Youth Custody Employee Development
Greg Keenan

Describe study

Discussion

For a Master of Education, Psychology and
Leadership Studies at the University of
Victoria
Victoria.

Participants enjoyed the energy, challenge,
camaraderie, varied duties.

2003-2004 study based in BC Youth Custody
Centres.
Purpose: investigate reasons for decision to
make a career in youth custody. Not
glamorous nor is there a high success rate.
Stereotypes negative.
Qualitative
Q
alitati e interviews
inter ie s of five
fi e seasoned
employees (3 male 2 female) from three
different youth custody centres in B.C. Ninety
minutes each, transcribed audiotape.
Anonymity via pseudonyms.
Emerging themes: hiring, training, employee
development.
Literature focuses on offender topics and adult
corrections Little in youth
corrections.
o th rele
relevant
ant to
employee topics.
Ethical issue of power over as an instructor,
perception of investigator as management.

Gender bias: women working with girls
precluded from role variation.
Perceived games, favourites and politics.
Negative lens frames conversation and
interaction.
Recruiting and acculturation. Formal and
informal learning.
Knowledge of successes minimal.
Lack of formal mechanism for career
planning.
Vision statement focussed on youth,
programs and community re-integration.
Employee involvement absent.
More formal research needed in the area of
youth custody employees in Canada.
JUSTICE INSTITUTE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA