Juvenile Solitary Confinement: Perceptions of Residential Placement Employees

• In Event: Posters I

Abstract

This study will represent the findings from a Q methodological collection of data from workers in a placement facility for adjudicated youth, and their perceptions of the practice of solitary confinement. The literature on solitary confinement often focuses on the mental, physical, and social damages, or lack thereof, in youth placed in isolation, or on their experiences as a whole. However, few studies, if any, have sought to understand what the perceptions of the men and women who work with these kids are on solitary confinement, and giving them a voice looks to fill a gap in the current literature. Participants will be asked to rank and record how they agree or disagree with statements like, I believe solitary confinement re-victimizes those that have experienced neglect, abuse or other forms of trauma and I think solitary confinement acts as a deterrent, by scaring those seeing what happens to youth being isolated, preventing them from acting out. After all the data is collected, PQ Method will be used to analyze the data, and find any correlations between participants, to determine what factors various employees agree or disagree with regarding the practice of solitary confinement.

Author

• Coty Gander, Westminster College