Date
8-29-2024
Department
Helms School of Government
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice (PhD)
Chair
Fritz Gerald Salomon
Keywords
Compassionate Empathy, Safety, Correctional Facility, Social Bond Theory
Disciplines
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Kuhns, Kelly Lynn, "Do Something: Does the Use of Compassionate Empathy by Staff Affect the Safety of a Colorado Correctional Facility?" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5932.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5932
Abstract
The purpose of this applied multimethod study is to explore the relationship between the use of compassionate empathy and safety in a Colorado correctional facility. This research involved 25 staff members and employed a thematic analysis approach, integrating results from the Toronto Empathy questionnaire and semi-structured participant interviews. The study aimed to provide insights into the potential impact of compassionate empathy on safety within correctional facilities and inform policy and training initiatives to enhance overall safety. The findings offer valuable information to correctional administrators and policymakers in Colorado and beyond, aiding efforts to improve the safety and well-being of both staff and incarcerated residents within correctional facilities. Furthermore, this research may contribute to the broader field of criminal justice by emphasizing the role of compassionate empathy in shaping organizational culture, training material, and safety outcomes within correctional facilities, should a relationship between compassionate empathy and safety be established.
