Since minorities (primarily Latinos and Blacks) are over represented in the jail's juvenile population, and since the CDF recognizes this fact and attempts to address it with its Cradle to Prison Pipeline program, the AJA is interested in its contents and effectiveness. Organizational Details of Research

The study will fall into various parts:

a. Direct observation of the CDF Freedom Schools program, where I will assess their affect-school enrichment programs.

b. Surveys and focus groups on a minimum sample of 50 participants who attend the Youth Leadership Network for Children (YLNC). The YLNC is distributed into the following divisions: CDF Internship program, the Beat the Odds® Scholarship program, CDF Freedom Schools program, and the Young Adult Leadership Training (YALT®) program. All will be assessed.

c. Active participation in community summits and other meetings that CDF holds to develop...

Random sampling survey of targeted faith communities who receive the National Observance of Children's Sabbaths® manual in order to assess their response to the program and recommendations for modification.
I intend the methodology to constitute a triangulated (QUNA/QUAL) longitudinal study that will focus on diversity and equal representation of gender in its sampling and analysis. Genuine experimentation will be used in item (d), whereas quasi-experimentation will be employed in items (a) and, perhaps (b). Item (c) will be qualitative, and the focus groups in item (b) will contain qualitative features too.

Sources

American Educational research Association (AERA) http://www.aera.net/AboutAERA.htm

American Jail Association (AJA) http://www.aja.org/

Children's Defense Fund (CDF) (CDF) http://www.childrensdefense.org/