Masters Thesis

The effects of juvenile hall on teens’ academic self-perception

This thesis examines teens' perceptions of the effects of juvenile hall on their academic self-perception. This study was formed in order to address current gaps in knowledge surrounding to the school-to-prison pipeline by gathering student perceptions of the effects of juvenile hall on their educational experience. Semi-structured interviews of six local at-risk teens were conducted in order to gather qualitative data. The interviews allowed students to describe their individual experience in education as it relates to juvenile hall and academic self-perception. In the study, additional factors affecting student academic self-perception were discovered. Qualitative data gathered by the interviews is presented and analyzed following a discussion of the current state of educational policy and how it affects the school-to-prison pipeline. Factors are organized by positive or negative effects on academic self-perception. Factors include but are not limited to: student perception of academic material; school as community; alienating subject matter; discipline issues; and transitional issues which occur between juvenile hall and alternative education. By examining student responses in this study, educators can gain insight to students' own perceptions of factors affecting their educational experience.

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