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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Stargate Theatre Company: Engaging Justice-Involved Youth In Creativity And Growth, Jeffrey A. Butts, Martha Wade Steketee Oct 2015

Stargate Theatre Company: Engaging Justice-Involved Youth In Creativity And Growth, Jeffrey A. Butts, Martha Wade Steketee

Publications and Research

This report provides a possible starting point for an evaluation of The Stargate Theater company. The Stargate Theater Company, embedded in the resources, expertise, and artistry of the Manhattan Theatre Club Education Program, recruits its members, 10-15 males, from youth services agencies for a seven-week summer arts program. Members of the program write raw materials which become performable text and perform the work with the help of professional theater artists. The writer-performers work for pay and ultimately perform their own words about their life experiences. The program aims to be a paid job and a work readiness training program, a …


Straight Lives: The Balance Between Human Dignity, Public Safety, And Desistance From Crime, Lila Kazemian Aug 2015

Straight Lives: The Balance Between Human Dignity, Public Safety, And Desistance From Crime, Lila Kazemian

Publications and Research

This report looks at how the academic and practitioner worlds must collaborate to develop an effective, desistance-promoting approach to criminal justice. Interventions need to be desistance-focused and tailored to individual circumstances rather than standardized programming. Interventions should shift away from an emphasis on risk and criminogenic needs and help individuals overcome obstacles to desistance.


Perceptions Of Violence In Morrisania (The Bronx), Sheyla A. Delgado, Jeffrey A. Butts, Laila Alsabahi Aug 2015

Perceptions Of Violence In Morrisania (The Bronx), Sheyla A. Delgado, Jeffrey A. Butts, Laila Alsabahi

Publications and Research

The NYCCure study measured changes in violent norms and attitudes in areas of New York City operating Cure Violence programs. Respondents were men aged 18-30 from the Morrisania area of The Bronx.


Respondent-Driven Sampling: Evaluating The Effects Of The Cure Violence Model With Neighborhood Surveys, Kwan Lamar Blount-Hill, Jeffrey A. Butts Aug 2015

Respondent-Driven Sampling: Evaluating The Effects Of The Cure Violence Model With Neighborhood Surveys, Kwan Lamar Blount-Hill, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

This report gives insight into how researchers at the John Jay Research and Evaluation Center used Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) to measures changes in violence-related attitudes and values of young men (age 18-30) in at-risk neighborhoods and compares areas with and without Cure Violence programs. The RDS method allows researchers to reach difficult-to-recruit populations and helps to increase the credibility of the study.


Perceptions Of Violence In Harlem, Sheyla A. Delgado, Jeffrey A. Butts, Marissa Mandala Jun 2015

Perceptions Of Violence In Harlem, Sheyla A. Delgado, Jeffrey A. Butts, Marissa Mandala

Publications and Research

The NYCCure study measured changes in violent norms and attitudes in areas of New York City operating Cure Violence programs. Respondents were men aged 18-30 from the East Harlem area of Manhattan.


Perceptions Of Violence In The South Bronx, Jeffrey A. Butts, Sheyla A. Delgado, Marissa Mandala Jun 2015

Perceptions Of Violence In The South Bronx, Jeffrey A. Butts, Sheyla A. Delgado, Marissa Mandala

Publications and Research

The NYCCure study measured changes in violent norms and attitudes in areas of New York City operating Cure Violence programs. Respondents were men aged 18-30 from the South Bronx.


Perceptions Of Violence In East New York (Brooklyn), Sheyla A. Delgado, Jeffrey A. Butts, Marissa Mandala Jun 2015

Perceptions Of Violence In East New York (Brooklyn), Sheyla A. Delgado, Jeffrey A. Butts, Marissa Mandala

Publications and Research

The NYCCure study measured changes in violent norms and attitudes in areas of New York City operating Cure Violence programs. Respondents were men aged 18-30 from the East New York area of Brooklyn.


Racial Disparities In Juvenile Drug Arrests, Jeffrey A. Butts Jun 2015

Racial Disparities In Juvenile Drug Arrests, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

Illegal drug use in the U.S. does not differ significantly by race (SAMHSA 2014). Data from the U.S. Department of Justice show notable racial disparities in youth drug arrests specifically arrests for possession. This databit looks at differences in juvenile drug arrests rates since the late 1980s.


Effectiveness Of The Cure Violence Model In New York City, Jeffrey A. Butts, Kevin T. Wolff, Evan Misshula, Sheyla A. Delgado Jan 2015

Effectiveness Of The Cure Violence Model In New York City, Jeffrey A. Butts, Kevin T. Wolff, Evan Misshula, Sheyla A. Delgado

Publications and Research

New research from the John Jay College Research & Evaluation Center (JohnJayREC) suggests that the Cure Violence strategy may effectively reduce the incidence of homicide. Researchers at John Jay worked with analysts at the New York Police Department (NYPD) to assemble information about violence in New York City neighborhoods and compared areas with and without Cure Violence programs. The analysis focused on programs in three areas: two in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan. All three areas were operating Cure Violence programs as of 2010, and homicides were tracked through 2013. When the study compared homicide rates in those areas with …


Violent Youth Arrests Continue To Fall Nationwide, Jeffrey A. Butts Nov 2014

Violent Youth Arrests Continue To Fall Nationwide, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

FBI crime data show that the number of violent youth arrests declined between 2012 and 2013, with aggravated assaults dropping significantly. Youth arrests peaked in the nineties, began to decline sharply before rebounding in 2006, and dropped again in 2008. This databit looks at violent youth arrest rates based on crime offenses from 1980 to 2013.


Out-Of-Home Placements Falling Among Younger Juveniles, Jeffrey A. Butts Sep 2014

Out-Of-Home Placements Falling Among Younger Juveniles, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

According to juvenile court data, the number of formally handled juvenile cases, as well as out-of-home placements for juveniles, dropped between 1996 and 2011. The rate of decline was much lower for 17-year-old juveniles than those 16 and under. This databit looks at the rate of out-of-home placements for juveniles between 1985 to 2011.


The Debt Penalty: Exposing The Financial Barriers To Offender Reintegration, Douglas N. Evans Aug 2014

The Debt Penalty: Exposing The Financial Barriers To Offender Reintegration, Douglas N. Evans

Publications and Research

Financial debt associated with legal system involvement is a pressing issue that affects the criminal justice system, offenders, and taxpayers. Mere contact with the criminal justice system often results in fees and fines that increase with progression through the system. Criminal justice fines and fees punish offenders and are designed to generate revenue for legal systems operating on limited budgets. However, fines and fees often fail to accomplish this second goal because many offenders are too poor to pay them. If they do not pay their financial obligations, they may be subject to late fees and interest requirements, all of …


Punishment Without End, Douglas N. Evans Jul 2014

Punishment Without End, Douglas N. Evans

Publications and Research

Criminal justice punishments are an investment that societies make to protect the safety and order of communities. Following decades of rising prison populations, however, U.S. policymakers are beginning to wonder if they have invested too much in punishment. Policies adopted in previous decades now incarcerate large numbers of Americans and impose considerable costs on states. Mass incarceration policies are costly and potentially iatrogenic—i.e., they may transform offenders into repeat offenders. Public officials and citizens alike often assume that known offenders pose a permanent risk of future offending. This belief entangles millions of offenders in the justice system for life, with …


Theorizing More Inclusive Cities: A Relational Model Of Boundary Transformation And Urban Research Agenda, Leigh Graham Jan 2014

Theorizing More Inclusive Cities: A Relational Model Of Boundary Transformation And Urban Research Agenda, Leigh Graham

Publications and Research

To generate more inclusive environments for marginalized urban communities of color demands a strategy that privileges symbolic boundary change and uses it as the inroad towards spatial changes. This paper theorizes a three step relational process of a) communicative democratic activism, b) "multicultural" capital brokers providing access to the policy making process, and c) practices of community building that reflect the role of cities as key sites for sociospatial boundary transformation. An emphasis on discursive and ideational change, relying on communicative democratic processes steeped in historical, comparative analysis opens up our minds towards different classification schemes for stigmatized groups. Participating …


Violent Youth Crime In U.S. Falls To New 32-Year Low, Jeffrey A. Butts Oct 2013

Violent Youth Crime In U.S. Falls To New 32-Year Low, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

FBI crime data shows a decline in violent youth crimes between 2011 and 2012, reaching a new 32-year-low. Violent youth crimes reached a new low every year between 2009 and 2012. This databit shows the rate of violent youth crimes based on crime offense between 1980 and 2012.


Ready For Success: A Profile Of Youthbuild Mentoring Participants, Kathleen A. Tomberg Aug 2013

Ready For Success: A Profile Of Youthbuild Mentoring Participants, Kathleen A. Tomberg

Publications and Research

The YouthBuild USA National Mentoring Alliance program (“YouthBuild Mentoring”) seeks to engage students with responsible, supportive, committed adult volunteers to help young people achieve success in education, employment, and social relationships. By matching students with adult mentors for a minimum of 15 months, YouthBuild Mentoring helps these youth form strong emotional bonds and continuing relationships that will ideally last for years beyond the end of the program. YouthBuild USA partnered with the Research and Evaluation Center of John Jay College of Criminal Justice to assess the attitudes of YouthBuild Mentoring participants on a variety of topics, including self-image, self-efficacy, perceptions …


Crime Drop Ii – Young People Are Leading The Newest Violent Crime Decline, Jeffrey A. Butts May 2013

Crime Drop Ii – Young People Are Leading The Newest Violent Crime Decline, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

FBI crime data show that young people contributed a large share to the declining rate of violent crime in the United States. By 2011, the youth violent crime rate had dropped 60 percent since its peak in 1994. The databit shows the rate of violent crime between 1994-2004 and 2006-2011 for youth under age 18, 18-24, and 25 and older.


Is The Decline In Juvenile Incarceration Due To Reform Or Falling Crime Rates?, Jeffrey A. Butts Mar 2013

Is The Decline In Juvenile Incarceration Due To Reform Or Falling Crime Rates?, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

FBI crime data show a decline in juvenile incarceration while placement patterns have not changed since 1995. The per capita youth incarceration in 2010 was more than 40 percent lower than in 1995. This databit shows the rate of juvenile crime since 1995, how incarceration trends mirror arrests and referrals, and juvenile placement patterns.


Youth Development Through Service: A Quality Assessment Of The Youthbuild Americorps Program, Kathleen A. Tomberg Jan 2013

Youth Development Through Service: A Quality Assessment Of The Youthbuild Americorps Program, Kathleen A. Tomberg

Publications and Research

The YouthBuild AmeriCorps program serves youth facing a multitude of challenges, including a lack of education and job skills, community disengagement, and economic disadvantage. This program assessment found that after engaging with the YouthBuild AmeriCorps model, participants made significant, positive changes in their outlook on service, personal responsibility, and community orientation. More specifically, after participating in the program, they deepened their personal commitments to service, began to develop a sense of personal worth and reliability, became more connected with their communities, and started to develop more trust in larger social institutions. These encouraging findings suggest that YouthBuild AmeriCorps is succeeding …


Teaming Up For Safer Cities: A Report From The Implementation Assessment Of The National Forum On Youth Violence Prevention (2012), Jeffrey A. Butts, Caterina Gouvis Roman, Kathleen A. Tomberg Dec 2012

Teaming Up For Safer Cities: A Report From The Implementation Assessment Of The National Forum On Youth Violence Prevention (2012), Jeffrey A. Butts, Caterina Gouvis Roman, Kathleen A. Tomberg

Publications and Research

The efforts inspired by the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention will take time to develop, but survey results from the first 15 months of implementation suggest that the initiative may be generating some important changes. In five communities, survey respondents report a number of potentially valuable improvements. The results imply that the cities involved in the National Forum may be increasing opportunities for youth and improving the extent to which violence prevention approaches draw upon the perspectives and expertise of a broad range of community members. There are also indications that some cities are developing better overall capacity to …


Violent Youth Crime Plummets To A 30-Year Low, Jeffrey A. Butts Nov 2012

Violent Youth Crime Plummets To A 30-Year Low, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

FBI crime data show a considerable drop in violent youth crimes between 2010 and 2011, with arrests for murder and nonnegligent manslaughter dropping 20 percent in one year. Violent crime arrest rates in 2011 were 30 percent lower than in 2008. This databit shows the percent change in violent offenses charged against youth under 18 between 2010 and 2011 and the youth violent crime rate since 1981.


Homicide By Neighborhood: Mapping New York City’S Violent Crime Drop, Preeti Chauhan, Lauren Kois Jul 2012

Homicide By Neighborhood: Mapping New York City’S Violent Crime Drop, Preeti Chauhan, Lauren Kois

Publications and Research

Researchers, scholars, and policymakers interested in the falling rate of violent crime in New York City (NYC) have attempted to pinpoint causes of the welcome trend. Discovering the causes of the city’s crime drop may lead to important lessons for the city itself and may influence policy and practice throughout the state, nation, and perhaps other countries. Researchers have suggested a host of mechanisms that may explain the dramatic decline in violence, but two factors—misdemeanor policing and the transformation of drug markets—continue to receive the most attention. This report focuses on these factors in relation to gun-related homicide rates. It …


Less Serious Offenses Account For 90 Percent Of The Growth In Juvenile Placements, Jeffrey A. Butts Apr 2012

Less Serious Offenses Account For 90 Percent Of The Growth In Juvenile Placements, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

The largest increases in juvenile placements were seen in cases involving obstruction of justice, simple assault, drug law violations, vandalism, and disorderly conduct. This databit looks at the percentage and change in placement cases for juveniles from 1985 to 2008.


Mental Health And Drug Disorders Less Common At Early Stages Of Juvenile Justice, Jeffrey A. Butts Apr 2012

Mental Health And Drug Disorders Less Common At Early Stages Of Juvenile Justice, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

Youth in the juvenile justice system are at a higher risk for mental health disorders and substance abuse problems, but these differences in risk are often misunderstood. This databit looks at the prevalence of mental health and substance abuse and makes recommendations for early intervention and prevention programs.


Violent Crime Rates Continue To Fall Among Juveniles And Young Adults, Jeffrey A. Butts Apr 2012

Violent Crime Rates Continue To Fall Among Juveniles And Young Adults, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

Violent crime (murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault based on the FBI Violent Crime Index) declined per capita for ages 10 – 17 after 2004. This databit looks at the arrest rates for these four offenses between 1994 and 2004.


Transfer Of Juveniles To Criminal Court Is Not Correlated With Falling Youth Violence, Jeffrey A. Butts Mar 2012

Transfer Of Juveniles To Criminal Court Is Not Correlated With Falling Youth Violence, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

Though it may seem that transferring youth to criminal court should lower youth violent crime, this analysis shows no relationship. This databit looks at the transfer rate and violent crime declines in the six states that reported juvenile arrests to the FBI.


School Crime Has Declined Sharply Since The 1990'S, Jeffrey A. Butts Mar 2012

School Crime Has Declined Sharply Since The 1990'S, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

Between 1994 to 2010, the rate of violent victimizations at American schools dropped, with a sharp fall after 1994. This databit looks at property and violent crimes in schools from the early 1990s to 2010.


Could Focused Deterrence Strategies Reduce Drug-Related Violence In Mexico?, Douglas N. Evans Feb 2012

Could Focused Deterrence Strategies Reduce Drug-Related Violence In Mexico?, Douglas N. Evans

Publications and Research

Drug-related killings in Mexico have reached frightening proportions. This databit summarizes recommendations by Professor Mark Kleiman and analyzes drug-related murders in the Federal States of Mexico compared to total murders in U.S jurisdictions of comparable size.


Recent Increases In Drug Arrests Were For Possession, Not Sales, Jeffrey A. Butts Feb 2012

Recent Increases In Drug Arrests Were For Possession, Not Sales, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

Between 1991 and 2006, arrests for drug sales and manufacturing dropped while arrests for possession grew, with the largest growth seen in youth under 18. This databit looks at drug-related arrests for youth under 18, young adults 18 – 24, and adults 25 and older.


As Serious Juvenile Crime Declined, Police Made More Arrests For Less Serious Offenses, Jeffrey A. Butts Feb 2012

As Serious Juvenile Crime Declined, Police Made More Arrests For Less Serious Offenses, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

Arrests by law enforcement for youth under 18 reached a 30-year low in 2012. Arrests for the eight serious offenses included in the FBI crime index decreased by almost half from 1995 to 2010. This databit looks at juvenile arrests in total and by offense from 1980 to 2010.