Date of Conferral
2023
Degree
Doctor of Social Work (DSW)
School
Criminal Justice
Advisor
Thomas McLaughlin
Abstract
Disproportionate disciplinary actions relating to school-based offenses for Black youth influence their early juvenile justice involvement. The continued excessive disciplinary actions involving Black male students in lower-level academic settings are concerning because, without being addressed, continuing disproportionate disciplinary action toward Black males can lead to future juvenile justice involvement and create a large-scale social work practice issue. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to focus on school social workers’ perspectives of their role in addressing disproportionate disciplinary strategies and their understanding of the relationship between school discipline strategies and juvenile justice involvement. The theoretical framework of this project comprised of critical race theory. Data gathered through focus groups provided three main themes. The focus group’s findings confirm school social workers were unclear in their role with school discipline and their proximity to providing interventions for school discipline relies on school administration. Also, school social workers were unable to provide alternative discipline strategies to Black males and the social workers were tasked with initiating contact when truancy is an area of concern. School social workers can better understand the relationship between school discipline and juvenile justice by incorporating methods outlined in critical race theory and its influence on school suspensions. School social workers, administrators, and higher education instructors may benefit from the results of this study resulting in positive social change.
Recommended Citation
Hamilton, Staisha D., "School Social Workers’ Role in School Discipline: Understanding School Discipline and Juvenile Justice" (2023). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 14165.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/14165
