Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Penal Culture And Hyperincarceration: The Revival Of The Prison, Alex Steel, Chris Cunneen, David Brown, Eileen Baldry, Melanie Schwartz, Mark Brown

David C. Brown

What are the various forces influencing the role of the prison in late modern societies? What changes have there been in penality and use of the prison over the past 40 years that have led to the re-valorization of the prison? Using penal culture as a conceptual and theoretical vehicle, and Australia as a case study, this book analyses international developments in penality and imprisonment. Authored by some of Australia’s leading penal theorists, the book examines the historical and contemporary influences on the use of the prison, with analyses of colonialism, post colonialism, race, and what they term the ‘penal/colonial …

The Accessibility Of In-Prison Programming For Female Offenders And Their Gender Specific Needs, Kelli Reynolds

Honors Program Theses and Projects

With the rates of female incarcerations on the rise, it is important that we examine programs available to female offenders in prison, and programs available to female offenders as they exit prison and re-enter society. Programs developed specifically for these females to fit their needs are important in their rehabilitation progress and should help in keeping their recidivism rates low. I expect to find a disconnect between the needs of female offenders and the programs meant to serve and rehabilitate them. I also expect the review of literature to support that a majority of female offenders have histories of victimization …

How Do Specialized Units Affect The Outputs Of Police Organizations?: Investigating The Effect Of Community Policing Units On Community Policing Activities In Local Police Departments, Hyon Namgung

Dissertations

A review of modern police history shows the trend of increased division of labor within police agencies. However, police organizations are often criticized for creating specialized police units when they are faced with specific problems or are not effectively tackling local problems. Other challenges from within the profession include potential inter-unit conflicts or indifference of officers from other units that may hinder program implementation by specialized units. The present study looked into the changing characteristics of specialized units within police departments between 2000 and 2007. This research also examined whether creation of specialized community policing units (CP Units) influences the …

Lightning Strikes Twice: An Examination Of The Political Factors Associated With State-Level Death Sentences And Executions In The United States, 1930-2012, Ethan Christopher Amidon

Dissertations

Over the course of the last 50 years, scholars have emphasized the role that political processes play in shaping the nature of capital punishment practices. Empirical studies that have examined the relationship between political factors and capital punishment have attributed variation in the imposition of death sentences and the execution of offenders across jurisdictions in the United States to the politicization of criminal justice policies and practices and the shift in public sentiment towards more punitive ideologies that began in the 1970s. Even though historians have argued that capital punishment practices have always been shaped by political considerations, empirical research …

Do Experience Tables Matter, Peter B. Hoffman, Harvey M. Goldstein

Peter R. Hoffman

No abstract provided.

A Historical Comparative Analysis Of Executions In The United States From 1608 To 2009, Emily Jean Abili

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The death penalty has been a contested issue throughout American history. The United States has been executing offenders since Jamestown became a colony in 1608 (Allen & Clubb, 2008). Since that time, many issues have been raised about the death penalty including whether or not it is moral, discriminatory, or a deterrent.

This study examines the history of executions, including lynchings, in the United States from 1608 to 2009 using a variety of sociological theories on law and society. Some of the research questions that guide this project are:

* What is the nature of change in the relative prevalence …

Political Motive And Bail: The Effect Of Prosecutorial Strategies On Pretrial Decisions In Federal Terrorism Trials, Michael John Clanton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to understand how prosecutorial strategies affect pretrial decisions in U.S. terrorism trials and how pretrial decisions in turn affect the disposition of those trials. This research builds off of the work of Smith and Damphousse (1996) which compared terrorism indictees to traditional federal offenders. They found that the use of explicit politicality as a prosecution strategy was a significant predictor of both disposition and the sentence length in terrorism trials. This study focuses on the question of whether the use of an explicitly political prosecution strategy impacts pretrial decisions in terrorism cases and whether …

The Effects Of Family Structure On Juvenile Delinquency, Alisha B. Parks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies show that family structure is an important factor in explaining delinquency among adolescents (Price & Kunz, 2003). There is a lack of research, however, pertaining to cohabitation. The main goals of this study are to determine if there are variations in delinquency between cohabitating and other family types, and to examine the extent to which parental social control measures account for the variation in delinquency by family structure. Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) are used for the purposes of this study (n = 4,389). While there are no significant differences in violent delinquency …

Examining Juvenile Delinquency Contributors Through Life-Course And Strain Theory, Caitlin E. Burns

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For years the causes of juvenile delinquency have drawn a lot of attention from the scientific community and have become a widely studied concept in research literature. Causes of juvenile delinquency have become an important aspect of criminological study because with the knowledge of what contributes to delinquency, the scientific community can possibly slow down the continuous act of offending, also known as continuity, through implementation of prevention strategies. Criminological theory is used to define and help understand why certain contributors are the foundation for juvenile delinquency, along with the continuity of crime for an adolescent but also what factors …

The Hotel Manager’S Perceived Conflict Of Providing For Hospitality And Security: Can The Two Exist In Harmony?, Silvano Cozzini

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The hospitality industry relies upon regular and repeat customers for its survival. No traveler or visitor will return to a hotel property where a bad incident occurred. Would a diner go back to any restaurant where they were sickened by their meal? Would a hotel guest return to any property where they were a victim of a crime? Bad experiences make us tell ourselves, “I will never go back there again!”

This same psychology holds true for criminals. At places where they have been deterred by a high security presence, it is unlikely that they would return there, either. A …

Estimating Age: College Males Versus Convicted Male Child Sex Offenders, Robert Marsh, Sergio Romero, Steven Patrick

Sergio Romero

Two samples, male college students and convicted male child sex offenders, are compared on their abilities to accurately estimate the age group of a series of photographs of a sole female ranging in age from 11 to 29. Both samples tend to overestimate the age group of the subject photos, and no significant difference was found between college students and convicted child sex offenders in their ability to estimate the age of females. Both groups are compared demographically, and only limited differences were found. The implications are discussed in regard to theory and prevention of child sexual abuse.

Estimating Age: College Males Versus Convicted Male Child Sex Offenders, Robert Marsh, Sergio Romero, Steven Patrick

Robert L. Marsh

Two samples, male college students and convicted male child sex offenders, are compared on their abilities to accurately estimate the age group of a series of photographs of a sole female ranging in age from 11 to 29. Both samples tend to overestimate the age group of the subject photos, and no significant difference was found between college students and convicted child sex offenders in their ability to estimate the age of females. Both groups are compared demographically, and only limited differences were found. The implications are discussed in regard to theory and prevention of child sexual abuse.

Demographic Patterns Of Cumulative Arrest Prevalence By Ages 18 And 23, Robert W. Brame, Shawn D. Bushway, Raymond Paternoster, Michael G. Turner

Robert Brame

No abstract provided.

Gridland: An Allegorical Critique Of Federal Sentencing, Erik Luna

Erik Luna

No abstract provided.

Constitutional Road Maps, Erik Luna

Erik Luna

No abstract provided.

Using The Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument–Version 2 On A Community Sample Of African American And Latino/A Juvenile Offenders To Identify Mental Health And Substance Abuse Treatment Needs, Kendell Coker, Jamie Wernsman, Uduakobong N. Ikpe, Jeannie S. Brooks, Lynn Bushell, Barbara Kahn

Psychology Faculty Publications

The Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-Version 2 (MAYSI-2) is a brief screening tool used to identify youth in the juvenile justice system that are at-risk for mental health related difficulties. The MAYSI-2 was administered to 5,205 African American and Latino/a youth throughout Chicago, Illinois who were on probation and residing in the community. This study investigated differences (i.e., legal status, gender, age, race/ethnicity) in reporting of mental health symptoms and substance use on the MAYSI-2. Females scored above the clinical cutoffs more frequently than males and there were few differences found between diverted and adjudicated youth. Age comparisons revealed mixed results. …

Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Jag) Program: Evaluation Report, Ryan E. Spohn, Sommer L. Fousek, Mike Behm, Lisa Stamm

Reports

The Consortium for Crime and Justice Research (CCJR) at the University of Nebraska – Omaha is conducting an evaluation of projects supported by Nebraska’s 2012 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) Program funds. The primary goal of the evaluation is to provide the Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice (Crime Commission) a summary of the law enforcement, training, prevention, and associated activities occurring as a direct or indirect result of the infusion of Bryne JAG funds. In other words, the intent of the evaluation is to provide a summary of the funded activities and resulting products …

Judicial Integrity: A Call For Its Re-Emergence In The Adjudication Of Criminal Cases, Robert M. Bloom

Robert Bloom

No abstract provided.

Mass Incarceration: Why Do We Punish And What Are The Consequences?, Caitlin Taylor Phd

Explorer Café

No abstract provided.

Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Jag) Program: Evaluation Report, Consortium For Crime And Justice Research, University Of Nebraska At Omaha, Ryan E. Spohn, Sommer Fousek, Mike Behm, Lisa Stamm

Reports

The Consortium for Crime and Justice Research (CCJR) at the University of Nebraska – Omaha is conducting an evaluation of projects supported by Nebraska’s 2012 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) Program funds. The primary goal of the evaluation is to provide the Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice (Crime Commission) a summary of the law enforcement, training, prevention, and associated activities occurring as a direct or indirect result of the infusion of Bryne JAG funds. In other words, the intent of the evaluation is to provide a summary of the funded activities and resulting products …

An Exploration Of Crime By Policewomen, Philip M. Stinson, Natalie E. Todak, Mary Dodge

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The current study explores criminal conduct by policewomen. This information is increasingly relevant as police departments hire more women, especially if the crimes committed by policewomen differ from those of policemen. News searches identified 105 cases depicting arrests of policewomen. A content analysis was performed. Findings indicate differences exist between crimes committed by policemen and policewomen, as well as by policewomen and women in general. Crime by policewomen is most often profit-motivated. Policewomen had fewer years of service and lower ranks, committed less violent crimes, and were more likely to receive suspensions for off-duty crimes compared to their male peers.

Master Talk: Assessing The Crime Decline: Did Bids Play A Role?, Jeremy Travis

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

When Poverty Is The Worst Crime Of All: A Film Review Of Gideon’S Army (2013), Jessica S Henry

Department of Justice Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This review of the Sundance Award-winning documentary film, Gideon’s Army, examines the disparate impact of the criminal justice system on the poor and, particularly, poor people of color.

An Examination Of Felony Case Processing In The Circuit Court Of Cook County, 2000-2012, Don Stemen

Criminal Justice & Criminology: Faculty Publications & Other Works

This research bulletin provides an examination of felony cases filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County between 2000 and 2012. The examination considers trends in the volume of felony cases filed, the percent of cases disposed of within twelve months of filing, and the average length of time to dispose of cases. The analyses indicate that the number of felony cases filed in Cook County has decreased over the last decade and the percentage of felony cases disposed of within 12 months of filing has increased during the same period. However, the time to case disposition has increased -- …

Making Matters Worse: The Safe Streets And Communities Act And The Ongoing Crisis Of Indigenous Over-Incarceration, Ryan Newell

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

The Safe Streets and Communities Act (SSCA), a recent and wide-reaching piece of the Conservative Party of Canada’s tough-on-crime agenda, will exacerbate the ongoing crisis of Indigenous over-incarceration. In this article, I review the extensive literature that addresses the causes of Indigenous over-representation in the Canadian criminal justice system before assessing the impact of R v Gladue, nearly fifteen years after the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision. I analyze how the SSCA will restrict courts’ resort to Gladue, thus resulting in the incarceration of increasing numbers of Indigenous people. I then develop one avenue of constitutional challenge to the SSCA’s …

Implementing Hotspot Policing: A Review Of The Literature, Portland State University. Criminology And Criminal Justice Senior Capstone

Criminology and Criminal Justice Senior Capstone Project

Crime has the power to disrupt our communities in many ways. It unearths feelings of anger and fear, promotes vulnerability, and often results in effects that remain long after the crime has been committed. Those enlisted to protect society attempt to target criminal acts before they occur, and often employ tactics that predict future criminal behavior. It often seems that officers have solved a particular issue and extinguished crime in a problem area, but discover it was only pushed into another community. This compilation of research analyzes the nature of crime and attempts to provide solutions for the ongoing study …

Bringing Functional Family Probation Services To The Community: A Qualitative Case Study, Denise Lynmarie Austin

Dissertations and Theses

In March 2011, Multnomah County's Juvenile Services Division (JSD) in Portland, Oregon implemented a new program model called Functional Family Probation Services, a case management model based on the principles of Functional Family Therapy. Under this model JSD Juvenile Court Counselors deliver Functional Family Probation Services to medium and high-risk youth on probation; both to the youth and their family in their home. This qualitative case study examined the extent to which the Juvenile Court Counselors and Community Justice Managers implemented Functional Family Probation Service's components and recorded their opinions regarding Functional Family Probation Services as a case management model. …

“We Incarcerate To Set Free:” Negotiating Punishment And Rehabilitation In Jail, Brittnie L. Aiello

Criminology Faculty Publications

Criminology has documented the decline of rehabilitation in the age of get-tough approaches to crime and punishment. Therapy and punishment, however, are not mutually exclusive. Rehabilitation and traditional punishment have long co-existed in penal facilities. In this article, I examine the role of rehabilitation at Northeast Jail, a county jail in the U.S. that adhered to an ideology of rehabilitation. But Northeast Jail was, first and foremost, a penal facility where offenders were confined and punished. While staff and administrators at Northeast Jail routinely invoked a rhetoric of rehabilitation, they adhered to rules and engaged in punitive practices that interfered …

Examination Of The Kendall County Youth Education Class, David E. Olson, Taheri Sema, Michelle Mioduszewski, Olson Mollie

David E. Olson

The research examined the characteristics of youth served by the Kendall County Probation and Court Services Department's Youth Education Class, a diversion program for youth charged with alcohol-related offenses. The research examined changes in awareness of alcohol and drug risks and health consequencies, and post-program recidivism.

Crime And Public Health: Interdisciplinary Approach To Education, Karen Miner-Romanoff, Leslie J. King

Scholarship Forum 2013

Dr. Karen Miner-Romanoff and Dr. Leslie King state that although crime rates have decreased in the last several years, they remain alarmingly high. Recidivism rates, in the meantime, continue to rise with up to half of all new prison inmates incarcerated for reoffending after their initial release (Matz, et al., 2012). As the costs of a failed criminal justice system becomes unsustainable, scholars search for new evidence-based, innovative and collaborative solutions to lower crime and increased public health and safety. As a result of this collaboration, some criminal justice and public health leaders are seeking to develop new theoretical and …