Applying Problem-of-Practice Methods from the Discipline of Higher Education within the Justice System: Turning the Concept of Therapy Dogs for Child Victims into a Statewide Initiative.

This Dissertation-in-Practice introduces a law enforcement concept-to-practice model designed by combining tested methods of organizational analysis often utilized by those in the discipline of education. The model incorporates a two phase design with the first phase focusing on implementing and evaluating innovative changes within a medium size law enforcement agency for a micro-level analysis. A second phase examines the ability to replicate the concept program on a statewide, macro-level, by incorporating a re-design method utilizing organizational resource and structure frames. The concept applied to this model was the introduction of a therapy dog interaction during investigations involving crimes against children to reduce anxiety and increase communication. The first phase concluded that the introduction of therapy dogs during law enforcement investigations had a statistical significance in the reduction of anxiety and increased disclosure rates with child victims, without interfering with judicial policies and procedures. The second phase produced a series of flexible options allowing law enforcement agencies of all types to replicate therapy dog programs that are consistent, cost effective, and sustainable. The overall results indicate the use of this concept-to-practice model was successful in examining and introducing an innovative concept that provided a significant impact in the complex organizations of the justice system.

Author dc:creator

• Holton, Jessie

Contributors dc:contributor

• Hopp, Carolyn

• Animal assisted therapy; child abuse; child disclosures; concept model; evaluations; law enforcement investigations; multi discipline approaches; researcher practitioner design
• Education
• Dissertations, Academic -- Education and Human Performance; Education and Human Performance -- Dissertations, Academic

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

CFE0005807

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:stars.library.ucf.edu:etd-1676