Schools, Families, and Juvenile Justice: Systemic Responsiveness and DelinquencyFebruary 6, 2008 Janay B. Sander, Ph.D. University of Texas at Austin

Jill D. Sharkey, Ph.D. University of California, Santa BarbaraRoger Olivarri, Jr. University of Texas at AustinDiane TanigawaUniversity of California, Santa Barbara

NASP 2008: New Orleans, LA

February 6, 2008National Association of School Psychologists 2

Thank you

Counties where participants were recruited Society for the Study of School Psychology Students at University of Texas at Austin and

University of California, Santa Barbara Colleagues and experts who provided

guidance: Ed Emmer, Ph.D., Tim Keith, Ph.D., Clara Hill, Ph.D.

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Rationale

Juveniles are responsible for disproportionate number of overall arrests

Multiple areas of functioning in various contexts are related to delinquency

Juveniles are involved with several systems that respond to their behavior

Need to address multisystem interaction that influences youth (Valois et al., 2002)

Need an exploratory approach to identify themes and create a model for further testing

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Research Questions

What were the emotional, learning, or behavioral needs of kids?

How did various systems respond to those needs over time?

What are theoretical optimal responses to reduce delinquency?

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Study ParticipantsRegion 7 in California; 9 in Texas

Gender 4 girls; 12 boys (Age Range: 13-17)

Ethnicity Latino (Mexican or Mexican-American) =7; White= 6; Latino/African-American = 1; White/Mexican = 2

Mental Health

ADHD (5); Depression (2); PTSD (1); Oppositional Defiant Disorder (1); Bipolar (1); Alcoholism (1).

Parent’s

Living/

Education

Homeowner = 8 Parent education: college degree+ = 4

Homeless = 1 training post high school = 7

Unknown =3 high school diploma = 3;

Renting = 5 < High school = 1

Offenses Assault (3), Possession of a Controlled Substance (2), Graffiti (2), Criminal Trespass (2), Possession of Marijuana (1), Arson (1), Explosive Device (1), Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle (1), Curfew Violation/Fighting (1), Theft (1), Truancy (1)

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Consensual Qualitative Research Process Based on Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997

Initial Steps

Complete and Check Transcripts

Collect Data(41 Interviews Total)

Recruit Participants

Develop Research QuestionsChoose and Structure Team

Select Target PopulationDesign and Pilot Interview

BASC-2

Family Assessment Scale

Resiliency Youth Development Module

Santa Barbara Assets and Risks Assessment

Student Engagement Survey

Additional Measures

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Consensual Qualitative Research cont.

Auditor reviews domainsand core ideas

Describe illustrative cases

Develop Narrativeacross cases

Examine PatternsAudit

Revise

Add more casesuntil stability is achieved

Develop Categories within domainsacross cases

Auditor ReviewRevise Categories

Revise Domains and Core Ideasfor each case

Construct core ideas within casesArgue to consensus

Develop and code domains within casesArgue to consensus

Within and Cross Case Analysis

Code Development

Grounded Theory Approach

Examples: PAR, DY, FT

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What do kids need?

Safety (freedom from gangs, discrimination, abuse)

Education and skills to be successful

Experiences of success and mastery

Healthy, supportive relationships

Positive, constructive, fun leisure time

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Encouraging delinquencySafety Gangs, parental mental illness, low monitoring by

responsible adults, passivity or bystanders allowing teasing, pressure and stress on administrators but absence of clear solutions add to problem

Education Boring classes, lecture style teaching, material unsuitable to learner skills, rigid curriculum, large classes and teachers who are overburdened.

Success/

mastery

Discouraging messages for different learners, few mastery and discovery learning approaches, intolerance for different strengths or weaknesses

Healthy relationships

Shunning by community, separation from wholesome peer groups, adults who are stressed or unavailable

Leisure Cost prohibitive, unsafe areas, low monitoring, low skills, no opportunities

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Schools separate

child from “good” peers

Child develops

“bad” reputation

Child has behavior or

learning challenge

Child is stigmatized and seeks

acceptance

Finds “acceptance”

in gang or drug crowd

Acts out, probation,

skips school, into drugs

Alienated from school and healthy

peers

Systemic Experiences: Child

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Leaders offer

support

Leaders offer

support

Parent wants to support

child

Parent wants to support

child

Teacher willing to

help

Teacher willing to

help

Teachers feel

supported

Teachers feel

supported

Child gets

support

Child gets

support

School is positive

School is positive

Child has challenge

Child has challenge

Parents trust

schools

Parents trust

schools

Systemic Experiences: Adult Roles

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Schools separate

child from “good” peers

Child develops

“bad” reputation

Child has behavior or

learning challenge

Child is stigmatized and seeks

acceptance

Finds “acceptance”

in gang or drug crowd

Acts out, probation,

skips school, into drugs

Alienated from school and healthy

peers

Identify challenge early and provide support

Maintain and monitor access to healthy peers

and activities

Foster, model and monitor

healthy relationships in

peers and adults

promote positive, engaging school environment and

healthy relationships (peers and adults)

Support parents and teachers to address

child needs and prevent escalation

Increase monitoring,

mastery and success

Intervention / juvenile justice individualized

plansAccept the individual

(not the behavior) and lessen need for

delinquency

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What was helpful to promote positive choices? Adults who took the time to attend to

individual needs (classroom or probation). Parents who persisted (cared, monitored and

had consequences) when kids made poor choices.

Adults who were flexible within larger systems to best address individuals.

Adults who had other adults supporting common ideas, goals, and relationships.

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Systemic Responsiveness Theory: Delinquency

Teen level

of need

Adult interest in caring for

teen

Adult skills to see and

address the need

Colleagues/ peers to

support adult role

Adult options to address child need

Teen’s peers level of needs

Severity of delinquency

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Systemic Responsiveness Theory: “Angie”

Angie: social and academic

needs

Mom dedicated; Teachers not

know Angie well

Mom insists on I.E.P., Angie truant to be near “friends” at alternative

school

School staff was reluctant to help

initially

Schools followed letter of

rules

Some gang influence in peers;

disinterested in school

Truant and probation

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Systemic Responsiveness Theory: “Angie” outcome

Angie: social and academic

needs

Mom dedicated and unwavering

Mom asked for different approach at school and

with probation

Mom formed respectful relationship with P.O.

and asst. principal

P.O. adjusted

requirements to fit needs

Found new friends thru constructive

activities

On positive track now, no new incidents

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Conclusions Every member of the

environment has impact. Supportive and respectful

relationships are key for all members of a system

Unmet needs exacerbate problems throughout

Indirect resources can still provide relief from stress and challenges

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Limitations

Current study is not in-depth of any single case, so relationships between these parents, their probation officers, and any specific teachers cannot be assessed from multiple perspectives.

The researchers are subject to bias, even though precautions were taken, and the test of the model in future data sets is necessary.

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Future Directions

Further direct test of the theory proposed here. Examination of the systems themselves, the community, work

or school climate as predictor of recidivism in juvenile justice or alternative placements.

Focus on ways to enhance quality of interactions throughout any systems and between all persons, not funding as only solution.

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Student Research Assistants

Roger OlivarriLaura AmoscatoChristen HolderTory MausethShasta IhornRick MorleySummer LaneKatie TrundtJenny Herren

Diane Tanigawa

Yasmin Chacko

Lizbeth Chavez-Lopez

Elizabeth Norris

Laura Sass

Undergrads:Ana AugerShabnam ShirazianKim HillIvonne EstrellaShereen NaserEmily BiggsSarah Solomon

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For More Information Contact:

Janay B. Sander, Ph.D.janay.sander@mail.utexas.edu

(512) 471-0279

Jill D. Sharkey, Ph.D.jsharkey@education.ucsb.edu

(805) 893-3441