decades, research has explored the learning experiences of students in community college. This study adds to the existing literature and brings in the learning experience for community college students since the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to explore how COVID-19 shifted the learning experience for criminal justice…

Every year, 600,000 formerly incarcerated people return to society, and over forty-four percent will be incarcerated again within a year. As advocates work to improve the conditions of reentry, recent efforts have focused on higher education as the ticket to long-term freedom for formerly incarcerated people. Any success of these efforts hinges on…

Throughout history and in every culture and country, animals and humans have formed special bonds often as pets. Well trained pets have often been used in Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) programs in hospitals and nursing homes to help patients cope with illnesses and recovery while away from home. Pet visits to these facilities have documented…

Students' misbehaviors at younger ages can lead to more significant issues at the high school level such as dropping out, drug and alcohol abuse, and incarceration. The purpose of this study was to examine high school students' perceptions of positive reinforcement and punishment practices in their high school's behavior system. Two specific…

The purpose of this quantitative comparative study was to examine if and to what extent a statistically significant difference exists in advising satisfaction and outreach function of online and on-campus undergraduate criminology and criminal justice students in the Southwestern United States. The concepts of advising satisfaction and outreach…

Legislators and correctional administrators are tasked with problem-solving current issues of mass incarceration and high criminal recidivism rates. Part of the solution is to implement successful rehabilitative initiatives through reentry programming. While Postsecondary Correctional Education programs are proven to reduce recidivism and assist…

Students who have a disability are at risk for criminal justice involvement. Such involvement can lead to negative outcomes during their elementary, middle, and high school years. Furthermore, the negative consequences associated with criminal justice involvement for students with disabilities can extend well into adulthood. The aim of this…

A qualitative phenomenological methodology was used to interview formerly incarcerated African American and Hispanic males about their perceptions and lived experiences with correctional education programs. The problem addressed by this study is the challenges that incarcerated individuals face while participating in correctional education…

The United States has gone through two transformations in the meaning of higher education in prison and the value of access for people in prison in the last 50 years and is now moving towards a third. The establishment of Pell grants in 1972 allowed for widespread access to higher education in prison, while the removal of those grants in 1994…