Connection and Caring Through a Therapeutic Juvenile Corrections Model: Staff and Youth Resident Perceptions of Structural and Interpersonal Dimensions

This mixed-method exploratory inductive study examined incarcerated youths’ and staff members’ perceptions of a new community-focused therapeutic model in a large youth prison. Via 18 focus groups ( N = 141) and facility-wide surveys ( N = 248), both youth and staff shared perceptions of specific structural components of the model designed to change their relationship to one another, such as consistent staffing, higher staff-resident ratios, and program features designed to enhance rapport. Both groups also provided rich descriptions of the altered interpersonal dynamics related to connection and caring, two of the five C’s of Positive Youth Development (PYD), that were facilitated through those structural changes. Findings suggest the model’s intentional redefinition of resident-staff relationships directly contributed to meaningful resident and staff experiences. Perceptions of those relationships—rarely explored in the extant literature—were examined and illustrated through focus group data. This study illuminates the subjective experiences of both groups as they put the model into practice and reveals key insights about therapeutic correctional programs based on PYD in secure facilities that have important implications for juvenile correctional theory, research, practice, and policy.

Crime Is Down and so Is Fear? Analyzing Resident Perceptions of Neighborhood Unsafety in Rotterdam, the Netherlands

There is little research on how resident perceptions of neighborhood unsafety develop over time and how changes in these perceptions relate to decreasing crime rates. The present study analyzes and explains trends in perceived neighborhood unsafety within the Dutch city of Rotterdam, based on survey and register data collected in the years 2003–2017 (N = 148.344, 62 neighborhoods). In addition to crime, we also assess to what extent (changes in) the economic status, level of ethnic heterogeneity, degree of residential mobility, and amount of disorder in the neighborhood play a role in how safe or unsafe inhabitants have felt in a 15-year period. We find that unsafety levels steadily declined in the years up to 2007. This decrease was best explained by changes regarding the economic status, victimization rates and disorder level of neighborhoods. After a sudden increase in feelings of unsafety between 2007 and 2008, explained by the shift towards using more self-administrated questionnaires, fear levels stabilized during the remaining years (2008–2017) although recorded crime levels continued to decrease in this period.

52 Cultivating Learner-centeredness in a Time of Rupture: Lessons from the Shift to Virtual Pediatric Academic Half Day during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Primary Subject area Medical Education Background The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the postgraduate learning environment. In light of public health recommendations and the need to offer safe learning environments, many programs have drawn upon virtual technologies to continue delivery of formal academic curricula. Despite widespread use, however, little is currently known as to how trainees view these changes. Objectives The authors sought to explore resident perceptions on the COVID-19-influenced shift from in-person to virtual academic half day (AHD) delivery. Design/Methods A cross-sectional survey was created and distributed to 51 pediatric residents who participated in virtual AHD at a university-affiliated Canadian program distributed across three sites, from March to June 2020. Survey responses were obtained confidentially through a secure, online platform (REDCap). Descriptive statistics and inductive thematic analysis were used to analyze responses to close-ended questions and narrative comments, respectively. Results Response rate was 60.8%. Residents reported statistically significant improvement in their attitudes towards virtual AHD across all metrics collected. Areas most strongly rated included increased trainee engagement and overall satisfaction with virtual delivery, in part due to increased relevance of content. Factors enabling participation included educationally safe interactions and a more comfortable and flexible learning environment. Conclusion These results suggest that the transition to virtual AHD was generally well received. During an uncertain time, when trainee vulnerability is heightened, the need to explicitly attend to educational issues of relevance, engagement, safety, and comfort are crucial. Further, given the rapid and reactive pivots to new curricular strategies in the wake of COVID-19, it is incumbent upon programs to incorporate resident feedback to ensure a learner-centred environment is maintained.

The costs and benefits of overtourism perspectives of residents of cities and resorts

The costs and benefits of tourism development and their perception by destinations’ residents have been a subject of research for many years. Although relevant studies considered the effects of overtourism, resident perceptions of overtourism impacts were not analyzed in a comparative context of different types of destinations. Large cities, for example, require different tourism development approaches and tools as they differ from other destinations, especially tourism resorts. This study therefore examines residents’ perceptions of overtourism by focusing on two important yet different destinations in Poland, Cracow and Białka Tatrzańska. The results confirm significant differences in how residents perceive the impact of overtourism with the biggest difference being evident on how the benefits of tourism development are perceived. The chapter draws conclusions that can contribute significant insights on the management of tourism in different types of destinations.

Implementation of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Smoke-Free Rule: A Socio-Ecological Qualitative Assessment of Administrator and Resident Perceptions

In July 2018, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) implemented a mandatory smoke-free rule in public housing. This study assessed administrator and resident perceptions of rule implementation during its initial year in the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA). Assessment included nine focus groups (n = 69) with residents and in-depth interviews with administrators (n = 7) and residents (n = 26) from 14 DCHA communities (family = 7 and senior/disabled = 7). Semi-structured discussion guides based on the multi-level socio-ecological framework captured dialogue that was recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded inductively. Emerging major themes for each socio-ecological framework level included: (1) Individual: the rule was supported due to perceived health benefits, with stronger support among non-smokers; (2) Interpersonal: limiting secondhand smoke exposure was perceived as a positive for vulnerable residents; (3) Organizational: communication, signage, and cessation support was perceived as a need; (4) Community: residents perceived mobility, disability, weather, and safety-related issues as barriers; and (5) Public Policy: lease amendments were perceived as enablers of rule implementation but expressed confusion about violations and enforcement. A majority of administrators and residents reported favorable implications of the mandated HUD rule. The novel application of a socio-ecological framework, however, detected implementation nuances that required improvements on multiple levels, including more signage, cessation support, clarification of enforcement roles, and addressing safety concerns.