Date
12-19-2024
Department
Helms School of Government
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice (PhD)
Chair
Christopher Sharp
Keywords
homicide, truancy, community outreach, gang participation, gang violence, proactive, academic success
Disciplines
Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Sanders, Sarah, "A Review of Education Policies and Their Impact on Gang Participation for Youth" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 6364.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/6364
Abstract
Youth have suffered from gang violence in schools and neighborhoods at different rates per the Concentric Zone Model and the Strain theory. Gang violence is a concern for Little Rock, Arkansas. This study will follow the Concentric Zone Model and the Strain theory for data collection and evaluate the extent of gang violence linked to education in response to Zero-Tolerance policies for the Little Rock School District (LRSD) and Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD), showing a holistic explanation of crime. This study will review secondary data from LRSD, PCSSD, and local law enforcement agencies to cross-reference reports of concerns usually seen in gang violence and frequently associated with results from education policy implementation among the six selected schools from the inner city, suburban areas, and rural areas. The study will show correlation and regressions among two schools of the three zones based on the combination of the concentric zone, attachment, and strain theory. Data will explore if schools elect to educate on gang violence and provide positive interventions in opposition to some Zero-Tolerance policies. Fewer students would contribute to the dropout rate at LRSD and PCSSD. Data will explore if consistent, proactive interventions were readily available for troubled LRSD and PCSSD students; then, there would be fewer dropout rates among "at risk" students. Acknowledging the problem of gang violence and early intervention of modeling and positive interaction are needed to reduce the interest in gang participation during early childhood development. It is essential to repeat research on the outcomes of selected interventions.
