Date

7-21-2026

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice (PhD)

Chair

Joshua Lee Adams

Keywords

Theory of African American Offending, Racial Socialization, Racial Discrimination, Resiliency Adaptations, Critical Race Theory, African American Male

Disciplines

Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies | Sociology

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the perceptions of racial socialization (“RS”) as a protective factor that leads to resiliency adaptations among Black males who matriculated to college in Northeastern Florida when they were aged 18 – 24 and who had a history of criminogenic risk factors or criminal justice system contact. Grounded in Unnever and Gabbidon’s (2011) Theory of African American Offending (“TAAO”), the study used a qualitative phenomenological case study research design to explore participants’ understanding of RS messages from their parents and their resiliency adaptations in response to those messages. Two research questions guided the study: (1) How do they identify RS, and (2) How do they describe the attributes of RS that contributed to their resiliency adaptations and ability to overcome these past risks. Four primary themes emerged from the results of this study: (1) Racialized Perceptions of Differential Treatment; (2) Racialized Self-Presentation; (3) Parents as a Guiding Influence; and (4) Resiliency in the Face of Perceived Racialized Structural Barriers. An inquiry into participants’ understanding, experiences, and perceptions reveals that they received RS messages from their parents, which contributed to their resilience. In meaningful ways, the findings align with the preparation for bias and cultural racial-ethnic socialization dimensions of RS. The findings from the study are also consistent with the body of resiliency research, which posits a positive correlation between resiliency and one’s mental coping processes in the face of adversity. The findings suggest that RS messaging from their parents influenced the participants’ critical consciousness, such that their critical reflections on actual or perceived racial discrimination catalyze their resilience adaptations. Ultimately, this study advances the TAAO framework by uncovering nuanced categorical descriptions of RS messaging, suggesting that existing RS dimensions exhibit a density and intricacy that exceed current theoretical definitions. Criminologists and juvenile justice policymakers can use this study’s results to inform future research using TAAO. Ultimately, by incorporating RS-driven resilience in policy and practice, there exists the potential to empower a rising generation of Black males to overcome barriers and build more equitable futures.

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