Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons^™

School Resource Officer And Patrol Officer Perceptions Of Roles And Job Satisfaction, Trisha Rhodes

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Despite growing research on police in schools, there is relatively little known about how the school environment influences officers. School resource officer (SRO) programs increase the range of traditional roles and include activities that may conflict with law enforcement roles, such as mentoring, advising, and teaching. Officers who experience ambiguous or conflicting role expectations may be less satisfied with their work. Officer job satisfaction may also be influenced by individual characteristics, such as locus of control. Importantly, job satisfaction is linked with work performance, and SROs’ work affects the lives of youth, parents, and school staff. The present study examined …

Adult Justice In Nebraska 2015, Nebraska Center For Justice Research, University Of Nebraska At Omaha, Jared Ellison, Ryan E. Spohn

Reports

The Nebraska Center for Justice Research was established in 2014 with a mission to develop and sustain research capacity internal to the State of Nebraska. Our hope is to assist the Legislature in research, evaluation, and policymaking to reduce recidivism, promote the use of evidence-based practices, and improve public safety. The primary purpose of this report is to provide an overview of recent trends in Nebraska’s adult criminal justice system. Most of the data in this report is presented statewide as well as separated into Nebraska’s twelve judicial districts. Nebraska’s two most metropolitan counties are represented by District 4 (Douglas …

Nebraska Coalition Of Juvenile Justice Strength-Based Assessment, Ryan E. Spohn

Reports

The Nebraska Coalition for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ) was established in 1982, as required by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act and acts as an advisory group to the Nebraska Crime Commission. In 2013, NCJJ submitted a technical assistance request for strategic planning to the State Relations and Assistance Division of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) seeking assistance in the development of an action oriented, strategic plan to guide its future activities. The OJJDP technical assistance meeting occurred on May 30th and 31st, 2013.

One of the recommendations resulting from this technical assistance meeting was that …

Nebraska Center For Justice Reseach: 2015 Annual Report, Ryan E. Spohn, Jared M. Ellison

Reports

The Nebraska Center for Justice Research (NCJR) was established in 2014 with a mission to develop and sustain criminal justice research capacity internal to the State of Nebraska. Our goal is to assist the Legislature, justice agencies, practitioners, foundations, and stakeholders with research and evaluation to reduce recidivism, promote the use of evidence-based practices, and improve public safety. This inaugural annual report summarizes the activities and financial status of NCJR in its first year

Colorado’S Legalization Of Medicinal Marijuana: The Effects On Nebraska’S Law Enforcement And Local Jail System, Jared M. Ellison, Ryan E. Spohn

Reports

With the passage of Amendment 20 in 2000 and Amendment 64 in 2012, Colorado legalized the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana. Subsequently, Nebraskan law enforcement agencies in border counties have reported increases in arrests and jail admissions for marijuana-related offenses. In response, the Nebraska Legislature passed Legislative Resolution 520 to study potential increased costs incurred by criminal justice agencies in border counties.

In order to better understand how Colorado drug policy may have affected counties along the border, we compared trends in marijuana-related criminal justice activity among county agencies following the enactment of both Amendments. Border county arrests, jail …

Adult Justice In Nebraska, Ryan E. Spohn

Reports

The Nebraska Center for Justice Research was established in 2014 with a mission to develop and sustain research capacity internal to the State of Nebraska. Our hope is to assist the Legislature in research, evaluation, and policymaking to reduce recidivism, promote the use of evidence-based practices, and improve public safety. The primary purpose of this report is to provide an overview of recent trends in Nebraska’s adult criminal justice system.

Most of the data in this report is presented statewide as well as separated into Nebraska’s twelve judicial districts. Nebraska’s two most metropolitan counties are represented by District 4 (Douglas …

Annual Report 2015, Nebraska Center For Justice Research, University Of Nebraska At Omaha, Ryan E. Spohn

Reports

The Nebraska Center for Justice Research (NCJR) was established in 2014 with a mission to develop and sustain criminal justice research capacity internal to the State of Nebraska. Our goal is to assist the Legislature, justice agencies, practitioners, foundations, and stakeholders with research and evaluation to reduce recidivism, promote the use of evidence-based practices, and improve public safety. This inaugural annual report summarizes the activities and financial status of NCJR in its first year. From a research standpoint, we are very excited about the reports our Center has produced in its inaugural year. For example, we created a Trends in …

The Completely Kids Liberty Project 2014-2015 Evaluation Results, Nebraska Center For Justice Research, University Of Nebraska At Omaha, Completely Kids, Category One Consulting

Reports

The Completely KIDS (CK) program at Liberty Elementary was evaluated to determine its relationship with youth program outcomes. The data were analyzed and the report was compiled by Category One Consulting. On average students attended Completely KIDS 142 days, which is substantially higher than the previous two years. Students and parents rated the program very highly, both in terms of satisfaction and student outcomes. Students who attended more days of CK attended more days of school compared to students who attended less days of CK. Pre-K through second grade students who attended more days of CK tended to have better …

Justice Assistance Grant Strategic Plan 2016 To 2018, Anne M. Hobbs, Ryan E. Spohn

Reports

n 2015, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) began working in conjunction with Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice (Nebraska Crime Commission or NCC) to create a 3-year strategic plan for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) funding. The JAG Program, (42 U.S.C. § 3751(a)) is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, providing critical funding necessary to support a range of program areas. JAG funding is awarded annually and the applicant must show how funds will be used to improve or enhance the criminal justice system.

Nebraska Coalition Of Juvenile Justice Strength-Based Assessment, Ryan E. Spohn

Reports

The Nebraska Coalition for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ) was established in 1982, as required by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act and acts as an advisory group to the Nebraska Crime Commission. In 2013, NCJJ submitted a technical assistance request for strategic planning to the State Relations and Assistance Division of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) seeking assistance in the development of an action oriented, strategic plan to guide its future activities. The OJJDP technical assistance meeting occurred on May 30th and 31st, 2013. One of the recommendations resulting from this technical assistance meeting was that …

Colorado’S Legalization Of Medicinal Marijuana: The Effects On Nebraska’S Law Enforcement And Local Jail System, Jared Ellison, Ryan E. Spohn

Reports

Purpose: Examine trends in law enforcement and corrections related to the possession and sale of marijuana in Nebraska subsequent to the legalization of medicinal marijuana in Colorado. Comparison groups of counties: We are assuming that the impact of marijuana in Colorado will be most substantial for Nebraska counties bordering Colorado. We assume that the next strongest impact will be for Nebraska counties along the I-80 corridor. The least impact of Colorado’s marijuana laws should be found in our “control counties” which neither border Colorado nor contain I-80.

Marijuana Enforcement In Nebraska (2009-2014), Nebraska Center For Justice Research, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Reports

Purpose Examine trends in law enforcement and corrections related to the possession and sale of marijuana in Nebraska in the first full year of recreational legalization in Colorado. County Group and Statewide Comparison According to the testimony of county and state officials in September 2014, counties along the border, in the panhandle, and along the I-80 corridor should be the hardest hit by increases in marijuana arrests, jail admissions and associated costs. These differences should be especially pronounced when these county groups are compared to the remainder of the counties in Nebraska. In addition, we compare these trends to overall …

Nebraska Department Of Correctional Services Reentry Initiative Vocational & Life Skills Program Grant Announcement - Application For Funding, Uno Nebraska Center For Justice Research

Reports

The NDCS Reentry Initiative involves a systemic approach for individuals to return to their communities. Reentry is not a “program”, it is an intentional mind-set; it is a method of facilitating the incarcerated and/or supervised individual’s return to his/her community as a productive and law abiding citizen.

Successful reentry:

 Provides increased public safety by reducing the number of victims

o This is achieved by reducing the likelihood of continued criminal behavior, essentially lowering the recidivism rate

 Provides a plan for assessing and addressing risks and needs

o This plan involves a reentry-focused case management system from first contact …

Examining The Effects Of Nebraska's Good Time Laws - Research Brief, Benjamin M. Steiner, Calli M. Cain

Reports

The purpose of this research brief is to summarize the findings of a study of Nebraska’s good time laws conducted by Dr. Benjamin Steiner and Calli Cain for the Nebraska Center for Justice Research at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. An electronic copy of the full report can be accessed through the link at the end of this brief. This brief lists each of the three specific research questions, the primary findings for each question, and the major conclusion from each set of findings. Please refer to the full report for the executive summary, full findings, and methodological details of the …

Examining The Effects Of Nebraska's Good Time Laws - Final Report, Benjamin M. Steiner, Calli M. Cain

Reports

Sentencing credit laws provide opportunities for inmates to gain a reduction in their prison sentence, and such laws have at least four intended goals: 1) reducing prison populations; 2) promoting prosocial behavior during imprisonment by offering inmates incentive for good behavior and/or deterring them from engaging in antisocial behavior; 3) reducing recidivism by providing offenders incentive for good behavior and participation in rehabilitative programming; and, 4) lowering correctional costs (Lawrence & Lyons, 2011; Weisburd & Chayet, 1989).

The state of Nebraska currently has a sentencing credit law that automatically awards good time credits to inmates. The study described in this …

Trends In Young Adult Male Incarceration Admissions In Nebraska, Jonathan R. Brauer

Reports

Contents: Notes/Acknowledgements; Executive Summary; General Admission Trends; Admissions by Race/Ethnicity; Admissions by Offense Type; Average Sentence Lengths; and Estimated Incarceration Costs.

Examining The Effects Of Nebraska's Good Time Laws: Final Report, Benjamin M. Steiner, Calli Cain

Reports

Sentencing credit laws provide opportunities for inmates to gain a reduction in their prison sentence, and such laws have at least four intended goals: 1) reducing prison populations; 2) promoting prosocial behavior during imprisonment by offering inmates incentive for good behavior and/or deterring them from engaging in antisocial behavior; 3) reducing recidivism by providing offenders incentive for good behavior and participation in rehabilitative programming; and, 4) lowering correctional costs (Lawrence & Lyons, 2011; Weisburd & Chayet, 1989). The state of Nebraska currently has a sentencing credit law that automatically awards good time credits to inmates. The study described in this …

Examining The Effects Of Nebraska's Good Time Laws: Research Brief, Benjamin Steiner, Calli Cain

Reports

The purpose of this research brief is to summarize the findings of a study of Nebraska’s good time laws conducted by Dr. Benjamin Steiner and Calli Cain for the Nebraska Center for Justice Research at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. An electronic copy of the full report can be accessed through the link at the end of this brief. This brief lists each of the three specific research questions, the primary findings for each question, and the major conclusion from each set of findings. Please refer to the full report for the executive summary, full findings, and methodological details of the …

Trends In Young Adult Male Incarceration Admissions In Nebraska, 2000-2013: Final Report, Jonathan R. Brauer, Nebraska Center For Justice Research, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Reports

No abstract provided.

Evidence Based Practice In Juvenile Justice: Nebraska White Paper, Richard L. Wiener, Anne M. Hobbs, Ryan E. Spohn

Reports

This White Paper is the product of the collaborative effort of the University of Nebraska/Lincoln (UNL) Law and Psychology Program, the University of Nebraska/Omaha (UNO) Consortium for Crime and Justice Research and the UNO Juvenile Justice Institute. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview for understanding, testing, and developing Evidence Based Practice (EBP) interventions that make rehabilitative services available to children in the juvenile justice system. The paper begins with a summary of a proposal for a classification system of EBP programs in the Juvenile Justice System in Nebraska and then goes on to explain the logic …

Evidence Based Practice In Juvenile Justice: Nebraska White Paper, Richard L. Wiener, Anne M. Hobbs

Reports

This White Paper is the product of the collaborative effort of the University of Nebraska/Lincoln (UNL) Law and Psychology Program, the University of Nebraska/Omaha (UNO) Consortium for Crime and Justice Research and the UNO Juvenile Justice Institute. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview for understanding, testing, and developing Evidence Based Practice (EBP) interventions that make rehabilitative services available to children in the juvenile justice system. The paper begins with a summary of a proposal for a classification system of EBP programs in the Juvenile Justice System in Nebraska and then goes on to explain the logic …

Trends In Adult Justice, Jared M. Ellison, Ryan E. Spohn

Reports

The Nebraska Center for Justice Research was established in 2014 with a mission to develop and sustain research capacity internal to the State of Nebraska. Our hope is to assist the Legislature in research, evaluation, and policymaking to reduce recidivism, promote the use of evidence-based practices, and improve public safety. The primary purpose of this report is to provide an overview of recent trends in Nebraska’s adult criminal justice system.

Most of the data in this report is presented statewide as well as separated into Nebraska’s twelve judicial districts. Nebraska’s two most metropolitan counties are represented by District 4 (Douglas …

Transformation Project Annual Report, Uno Nebraska Center For Justice Research

Reports

For years debate has rumbled in this country over prison overcrowding. More recently, there has been an additional spotlight on issues that are exacerbated when prisons are over capacity, such as prison rape and the use of restrictive housing (housing inmates in isolated conditions). In the case of prison rape, federal standards have been placed on institutions through the passage of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). General consensus among corrections professionals is that a lack of internal action diminished their voice during the creation of the PREA standards. There is consequently a large motivation for correctional institutions to work …

Trends In Adult Justice 2014, Jared Ellison, Ryan E. Spohn, Nebraska Center For Justice Research, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Reports

The Nebraska Center for Justice Research was established in 2014 with a mission to develop and sustain research capacity internal to the State of Nebraska. Our hope is to assist the Legislature in research, evaluation, and policymaking to reduce recidivism, promote the use of evidence-based practices, and improve public safety. The primary purpose of this report is to provide an overview of recent trends in Nebraska’s adult criminal justice system. Most of the data in this report is presented statewide as well as separated into Nebraska’s twelve judicial districts. Nebraska’s two most metropolitan counties are represented by District 4 (Douglas …

The Transformation Project: 2014 Annual Report, Nebraska Center For Justice Research, University Of Nebraska At Omaha, H. Daniel Butler, Starr Solomon, Ryan E. Spohn, Daniel Patrick O'Dell, Laura Schoenrock

Reports

For years debate has rumbled in this country over prison overcrowding. More recently, there has been an additional spotlight on issues that are exacerbated when prisons are over capacity, such as prison rape and the use of restrictive housing (housing inmates in isolated conditions). In the case of prison rape, federal standards have been placed on institutions through the passage of the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). General consensus among corrections professionals is that a lack of internal action diminished their voice during the creation of the PREA standards. There is consequently a large motivation for correctional institutions to work …

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 …

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 …

The Role Of Vicarious And Anticipated Strain On The Overlap Of Violent Perpetration And Victimization: A Test Of General Strain Theory, Egbert Zavala, Ryan E. Spohn

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Numerous studies have documented a relationship between criminal offending and violent victimization. That is, people who commit criminal behavior are also more likely to be victimized. As such, criminological theories traditionally used to explain criminal behavior have now been applied to explain victimization. The current study examines whether Agnew’s general strain theory can explain the offender-victim overlap using a nationally representative sample of males. Results show that vicarious strain is positive and significant in predicting both victimization and perpetration. Anticipated strain was found only to be significant and positive in predicting victimization, but not perpetration. The study’s limitations and future …

Nebraska Sex Offender Registry Study: Interim Report, Ryan E. Spohn

Reports

Sexual victimization is of great concern to the public, as evidenced by the legislative attention it has received over the last twenty years (Adkins, Huff, and Stageberg 2000; Levenson 2006; Sample and Kadleck 2008; Schram and Milloy 1995; Walker et al. 2005; Zevit 2006). To help increase public safety and address public concern, corrections departments nationwide have adopted some form of risk classification and assessment instrument for offenders who have been convicted of sex crimes (Richardson and Huebner 2006). Some of the most popular risk assessment instruments include the STATIC 99, RRASOR, MnSOST, SORAG, and ASRS (Richardson and Huebner 2006; …

Nebraska Offender Registry Study: Interim Report, Consortium For Crime And Justice Research, University Of Nebraska At Omaha, Ryan E. Spohn

Reports

Sexual victimization is of great concern to the public, as evidenced by the legislative attention it has received over the last twenty years (Adkins, Huff, and Stageberg 2000; Levenson 2006; Sample and Kadleck 2008; Schram and Milloy 1995; Walker et al. 2005; Zevit 2006). To help increase public safety and address public concern, corrections departments nationwide have adopted some form of risk classification and assessment instrument for offenders who have been convicted of sex crimes (Richardson and Huebner 2006). Some of the most popular risk assessment instruments include the STATIC 99, RRASOR, MnSOST, SORAG, and ASRS (Richardson and Huebner 2006; …