Faculty Publications & Grants

Publications Active Grants

Peer-Reviewed Publications

 

Note: Student co-authors are listed in dark bold.

2023

Arneklev, B. J. (2023). Self-Control and Curiosity: Has Curiosity Been an Overlooked Concept in the Crime/Deviance Decision-Making Process?, Deviant Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2022.2164753

Barsky, A. E., & Spadola, C. (2023). Licensing investigations: Suggestions from social workers who received sanctions. Social Work Research. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svad002

Barsky, A. E., (2023). Ethics and technology in emergency situations. In G. Kirwan & A. L. Peláez (Eds.), Routledge handbook of digital social work. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003048459-38

Hargrove, E. M., Stults, B. J., Hay, C., & Meldrum, R. C. (2023). Sleep duration as a mediator of the effects of risk factors for substance use. Journal of Criminal Justice, 88, 102102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2023.102102

Kevorkian, Salpi S., Meldrum, R. C., Rivero Fuentes, Maria E., and Tom Hare. (2023). “Street code values among youth in the ‘Northern Triangle’ of Central America: Do they predict delinquency, substance use, and bullying perpetration?” International Criminology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43576-023-00101-5

Lehmann, P. S., & Meldrum, R. C. (2023). Disparities in Youth Arrest Across Racial and Ethnic Subgroups. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice. https://doi.org/10.1177/15412040231186337

Martorella, G., Miao, H., Wang, D., Park, L., Mathis, K., Park, J., Sheffler, J., Granville, L., Teixeira, A. L., Schulz, P., & Ahn, H. (2023). Feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of home-based transcranial direct current stimulation on pain in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias: A randomized sham-controlled pilot clinical trial. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(2), 401. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12020401

Skinner-Osei, P. (2023). The impact of COVID-19 on justice-involved African Americans. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation. https://doi.org/10.1080/10509674.2023.2193436

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1990s and Older

 

 

Active Grants

 

2022

Atkin-Plunk, C. (PI), Crichlow, V. C. (Co-PI) (2022-2025) Delray Beach Police Department Community Outreach Program Evaluation. Funded by Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission. $115,456.

This project evaluates the processes and outcomes of the Delray Beach Police Department’s Community Outreach Program. The objective of the Community Outreach Program is to connect and provide alternative diversion services to those who are dealing with mental illness, experiencing homelessness, or battling addiction. The Community Outreach Team (COT) provides daily outreach to the community, identifies individuals who face challenges in these areas, and works with them to implement strategies to improve their quality of life.

Atkin-Plunk, C. (Co-PI), Groton, D. (PI), Crichlow, V. C. (Co-PI), Fallik, S. W. (Co-PI) (2022-2024) Palm Beach County Trauma-Informed Training Evaluation. Funded by the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission. $149,589.

This project evaluates the implementation and the outcome of the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission's Trauma-Informed Practice initiative. The evaluation assesses the extent of county and nonprofit employees who received trauma-informed training and their readiness to implement trauma-informed practice into their agency's work. Additionally, the evaluation will assess the impact the trauma-informed practice initiative has on booking rates and on civilian perceptions of justice-involved agencies in the county.

Atkin-Plunk, C. (Co-PI), Ahlin, E. (PI), Mallinson, D. (Co-PI) Cost-Effectiveness of Veterans Treatment Courts. Funded through the Criminal Justice Research Center, Penn State. $6,326

This funding provided opportunities for the investigators to enhance their statistical capabilities and practitioner/professional network to enhance their competitiveness to pursue external funding. Veterans’ treatment courts are one of the many problem-solving courts that process criminal cases through a dedicated court docket that blends therapeutic treatment and accountability. Many problem-solving courts (e.g., drug courts) have been shown to be cost-effective. As one of the newer courts in the problem-solving court movement, the cost-effectiveness of veterans’ treatment courts is not well established.

Atkin-Plunk, C. (Co-PI), Fallik, S. W. (Co-PI) (2018-2022). Frequent User System Engagement. MacArthur Foundation and the Palm Beach County, Florida Criminal Justice Commission. $126,093.

As part of the MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge, this venture seeks to identify, locate, and engage individuals who are frequent users of public services like jails, homeless shelters, hospitals, behavioral health crisis centers, and substance abuse facilities. These individuals will be offered permanent and supportive housing, provided a needs assessment, and wrap-around care to help them desist from their reliance on public services. As the research partner, Drs. Atkin-Plunk and I have provided action research support to the project and are providing a comprehensive project evaluation.

Spadola, C. (Co-PI), Groton, D. (Co-PI), Guastaferro, W. (Co-PI), Fallik, S. (Co-PI) (2022). Sleep Health Among Law Enforcement Personnel. College of Social Work and Criminal Justice. $5,000.

This project is examining sleep health and sleep practices among law enforcement personnel in order to tailor a sleep health training to meet the needs of law enforcement. The first phase of the project explores sleep strategies and officers' perceptions of their own sleep health through focus groups and semi-structured interviews. Qualitative findings will inform the development of the sleep health training, and then the training will be piloted with law enforcement in phase 2 of the project.

Cooley, M. E. (Principal Investigator), Colvin, M., & Crichlow, V. (Co-investigators). (Jan 2022-June 2022). A mixed methods evaluation of the Authentic Family Engagement and Strengthening Approach. Florida Institute for Child Welfare, Invited proposal, Contract #2021-002RE.

The overarching purpose of this mixed methods research project is to examine child welfare workers’ perceptions of: (a) the presence of systemic and racial discrimination in the child welfare system; (b) the presence of workers’ racial justice values and the impact of these values on workers’ interactions with families involved in child welfare services; and (c) the impact of racial justice and family engagement training on workers’ interactions with families involved in child welfare services. The secondary purpose of this research is to examine the perceived effectiveness of targeted racial justice and authentic family engagement training and coaching with a small group of child welfare workers in (a) promoting self-reflection and awareness of racial discrimination and systemic racism, (b) reducing racial discrimination when working with families, (c) prioritizing relationships over services when working with families impacted by the child welfare system; and (d) empowering Black families who are involved in the child welfare system.

Dario, L. (PI) & Saginor, J. (Co-PI). (2022) A pilot study on public interest technology: A SWOT analysis of virtual reality training for police. College of Engineering and Computer Science & Institute for Sensing & Embedded Network Systems Engineering, Florida Atlantic University. $25,000.

Virtual reality (VR) is rapidly diffusing as a law enforcement training tool because it simulates realistic, stress-inducing scenarios that police frequently encounter. A survey of 40 law enforcement officers from a southeastern police department examined law enforcement perceptions of VR, officer willingness to use the technology, and the physical experience of using the VR equipment. The study found that VR adoption shows promise for enhancing and reinforcing live-action training, given the minimal adverse side effects reported and overwhelming agreement that VR is easy to use. Law enforcement perceptions of using VR for training are positive and increase after using the technology. Notably, more than 86% of law enforcement officers would likely recommend VR training to other officers, and about 90% agreed that VR enhances interest in training. Fully two-thirds of officers reported an intention to use VR training in the future.

Dario, L. (PI) (2022) Virtual reality simulation training for law enforcement: Encouraging empathy, reducing use of force, and examining bias in police officer decision-making. Center for Peace, Justice, & Human Rights, Florida Atlantic University. $2,500.

This funding was used for graduate student research assistance with data collection related to the above project.

Gonzalez, M. (2022) An examination of the relationship between religious involvement and levels of acculturation, somatization, depression, and anxiety in primary health care Hispanic patients

Funding Source: College of Social Work and Criminal Justice Seed Funding Program

Crichlow, V. J. (Co-PI), Atkin-Plunk, C. (Co-PI), Fallik, S. (Co-PI), & Groton, D. B. (Co-PI) (2022-2024) Trauma Informed Training Evaluation

This project will conduct a process and outcome evaluation of the PBC Criminal Justice Commission’s (CJC) new Trauma-Informed Training Initiative. In collaboration with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), the CJC is seeking to provide trauma-informed training to local law enforcement, court personnel, and institutional and community corrections officers. To provide the trauma-informed training, it is anticipated that Policy Research Associates will conduct multiple train-the-trainer sessions with leaders who are reflective of the target population for the training delivery. These leaders/trainers will then go on to facilitate the trauma-informed training to their colleagues. This will be a 31-month evaluation.

Groton, D. B. (Principal Investigator), (Christine Spadola, Co-Investigator, 8% summer effort), Guastaferro, W. (Co-Investigator), & Fallik, S. (Co-Investigator) College of Social Work & Criminal Justice Seed Funding (July, 2022- June 30th, 2022) Sleep Health among Law Enforcement Personnel

This proposal addresses sleep disturbances and suboptimal sleep among law enforcement. The PIs propose to leverage their existing sleep training and an interdisciplinary team to tailor and pilot test the sleep health educational training for law enforcement personnel.

Howard, H., Principal Investigator, Palm Beach County, COSSAP Program

The Comprehensive Opioid & Stimulants Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP), this program evaluation aims to examine housing stability, with a criminal justice involved population, as a protective factor in achieving long-term recovery outcomes. Palm Beach County Community Services Department provides recovery housing with other recovery support services for clients with substance use disorder (SUD) in order to reduce both opioid and/or stimulant use and recidivism rates. Specific services include, but not be limited to, care coordination, peer support, housing, and other recovery supportive services. Clients served through this program have access to the Recovery Housing Voucher and Recovery Support Services Funds (FlexFunds).

Howard, H., State-Level opioid policies and policies that regulate substance use during pregnancy; a mixed-methods exploration of their effects on maternal and infant outcomes

This project aims to conduct a 50-state survey to create a database of state-level prenatal opioid policies and then to examine the longitudinal effects of these, and general state opioid policies, on opioid outcomes in pregnant women and newborns; we will also test for effect modification by age and race/ethnicity. We will then categorize each state’s opioid policy climate (using both general and prenatal-specific policies) and examine the effects on the same opioid use outcomes as Aim 1. Lastly, we will conduct interviews with key informants and pregnant women who use opioids to explore policy implementation and enforcement across states with varying policy climates, and the mechanisms through which these policies influence pregnant women’s lives). Heather Howard consultant with qualitative research aim.

Howard, H., co-investigator; Research Award for the MMJ Clinical Outcomes Research Grants Program, UF

Mixed-methods study: Acceptance of and Access to MMJ among Providers and Patients in Florida Nursing Homes I was responsible for the qualitative interview guide, training medical students to interview and qualitative methods, analysis of the data and writing the findings.

Park, J. (PI). (2022-2023) Seed Grant Florida Atlantic University College of Social Work and Criminal Justice (2022-2023). Assessing the Feasibility of a Qigong Intervention in Veterans With Chronic Low Back Pain.

We are measuring the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial of a qigong intervention for chronic low back pain in veterans in terms of recruitment, screening, random assignment, adherence, attrition, treatment fidelity, biomarker assessments, pain-related measures (low back pain and disability), physical function, and psychosocial measures (sleep, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, social activity) to provide pilot data for the external grant.

Park, J., & Wiese, L (Multiple PIs). (2022-2023) Florida Atlantic University Institute forHuman and Disease Intervention (2022-2023). Testing a Digital Learning and Online Chair Yoga Intervention Among Rural Underserved Older Adults at Risk for Cognitive Decline. Role: Multiple PI

We are currently assessing the feasibility of offering an online chair yoga intervention to rural underserved older adults. We partnered with students from Glades Central High School, who trained rural older residents in computer use and skills. Through a randomized control pilot test, we are measuring levels of chronic pain, cognitive function, mobility, social isolation, loneliness, and computer proficiency in older adults at risk for cognitive decline.

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