Juvenile delinquency in the nation’s cities, suburbs, and rural communities has been considered a longstanding problem with severe implications for not only youth offenders but their families and communities as well. The source of juvenile delinquency has been attributed to a number of factors including the breakdown of the family, antisocial behavior as a result of the child’s environment, and rapid urbanization of America’s cities. No matter the source, the problem of juvenile delinquency has been addressed by a variety of stakeholders including law enforcement agencies, community organizations, and school systems with the purpose of diminishing the problem. The current climate of juvenile justice reform is shifting toward prevention and intervention, rather than complete suppression by way of detainment. According to the theoretical framework applied to this study, a consideration for understanding forms of deviance relates to social controls and the presumption that conformity is not intrinsically accepted, but is the result of internal and external motivations or factors. This research was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Youth Against Violence (YAV) program, which focused its efforts on reducing juvenile delinquency in the community and assisting youth to meet bond conditions in order to reenroll in traditional public schools. Participants were referred to the YAV program by court order, school referral, or parent/self referral for participation in an 8-week intervention and prevention program to help rehabilitate offenders for the purpose of successful re-entry into the community and completion of their education in public schools. To determine program effectiveness, this study utilized several independent variables including parental involvement, participant demographics, gang membership/affiliation, program curriculum, frequency of contact with law enforcement, family history with law enforcement, and extended family support. These variables were selected to measure participants’ perception of YAV program effectiveness. This mixed method analysis utilized participant surveys, focus groups with former participants, parents of former participants, and interviews with YAV personnel. The research concludes by identifying the significant relationships between the dependent and independent variables revealed in descriptive and correlative statistics. The research also discusses the emergent themes related to program effectiveness that were identified in qualitative analysis. Finally, the research provides recommendations for program practice, juvenile justice policy, and future rehabilitative and reentry research based on the research findings to assist practitioners with the development of prevention and intervention programs that can effectively deter youth from engaging in delinquency.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Real Estate and Construction / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Business / Master / Master of Philosophy

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This dissertation evaluates a model linking intraunit justice climate to outcome variables (team performance, unit-level citizenship behavior, and satisfaction with teammates) through the mediating role of teamwork quality. Intraunit justice climate (IJC) is defined as the shared perception that team members treat each other fairly. IJC includes three dimensions: distributive, procedural, and interactional justice. Distributive IJC refers to the extent to which team members receive what they deserve based on their contribution. Procedural IJC refers to the extent to which team members use fair procedures in the decision making process in the team. Interactional IJC refers to the extent to which team members treat each other fairly interpersonally. In this dissertation, I argue that a high level of IJC may influence the pattern and quality of interaction among team members (teamwork quality), which in turn may influence team outcomes. This model was tested in a longitudinal study using 164 undergraduate project teams (N = 570). Participants responded to three surveys (each separated by four weeks) which assessed IJC (Time I), teamwork quality (Time II), unit-level citizenship behavior, and satisfaction with teammates (Time III). I also obtained team project grades as an indicator of team performance. Results of the study indicate that teamwork quality mediated the relationship between two dimensions of intraunit justice climate: distributive and procedural IJC, and indicators of team effectiveness: unit-level citizenship behavior and satisfaction with teammates. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.

ACE inhibitors have been widely used in the treatment of certain diseases of the cardiovascular system, the major use being hypertension, since all ACE inhibitors are prescribed for its treatment. ACE inhibitors is also used in the treatment of congestive heart failure. The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) converts angiotensin 1 into angiotensin I1 and also stimulates the production of aldosterone (a hormone produced in the adrenal glands that influences salt and water retention by the kidneys, increasing blood volume and blood pressure). The cost benefit, cost-effectiveness and cost utility of ACE inhibitors have not been established. The objective of the study was to review and analyse the cost of ACE inhibitors by using a medical aid claims database. Data for the study population consisted of all prescriptions containing one or more ACE inhibitor combinations and were extracted from the central database of Interpharm datasystems for a period of one year, from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2001. A total of 1 475 532 prescriptions containing a total of 2 953 244 ACE inhibitor items represented the study population. Through the analysis of the general medicine utilisation patterns that were obtained from the medicine claims database, it became evident that ACE inhibitor utilisation contributes considerably to the total prevalence and cost of all the medicine items available on the database. It constituted a total prevalence of 4,62% (n =1 475 532) of all the prescriptions and a total prevalence of 2,31% (n =2 953 244) for all the medicine items in the prescriptions with a cost of 3,65% (n =R379 91 1 472,OO). It was concluded that in the analysis of ACE inhibitors according to the innovator/generic classification, the majority of ACE inhibitors prescribed during the twelve-month period were for the innovator product, with a prevalence of 82,56% (n =68 162) and a cost of 89,11% (n =R13 863 080, 90). The utilisation of the generic ACE inhibitors, with a prevalence of 17,44% (n =68 162) and at a cost of 10,89% (n =R13 863 080, 90), was under-utilised. If the total number of prescriptions containing innovator ACE inhibitors could be generically substituted, (37,54%) R5 204 392,68 in cost expenditure could be saved over a twelve-month period. However, the fact that not all the innovator ACE inhibitors have generic equivalents available must be taken into account. If only the prescriptions containing ACE inhibitor items that have generic equivalents were to be substituted with their generic equivalents, R899 751.29(6.5%) would be saved. This was found by adding all the costs saved by substituting innovator drugs with their generics. Consequently, it can be concluded that the extensive use of the innovator ACE inhibitors could mean an exceptional increase in the cost expenditure associated with ACE inhibitor therapy. In completion of the study, recommendations were formulated as an aim to optimise the utilisation of ACE inhibitor generic equivalents. / Thesis (M. Pharm.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

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Benchmarking offers community practitioners more systematic judgments about research effectiveness when control groups are not feasible, while also providing a standard for program transportability from clinical to community settings. The purpose of the current study was to outline the necessary decisions, calculations, and strengths and limitations of applying benchmarking methodologies to a behavioral parent training (BPT) program, a field in which benchmarking remains relatively underutilized. The implementation of in-home Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), an evidence-based practice shown to be successful in reducing child maltreatment and neglect, was evaluated as a case study of the application of benchmarking. Of those parents that completed in-home PCIT, a significant reduction was seen for pre-post ECBI scores. Six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were established as benchmarks based on similarity in parent and child demographics as well as use of the ECBI as a primary measure. Effect sizes of each benchmark study were aggregated to create a single benchmark effect size for treatment and control groups, respectively. The effect size of the current study was found to be significantly superior to the control benchmark effect size but not significantly equivalent to the treatment benchmark effect size. Although the current study demonstrates the use of benchmarking in community research, the need for further guidelines is critical for researchers.