First Advisor
Ryland White
Abstract
This capstone paper will explore creating change as a trainer in resistant and entrenched systems. I will utilize the criminal justice system to explore this topic, and the specific goal within that system of reducing recidivism rates. This paper will explore the dynamics of training through dual scopes; looking at the victim as well as the offender in order to expand understanding of the bridging between training and culture. The issues surrounding our nation’s criminal justice system present a prime example of how several systems working towards a similar goal (reducing crime) can be hindered by a lack of mutual understanding. My experience at the Vermont Department of Corrections, as well as my analysis of research of the effect on the individuals within the system (staff, victims, offenders), will demonstrate how perceptions, judgments, and assumptions can lead to further marginalization and consequently hinder movement towards change. Reflections of my practicum experience and research will emphasize the importance of intercultural communication as well as the significance that assessments play in the field of training. Through this analysis it is clear that both are needed in order to fully understand and analyze a system to promote effective change.
Disciplines
Criminology | Family, Life Course, and Society | Inequality and Stratification | Law Enforcement and Corrections | Peace and Conflict Studies | Place and Environment | Social Control, Law, Crime, and Deviance
Recommended Citation
Heasley, Rachel-Storm, "Creating Change Within Resistant Systems Through a Multi-Dimensional Training Approach: Exploring a Change in Thinking Around Images of Victims, and Re-framing How Culture Thinks about Criminals to Effectively Reduce Recidivism Rates" (2011). Capstone Collection. 2435.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/capstones/2435