Dissertation final study chapters 4 and 5

Study Participants Answers to Interview Questions

Participant #1:

1. What are the disparities between jail and youth rehabilitation for African American offenders?

a. African Americans will be imprisoned more than their white counterparts who will be given rehabilitation, institutional racism exists, and the system will spend more man hours and time dealing with white offenders than black offenders.

2. What are some social issues that African American juveniles are faced with?

a. Sociocultural stigmas, single-parent households, inadequate educational systems, poor role models, and single-parent households

3. Why are African American male juveniles not offered other means of rehabilitative punishments?

a. The New Jim Crow is our correctional system, which seeks to fill jail cells by incarcerating more black and Latino people who are then utilized as enslaved people in the system for huge corporations and the US Government. The system indicates they are not receptive and will not change.

4. What effects does the existing jail and punishment system have on this population?

a. Demeaning and discouraging—we should fund educational aid, mental health services, and instruction. Providing people with helpful tools, role models, and direction will also help them become contributing members of society

Participant #2:

  1.      Youth rehabilitation centers should provide mechanisms to prevent offenders from committing crimes but in order to effectively do that the differences amongst AA juveniles and other races must be addressed, while jail just allows for a separation from society to think about the crime.         2.      African American male juveniles are faced with a predetermined perception of being criminals as well as a lack of resources in their communities to educate them on the different career paths & trades that exist.           3.      The funding doesn’t exist to provide other rehabilitative opportunities in AA communities.         4.      The existing punishment system allows offenders to be separated from the public but it doesn’t provide them with any resources to be successful once their time is complete. Not addressing the underlying issues of how they entered the system as well as how to they can live a successful life after now being labeled as a criminal normally results in repeat offenders.

Participant #3:

1. The youth aren’t getting the proper guidance, mental healthcare and attentiveness in jail. They’re already “written off” which leads to them believing what they’re being taught and increasing the likelihood of them becoming repeat offenders. In youth rehab, you’re given a second chance, you’re being taught how to manage your mental and emotional state. You are being prepared for the world. 2. Prejudice. Are seen as thugs, no good. Etc. don’t have proper resources to get them back on their feet. Difficulty getting jobs, getting into school once released. 3. Unsure, but I’m sure it’s race. 4. You can become institutionalized. For a lot, jail becomes all they know. Jail becomes so familiar that you may subconsciously do things to go back. You aren’t taught life skills so if/when you get out, you’re starting from ground zero. Your mental health is affected for many reasons, living conditions, treatment from those in authority, lack of access to healthcare professionals, etc.

Participant #4