Understanding disruptive behaviour in the juvenile prison estate

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 162-170
Author(s):  
Emma Whiteside ◽  
Carol A. Bond

Purpose Serious incidents of violent disruption within the national young-persons’ prison estate endanger offenders, staff and visitors and have a significant impact. The purpose of this paper is to explore the function of and factors influencing violent disruptive behaviour. Design/methodology/approach In total, 21 young people (n=21) with a history of violence in custody were administered semi-structured interviews to explore the reasons for their behaviour. The data were explored using thematic analysis. Findings Six themes were identified: attitude and propensity for violence, perceptions and intolerance of others, consequences of violent behaviour, the physical environment, previous indicators, and protective factors. Research limitations/implications The study is reliant on self-report and thus may reflect biases. The presence of a recording device may have had an impact on responses. Logistical practicalities meant participants were approached via an intermediary which may have impacted on a willingness to participate. Practical implications Several practical implications are identified: cognitive skills programmes which encourage consequential thinking, perspective-taking, communication skills and exploring alternative problem-solving strategies are of value. Shouting through doors and windows is a major source of provocation and should be addressed. The induction process provides opportunities for equality-awareness work. Gang membership issues are a major cause of violence, and attitudes around this should be addressed. Building trust between staff and young people helps reduce problems. Systems to provide access to facilities and to provide support to cope with stress and isolation may be of value. Originality/value This study uses a qualitative approach to exploring young people’s views on prison violence. The findings reflect previous research but strengthen the perspective that violence in prison serves several purposes for those involved and that violence-reduction strategies must be multi-modal to be effective.

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Davison ◽  
Victoria Zamperoni ◽  
Helen J. Stain

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of vulnerable young people in using a local child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS). Design/methodology/approach A mixed methods design was employed in which participants completed the self-report Experience of Service Questionnaire (CHI ESQ) (n=34), and a subgroup completed individual semi-structured interviews (n=17). CHI ESQ satisfaction data were also compared with a national data sample provided by the Child Outcomes Research Consortium (n=621). Findings Many young people appeared to have a mixed or negative experience of the CAMHS service. They strongly emphasised that feeling listened to, cared for, and supported, in addition to access and continuity of care, are key methods to enhance their experience. They also reported a lack of knowledge and stigma associated with mental health as key barriers to engagement with services more widely. Research limitations/implications Purposive sampling was used to recruit a carefully defined group of vulnerable young people from one school using a single CAMHS service. Practical implications A number of recommendations were identified that could enhance the service experience of young people. Originality/value There is a significant paucity of knowledge regarding young people’s views and experiences of CAMHS, especially those with high vulnerability for mental health difficulties. This exploratory study offers methods for capturing the opinions of underrepresented young people to inform future service design.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 244-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane L. Ireland ◽  
Jackie Bates-Gaston ◽  
Kevin Markey ◽  
Leah Greenwood ◽  
Carol A. Ireland

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an evaluation of a cognitive skills programme (Enhanced Thinking Skills) with adult prisoners. Design/methodology/approach A pre- and post-treatment design with 171 male prisoners, using self-report psychometric measures. Findings Significant differences were found in the direction expected. Clinical recovery using stringent methods was not indicated, although improvement/partial response was across a number of domains. Practical implications Expectations for treatment outcome for short-term interventions should be more realistic; cognitive skills programmes may be best considered as precursors to longer term therapies; treatment outcome should focus on improvement and not recovery. Originality/value This study represents the first prison study to distinguish between levels of positive change. It questions previous interpretations of treatment outcome.


2006 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Ashman

PurposeAt a general level, this article is concerned with the mechanisms through which constructs important to organizational analysis are identified, operationalized and validated. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to consider the construct of organizational commitment, investigating the validity of a popular tool for its measurement – the British Organizational Commitment Scale (BOCS).Design/methodology/approach – Problems in defining organizational commitment are discussed before tracing the development of the BOCS from its American precursor (the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire) and linking it with more general criticisms of self‐report measures. The BOCS is subjected to a qualitative evaluation drawing from 23 semi‐structured interviews with employees from three organizations; the evidence from which suggests considerable doubts surrounding its construct validity.Finding – The conclusion drawn is that the psychometric approach to construct validation may be inadequate on its own. A qualitative approach could form part of a more robust triangulation methodology.Research limitations/implications – The conclusion drawn has to be treated with some care, as the nature and scale of the sample do not permit strong generalisation. However, there is enough evidence to recommend that the psychometric orthodoxy typical of organizational commitment research spanning the last 50 years needs reviewing.Practical implications – The BOCS is used by a multitude of employers to evaluate the relationship between employees and organization. The evidence presented suggests they may not be attaining as clear an insight as they would wish.Originality/value – The merits of the organizational commitment as a construct and the mechanisms for measuring are widely accepted. This paper presents what appears to be the first prima facie evidence to challenge its value.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 290-303
Author(s):  
Marta Mori ◽  
Ronan McDermott ◽  
Saut Sagala ◽  
Yasmina Wulandari

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how culture, including traditions and social structures, can influence resilience and how culturally sensitive relief operations can put affected people and their context at the core of any interventions. Design/methodology/approach A case study of the Mt Sinabung volcano area in Indonesia was undertaken. As part of the case study, an analysis of interventions was conducted, which was complemented by semi-structured interviews with Karo cultural experts and humanitarian organisations. Findings Culture influences the manner in which the Karo people react to volcano eruptions with varying implications for recovery. In addition, relief organisations which understand people’s actions through a cultural lens have better managed to tailor programs with long-term impact, thereby avoiding aid dependency. Practical implications Practical examples of disaster management activities that adequately account for the beneficiaries’ way of living prior to the eruptions are provided. Aid actors are provided with guidance concerning how to better tailor their activities in line with a cultural lens. Originality/value The study provides empirical grounding for claims concerning the role of culture in planning interventions in Indonesia and other similar contexts.


2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Leaf ◽  
George Odhiambo

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on a study examining the perceptions of secondary principals, deputies and teachers, of deputy principal (DP) instructional leadership (IL), as well as deputies’ professional learning (PL) needs. Framed within an interpretivist approach, the specific objectives of this study were: to explore the extent to which DPs are perceived as leaders of learning, to examine the actual responsibilities of these DPs and to explore the PL that support DP roles. Design/methodology/approach The researchers used multiple perspective case studies which included semi-structured interviews and key school document analysis. A thematic content analysis facilitated qualitative descriptions and insights from the perspectives of the principals, DPs and teachers of four high-performing secondary schools in Sydney, Australia. Findings The data revealed that deputies performed a huge range of tasks; all the principals were distributing leadership to their deputies to build leadership capacity and supported their PL in a variety of ways. Across three of the case study schools, most deputies were frequently performing as instructional leaders, improving their school’s performance through distributing leadership, team building and goal setting. Deputy PL was largely dependent on principal mentoring and self-initiated but was often ad hoc. Findings add more validity to the importance of principals building the educational leadership of their deputies. Research limitations/implications This study relied upon responses from four case study schools. Further insight into the key issues discussed may require a longitudinal data that describe perceptions from a substantial number of schools in Australia over time. However, studying only four schools allowed for an in-depth investigation. Practical implications The findings from this study have practical implications for system leaders with responsibilities of framing the deputies’ role as emergent educational leaders rather than as administrators and the need for coherent, integrated, consequential and systematic approaches to DP professional development. Further research is required on the effect of deputy IL on school performance. Originality/value There is a dearth of research-based evidence exploring the range of responsibilities of deputies and perceptions of staff about deputies’ IL role and their PL needs. This is the first published New South Wales, Australian DP study and adds to the growing evidence around perceptions of DPs as instructional leaders by providing an Australian perspective on the phenomenon. The paper raises important concerns about the complexity of the DP’s role on the one hand, and on the other hand, the PL that is perceived to be most appropriate for dealing with this complexity.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 536-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascale Simons ◽  
Jos Benders ◽  
Jochen Bergs ◽  
Wim Marneffe ◽  
Dominique Vandijck

Purpose – Sustainable improvement is likely to be hampered by ambiguous objectives and uncertain cause-effect relations in care processes (the organization’s decision-making context). Lean management can improve implementation results because it decreases ambiguity and uncertainties. But does it succeed? Many quality improvement (QI) initiatives are appropriate improvement strategies in organizational contexts characterized by low ambiguity and uncertainty. However, most care settings do not fit this context. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether a Lean-inspired change program changed the organization’s decision-making context, making it more amenable for QI initiatives. Design/methodology/approach – In 2014, 12 professionals from a Dutch radiotherapy institute were interviewed regarding their perceptions of a Lean program in their organization and the perceived ambiguous objectives and uncertain cause-effect relations in their clinical processes. A survey (25 questions), addressing the same concepts, was conducted among the interviewees in 2011 and 2014. The structured interviews were analyzed using a deductive approach. Quantitative data were analyzed using appropriate statistics. Findings – Interviewees experienced improved shared visions and the number of uncertain cause-effect relations decreased. Overall, more positive (99) than negative Lean effects (18) were expressed. The surveys revealed enhanced process predictability and standardization, and improved shared visions. Practical implications – Lean implementation has shown to lead to greater transparency and increased shared visions. Originality/value – Lean management decreased ambiguous objectives and reduced uncertainties in clinical process cause-effect relations. Therefore, decision making benefitted from Lean increasing QI’s sustainability.


2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 156-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa C. Brown ◽  
Jennifer Volberding ◽  
Timothy Baghurst ◽  
John Sellers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the reason for faculty and staff (N=657; 35 percent males; M age=45.20) at a large Southern university, for either using or not using the free fitness facilities on campus. Design/methodology/approach – Participants identified themselves as either current (n=306), former (n=213), or never-users (n=138) of the facilities, and completed an on-line self-report qualitative questionnaire asking them to describe their reasons for using or not using the campus fitness facilities. Findings – Thematic coding revealed that motives fell into three broad categories for all user types: personal (i.e. cost, location, social support), facility-specific (i.e. quality and amount of equipment, class variety, hours of operation), and motivational climate (i.e. feeling valued, welcomed, best effort was emphasized). Current users highlighted positive aspects of each category whereas former and never users described each category as a barrier to their exercise routines. Practical implications – The identified themes offer campus administration specific suggestions to entice more non-users and former-users to exercise in the fitness facilities available on campus. Originality/value – While researchers have considered barriers to exercise in past studies, the barriers identified were not specific to fitness facilities. The current work not only examines individuals’ reasons for choosing or not choosing a campus fitness facility for their exercise, but also compares the perspectives of former- and never-users to current-users.


2016 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 588-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Phillipov

Purpose – The increasing frequency with which food and beverage producers feature in mainstream media, including television cooking shows, provide opportunities and pitfalls for using media to promote artisan food and beverage businesses. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate these, as experienced by a group of food and beverage producers who appeared on the popular Australian television show, Gourmet Farmer. Design/methodology/approach – Findings are based on semi-structured interviews with 14 of the producers featured on the show, plus textual analysis of relevant segments of the show. Findings – While all of the producers felt that food television offered a good promotional tool, those who were most familiar with the practices of media production and whose businesses offered experiences through which viewers could access (or imagine) a “taste” of the Gourmet Farmer life tended to be more satisfied than those who were less familiar with the practices of media production and who expected a greater focus on their products and production practices. Practical implications – The development of media skills is essential for artisan producers to get the best outcomes when using media to promote their businesses. Originality/value – The experiences of food and beverage producers using food television to promote their businesses have not previously been the subject of thoroughgoing research. This paper offers new insights into how artisan producers can best capitalize on the opportunities offered by food media.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessie Nixon

Purpose This paper aims to demonstrate how teaching the discourse of critique, an integral part of the video production process, can be used to eliminate barriers for young people in gaining new media literacy skills helping more young people become producers rather than consumers of digital media. Design/methodology/approach This paper describes an instrumental qualitative case study (Stake, 2000) in two elective high school video production classrooms in the Midwestern region of the USA. The author conducted observations, video and audio recorded critique sessions, conducted semi-structured interviews and collected artifacts throughout production including storyboards, brainstorms and rough and final cuts of videos. Findings Throughout critique, young video producers used argumentation strategies to cocreate meaning, multiple methods of inquiry and questioning, critically evaluated feedback and synthesized their ideas and those of their peers to achieve their intended artistic vision. Young video producers used feedback in the following ways: incorporated feedback directly into their work, rejected and ignored feedback, or incorporated some element of the feedback in a way not originally intended. Originality/value This paper demonstrates how teaching the discourse of critique can be used to eliminate barriers for young people in gaining new media literacy skills. Educators can teach argumentation and inquiry strategies through using thinking guides that encourage active processing and through engaging near peer mentors. Classroom educators can integrate the arts-based practice of the pitch critique session to maximize the impact of peer-to-peer learning.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrei Bonamigo ◽  
Camila Guimarães Frech ◽  
Ana Carolina Custódio Lopes

Purpose This study aims to empirically investigate how organizations delivering services in business-to-business relations deal with the boundary paradox and knowledge asymmetry in value co-creation. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative multiple case study strategy. Datas were gathered through 13 semi-structured interviews that were then analyzed through the content analysis. Findings The authors identified three mechanisms that organizations use to deal with the boundary paradox and two strategies to handle the knowledge asymmetry. Research limitations/implications First, no opportunities were afforded to involve more participants. Second, owning to confidentiality reasons, not all organizations provided us documents to be analyzed. Practical implications The findings guide managers in balancing the use of contracts and trust in inter-firm collaborations and fostering the learning of customers. Also, insights to protect knowledge based on the paradox of openness in value co-creation. Originality/value This study’s findings address the gap in value co-creation literature concerning the lack of empirical studies.


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