Date of Conferral
10-26-2026
Date of Award
October 2026
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Psychology
Advisor
Jerrod Brown
Abstract
According to recent studies, African American males are incarcerated at a rate that is five times higher than White American males. Despite considerable research on the relationship between childhood trauma and criminal behavior, there remains a gap in understanding how specific types of adverse experiences during childhood may contribute to criminal offenses that lead to incarceration and shaped reintegration outcomes. existing literature focused broadly on the general impact of childhood adversity, with limited attention information regarding how distinct traumatic experiences influence the likelihood of committing specific crimes or severity of offending behaviors. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how probation and parole officers who work with previously incarcerated African American males perceive the role of childhood adverse experiences in shaping criminal behavior and reintegration outcomes. This research involved employing a generic qualitative approach and semi-structured interviews to address perceptions of eight probation and parole officers regarding how they perceived childhood adverse experiences as shaping criminal behavior and reintegration outcomes. The differential association theory was the theoretical framework. Findings suggested that participants perceived childhood adverse experiences as a significant factor influencing both criminal behavior and reintegration outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Dixon, Raisa Samone', "Probation and Parole Officers’ Perceptions of Childhood Adverse Experiences and Reintegration Outcomes Among Previously Incarcerated African American Males" (2026). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 20967.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/20967
