Ben Sereda

With Youth, By Youth, For Youth: Youth-initiated projects as an alternative to incarceration

Supervisors: Sarah Books-Wilson, Peter Kraftl, Dominique Moran

This study suggests that giving young people the tools to implement positive changes in their community will break the cycle of negative behaviour caused by their cultural and built environment. The study will collect qualitative data through various approaches that engage youth in utilising planning tools, building community, and learning critical civics education. This process aims to analyse how justice-involved youth change and critique their environment through participating in decision-making and articulating their lived experiences. This research will curtail recidivism by providing an alternative to incarceration and scrutinise society's construction of carceral space by delving into how environmental factors impact justice involved youth. Combining the interdisciplinary approach of youth studies with civic-engaged research will highlight the significance of human geography research in community development. Lastly, the emphasis on the relationship between justice-involved youth and their environment will provide new insights into our understanding of carceral geography