Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School

College for Community Health

Department/Program

Counseling

Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair

Leslie Kooyman

Committee Member

Dana Heller Levitt

Committee Member

Kathryn Herr

Abstract

This qualitative case study examined the lived experiences of African American youth in the juvenile justice system using Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and Intersectionality Theory as guiding frameworks. Three participants engaged in three rounds of in-depth interviews, and the data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding, with findings presented at the within-case and cross-case levels. Results revealed how family dynamics, school exclusion, community survival strategies, and systemic surveillance shaped participants’ pathways through the justice system, while experiences of resilience coexisted with mistrust, invisibility, and ambivalence toward counselors and authority figures. The study highlights the importance of culturally responsive counseling and systemic advocacy for court-involved African American youth. Implications for counselor education, practice, and policy emphasize the need for culturally competent training and for amplifying youth voices to inform justice and mental health reform.

File Format

PDF

Download

Share

COinS