Date of Conferral
8-22-2024
Date of Award
August 2024
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Public Policy and Administration
Advisor
Mary Brown
Abstract
The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore how African American female ex-offenders perceive the effectiveness of family reentry programs and the policies governing those programs. By providing additional information particular to African American female ex-offenders, this study has the potential to broaden the scope and depth of existing studies and enhance public policies governing family reentry programs. The theoretical framework concentrated on the four variables of Hirschi’s social control theory: attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief. The primary research question explored how African American female ex-offenders perceived the effectiveness of family reentry programs. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 15 Tennessee participants. Quirkos software was used to code and analyze the data to gain understanding and clarity of the participants’ perceptions. Key results were in line with previous research, particularly findings that have highlighted the challenges in assessing the effectiveness of reentry programs due to their design and the failure to prioritize the unique requirements of ex-offenders. When the reentry process is handled well, individuals’ needs are met, leading to communities experiencing positive social change, crime rates dropping, and communities becoming safer, improving public health and safety in the areas where people live and raise their families.
Recommended Citation
Rhodes, Yulonda, "The Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Family Reentry Programs and the Public Policies Governing Those Programs for African American Female Ex-Offenders" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 16300.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/16300
