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The 1994 Federal Crime Bill: An Evaluation Of The Past, Present, And Future Of Its Impact On The Criminal Justice System, Jade R. Philpot

Honors College Theses

The 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act was signed into law in response to the crack cocaine and crime epidemic of the 1980s. In this thesis I address the major elements of this bill, the racial, financial, and ethical conflicts that arose thereafter, and the reforms that should be implemented today to correct said conflicts.

A Street-Based Simulation Approach To Evaluating Crime Theories And Deterrence Efficacy In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Shaun Edward Williams

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Criminology of place and deterrence strategy evaluations share separate yet similar paths towards incorporating microgeographic units of analysis within deterrence strategies. These transitions have been underway since Weisburd’s 2015 criminology of place work and Kennedy’s 1997 Ceasefire publication for deterrence strategy evaluation. Rather than purely theoretical or practical challenges serving as agents of change, scale appropriateness can arguably be pinpointed as the foundation for change in both areas. Microplace offers improved insight into the study of crime and place dominated by areal designs. This status quo has hampered evaluation but has not slowed the flow of resources to support strategy …

The Secret Struggles Of Law Enforcement: Ending The Stigma Through Counseling, Kelsey Daly

Criminology Student Work

Law enforcement are on the frontlines everyday and see the best and worst society has to offer. They encounter scenes of violence and tragedy and have to learn how to compartmentalize what they see and feel. But what if they struggle to deal with those emotions? Suicide is the second leading cause of death among law enforcement, following behind Covid-19. While there are many reasons including both personal and professional factors that influence suicide ideation in police officers, there are also protective factors that can limit these ideations. Counseling is found to be a protective factor against suicide ideation in …

Lights, (Body) Camera, Action!: Reviewing Empirical Research On Body-Worn Cameras, Richard Glynn

Criminology Student Work

There has been an ongoing uproar for police accountability in America throughout history. Tensions between citizens and police have worsened over the last few years. Many citizens have pushed to reform the police through the use of body-worn cameras. Departments began to implement body-worn cameras on their officers to document their day to day encounters. After discussing the policing profession and steps to become a police officer, this paper examines empirical research that shows the different impacts body-worn cameras have made. Studies suggest there are significant benefits to using body cameras, including less complaints against officers and less cases of …

Career Path Of A Police Officer, Alex Gildea

Criminology Student Work

According to recent studies, the effectiveness of higher education on police officer performance and salary benefits has been evident. Researchers have concluded that police departments that encourage police officers to receive their college education, or pursue a higher degree than an associates degree, have a higher chance at performing their duties to a higher standard in addition to receiving a higher salary. The purpose of this research is to identify the importance of college education on police officers, and how the additional education is significant to their presence in the community they protect. Police officers can benefit from the research …

Neighbors At Risk, Jeffrey A. Butts, Gina Moreno, Richard A. Espinobarros

Publications and Research

Most New York City neighborhoods did not experience high rates of shootings in recent years, but others clearly did. Comparing crime rates across these relatively small geographic areas is important for officials considering where to invest in resources that support public safety and community wellbeing.

“Goodbye, My Friencels”: An Analysis Of Incel Suicide Posts, Sarah E. Daly, Albina Laskovsov

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

While an increasing number of researchers, non-profit organizations, and law enforcement agencies have expressed growing concern about the relationship between involuntary celibates (i.e., incels) and violence, no research to date has examined the potential for suicide and self-harm among men who call themselves incels. This study examines suicide posts shared to incel sub-Reddits that were collected by u/IncelGraveyard (N=80). The posts reveal that the notes discuss six subordinate themes, including the method of their planned attempt, the ways they used the internet, the online incel community, failed alternatives and coping, the effects of their suicide on others, and the afterlife. …

Socialization Across The Three Stages Of The Correctional Services Of Canada's Correctional Officer Training Program: An Ethnographic Study, Rosemary Ricciardelli

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

The current ethnographic study reflects my participation in elements of the three stages of the correctional officer training program (CTP) offered by the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). Unpacking my experience, I use Van Maanen and Schein (1977) theory of organizational socialization to analyze the formal and informal socialization processes inherent to the structure of the training academy. Thematic reflection on informal socialization processes reveal that the pressures tied to module content and testing reinforce values welcomed by CSC, such as organizational commitment, before the recruit’s arrival at the academy. Moreover, at the academy, where the emphasis remains on organizational …

Shame And Justice: Partners Of Individuals On Sex Offender Registries Encourage Policy Reform, Kristan N. Russell, Katie M. Snider, William P. Evans, Shawn C. Marsh

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

Sex offense registration and notification (SORN) policies can contribute to stigma and negative consequences for partners of registered individuals. The present study utilized a self-report questionnaire to ask these partners what they would say to policymakers if given the opportunity. A thematic analysis of the responses revealed three themes which highlight the distinct issues related to registries, describe direct consequences experienced by the partners, and propose changes to existing policy. This study provides valuable insight into the experiences of a hard-to-reach population and can help generate critical discussion around the sweeping impacts SORN policies have on individuals they were not …

Social Supports For Community Corrections Clients: Risk Factors Or Protective Factors?, Lacey Schaefer, Gemma C. Williams, Tenille Ford

Qualitative Criminology (QC)

The significance of social supports throughout an individual’s life-course has been widely documented. However, there is ambiguity about whether social supports are likely to encourage or discourage reoffending. The current study qualitatively examines the kinds of support offered to a sample of probationers and parolees by their social support networks through a thematic analysis of transcripts gained from semi-structured interviews with 15 clients and 16 of their “PoPPs” (parents/partners/peers of probationers and parolees). Results indicate that there are several forms of support provided by correctional clients’ loved ones. These forms of support were well-received by the clients who considered them …

Criminal Justice Update - April 2022, Autumn R. Chassie

Criminal Justice Updates

The Criminal Justice Update is a monthly newsletter created by the Adams County Bar Foundation Fellow providing updates in criminal justice policy coming from Pennsylvania's courts and legislature as well as the US Supreme Court.

Contents:

• Updates from PA Governor's Office: No new updates this month
• Updates from the PA Legislature
• Updates from the Courts
• U.S. Supreme Court
• PA Supreme Court
• PA Superior Court

The Effect Of The Seattle Police-Free Chop Zone On Crime: A Microsynthetic Control Evaluation, Eric L. Piza, Nathan T. Connealy

Publications and Research

Research Summary:

Nightly confrontations occurred between protestors and officers outside of the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD’s) East precinct in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder. On June 8, 2020, the SPD abandoned the East precinct in an attempt to calm the situation. Following closure of the precinct, the Capitol Hill Occupation Protest (CHOP) took hold in the surrounding 6-block area. The CHOP occupation lasted until July 1, 2020. Over this time period, CHOP operated as an autonomous zone, with police officers not patrolling and generally not responding to calls for police service within the area. We used the microsynthetic control …

The War On Drugs And Its Legal Effects On Black Americans, Alexia L. Howard-Mullins

2022 Symposium

The differences in treatment between Black and white Americans in the past fifty years has been a topic of thought in the minds of political and sociological scholars since the inception of the War on Drugs in 1971. These differences in treatment may lead to discrimination legally, resulting in longer prison sentences and a higher proportion of Black Americans in prison. This study analyzes the results of the War on Drugs that led to disproportionate imprisonment of Black Americans, including mandatory sentencing laws, drug classifications, and discrimination within law enforcement and the legal system. This study will use primary sources …

Ua12/8 Annual Campus Safety & Security Report, Wku Police

WKU Administration Documents

Statistical report of crimes reported to and services rendered by the WKU Police Department during the calendar year 2022. Includes policies related to security and safety.

Towards A Psychological Science Of Abolition Democracy: Insights For Improving Theory And Research On Race And Public Safety, Cynthia J. Najdowski, Phillip Atiba Goff

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

We call for psychologists to expand their thinking on fair and just public safety by engaging with the “Abolition Democracy” framework that Du Bois (1935) articulated as the need to dissolve slavery while simultaneously taking affirmative steps to rid its toxic consequences from the body politic. Because the legacies of slavery continue to produce disparities in public safety in the U.S, both harming Black people and the institutions that could keep them safe, psychologists must take seriously questions of history and structure in addition to immediate situations. In the present article, we consider the state of knowledge regarding psychological processes …

Decision Making And Reform Within The United States Criminal Justice System, Rainita Narender

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The United States Criminal Justice System has undergone massive legislative reform in the past decade. These reforms have prompted a demand to analyze the benefits and potential unintended consequences of proposed policies and legislation. The following dissertation measures policy implications across three types of actors in the criminal justice system: 911 call-takes, prosecutors, and law enforcement. As most citizen-officer interactions arise from 911 calls for service, the first chapter of this dissertation is a study on the “priming” effect 911-call-takers have on officer decision to arrest and use force on calls for service in Dallas, Texas (2013-2018). In this work, …

Comparing The Motivation Of Auto Thieves And Carjackers, Tara Rose Abrahams

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Motor vehicle theft is a popular crime with hundreds of thousands of vehicles stolen each year. Two common MVT methods are auto thefts and carjackings. Auto thefts occur solely as property crimes, in which an offender steals an unoccupied vehicle. Carjackings are interpersonal crimes, in which the offender steals the vehicle from the driver by force or coercion. This study compares the motivation of the two offender groups. Utilizing 28 in-depth semi-structured interviews with active offenders, this study explores why they chose to commit crimes, why they chose vehicle-related crimes, and why they chose their preferred method. Although both offender …

The Road To Justice: Incarcerated Students’ View On Education Behind Bars, Margaret Baker Price

Online Theses and Dissertations

The experience of students that are incarcerated is largely unknown. This qualitative phenomenological research study allowed four college students that are incarcerated to share their experiences. Research shows individuals who are incarcerated are less likely to reoffend this study upon release. This study will show how these individuals view their educational experience during incarceration. Interviews were conducted with each participant and data was coded and organized into themes. By utilizing a phenomenological stance, observations were made of events that led to the placement of participants in the prison system and how education has impacted their time spent incarcerated. Themes discovered …

Paper Gangsters: White Collar And Corporate Crime On Film, Jacob Kavoukis

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Many of us have never been victims of a serious crime and as a result, rely on the media in its various forms to provide us with information that we can rely on as being accurate in order to learn about it. Information on white-collar crime in the media differs from more common street crime in that it receives very little attention. The lack of attention could be because these crimes are considered non-violent and victimless, are committed by those of high social stature and power and are often complex and challenging to understand. Films can play an important role …

Parental Incarceration And Stigma: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of Children's Books, Samantha Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Children of parental incarceration are often forgotten victims and have been noted to experience collateral consequences such as stigma, poor mental health, and isolation. Since children are often forgotten, there is a lack of information regarding their experiences, what resources are available to them, and whether or not these resources intended to be beneficial. One of the resources that are available to children, caregivers, and other adults are children’s books regarding parental incarceration. To determine whether or not these children's books act as a guide, this study examined the content and illustrations of 19 children’s books on parental incarceration. The …

ระบบเจ้าโคตรกับระบบงานยุติธรรมชุมชน : กรณีศึกษาบ้านเสียว ตำบลวังชัย อำเภอน้ำพอง จังหวัดขอนแก่น, ภควรรณพร พิศุทธิสุวรรณ

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

“ระบบเจ้าโคตรกับระบบงานยุติธรรมชุมชน: กรณีศึกษาบ้านเสียว ตำบลวังชัย อำเภอน้ำพอง จังหวัดขอนแก่น” เป็นงานวิจัยเชิงคุณภาพมีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาความเป็นมา รูปแบบและกลไกดำเนินงานของระบบเจ้าโคตรที่เป็นงานยุติธรรมเชิงจารีต ประเภทคดีหรือลักษณะข้อพิพาทที่ใช้ยุติปัญหา รวมถึงข้อดีและข้อจำกัดของการใช้ระบบเจ้าโคตร สภาพการดำรงอยู่ภายในชุมชนและการเปลี่ยนแปลงที่เกิดขึ้นต่อระบบเจ้าโคตรเมื่อมีการนำงานยุติธรรมชุมชนรูปแบบอื่น ๆ ของภาครัฐเข้ามาใช้ปฏิบัติ ซึ่งสะท้อนถึงการรับรู้และมุมมองต่อการใช้ระบบเจ้าโคตรของหน่วยงานภาครัฐ และให้ข้อเสนอแนะเรื่องการเชื่อมโยงระหว่างระบบเจ้าโคตรกับระบบงานยุติธรรมชุมชนเพื่อให้เกิดประโยชน์ต่อการพัฒนากระบวนการยุติธรรม ผู้วิจัยเก็บรวบรวมข้อมูลด้วยวิธีการศึกษาเชิงเอกสาร วิธีการสนทนาแบบกลุ่ม และวิธีการสัมภาษณ์เชิงลึกจากผู้ให้ข้อมูลสำคัญ จำนวน 12 คน เพื่อนำมาวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลเชิงเนื้อหา ผลการศึกษาพบว่า 1) ระบบเจ้าโคตรมีผู้อาวุโสที่คู่กรณีและชุมชนเคารพนับถือ เชื่อใจ และยอมรับในความประพฤติและการพูดจาให้เหตุผลเมื่อตัดสินความขัดแย้งให้เข้ามาทำหน้าที่คนกลางไกล่เกลี่ยระงับข้อพิพาทระหว่างบุคคลที่เกิดขึ้นในชุมชน โดยกระบวนการระงับข้อพิพาทจะเป็นแบบเรียบง่ายที่คนกลางพูดคุยซักถามเรื่องราวและเหตุผลจากคู่กรณีทั้งสองฝ่ายแล้วตัดสินความ แล้วจึงให้คู่กรณีตกลงเรื่องการชดใช้เยียวยากันโดยตรงต่อหน้าคนกลางและเริ่มต้นไกล่เกลี่ยสมานฉันท์ และร่วมกันการสร้างข้อตกลงจากการระงับข้อพิพาทที่คำนึงถึงความต้องการของคู่กรณีทั้งสองฝ่าย หมู่บ้านเสียวจะใช้ระบบเจ้าโคตรกับความผิดที่มีเด็กหรือเยาวชนเป็นผู้กระทำ การใช้ความรุนแรงภายในครอบครัว ความผิดที่กระทำต่อกันโดยประมาท ความผิดอาญาต่อส่วนตัวซึ่งรวมถึงคดีอนาจาร และความผิดลหุโทษ ระบบเจ้าโคตรมีข้อดี คือ ช่วยรักษาสภาพจิตใจคู่กรณีและดำรงสัมพันธภาพร่วมกันเอาไว้ ช่วยลดภาระของทางราชการและลดความขัดแย้งในสังคม ช่วยประหยัดเวลาและลดค่าใช้จ่ายประชาชนไปพร้อมกับลดปัญหาการดำเนินงานซึ่งกระบวนการยุติธรรมกำลังประสบอยู่โดยระงับไม่ให้ข้อพิพาทเล็กน้อยเข้าสู่กระบวนการยุติธรรม ทว่ามีข้อจำกัด ได้แก่ การยึดโยงอยู่กับศรัทธาต่อตัวบุคคลทำให้ระบบขาดเสถียรภาพ อาจมีความเหมาะสมที่จะใช้ในสังคมขนาดเล็ก และไม่มีกฎหมายรองรับผลของการไกล่เกลี่ยหากเจ้าโคตรไม่ใช่ผู้ผ่านการอบรมเพื่อขึ้นทะเบียนเป็นผู้ไกล่เกลี่ยภาคประชาชน 2) ระบบเจ้าโคตรดำรงอยู่อย่างมีสัมพันธภาพกับงานยุติธรรมชุมชนแบบอื่นๆของภาครัฐ โดยการปรับตัวเปลี่ยนแปลงไปตามเงื่อนไขการดำเนินงานยุติธรรมชุมชนของภาครัฐ ได้แก่ การมีคนกลางมากกว่าหนึ่งคน และการให้จัดทำเอกสารลายลักษณ์อักษรในกระบวนการระงับข้อพิพาทเพื่อเป็นหลักฐานอ้างอิงตามกฎหมาย 3) ภาครัฐมีการรับรู้ระบบเจ้าโคตรที่ใช้จัดการความขัดแย้งภายในชุมชนอย่างจำกัด แม้ว่าจะมีมุมมองว่าระบบเจ้าโคตรมีศักยภาพต่อการระงับข้อพิพาทเบื้องต้นแต่ยังมีท่าทีแบ่งรบแบ่งสู้หากจะต้องส่งเสริมเข้ามาเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของระบบงานยุติธรรมชุมชนในพื้นที่ 4) ข้อเสนอแนะของผู้วิจัยต่อการเชื่อมโยงระบบเจ้าโคตรกับระบบงานยุติธรรมชุมชนเพื่อให้เกิดประโยชน์ต่อกระบวนการยุติธรรมคือ ควรส่งเสริมให้ชุมชนนำระบบเจ้าโคตรซึ่งเป็นยุติธรรมเชิงจารีตเข้ามาเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของระบบงานยุติธรรมชุมชนในหมู่บ้านอย่างจริงจัง และควรเข้ามาให้ความช่วยเหลือด้านความรู้ทางกฎหมายที่จำเป็น และสนับสนุนให้ผู้ใหญ่บ้าน คณะกรรมการหมู่บ้าน สมาชิกเครือข่ายศูนย์ยุติธรรมชุมชน และเจ้าโคตรรุ่นปัจจุบันอีกจำนวน 2 คนได้รับการอบรมในหลักสูตรผู้ไกล่เกลี่ยตามพระราชบัญญัติไกล่เกลี่ยข้อพิพาท พ.ศ. 2562 เพื่อขึ้นทะเบียนเป็นผู้ไกล่เกลี่ยภาคประชาชนตามกฎหมาย

Loose Coupling, Burden Shuffling, And Pervasive Penality: The Role Of Bylaw Enforcement In Managing Homelessness, Natasha Martino

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In Canada, over 235,000 people experience homelessness per year. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the visibility of homelessness and the use of homeless encampments across Ontario. As visibility has increased, so too have community members’ expectations to manage homelessness or find a solution to minimize the visibility of homelessness. While there has been some scholarship about the police management of homelessness, far less is known about the role of bylaw enforcement. Yet, bylaw officers play a critical role in responding to homelessness due to their increasing responsibility for enforcing municipal bylaws and COVID-19 public health mandates, such as stay at …

An Analysis Of Collective Efficacy As A Predictor Of Gun Violence In Toronto, Carly Richards

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

There has been a 42% increase in gun violence in Canada since 2013, largely due to increases in Toronto (Statistics Canada, 2022a). To gain a better understanding of this phenomenon, this study evaluated collective efficacy as a predictor of gun violence. Seven correlates of collective efficacy were identified including, low economic status, ethnic diversity, mobility, family disruption, employment rate, low educational attainment, and youth percentage in a population. This study included data from the City of Toronto’s Open Data Portal and the 2016 Canadian Census. The data were pulled from various datasets and then were reorganized into one file, which …

Getting Proactive With Police Proactivity: The Benefits Of Computer-Aided Dispatch For Directing Police Resources To Areas Of Need, Kris Henning, Christian Peterson, Greg Stewart, Kimberly Kahn, Yves Labissiere, Brian Renauer, Renee Mitchell, Sean Sothern

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

Sherman and colleagues (2014) argue that crime reductions associated with hot spot policing can be maximized by carefully managing the dosage of supplemental resources delivered. Fully achieving this goal in prior studies has been difficult due to resistance by officers, the use of atypical strategies for directing patrols to target locations, and insufficient attention to the measurement of treatment dosages. This has led to calls for process research examining the implementation of hot spot policing in law enforcement agencies. The current study represents one such effort. The computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system for a large U.S. police department was pre-programmed with …

Conceptualization, Implementation, And Management Of The New York City Mayor’S Action Plan For Neighborhood Safety, Wogod Alawlaqi, Nicole Alexander, Rebecca Balletto, Justice Banks, Jeffrey A. Butts, Patricia A. Cobar, Edda S. Fransdottir, Jason Szkola, Kathleen A. Tomberg, Anthony Vega

Publications and Research

This research report presents the findings from the implementation assessment of the NYC Mayor's Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety (MAP). Researchers from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice relied on an assortment of evaluation data to identify outcome differences between MAP communities and the matched set of comparison communities. Using administrative and survey data, researchers tested relationships between the various efforts of MAP and key outcomes expected to result from those efforts. Information obtained through interviews and observations provided context to understand the evolution and implementation of MAP. The investigation provided policymakers with important information about the possible effectiveness …

Police Use Of Social Media Technologies, Akpomudiare Darlynton Adegor

Theses and Dissertations

This study used a qualitative research design to analyze how the Little Rock Police Department (LRPD) utilizes social media technologies to promote its community policing philosophy. I conducted a content analysis on 586 tweets by LRPD and 992 public responses posted between May 2020 and May 2021. From my analysis, I found that LRPD social media platforms support both community policing and problem-solving. LRPD uses social media for interactions, connections, and partnerships with community members. The second notable finding was that the public is responsive and receptive to LRPD’s use of social media to connect with them. However, LRPD’s level …

Eyewitness Identification, Alley Chan

Honors Theses

Eyewitness identification often plays a crucial role in the criminal justice system. It can be used to make an arrest, both exonerate and convict suspects, fuel police interrogation, and influence a plea bargaining decision. In the meantime, eyewitness misidentification has contributed to approximately 69% of the wrongful convictions, making it the leading factor in wrongful convictions nationwide. Hence, the central question that will be explored in this thesis is: Why eyewitness testimony is so powerful despite it is prone to error? To answer this question, this thesis will examine the role of eyewitness identification played in the criminal justice system …

Obstacles To The Implementation Of Criminal Justice Reform, Matt Allen

Dissertations

Mass incarceration or overincarceration has gained significant attention over the last two decades, and criminal justice reform seeks to address it. This study uses constructivist grounded theory to examine the implementation of criminal justice reform legislation in Mississippi. Mississippi was chosen as the study setting because the state has been recognized as a national leader in enacting reform legislation and it has one of the nation’s highest incarceration rates. It is well established that policy implementation affects outcomes. Therefore, if the policies Mississippi is implementing are effective and they are implemented correctly, it stands to reason the state could benefit …

Is More Always Better? A Look At Visitation And Recidivism, Teriin Lee

Dissertations and Theses

The body of literature on prison visitation provides empirical support that visitation may influence the likelihood of recidivism. However, the literature is limited in both size and geographic representation, as more than half of studies originate from samples in Florida or Minnesota. Moreover, inconsistency in the use of measures further complicates generalizability of the findings. The following study utilizes data collected from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to examine the relationship between visitation and recidivism in Oregon. Using a sample of 29,312 adults in custody (AICs) who were released between 2011 and 2017, we test the associations of seven distinct …

Police Officers’ Best Friend?: An Exploratory Analysis Of The Effect Of Service Dogs On Perceived Organizational Support In Policing, Kenneth M. Quick, Eric L. Piza

Publications and Research

This study explored the effectiveness of a novel technique for police departments to support their officers and promote wellness: the use of service dogs. We evaluated officer perceptions in two mid-sized, municipal police departments that have wellness programs with a service dog that is permanently assigned to a full-time police officer handler: Groton and Naugatuck, Connecticut. We assessed 6 factors believed to influence police officer wellness including: operational and organizational stress using the Police Stress Questionnaire (McCreary & Thompson, 2006); topical stressors including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic, police use of force and community relations, and police reform efforts; …