Mission

Our mission is to investigate the efficacy of treatment programs on non-violence in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.

Problem Statement

Correctional facilities are microcosms of free society. As violence in correctional facilities continues to increase, violence in free society increases as well.

Research Questions

Will various treatment programs within a county jail alter inmate beliefs in favor of nonviolence?  

Which programs develop a statistically significant increase in nonviolent beliefs, and which aspects of these programs are responsible for this change?

 

Research Overview

The negative correlation between violent behaviors and education is well-documented, but little research to date addresses the cause.  We speculate that education attenuates violent attitudes, which, in turn, influence actions.  We studied the effects of the programs at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility on the violent beliefs of its inmates.  We hypothesized that inmates participating in programs would undergo a greater reduction in violent beliefs over time than those not in programs.  We administered the Nonviolence Test to inmates three times over a three-month period.  Our primary purpose was to observe differences between those in programs and those not in programs.  We also sought to analyze other factors, including type of program, age, education, and race.  We have observed changes in violent beliefs due to a variety of factors, including involvement in certain types of programs, age, and the overall jail environment. Overall, our findings show that the environment of the Montgomery County Correctional Facility contributes to a decrease in violent beliefs.

Timeline

Spring 2010
  • -Data collection at Montgomery County Correctional Facility
  • -Peace Conference at Georgetown University
  • -Undergraduate Research Day

Summer 2010
  • -Data analysis in SPSS
  • -Finish thesis outline
  • -Continue writing thesis

Fall 2010
  • -Senior Orientation
  • -Finalize data analysis
  • -Develop potential solutions and implications
  • -Inquire feedback from experts/future discussants
  • -Complete thesis draft

Spring 2011
  • -Finalize thesis
  • -Present at the Team Thesis Conference
  • -Submit final thesis
  • -Gemstone Citation Ceremony
Future

-Select the most promising solutions
-Recruit investors
-Make a difference in society with our new knowledge!