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The People's Report: Understanding How Structural Violence is Linked to Crime in Wilmington, Delaware

March 7, 2013
5:00PM - 6:30PM
217 Journalism Building, 242 W. 18th Ave.

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Add to Calendar 2013-03-07 17:00:00 2013-03-07 18:30:00 The People's Report: Understanding How Structural Violence is Linked to Crime in Wilmington, Delaware Event Host: Criminal Justice Research Center Dr. Yassar Payne, Associate Professor of Black American Studies, University of Delaware, presents, "The People's Report: Understanding How Structural Violence is Linked to Crime in Wilmington, Delaware" Abstract: This presentation is a street ethnographic study that examines the relationship between structural opportunity (employment & educational status) and physical violence in Wilmington, Delaware. This study ultimately calls attentions to implementing participatory action research (PAR) designs as a way to reach, organize and provide quality educational and employment opportunities to street-life identified Black populations, inside local communities. Full research opportunities equip PAR members with a core set of reading, writing, analytic and organizing skill sets—which makes it much easier to employ and enroll them into college or transition those from the streets into upwardly mobile opportunities. Fifteen community residents (21-46) formerly involved with the criminal justice system were trained as participatory action researchers for this project. PAR members were exposed to a rigorous two-month research methods training which focused on survey design, interviewing skills, field observation techniques, data collection strategies, data analysis, writing up data, making formal presentations as well as socio-political organizing. Data were collected from street identified Black men and women through the following methods: (a) 520 community survey packets; (b) 26 individual interviews; (c) 3 dual interviews; (d) 4 group interviews; and (e) extensive field observations. In addition, exploratory qualitative and quantitative data that will be focused on during the presentation include: (1) acquisition of a street identity/'why go to the streets?’ (2) attitudes/experiences with employment; (3) attitudes/experiences with educational opportunity; (4) psychological & social well-being; and (5) experiences with physical violence. Findings strongly suggest structural opportunity is predictive of physical violence. Participants, by-in large report being directly and indirectly exposed to experiences of physical violence in the form of: (1) physical assaults; (2) knifings; (3) shootings; and (4) homicide—to more structural forms of violence like: (1) unemployment; (2) poor schooling opportunities; (3) unhealthy living conditions; or (4) "failing" or "corrupt" civic and political leadership. Also, in spite of participant's experiences with structural and physical violence, participants were generally found to demonstrate positively high levels of: (1) psychological well-being; (2) social well-being; (3) attitudes toward education; and (4) attitudes toward employment. That is, while community residents are overwhelmed with physical violence as well as blocked opportunity, these data strongly suggest these participants love themselves; love their communities and families; want to work and; want quality educational opportunities. Pizza, salad and refreshments will be served. 217 Journalism Building, 242 W. 18th Ave. College of Arts and Sciences asccomm@osu.edu America/New_York public
Event Host: Criminal Justice Research Center


Dr. Yassar Payne, Associate Professor of Black American Studies, University of Delaware, presents, "The People's Report: Understanding How Structural Violence is Linked to Crime in Wilmington, Delaware"

Abstract:
This presentation is a street ethnographic study that examines the relationship between structural opportunity (employment & educational status) and physical violence in Wilmington, Delaware. This study ultimately calls attentions to implementing participatory action research (PAR) designs as a way to reach, organize and provide quality educational and employment opportunities to street-life identified Black populations, inside local communities. Full research opportunities equip PAR members with a core set of reading, writing, analytic and organizing skill sets—which makes it much easier to employ and enroll them into college or transition those from the streets into upwardly mobile opportunities. Fifteen community residents (21-46) formerly involved with the criminal justice system were trained as participatory action researchers for this project. PAR members were exposed to a rigorous two-month research methods training which focused on survey design, interviewing skills, field observation techniques, data collection strategies, data analysis, writing up data, making formal presentations as well as socio-political organizing. Data were collected from street identified Black men and women through the following methods: (a) 520 community survey packets; (b) 26 individual interviews; (c) 3 dual interviews; (d) 4 group interviews; and (e) extensive field observations. In addition, exploratory qualitative and quantitative data that will be focused on during the presentation include: (1) acquisition of a street identity/'why go to the streets?’ (2) attitudes/experiences with employment; (3) attitudes/experiences with educational opportunity; (4) psychological & social well-being; and (5) experiences with physical violence. Findings strongly suggest structural opportunity is predictive of physical violence. Participants, by-in large report being directly and indirectly exposed to experiences of physical violence in the form of: (1) physical assaults; (2) knifings; (3) shootings; and (4) homicide—to more structural forms of violence like: (1) unemployment; (2) poor schooling opportunities; (3) unhealthy living conditions; or (4) "failing" or "corrupt" civic and political leadership. Also, in spite of participant's experiences with structural and physical violence, participants were generally found to demonstrate positively high levels of: (1) psychological well-being; (2) social well-being; (3) attitudes toward education; and (4) attitudes toward employment. That is, while community residents are overwhelmed with physical violence as well as blocked opportunity, these data strongly suggest these participants love themselves; love their communities and families; want to work and; want quality educational opportunities.

Pizza, salad and refreshments will be served.

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