Date of Conferral

10-26-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Teaonna Watson

Abstract

The main goals of restorative justice and community-based intervention programs include reducing reoffending behavior, successful reintegration, and yielding greater satisfaction among participants. Although clinicians play a vital role in conducting rehabilitation methods for youth offenders, the problem was a lack of literature that explored clinicians’ perceptions of implementing more effective alternatives such as restorative justice and community-based intervention programs. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore clinicians’ perceptions of administering rehabilitative interventions for youth offenders, specifically in reducing recidivism, adequately addressing mental health concerns, and evaluating overall program effectiveness. The risk-need responsivity model and the good lives model were used to address how to assess risk, develop appropriate treatment programs, foster engagement, and achieve successful rehabilitation and reintegration for juvenile offenders. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with eight clinicians who had experience working with juvenile offenders in the United States. Findings from Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis indicated that restorative justice and community-based intervention programs are effective alternatives to incarceration. The results also indicated that rehabilitation programs are accessible and provide essential resources for youth offenders and their families. This study contributes to positive social change by offering insight that may help foster effective collaboration and address the current challenges in the juvenile justice system regarding effectively implementing treatment alternatives in place of traditional methods.

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