Doctoral Candidate Brochure: Jason P. Hale
Doctoral Dissertation Defense
of
Jason P. Hale
For the degree of
Doctor of Education
Interprofessional Leadership
Exploring Juvenile Court Probation Specialists' Experiences with Systems-Involved Youth with Disabilities in Juvenile Detention Facilities
December 16, 2025
12:00 p.m.
Exploring Juvenile Court Probation Specialists' Experiences with Systems-Involved Youth with Disabilities in Juvenile Detention Facilities
In response to persistent gaps in juvenile justice reentry frameworks for youth with disabilities, this study explores the experiences of juvenile court probation specialists working within detention facilities. These specialists play a critical role in bridging fragmented systems and supporting youth with complex educational, behavioral, and emotional needs.
This qualitative study examined juvenile court probation specialists’ experiences supporting justice-involved youth with disabilities in detention facilities. Six specialists from three urban juvenile courts in a Midwestern state participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Miles and colleagues (2020) four-stage framework and Braun and Clarke’s (2022) reflexive thematic analysis. Trustworthiness was ensured through member checking, peer debriefing, audit trails, and reflexivity.
Six interdependent themes emerged: coordinated care across fragmented systems, relational scaffolding, structured personalization, adaptive learning systems, collaborative networks, and evaluation practices. These findings were interpreted through Ecological Systems Theory, Relational–Cultural Theory, DisCrit, Universal Design for Learning, Complexity Theory, and Implementation Science.
The study positions probation specialists as relational architects and adaptive strategists who bridge systemic gaps through emotional labor, discretionary judgment, and youth co-design. Implications include codifying personalization as a structural right, investing in infrastructure for continuity, and institutionalizing adaptive learning and collaborative governance.
About the Candidate
Jason P. Hale
Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice
The Ohio State University, 1994
Jason Hale has had a 30-year career spanning policing, courts, corrections, homeland security, and higher education. He has served as a Correctional Program Specialist, Detective Sergeant, Juvenile Court Probation Officer, Juvenile Court Programs Administrator, and Homeland Security Consultant. He has taught Criminal Justice and Sociology at numerous colleges and universities in New Jersey and New York City and developed a Community College Homeland Security Certificate Program.
Jason’s research experience includes an Ohio Community Policing Resident Survey, serving as a Topics Literature Reviewer for the Law Enforcement Foundation of Ohio, and collaborating on a Juvenile Drug Court Randomized Control Trial with a university research team.
Currently, Jason serves as a Juvenile Court Programs Consultant in Ohio, where he designs and evaluates interventions for youth with alcohol/drug, mental health, and disability-related challenges. His professional mission is to advocate for justice-involved youth through research, curriculum development, and policy transformation. He aims to continue this work as a University Professor, Research Collaborator, and Mentor.
Doctoral Dissertation Committee
Director
Brian Barber, Ph.D.
Professor, Special Education
School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
College of Education, Health and Human Services
Members
Andrew Wiley, Ph.D.
Professor, Special Education
School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
College of Education, Health and Human Services
Darlene Unger, Ph.D.
Professor, Special Education
School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
College of Education, Health and Human Services
Amy Damrow, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Cultural Foundations of Education
School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration
College of Education, Health and Human Services
Graduate Faculty Representative
Scott Courtney, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Mathematics Education
School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies
College of Education, Health and Human Services