Date

12-19-2024

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice (PhD)

Chair

Gregory Clark

Keywords

deterrence, school-structure

Disciplines

Education | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

An examination of the relationship between school structure and community strength will be conducted. School structure will be categorized based on the organizational structure of the institution. Schools are conceptualized and categorized as Kindergarten-12th grade (K-12th), 9th-12th grade schools (9th-12th) and Combination schools. Combination Schools are defined as any school that does not meet the criteria of either K-12th Grade or 9th-12th Grade, generally 6th-12th, 7th-12th or 8th-12th. Community strength will be examined through property crime rates, violent crime rates and individual crime statistics. Analyses will also include proportional or ratio examinations per 1,000 students. A literature review will be conducted to conceptualize and justify theoretical frameworks and statistical analysis methodologies. Quantitative analysis will be conducted through several communities in Southwest Louisiana (Imperial Calcasieu). Data will be collected through multiple avenues: public crime data, Louisiana Department of Education public databases, regional law enforcement, and local school boards. Additionally, statistical analysis will be conducted to identify correlations between school structure and community strength. Effect size will be conducted based on initial findings. The public good associated with potential crime reduction, improved educational achievement and increased quality-of-life must be explored. Future research considerations and possible avenues of implementation will also be discussed.

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