Date of Award

12-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Department

Educational Leadership

First Reader/Committee Chair

Angela Louque

Abstract

This study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on traditionally marginalized male students, mainly Latino and African American, who were incarcerated in three juvenile detention facilities in Riverside County. The study explored the challenges these youth faced in accessing educational support during the pandemic, assessed the academic effects of remote learning, and identified culturally responsive strategies to improve their educational outcomes and help with their reintegration into society. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of incarcerated youth, emphasizing the barriers they faced and the resilience they showed during remote learning. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with participants aged 18 to 22, along with document analysis and observations. Guided by Resilience Theory, Critical Race Theory (CRT), Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit), and Intersectionality, this study highlighted systemic inequities and amplified the voices of marginalized youth through counter-narratives. Thematic analysis identified nine themes, which were grouped into three main challenges: instructional disruption, isolation and loss of routine, and limited access to technology and materials. Despite these obstacles, participants showed persistence and adaptability, emphasizing the importance of resilience.

Findings advance the literature on juvenile justice education by documenting the academic and social-emotional effects of the pandemic on incarcerated youth and by providing recommendations for equity-focused, culturally responsive, and resilience-oriented practices in detention-based educational settings.

Download

  Contact Author

Share

COinS