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Police violence in the USA disproportionately impacts black Americans. However, most research exploring minority experiences assumes black ethnicity is monolithic and therefore elides experiences of African immigrants to the USA—a growing subpopulation. This interpretative phenomenological analytic study sought to capture and understand the views of African diasporans in the USA of police violence through open-ended interviews with ten adult participants. We used critical race theory as the primary conceptual lens and found four themes: otherness, perception of police, civic engagement and systemic racism. The results offer a counter-narrative that complicates normative categorisation of race in the USA. This work offers activists and social work practitioners a more nuanced understanding of racialised identity, and the concomitant vulnerabilities and resiliencies of African diasporans in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caring for an ill family member has been perceived as a chronic stressor. Huntington's disease (HD) is a chronic neurodegenerative condition lasting up to thirty years, having a powerful impact on families, particularly carers who live with the fear of familial prevalence and genetic transmission. Previous studies have primarily focused on disease management; however, some qualitative studies have concentrated on experiences of family carers. The purpose of this Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis was to synthesise qualitative studies to explore experiences of family carers of individuals with HD. Purposive sampling was used to select relevant studies. The twelve studies for this Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis (QIMS) represent experiences of 247carers. Analysis identified five themes: (i) struggles; (ii) impact on carer's life; (iii) worries; (iv) change in relationship with care-recipient; and (v) social support. Two studies focused on teens; some of their experiences are unique and thus discussed separately from the themes. Findings suggest that there are similarities with carers of other diseases; however, HD may need to be considered individually because of its unique impact on the family system related to genetic transmission to one's children. Living with this fear can be daunting, heavily influencing decision making and perspectives of most family members, particularly the carer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seriously mentally ill people are a 'revolving-door' population in criminal justice systems where they cycle in and out of courts and jails. In response and consonant with the principles of therapeutic jurisprudence, mental health courts (MHCs) have flourished in North America and Western Europe in attempts to divert this population away from jail and provision them with the social services they require to avoid legal contact. Little research has focused on the perspective of the accused in MHCs and there has been little information about which aspects of the court and diversion processes contribute to therapeutic processes in MHCs. This qualitative study reports the experiences of nine successful graduates of a Canadian MHC. The data were analysed according to the principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis. The marginality of the accused and their liminal experiences in mental health court diversion are discussed. Social workers have a role to play in the success of clients in diversion and the results of this study may influence service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]