Strategies for Finding Resources
By now, you may have a research topic in mind. Your topic must emphasize a social
problem and your research must have implications for social change. Think about what
is known in the field of public policy and administration and what you want to explore.
Whether you have a topic yet or not, the literature search will help you to define and
refine it. Finally, selecting a topic and conducting a literature review will give you the
basis for drafting your Premise.
There is a multitude of research databases in the Walden Library. Some may be more
useful than others for finding articles related to your Dissertation topic. Before you begin
to search for articles, it is important to identify the databases that will be most useful. It
also is important to use the best searching strategies. If you search using keywords that
are too broad, you may be inundated with useless information. If you search using
keywords that are too specific, you may miss articles that are pertin ent to your
Dissertation topic.
To prepare for this Discussion, review the Dissertation and Writing Resources in this
week’s Learning Resources.
Your Week 1 Application Assignment was to describe your Dissertation topic and how
you came to select it, what your interest is in studying it, the problem that makes it worth
studying, and its significance. To prepare for this Discussion, use the Litmus Test listed
in your Learning Resources to develop and revise your topic and problem statement
you drafted in Week 1.
Post by Day 4 a response to the following:
•
•
Briefly describe your Dissertation topic and the problem statement that you have
developed or revised from Week 1, together with its significance. Both your topic and
the problem statement are required in your Premise.
Describe how you will use the Walden’s Doctoral Capstone Resources located in this
Week’s Resources throughout the Dissertation process.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the
Learning Resources.
Read a selection of your colleagues' postings.
Respond by Day 6 to the postings of at least two of your colleagues, responding to the
same colleagues in both the Week 2 and Week 3 Discussions. Work with your
colleagues to determine your statement’s feasibility and appropriateness as it relates to
your topic. Use their feedback to hone and refine your problem statement.
Evaluate your colleagues’ problem statements, judging their clarity and strength: To
what extent is the problem significant enough to warrant study? What other components
or issues might be added to the problem statement? What other feedback can you
provide that will strengthen the statement? Explain and justify your decisions and
feedback. Support or challenge your colleagues’ choices of key words.
http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/researchcenter/osra/phd
http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/doctoralcapstoneresources
http://dissertationrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Problem-StatementChecklist.pdf
http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/assignments/literaturereview
http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/assignments/annotatedbibliographies
•
Walden University, Center f or Research Quality. (n.d.-f ). Research resources. Retrieved
f rom http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/researchcenter/resources/planning
o
Research Planning and Writing Litmus Test
To access the Research Planning and Writing Litmus Test, click on “Research Planning and
Writing,” then click on “Research Planning.” Click on “Litmus Test” to download the Word
document.
•
Simon, M. K. (2011c). Writing an annotated bibliography . In Dissertation and scholarly research:
Recipes for success (pp. 1–3). Retrieved f rom http://Dissertationrecipes.com/wp content/uploads/2011/04/annotatedbibexplainedrevised.pdf
1
Dissertation Topic: Efficacy of Offender Reentry Programs Targeting Recidivism in the United
States
Name
Writing a Quality Prospectus
CRJS - 8115
Walden University
11/30/2018
2
Efficacy of Offender Reentry Programs Targeting Recidivism in the United States
I arrived at the above topic after an extensive search and review of the literature concerning the
prison reforms, specific rates of recidivism and the reentry programs. Initially, I had made an
observation and did prior research on the topic of the effectiveness of reentry programs, so I
already had an idea of what I wanted to research on. Any issue concerning prisoners receives
little popularity in politics, and therefore prisoners have little political power. There is no proper
political constituency to pressure for the funding of prisoner’s reintegration into the society. The
process of reentry even becomes more difficult for individuals with multiple jail terms. The
unions of correctional officers are powerful, but they urge for increased prison time and not for
improving the conditions and programs in the prisons and after the imprisonment.
The primary interest in studying the topic is because of the alarmingly high levels of
recidivism even with the reentry programs put in place. According to data from the Justice
Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), 2014 67.8% of released prisoners get rearrested
within three years for a new crime. The rates of recidivism for five years was 76.6 %(
Muhlhausen, 2015). Around 95-97% of incarcerates citizens in the US will be released back into
society. However, after release life for the ex-convict may become unbearable with no proper or
effective system for re-integration into the society. The ex-convicts are released with nothing to
call their own-no housing, no food, no clothing and no way to contact their relatives.
Furthermore, there are other factors such as stigma, deterioration of social networks and
economic distress that affect the reentry into the community. The adverse effects of such
consequences of the ex-convicts with no proper reentry programs contribute to recidivism.
Around the early 1990s, the Department of Justice has invested many funds into the
prisoner reentry programs. However, currently, there is no adequate knowledge of the most
3
effective programs for assisting inmates to reintegrate successfully and safety into society.
Furthermore, policymakers need to ensure that the evaluation of programs is based on the
primary purpose for which it was established. Recidivism remains the most effective measure of
assessing the impact of the programs for prisoner’s reentry. However, there is still some criticism
on the use utilization of recidivism as a measure of effectiveness as compared with other factors
used to assess the reintegration process (Muhlhausen, 2015).
The rates of recidivism suggest a problem with the reentry programs already in place.
While common measures such as housing and employment are critical, the factors are not the
primary goal of reentry programs (Muhlhausen, 2015). The lack of adequate measures for the
effectiveness of reentry programs targeting recidivism makes the topic worth for further studies
and recommendations. There is a lack of focus for policymakers. I am placing primary
importance of the recidivism rates as a measure of the effectiveness of reentry programs.
Additionally, there is a need to appraise programs about their outcome on the major purpose for
which they were employed.
Research on the evaluation of prisoner reentry programs based on employment shows
that the programs play a minimal role in reducing recidivism (Muhlhausen, 2015). The outcomes
of scientifically based evaluations raise some doubt regarding the effectiveness of the
involvement of the federal government in reducing the cost of reentry programs.
There is a general assumption by policymakers that assisting ex-convicts to get
employment has an impact on the rates of recidivism (Travis et al., 2014). The assumption of the
program is that employment helps ex-convicts to desist from crime. However, the primary
question is the timing of the employment for ex-convicts and not the employment opportunity
itself. The author, Mulhausen (2015) states that there are theories on the relationship between
4
resistance and employment among individuals who leave the criminal-justice system. The first
premises are the maturation viewpoint which states that desistance from crime happens before
the acquisition of legitimate employment while the turning point theory presumes that resistance
happens after the ex-convict gets employed. Assuming that the maturation theory is more
accurate, then assisting prisoners to get employment before they are ready to reform is
unproductive. The process of reforming a prisoner and their identity to that of a law-abiding
citizen is a complicated procedure that should precede legitimate employment. For example, a
prisoner has to change the mindset and realize that a crime has more harm than benefits.
Although federally funded reentry programs offering employment can be sufficient
evidence shows that it is vital for ex-convicts to be psychologically stable before they can be
productive in the workplace. Reentry programs that offer a multifaceted approach have more
positive results. There is still a gap in the research, mainly on a large scale to shed some light on
what programs are effective and which ones are not (Travis et al., 2014).
The topic has much significance in society due to a large number of prisoners (up to 700,
000) that are released from prison early in the United States. Studies show that ex-convicts face
many challenges when reintegration back into society. Reentry programs are varied with regards
to the services offered and treatment modalities to deliver the services. Among the 700000 exconvicts, about two-thirds are rearrested are reincarnated within three years. Despite the vast
number of reentry programs, little is known about their effectiveness. It is important to determine
whether the reentry programs are useful in the recidivism rate reduction and what factors are
associated with the highest success rates.
5
Relationship of the topic to public policy and administration
In 1968, H. George Frederickson developed a theory of equity in the society and advocated it as
the third pillar of public administration (Toavs, n. d). The theory was concerned with how public
administration was ignoring the economic and social conditions of different citizens. The
assumptions are seen in the case of ex-convicts with no proper ways of evaluating what reforms
are best for this group of citizens. It is important for policymakers to streamline reentry programs
to suit the immediate needs of the ex-prisoners first before considering the long-term outcomes(
Kendall et al ., 2018 Therefore, the public administration should promote social equity for the
ex-convicts to reduce the rates of recidivism. The current post-release programs have a limited
effect on the long-term outcomes and rates of recidivism. The impact of the system of prisons on
society is tremendous although it is an unpopular area. The prison system is a direct reflection of
the effectiveness of the rule of law but happens to have an impact on the society where the
prisoners come from and return to after the jail term (Harvard Law Review, 2010).
References
American Psychological Association. (2010). Learning APA style. Retrieved from
http://www.apastyle.org/learn/
Harvard Law Review. (March 2010). "Designing a prisoner reentry system hardwired to
manage disputes", 123 Harv. L. Rev. 1339, database: Lexis.
Muhlhausen, D. (2015). Studies Cast Doubt on Effectiveness of Prisoner Reentry Programs.
Retrieved from https://www.heritage.org/.../studies-cast-doubt-effectiveness-prisonerreentry-program...
6
Kendall, S., Redshaw, S., Ward, S., Wayland, S., & Sullivan, E. (2018). A systematic review of
qualitative evaluations of reentry programs addressing problematic drug use and mental
health disorders amongst people transitioning from prison to communities. Health &
Justice, 6(1), 4.
Toavs, D. (n.d.). Ideas of governance. Retrieved from http://www.tikitoki.com/timeline/entry/146482/Ideas-of-Governance
Travis, J., Western, B., & Redburn, F. S. (2014). The growth of incarceration in the United
States: Exploring causes and consequences. The National Academies Press
Useem, B. (1997). Choosing a Dissertation topic. PS: Political Science & Politics, 30(2), 213–
216. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Strategies for Finding Resources
By now, you may have a research topic in mind. Your topic must emphasize a social
problem and your research must have implications for social change. Think about what
is known in the field of public policy and administration and what you want to explore.
Whether you have a topic yet or not, the literature search will help you to define and
refine it. Finally, selecting a topic and conducting a literature review will give you the
basis for drafting your Premise.
There is a multitude of research databases in the Walden Library. Some may be more
useful than others for finding articles related to your Dissertation topic. Before you begin
to search for articles, it is important to identify the databases that will be most useful. It
also is important to use the best searching strategies. If you search using keywords that
are too broad, you may be inundated with useless information. If you search using
keywords that are too specific, you may miss articles that are pertin ent to your
Dissertation topic.
To prepare for this Discussion, review the Dissertation and Writing Resources in this
week’s Learning Resources.
Your Week 1 Application Assignment was to describe your Dissertation topic and how
you came to select it, what your interest is in studying it, the problem that makes it worth
studying, and its significance. To prepare for this Discussion, use the Litmus Test listed
in your Learning Resources to develop and revise your topic and problem statement
you drafted in Week 1.
Post by Day 4 a response to the following:
•
•
Briefly describe your Dissertation topic and the problem statement that you have
developed or revised from Week 1, together with its significance. Both your topic and
the problem statement are required in your Premise.
Describe how you will use the Walden’s Doctoral Capstone Resources located in this
Week’s Resources throughout the Dissertation process.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the
Learning Resources.
Read a selection of your colleagues' postings.
Respond by Day 6 to the postings of at least two of your colleagues, responding to the
same colleagues in both the Week 2 and Week 3 Discussions. Work with your
colleagues to determine your statement’s feasibility and appropriateness as it relates to
your topic. Use their feedback to hone and refine your problem statement.
Evaluate your colleagues’ problem statements, judging their clarity and strength: To
what extent is the problem significant enough to warrant study? What other components
or issues might be added to the problem statement? What other feedback can you
provide that will strengthen the statement? Explain and justify your decisions and
feedback. Support or challenge your colleagues’ choices of key words.
http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/researchcenter/osra/phd
http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/doctoralcapstoneresources
http://dissertationrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Problem-StatementChecklist.pdf
http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/assignments/literaturereview
http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/assignments/annotatedbibliographies
•
Walden University, Center f or Research Quality. (n.d.-f ). Research resources. Retrieved
f rom http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/researchcenter/resources/planning
o
Research Planning and Writing Litmus Test
To access the Research Planning and Writing Litmus Test, click on “Research Planning and
Writing,” then click on “Research Planning.” Click on “Litmus Test” to download the Word
document.
•
Simon, M. K. (2011c). Writing an annotated bibliography . In Dissertation and scholarly research:
Recipes for success (pp. 1–3). Retrieved f rom http://Dissertationrecipes.com/wp content/uploads/2011/04/annotatedbibexplainedrevised.pdf
Your goals f or Weeks 2 and 3 are extensive. You will begin with identif ying research databases and
scholarly, peer-reviewed journals to incorporate into the literature review f or your Dissertation Premis e
and Prospectus. You also evaluate techniques and strategies used f or identif ying and retrieving
articles f or the literature review. Additionally, you will synthesize your cited articles in an annotated
bibliography.
In addition, this week you will draf t your Premise and in Week 3, you will revise it. The Dissertation
Premise Guide on the Center f or Research Quality website contains an outline and a sample.
Objectives
First Classmate
Why I selected my Topic
I selected the topic of HIV education as it relates to unidentified Black/African American
men who have sex with men due to the current statistics and impact on the community. After three
decades of research and prevention implementation almost all ethnic groups have seen a decrease in
new HIV cases. However, the African American group has either remained stagnant or has
increased
Problem Statement
The prevention and reduction of HIV have been a task of health care providers for three
decades. The problem is there remains an urgent need to provide targeted HIV prevention services
to the Black/African community specifically unidentified (also called heteroflexible) men who have
sex with men. The label of unidentified (heteroflexible) is not to be confused with the term
“downlow” which is a term used to describe men who have sex with men in secret. According to the
CDC (2018), there has been no significant change in the amount of HIV cases among Black/African
American men who have sex with men, approximately 10, 315 cases were reported in 2015, almost
10, 223 cases were published in 2016. Research has uncovered that Black/African American men
who have sex with men are less likely when compared to other races to discuss their sexual
behaviors, especially same sex, or to identify as gay or bisexual (Saleh, Operario, Smith, Arnold, &
Kegeles, 2011; Jenkins, 2014). In 2016, 17, 528 African Americans received an HIV diagnosis in
the United States, of this number 12, 890 were men. More than half (58%) of Black/African
Americans were men who have men who had sex with men. This group accounts for the higher
proportion of new HIV diagnosis those living with HIV, and those who have ever received an AIDS
diagnosis, compared to other races (Center for Disease Control, 2018; Maulsby, Millett, Lindsey,
Kelly, Johnson, Montonya, & Holtgrave, 2014).
I plan to use Walden’s multitude of resources to assist me in the course and throughout
the dissertation to ensure I complete it within the parameters outlined by the University. The
resources I will use will include includes the library, doctoral templates, guided seminars and more.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018).HIV surveillance in men who have
sex with men. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ hiv/topics/surveillance/.
Accessed 04 Mar 2018.
Jenkins, R. A. (2014). Supplemental issue on does early intervention prevent health risking sexual behaviors related to HIV/AIDS: Commentary on effects. Prevention
Science, 15(Suppl 1), S84-S86. Doi: 10.1007/s11121-013-0422-6
Second Student
Dissertation Topic
The dissertation topic that I have selected: Release From Prison: But The Mind Is Still
Incarcerated. My selection of this topic is because when I was employed as a New York
City Correction Officer, inmates were like a revolving door returning to Rikers Island as
if they were returning for a vacation. The problem is for the majority of the inmates this
appears to be their reality. They have been raised in households or been in
environments where the people that they were around this was their norm.
Problem Statement
As stated by the Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice one of the problems seems
to be antisocial behavior. Stating that genes of the dopaminergic system are associated
with criminal and delinquent involvement. The National Longitudinal Study of
Adolescent Health also revealed that genetic risk was related to the odds of being
arrested, being sentenced to probation, being incarcerated, as well as being arrested
multiple times. As stated by researchers from the London School of Economics on
children when it came to their health, intelligence, and social skills if there is a biological
father that lives in the household these children are healthier and are more likely to
grow up with a good education and get a good job. According to the study if there is a
stepfather that moves into the home there are no benefits. If a stepfather moves in with
a single mother, the child or children are likely to grow up with the same problems as
children from families that only have a single mother. The researchers found that the
children were less likely to do well in school or keep a job, and more likely to have a
teenage pregnancy or slip into crime.
How I Will Use Walden's Doctoral Capstone
Resources
I will start with the writing center that will guide me with the doctoral capstone which will
guide me with information to templates as well as various videos. I will also listen to the
various webinars in completing my dissertation. I will also focus on the doctoral writing
workshops.
Reference
Beaver, K. M., & Chaviano, N. (2011). The Association Between Genetic Risk and
Contact With the Criminal Justice System in a Sample of Hispanics. Journal of
Contemporary Criminal Justice, 27(1), 81. Retrieved from
https://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
Steve, Doughty, (2017, March 29). What a surprise! Living with a dad helps kids
thrive. Daily Mail, p. 11. Retrieved from https://exp.waldenulibrary.org/login?
direct=true&db=bwh&AN=122097276&site=eds=live&scope=site
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