University of Phoenix – The Impact of Custodial Leadership on Recidivism Rates Among Substance Abusers in California State Prisons

Discipline:
Management

Type of service:
Essay

Spacing:
Double spacing

Paper format:
Not applicable

Number of pages:
1 page

Number of sources:
0 source

Paper DETAILS:

Project title: The Impact on Custodial Leadership

Name: ***

Position: Doctoral Student

Department/Organization: University of Phoenix

Address: **

Telephone:**

Email: **

Brief Summary of Research Project: (400 word maximum)

“The purpose of this mixed methods study is to explore the impact of leadership styles on recidivism rates.”

How does the applicant define “leadership styles” for purposes of categorical comparative analyses?
How does the applicant define “recidivism” for purposes of categorical comparative analyses? Note: the State of California defines “recidivism” as “conviction of a new felony or misdemeanor committed within three years of release from custody or committed within three years of placement on supervision for a previous criminal conviction.” Any deviation from this meaning would require the use of another term.

“Specifically, rates among substance abusers in California prisons.”

How does the applicant define “substance abuser in California prisons”?
How will the applicant measure “recidivism rates” for substance abusers?

“Decision-makers can deploy the findings of this study, if robust, to propose an alternative leadership approach to address the current recidivism problem on the state of California prisons as California’s criminal rates and prison system present a unique scenario. “

How will the applicant distinguish between leadership approaches?

“The researcher will first identify the relationship of the recidivism rates to the leadership style of correctional officers. Next, the researcher aims to assess whether the recidivism rates are reduced by a specific leadership style; whether autocratic, transformational, transactional, or custodial.”

How will the applicant distinguish between causal and random relationships between “criminal rates” and correctional officer’s use of different leadership styles?

“To fulfill the proposes purposes, identification of the type of leadership styles being adopted by the correctional officer is necessary because different leadership styles impact the dynamics of a group differently and result in facilitation of either positive or negative experiences.”

How will the applicant identify and differentiate between “groups” within the prison, a prison facility, and differences among groups of correctional officers and differences among groups of inmate/substance abusers.

Describe the value that your research will contribute to CDCR’s mission: (400 word maximum)

“The purpose of the research is to determine whether the leadership style employed by correctional officers improves the recidivism rates among substance abusers in the state of California prisons.”

What methodology will the applicant use to determine which leadership style improves the recidivism rate among inmate/substance abusers?
How will applicant differentiate between mixed-style leadership approaches?

“Individual leadership styles will also be associated with the state of California, and effort will be put forth to demonstrate the relevant leadership variables involved. The research aims to find what leadership strategy when implemented in prisons will lead to the highest rates of recidivism and perceived efficacy of the system among prisoners.”

How does the applicant’s study design account for movements of inmates among different prisons, prison facilities, and correctional officers over time?

“The interviews with correctional officers are expected to offer insight into the relationship between leadership and recidivism rates as they pertain to the prevention of drug-related crimes. Information about leadership types as well as the interactions that the correctional officers have with prisoners, either positive or negative in reaction to these practices will be considered. The goal is to assess patterns in responses among correctional officers and prisoners to determine how to improve the efficacy of the prison system.”

Is it expected that the results of the study will be generalizable outside the specific environments in which the data will be collected?

Describe the research methodology including target population(s) and statistical analyses planned: (400 word maximum)

“The research methodology is considered a mixed method as an approach in data collection. Qualitative interviews will be used to offer a trenchant view of the experiences of custodial leaders and drug offenders and how they influence reoffending. A sample size of 40 interviews will be chosen from California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Specifically, 10 participants (prisoners) and 10 correctional officers will be recruited from the California Correctional Institution (CCI) at Tehachapi California, and 10 participants (prisoners), and 10 correctional officers from the California Correctional Women’s Facility (CCWF) at Madera, California.”

Has the applicant determined if these sample sizes are sufficient for use in appropriate statistical analyses for this study’s hypotheses?
How will the applicant derive the inmate and correctional officer selection criteria that will support the proposed analyses?

“The focus for the interviews and surveys will be on shedding light on correctional officers and prisoner’s experiences with custodial officers and how it impacted their rehabilitation and their likelihood to reoffend.”

Since focus of this research is on the “likelihood to re-offend”, clarification is needed on methodology proposed to measure the possibility versus the actual outcome.

“Both the perspective of the inmates and custodial officers at the two prisons will be formative parts of the qualitative component. For the quantitative study, a survey on valid research done in the field, will be composed of a 16-item open-ended questionnaire to be self-administered to potentially 100 correctional officers in 10 randomly selected California state prisons, which includes Data will be analyzed statistically using ANOVA to determine the correlation between the desired style of supervision, and the rates of recidivism among offenders with a history of substance abuse.”

What methods were used by the applicant to derive the proposed sampling methodology?

“Results will show that custodial leadership is required to inspire the non-participants to join rehabilitation programs.”

What is the foundational basis for this statement? Does the research account for program demand and capacity limits?

“Research will also show the promise and benefit of treatment as well as correctional agencies to work together to offer treatment to inmates with history of substance abuse.”

Out of scope given the methodology proposed.

Please describe any prior approvals by CDCR, other state agencies, or committees for this research project: (400 word maximum) ***Submit prior approval copies with proposal form.

“Approval to conduct the mixed method study at the California Correctional Institute (CCI) at Tehachapi, California, was granted by Warden William Sullivan; to conduct the study at the Central California Women’s Facility at Chowchilla, California, was granted by Warden Janel Espinoza.”

Request access to CDCR resources (select all relevant):

“CDCR Offenders
CDCR Staff
CDCR Facilities”

Clarification needed: CDCR data was not selected in the proposal form, yet Attachment A requires administrative data variables as a requirement for the proposed study.

Desired Target Population (select all relevant):

Offenders
CDCR Staff – Correctional Officers

Desired Method of data collection (select all relevant):

One-to-One interview – written reply
One-to-One interview – audio taped
Self-administered questionnaire

Do you intend to make this Research Available to the Public? If Yes, specify manner: (400 word maximum)

“Yes! The goal upon graduation, is to work with the scholarly community at the University of Phoenix on publishing scholarly journals that may be accessible to the public.”

Applicant will need to clarify what is meant by “scholarly journals”.

Proposed Start and End Date of Research Project:
Signature of Principal Researcher: Basil Richards

Please indicate which CDCR population group(s) needed for this research proposal:
Offenders
CDCR Staff – Correctional Officers

Please specify date range for this research.

Please identify which CDCR facilities you are proposing to access: (400 word maximum)

“This mixed-methods study will rely on interviews and surveys to be taken by custodial leaders and drug offenders amid prechosen California prisons. The focus for the interviews and surveys will be to shed light on leaders and prisoners experiences and how that impacted their rehabilitation and their likelihood to reoffend. Both the perspectives of the inmates and those custodial leaders at two different California prisons—California Correctional Institute (CCI) in Tehachapi, California, and Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla, California.”

Please select the administrative data variables your research study requires. (Select all relevant)

“Offender ID
Ethnicity
Sex”

Attachment A now indicates administrative data variables required for your study, but is not consistent with Question #5.

Additional information provided by applicant.

Letters of Support

Letter of support for Doctoral study provided by Janel Espinoza, Warden Central California Women’s Facility

This letter references research applicant Basil C. Richards as Deputy Inspector General, Discipline Monitoring Unit, Office of Inspector General. This application references Mr. Richards as a Doctoral Student, University. of Phoenix. Under the direction of which organization is the applicant providing this research application.

Letter provided by Janel Espinoza, Warden Central California Women’s Facility approving entry onto prison grounds

This letter references research applicant Basil C. Richards as Deputy Inspector General, Discipline Monitoring Unit, Office of Inspector General. This application references Mr. Richards as a Doctoral Student, University. of Phoenix. Under the direction of which organization is the applicant providing this research application.