Troubled voices: A qualitative inquiry

This article reports on a national qualitative study involving 81 adjudicated youths. The goal was to question the youth themselves about their difficulties with the law and the role of the schools, community and parents in maing their lives better.

Adjudicated youth with disabilities face a variety of problems; not only do they face the stigma of being adjudicated, they have special learning, social and emotional needs. Recent attention has highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach for understanding these troubled young people and for providing effective educational and transitional services for them. This article describes a qualitative research study whose goal was to question the youth themselves about their difficulties with the law and the role of the schools, community and parents in making their lives better.

Design of the Study

A qualitative research model emphasizing in-depth interviews was utilized to access information from adjudicated youth with disabilities. Researchers in five sites around the country conducted interviews with 81 adjudicated youth with disabilities. A protocol was used by the researchers to record demographic, descriptive and reflective information as well as key research questions to be asked. Each interview was taped and the tapes transcribed. The qualitative analysis was based on data "reduction" and "interpretation" (Marshall & Rossman, 1989, p.114). This process involved reducing the information obtained in the interview to certain patterns or themes and then interpreting that information. Data was analyzed to determine prevalent themes concerning adjudicated youth, their common experiences and their perceptions of the educational process.

Sample Selection

Purposive sampling techniques were employed for this study to ensure that the participants met specific criteria. Youth participants selected were: 1) under the age of 21; 2) adjudicated, that is, had come into contact with the law; and 3) had a disability as identified in through the existence of a current LE.P. or through the existence of past school records identifying the student as being disabled. All youth were currently attending school at an alternative setting; some were still living with their parents while others were in residential programs and wards of the state.

Table 1 presents the demographic information for the youths interviewed over the two-year period. A total of 81 youth interviews were conducted with 60 males and 21 females ranging in ages from 14 - 21. Adjudication offenses included: burglary/theft, drug/alcohol possession, assault/battery, shoplifting, breaking/entering, runaway/truancy, and other nonspecified felonies. The most common disability experienced by the youth in this study was a learning disability.

Emerging Themes -- Adjudicated Youth

A phenomenological approach, in which the researchers sought to develop a picture of the experiences of adjudicated youth with disabilities rather than study cause-effect relationships, was used to guide this study. Researchers searched for patterns and themes among the interview excerpts and coded interview data accordingly (Bogdan & Biklen, 1992; Tesch, 1990). These themes or patterns are discussed under the following six headings: problems leading to adjudication, obstacles to success, achievements and interests, plans after graduation, need to succeed, and the benefits of an alternative educational setting.

Problems Leading to Adjudication

When questioned about why they had been adjudicated, most of the youths felt that they had been misled by their peers. The primary reason for getting into trouble with the law, as the youths perceived it, was that they become involved with the wrong crowd and had simply followed that crowd into trouble. Participants described themselves as being easily influenced, followers -- not leaders.

I hang with the wrong crowd. I try to run with the boys. I have a hat that says, "You Can't Run With The Big Dogs Down the Court." I've been trying to run with the big dogs, and they've got me in more trouble than I need to get in.

The thing that was screwing me up the most was that I was always trying to fit in. I was always wanting to be in that crowd of people wanting to be into one of their little cliques. And to me hanging out and being in a clique was more important than school.

Overwhelmingly, the youths described themselves as having a "poor" attitude toward the law, school, and their families. They became easily angered and often resorted to fighting to settle their disagreements. A common theme was the problems associated with anger:

Sometimes when I get angry, I do hurtful things to people, not only mentally abuse them but I physically abuse people. I'll give them a Charlie horse just to let them know I'm mad. I'll defend myself and then I'll hurt something -- a piece of property of theirs just to get back at them.

Fighting... I used to walk around with a chip on my shoulder. I got like a nasty attitude. A person say something wrong to me or do something wrong to me, I fight.

Every now and then I'll get in like mood swings and just whenever someone says something, it could be over something stupid, and I'll just snap and just ...it could be over like, they could say something like "what" and I'll be trying to fight them over that. And then just like, I go crazy every now and then. I don't know why.

Their low regard for themselves as individuals, especially in relation to the greater community, was cited as the reason why they needed respect -- one way to gain respect then was to impress their friends. Impressing their friends often got them in trouble with the law resulting in their adjudication. Closely connected to this theme was the perceptions of the youths concerning the thrills associated with committing a crime.

The thing is you get ...you get a thrill. I got a thrill -- of being chased. You get chased and get away with it. You know, like, WOW! You know, I got away with it. Then you talk about it with your other friends. It's the same thing as getting a thrill, getting a high.

When I first started getting in trouble, it was fun. It was a real rush, it really was. I know that's bad, but it was a good time. It was fear. It's fun to be scared and not get caught. And so like the rush goes away. It's like doing drugs, the rush goes' from doing the same thing so you do something better. And finally you get to something really big and that's when you get in the stew for it.

Another common theme expressed by the participants when talking about their adjudication was the existence of family/home problems. They were having problems with a parent or guardian or had run away from home because of conditions that they viewed as unbearable.

My stepfather just made me scared. I just had to defend myself. I just picked up anything I could pick up off the ground and threw it at him. I just had to get out of there.

I wish I would have had a better home life. I mean, I think to myself if I had a more disciplined and better home life, then things would have been different. My parents would have stayed together.

Drug and alcohol abuse were cited as the reason many of the participants were in trouble with the law. As one young man said, "My number one problem was drug abuse so I slacked off too much...did nothing but vegetate."

Moreover, the youths felt that, "a lot of cops are out to get teenagers. Whenever they see a group of teenage vehicles, they conduct a witch hunt for us."

Well around here the cops.. they got attitudes with kids. They harass us. Besides that I'm bald...shave my head. They don't like that. I get harassed for that all the time.

The cops pulled me over once and one cop told me he knew I was doing drugs and he was going to bust me.

And so he pulled me over every day that he saw me. If one cop knows who you are, then all the cops know who you are and they always look for you.

Obstacles to Success

The most common theme expressed when discussing obstacles to success was the youth's unsatisfactory school performance and experiences. Coupled with this was the school's treatment of the youth -- the perception was that the school had not met the youth's needs and that the teachers didn't care. Not only did the teachers not care, the other students were negative toward them, making fun or looking down on them.

All the guys are sitting there in school. And it's like the easiest question that you could get. And they stare at you and call you something dumb. They make you feel like a nerd. And then you get angry.

My problem in school was that I didn't have no teacher to sit on the side of me and help me with my work; I need personal help. Other than that, my own weakness in school is that I act up in class. It used to be fun to be the dummy in class and stuff. The teachers just aren't involved-- they don't care. Is seems like they have worse attitudes towards kids who have different learning styles than them. Because if you have a problem, or if you are causing problems, they just figure--bad kid--they don't even try to help you really. They just get you in trouble.

Some participants mentioned that they had been misdiagnosed as being learning disabled. Because of this, they felt that the work was too easy for them and that they had not learned much in school.

When they put me in the learning center classes, they put me in because of my behavior. See they was giving me such easy math work.. all my work was easy, and I felt I was smarter than what they were giving me to do. I felt they labeled me as being dumb.

Again, the youth's negative attitude of him/herself was described as a major obstacle to success. Participants discussed their "poor" attitudes and lack of motivation as reasons why they may not succeed when they leave the alternative setting. Many indicated that they were working on their attitudes and had made gains in the alternative setting.

I got a negative attitude. When I want to understand something, I be acting like I already know it all. When I say something to you, I act like I'm real tough. You know, I would like to change my negative attitude.

I have an attitude problem when it comes to authority figures. I know I'm intelligent enough to do the work, but I just can't handle someone telling me what to do.

I didn't feel that I was doing too well in school cause I wasn't understanding it--either the way they taught or it wasn't enough individual help to help me figure out how to do things. So I think, so then I'd rebel, and just not do anything instead of sitting there looking stupid.

Another major obstacle to success discussed by the participants was the fact that they now had a record. This would make it more difficult for them for the rest of their lives.

Achievements and Interests

By far, the greatest achievement and interest was in the area of sports. Many of the interviewees described themselves as athletic and "good" players in a variety of sports. However, although they considered themselves good in sports and sports as their greatest interest area, most had not played on school teams because of low grades or infrequent attendance. Those who did talked about the positive influences of coaches and the benefits of being on a team:

When I played sports, I didn't get in trouble. But then I had to stop playing...then I started getting in trouble.

One of the guys, who helped make me change my life around was one of my ... the wrestling teacher that I had in ninth grade. He kind of put me into, kind of dragged me into the team, and you know, the thing with wrestling is, you know, you got to have respect.

I got better and better and was just learning from doing. I played on the basketball team and I was voted the team captain. Even though I got incarcerated, I still got goals to set.

Other interest areas most frequently mentioned were music, cars and working with their hands. In fact, many of these youths expressed a desire to find employment that involved working with their hands.

Participants felt that they were doing well in the alternative setting and planned to graduate or obtain a G.E.D. in the near future. This was described as a great achievement and a "turning point" in their lives. They expressed pride in getting this far (considering their previous educational experiences) and most attributed their success to the alternative educational setting.

Getting off drugs and controlling anger were also discussed as achievements for some of the interviewees. They were working in those areas and felt they had made real progress.

Need to Succeed

Most of the participants expressed a need for assistance in finding a job and/or in finding a way to finance going to trade school or community college. They wanted to obtain postsecondary training/ education, but were unsure of just how to go about it. Most of them concluded that they could never afford to go to school and thought they "might check it out some day."

Another common theme was the need to stay off the streets and out of trouble. Participants were worried about their chances of success once they returned to their old neighborhoods. They questioned their chances of successfully keeping away from drugs and controlling anger and conflict management.

Participants also felt that they needed to know more about "life" stuff and not just "school" stuff. Although some mentioned that they needed a better command of basic academic skills, most participants wanted the skills needed to function in the "real" world: filling out applications, balancing their checkbooks, finding a place to live, finding a job, etc.

The regular high school doesn't have programs that teach you how to find a job or how to fill out an application by yourself. They don't really even care if you do know how to do that stuff, I don't think. They just want to teach you school stuff, I guess, not life stuff.

I think they should train me in the field that I want to learn about... what you would like to be ... whatever you are interested in ... gear towards that. Teach me what I expect to do out there because, I mean, I don't want to just jump off the cliff, you know. I don't want to just leave home just like that and not know what to expect because there's a whole know world out there.

Youths discussed the need for a strong support system and people who care about them. Participants summed it up well:

I just need some encouragement. I need someone to encourage and not say that I can't do that.. say that I can do it. If I think I can do it, I really can.

Give them support. Let them know that they are adults and that it's time to face the real world. But still let them know that you'll be there for them if they need you.

Encourage you to do everything you can, to show you that things aren't so easy out there. And if you try hard enough, you will get there and everything.

Benefits of an Alternative Educational Setting

Overwhelmingly, participants described the caring attitudes of the teachers, counselors and administrators in the alternative educational setting. The small classes helped them to obtain individualized instruction and made them feel part of a community.

The teachers just go a little bit further than other teachers do. They try to help you since there ain't that many of us in this alternative school. They just put a little bit more extra effort into like, not only helping work and stuff, but try to help us with, I guess, uh, family wise.

Everything here is hands-on. I mean they teach you a lot of stuff you wouldn't be taught at other schools. You have a question; you won't have to wait a whole class period to get it answered, you know. Uh, they make you feel wanted, I guess. The teachers give you their undivided attention.

Participants extolled the relevance of the classes offered at the alternative school. Contrary to the instruction they received in the traditional school setting, they felt that the instruction at the alternative school really helped them prepare for life out of school, for the "real" world.

The teachers here talk to you about what you need. They, they're not just giving you an assignment and say here do this, and giving you a grade...and to my way I think high schools are based on grades. But here at the project, they're based on the quality of your work. They help you understand what you're doing and why you're doing it.. instead of just here, here's your assignment...do it.

The youths who attended alternative schools offering support in other areas not customarily in the domain of the public school were appreciative of those services: food bank, child care, and clothing.

I was glad my kid had some toys to play with. Also, there was some clothing that we could, and that we did use. I've also used the food bank a couple of times since I've been here. They all have really helped me.

Meeting even the basic needs of these youths was viewed as important to their success. The alternative school for many of the youths served in place of the family.

They've been there. They've like helped me and supported me, and I don't know, the teachers are there for you and it's more of a, like a, family more than like a school. It's like a school cause you learn, but it's like a family because they're just always there to help you or to answer your questions.

Plans after Graduation

The interviewees had a difficult time verbalizing their future plans. Many youths expressed a desire to continue their education either at a trade school or community college. Although most youths were sure they wanted a "good paying" job, they were unclear as to just what that job would be and how they might obtain that job. The most common job areas mentioned by some of the youths were the following: working with computers, automobile repair, cosmetology and construction. They expressed a desire to continue; however, they were unclear as to how they might accomplish their postsecondary goals.

Implications

This two-year qualitative study examined the thoughts and feelings of adjudicated youth with disabilities. These youths described the problems they had encountered at home, in school and in the community. They openly discussed the challenges and obstacles they faced in trying to be successful.

They extolled the benefits of the alternative educational setting where they could learn in smaller classes with caring teachers. Their search for relevancy in their educational experience prompts educators to employ more multi-sensory strategies and a curriculum rich in applications connected to the "real" world.

Their need for support in all areas -- academic, vocational and social/emotional -- is well documented. Moreover, the need to continue that support and assist in their transition to the postsecondary environment is paramount to the chances of their success.

References

Bogdan, R.C., & Biklen, S.K. (1992). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theory and methods. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Marshall, C., & Rossman, G.B. (1989). Designing qualitative research. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications.

Tesch, R. (1990). Qualitative research: Analysis types and software tools. New York, NY The Falmer Press.

RICHARD POLLARD

University of Idaho - -Boise Center

2895 Harmony Street

Boise, Idaho 83725

CONSTANCE POLLARD

Boise State University

Copyright Project Innovation Spring 2001
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