Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

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.

An Examination Of Victory Seeker Use And Recidivism, Michael Rutkowski

Theses and Dissertations

The current study extended earlier findings about the RealVictory program by using a larger sample and by examining Victory Seeker phone use in more detail. Using a sample of 144 juveniles, it was found that as the number of calls answered increased, the likelihood of a rearrest and the number of rearrests decreased slightly but the differences were not statistically significant. However, as the number of calls increased, the likelihood of a felony rearrest decreased significantly and the total number of felony arrests decreased significantly. These findings suggest that Victory Seeker may be a useful tool to reinforce and provide …

Recent Victimization & Recidivism: The Potential Moderating Effects Of Family Support, Caitlin J. Taylor

Sociology and Criminal Justice Faculty work

Although various research confirms an overlap between victims and offenders, much less

is known about victimization and recidivism. Using data from the Serious and Violent

Offender Reentry Initiative evaluation, this study measures the extent to which the frequency

of recent victimization influences recidivism in the 15 months following release

from prison. Buffering effects are also investigated by examining whether family support

moderates the relationship between victimization and recidivism. After controlling

for other known predictors of recidivism, logistic regression models using both listwise

deletion and multiple imputation reveal that more frequent victimization significantly

increases the likelihood of any self-reported recidivism and …

"The Classical School, Deterrence Theory, And Zero Tolerance" An Analysis Of A Mandatory Zero Tolerance Sanctioning Policy In Relation To The Classical School Of Criminology And Deterrence Theory, Adam Saeler

School of Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

Mandatory sentences, and especially those that promote severe detention lengths, have become a popular mechanism in the fight against crime, but are they effective? Certain Sanctions, an adult probation-based sanctioning mandate, is an example of one such mandatory policy that emphasizes harsh sanctions in order to promote reduced future criminality. The philosophy behind such a device fits well into the theoretical framework of deterrence theory in that quick, severe sanctions ought to reduce future criminality. However, little research exists regarding the effectiveness of such a mandatory probation-based sanction policy with regards to the reduction of future criminality. Furthermore, the impact …

Public Safety Impact Of Electronic Monitoring Of Texas High-Risk Offenders, Paul Utu Aliu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The use of electronic monitoring (EM) as a tool to supervise high-risk offenders has increased in the field of criminal justice in the state of Texas. Although EM is now widely used to supervise high-risk offenders to prevent them from committing further crimes, it is unclear whether EM has achieved the purpose of reducing reoffenses during parole supervision. Hirschi's social bond theory, which was later developed into social control theory, was used as the framework for this general qualitative study to explore retired parole officers' perceptions concerning whether EM is successful in preventing high-risk offenders from committing additional crimes. Interview …

Attitudes Of Returning Citizens In Government-Managed Post-Release Programming, Zachary D'Jon Weaver

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nearly 700,000 prisoners return to communities annually, and approximately two-thirds are rearrested within 3 years of release. The cyclic pattern of recidivism presents risks to both returning offenders and the communities that accept them. Reentry research tends to include the voice and experiences of juveniles, community members, and service providers, and narrowly focuses on the socioeconomic conditions of adult ex-offender populations pre- and post-release. Few researchers have explored the attitudes of those returning citizens or the perceived impact on treatment success, as related to employment-based, post-release reintegration programs. This study investigated the attitudes of 32 participants of Project Empowerment, the …

Predictors Of Recidivism For Offenders With Mental Illness And Substance Use Disorders, Linda Buckmon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental illness and substance use disorders have been determined to be leading predictors for recidivism among criminal offenders in the United States who are released to community supervision. Women make up an increasing in percentage of this criminal justice population; however, few studies have explored the role that gender plays in determining men and women's recidivism. Offender's education, employment, and peer association have also been reported to be predictors increasing the likelihood of recidivism among criminal offenders. This study was designed to determine if gender, mental illness, substance use disorder, employment, education, and peer association predicted recidivism. Differential association theory …

Predictors Of Community Supervision Failures Among Female Offenders, Fayola Wolfe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the predictors of community supervision failures amongst female offenders in the United States criminal justice system. Female offenders have, in comparison with male offenders, particular challenges for community reintegration. This study used the relational theory and Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory to investigate the effects of childhood trauma on adult female offenders' behaviors, including substance use disorder and mental health issues. Secondary archival data were obtained from the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency's AUTO Screener and Supervision and Management Automated Record Tracking System; this data pool included information on 1,085 female offenders who had served at …

The Impact Of Detention On Juvenile Recidivism In Montana: Is The Impact Of Detention Influenced By Other Factors?, Daniel N. Acton

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The purpose of this study is to identify the effect detention has on recidivism risk as well as to identify the degree to which the effect of detention on recidivism is influenced by other variables. The data for this analysis were collected by probation officers across Montana, using the Back on Track risk assessment instrument (N=840). Although detention was the topic of interest, this analysis also tested aspects of three popular criminological theories: social bond theory, self-control theory, and life-course persistent theory. Using logistic regression, the effects of detention and a variety of other risk factors are identified. Hypothesis one …

911 : Help Or Hindrance In Reducing Repeat Victimization, Kay Elizabeth Lang

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In my dissertation I examine two pieces of criminological knowledge in order to explore the point at which they converge. First, crime victims call the police for a variety of reasons, one of which is to stop future attacks; and second, research suggests that previous victimization is a significant predictor of future victimization. In my research I seek to expand current knowledge about repeat victimization using the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). I examine repeat victimization at the individual level, with crimes of violence, and at the household level, by examining residential burglary. But my project expands on existing knowledge …

Risk Assessment In Montana: Risk Factors Predictive Of Juvenile Offender Recidivism, Taylor Tillman

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.