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Develop an envisioned methodology and design for a dissertation research topic based on the research problem, purpose, and thesis below and then write a research paper to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the envisioned method and design. In this paper, justify why the chosen method and design would be most appropriate for the research questions. In justifying the chosen method and design, discuss why alternative methods/designs would be less desirable for this study. Please corroborate the assertions with scholarly research.

Thesis: What causes disparity between minority and non-minority youths incarcerated within the juvenile justice system?

Problem Statement

The increase of crime and incarceration among youths is a growing problem within the United States. There are several factors that contribute to the rise of delinquent crime among youths, but the disproportion rate between minorities and non-minorities differ within the juvenile system. As a former employee of the juvenile justice facility supervisor, I observed a large number of minorities entering into the facility and the juvenile system compared to non-minorities. Jurisdictional issues, police practices and punitive juvenile crime legislation of the past promote or perceived racial bias in the juvenile system (Armour and Hammond, 2009). Substance abuse and low income environment are also contributing factors to the overrepresentation of racial/ethnic minorities in the juvenile and criminal justice systems (Kakade, Duarte, Liu, Fuller, Drucker, Hoven, & Wu, 2012). Other studies of found jurisdiction, police practice, juvenile crime legislation, substance abuse, social and economic environment are contributing factors to the disproportion of the two groups conducted by (OJJDP, 2014; Rovner, 2014; Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, 2014; Rozie-Battle, 2002). However, with the large number of studies conducted on the disparity between minority and non-minority youths in the juvenile system, the contributing factors has no be narrow down. The need for studying the disproportion between minority and non-minority youths within the juvenile system is to develop a prevention plan to prevent minority youth from choosing delinquent behavior; and by recognizing that the disproportion between minority and non-minority youths within the juvenile system in America is an individual and social problem for all communities. The potential negative consequences to the field of juvenile justice if research on the disproportion of minority and non-minority within the juvenile justice is never conducted can lead to an increase in adult crime (Siegel, 2013). The constant changes in the juvenile crime rate and incarceration rate is the cause for consistent study.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this study is to explore the differences between minority and non-minority youths within the juvenile system. The information within this study will provide the reader with research from different sources studying the reasoning behind the disproportion between minority and non-minority youths within the juvenile system. The reader will learn factors that contribute to the disparity within the juvenile system concerning minorities and non-minorities. Past studies and researches indicate that the jurisdiction, police practice, juvenile crime legislation, substance abuse, social and economic environment are contributing factors to the disproportion of minority and non-minority youths within the juvenile system. Previous studies in (e.g.; OJJDP, 2014; Rovner, 2014; Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, 2014; Rozie-Battle, 2002) found the concepts above are contributing factors to the disparity between minority and non-minority youths. For example, a study conducted in Armour, & Hammond research in 2009 based their hypotheses on jurisdictional proceedings, police practices, and punitive juvenile crime legislation of the past as contributing factors to the racial bias or differences in the juvenile system. A mixed method will help determine if the information gathered would determine whether or not there is a disparity between minority and non-minority youths in the juvenile system. The participants identified within this study will come from the Taylor County Juvenile facility and compared to other facilities across the United States, because of the different juvenile laws in each state.

Research Questions/ Methodology

1. Why is there more minority youths incarnated within U.S. juvenile facilities than non-minorities?

The quantitative approach is the appropriate approach for the study of the number of minority and non-minority youths incarcerated within the juvenile facilities across the U.S. Collecting the information on how many minority youths are incarcerated in youth facilities compared to non-minorities can be collected from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP, 2013).

2. How does education play a role in juvenile criminal behavior?

The qualitative approach would be appropriate for finding the answer to this question. Many juveniles incarcerated or on juvenile probation educational background are documented. The education information gathered on how many minority and non-minority youths that are in school or not usually are completed upon the intake process through a survey or questionnaire. Parent's education information is also gathered once a youth enter into the juvenile probation system.

3. What effect does parent's drug and alcohol abuse contribute to minority and non-minority youths criminal behavior?

For the question above, the quantitative approach is the appropriate method for answering this research question. Qualitative approach can be used for this question, but I want to focus on the number of minority and non-minority youths with a parent or parents who have drug and alcohol abuse problems.

4. Why does single parent home causes an increase in youth incarceration?

The qualitative research approach can study of youths form a single parenthood particularly living with one parent correlated with youths incarcerated within the juvenile facility. The information gathered from the qualitative approach can find the relationship between the amount of minority and non-minority youths incarcerated form single parent homes. Interviews and focus groups in selected counties from around Texas of juveniles were either committed to detention facilities that are minorities or non-minorities.