Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons^™

Student Evaluations Of Teaching Are Mostly Awfully Wrong, Noel Otu, Ntiense E. Otu

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) have been used, researched, and debated for many decades. It is a common practice in higher education institutions, with the supposed purpose of improving course quality and effectiveness, but with unintended consequences of encouraging and motivating poor teaching and causing grade inflation. There is strong evidence that SET “effectiveness” does not measure teaching effectiveness. This paper reviews empirical research examining common concerns about the usefulness (positive and negative) and accuracy of SETs. The findings reveal that student satisfaction relates to their anticipated/expected grades in their courses; hence, they want to get good grades and their …

Measuring Success: An Evaluability Assessment For The Grand Forks Domestic Violence Court, Adam K. Matz, Roni Mayzer, Samantha Ledahl, Aj Buntrock

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

First implemented in the 1990s, specialized domestic violence courts represent one of several solutions developed to improve the response to domestic violence and enhance services for victims (Collins et al., 2021). Other solutions have included mandatory arrest and prosecutorial no-drop policies as well as increased funding support for victim services. There are reportedly over 300 DVCs in the United States as well as 50 in Canada and 100 in the United Kingdom (Eley, 2005; Gutierrez et al., 2016; Hemmens et al., 2020; Home Office, 2008; Tutty & Koshan, 2013). Based on input from a variety of key stakeholders including judges, …

A Survey Of Issues In The Recruitment, Hiring And Retention Of Law Enforcement Officers : Investigating The Rural-Urban Divide, Morgan Steele, Tamara Lynn, Abigail Hayes

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The continuing crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and issues surrounding disparate policing practices have illuminated an underlying issue facing law enforcement agencies: how to recruit, hire, and retain qualified officers. Using survey data from over 200 rural and urban agencies across three states, this article explores the various issues agencies have with recruitment and retention, paying particular attention to the apparent differences between agency type and size, as well as the extent of urbanization in the jurisdiction. The implications of and potential policy solutions to these issues are then discussed.

Rural Police Crime 2005-2017, Chloe A. Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson, John Liederbach

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences in National Harbor, MD, on March 17, 2023.

Off-Duty And Under Arrest: An Exploratory Study Of The Arrests Of Off-Duty Police Officers, 2005-2017, Taylor E. Henn, Chloe A. Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences in National Harbor, MD, on March 17, 2023.

An Exploratory Study Of Police Officers Arrested For Sex-Related Crimes, 2005-2017, Leah M. Jolliffe, Chloe A. Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences in National Harbor, MD, on March 17, 2023.

Police Crime Against Sex Workers In The United States, 2005-2017, Jillian G. Grzywna, Chloe A. Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences in National Harbor, MD, on March 17, 2023.

Family Violence Committed By Law Enforcement Officers In The United States, 2005-2017, Madison Raye Engelbert, Chloe A. Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences in National Harbor, MD, on March 17, 2023.

The Interconnectedness Of Criminal Offenses Committed By Law Enforcement Officers, 2005-2017, Jonathan R. Kutz, Chloe A. Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences in National Harbor, MD, on March 17, 2023.

Chippin ’ In: An Analysis Of The Criminological Concepts Within Cyberpunk 2077, Morgan Steele

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The cyberpunk genre dominates much of our popular culture, from how we think of cyber- and white-collar crime, to our understanding of how technology influences the criminal justice system. This article explores the common criminological themes prev- alent within the recent video game Cyberpunk 2077 as an example of popular crimi- nology. Specifically, it explores the game’s story and environment by examining key characters’ responses to structural inequalities through an anomie theory lens. Key characters and groups within the game exemplify Merton’s (1938) different responses to rampant poverty and socioeconomic inequality. This is then extended to the “cyberpsycho” problem within …

The Latina Experiences Of Intimate Partner Violence In The Rio Grande Valley, Lucas Enrique Espinoza, Luis Enrique Espinoza, Rosalva Resendiz, Georgina Villegas-Montenegro

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a severe public health and criminal justice issue that disproportionately affects women more than men. This sought to explore Latina experiences of IPV in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). Twelve Latina IPV survivors from the RGV, ages 24 to 40 years old, were interviewed using purposive and snowball sampling methods. Several primary themes were discovered: types of abuse; perceived reasons for the abuse; education and economic insecurity; why stay or leave an abusive relationship; the criminal justice system’s role; and self blaming. All participants (n = 12) were college educated and endured IPV victimization at …

Police Body Cameras And Liability Insurance: The Deterrent To Police Misconduct?, Noel Otu, Ben-Edet Emmanuel, Edidiong Mendie, Ihekwoba Declan Onwudiwe

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 propose mandatory body cameras for all uniformed federal officers in the United State. Advocates of this policy insist the practice will enhance police accountability and has the potential to also reduce police misconduct. In the same vein, advocates of mandatory liability insurance for police officers argue the policy will likely deter police officers from engaging in misconduct. How effective these policies are in enhancing police accountability and reducing police misconduct remains debatable. T his paper examined the arguments for whether or not police body cameras have positively influenced police officers’ behavior based on …

Why Do The Police Reject Counseling? An Examination Of Necessary Changes To Police Subculture. Necessary Changes To Police Subculture., Noel Otu, Ntiense E. Otu

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This paper reviews the concept of police subculture and examines its role in the management and acceptance of treatment for stress-related injury. In particular, we examine the impact of stigma that attaches to treatment within this subculture. The persistence of the dominant police subculture remains a significant obstacle to officers seeking treatment for stress-related illnesses. The subculture has historically resisted acknowledging the need for treatment in response to the occupational and/or organizational stress-related injury that results from frequent exposure to work-related trauma. Many police administrators are still embedded within and resist changes to the subculture, which results in an atmosphere …

Driving While Female: An Exploratory Study Examining Law Enforcement’S Abuse Of Power Against Female Drivers, 2005-2017, Alexa J. Sir Louis, Chloe A. Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association in Chicago, IL, on September 22, 2022.

Police Officers Arrested For Driving Under The Influence, 2005-2017, Leah M. Jolliffe, Chloe A. Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association in Chicago, IL, on September 22, 2022.

Police Crime Committed In Tandem: An Exploration Of The Interconnectedness Of Offenses Committed By Law Enforcement Officers, 2005-2017, Jonathan R. Kutz, Chloe A. Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association in Chicago, IL, on September 22, 2022.

Racial Tension, Public Mistrust, And Policing: Insights From Police Leaders In The Rio Grande Valley (Rgv)- A Research Note, Marika Dawkins-Cavazos

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This paper presents preliminary insights from police leaders in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), a southwestern border region of the United States. Perceptions among minority police leaders with respect to minority-police interactions have received little attention. To better understand the perceptions of minority police leaders, this study focused on whether police leaders in a predominantly Hispanic region of the country perceive that racial tensions influence police-community interactions. Using a purposive sample of 29 police leaders, preliminary results suggest that recent high-profile incidents have had some impact on how officers do their jobs. Implications for public policy and suggestions for future …

Assessing The Overlap Between Cyberstalking Victimization And Face-To-Face, Sexual Victimization Among South Korean Middle And High School Students, Jaeyong Choi, Brandon Dulisse, Sungil Han

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

While there is a growing empirical literature on victimization in the virtual world, limited scholarship has examined the potentially overlapping relationship between cyberstalking victimization and face-to-face sexual victimization. The current study uses data from a sample of 7,109 middle and high school students in South Korea to investigate the extent to which the overlap exists between cyberstalking victimization and face-to-face sexual victimization. Additionally, we examine whether the two forms of victimization are the outcome of the same underlying mechanisms. The results from bivariate probit models show a significant degree of overlap between cyberstalking victimization and face-to-face sexual victimization. Being a …

Improving Coordination For Children Of Incarcerated Parents, Lea Quam, Adam K. Matz, Roni Mayzer, Danielle Korsmo, Maria Kerzmann, Marcy Hilzendeger

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The Annie E. Casey Foundation estimates about 10,000 children in North Dakota have experienced some form of parental incarceration. Compared to non-Hispanic Caucasians, Native American children are 2 to 5 times more likely to have an incarcerated parent. Based on national data, over 50% of all imprisoned individuals in state and federal prisons have minor children, with 64% of mothers and 47% of fathers living with their child prior to arrest or incarceration.

The Trends And Patterns Of Crime In Ghana: The Case Of Robbery, Joseph Appiahene-Gyamfi

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The study utilized the official police data that included the robbery incident addresses/spots to explore the incidence, volume, trends, and patterns of robbery in Ghana from 2014 to 2017. There were 5696 robbery cases of which the highest, 1772 cases, were recorded in 2017, and the lowest cases, 1116 recorded in 2014 reported to the police during this period. The daily average robberies were 3 cases in 2014, 4 cases each in 2015 and 2016, and 5 cases in 2017. The robbery per 100,000 of population in 2014 was 4.1 persons. In 2015, the rate was 5 persons, in 2016 …

Fatal Victims Of Police Crime: An Exploratory Study Of Law Enforcement Officers Arrested For Fatal Crimes, 2005‐2016, Alexa J. Sir Louis, Chloe A. Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Las Vegas, NV, on March 18, 2022.

Police Crime Arrests Across The United States, 2005‐2016, Alexis M. Faile, Chloe A. Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Las Vegas, NV, on March 18, 2022.

Bench Vs. Jury Trials Convictions And Sentencing Outcomes For Arrested Officers, 2005-2016, Bethany R. Sager, Philip M. Stinson, Chloe A. Wentzlof

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Las Vegas, NV, on March 18, 2022.

Police Crime In Rural Areas Across The United States, John Liederbach, Philip M. Stinson, Chloe A. Wentzlof

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Las Vegas, NV, on March 18, 2022.

An Exploration Of The Nature And Disposition Of Crimes Committed By Sheriffs And Sheriff’S Deputies, Adam M. Watkins, Chloe A. Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson, John Liederbach

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Las Vegas, NV, on March 18, 2022.

On-Duty Fatal Police Shootings: Patterns Of Officers Charged With Homicide Offenses, 2005-2021, Chloe A. Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Las Vegas, NV, on March 18, 2022.

Drug-Related Police Crime: An Exploratory Study Of Law Enforcement Officers Arrested For Drug-Related Offenses, 2005‐2016, Jarrod Sutton, Chloe A. Wentzlof, Philip M. Stinson

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Las Vegas, NV, on March 18, 2022.

Interventions Pertinent To Children Of Incarcerated Parents, Adam K. Matz, Roni Mayzer, Mandy Herberholz

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

One in 12 children will have a parent incarcerated at some point in their lifetime, with a staggering rate of one in four for African American children (Wildeman et al., 2018). Though the incarcerated populations have been in decline across the United States in the past decade (Carson, 2020), its impact still dwarfs that of most other countries (Coyle et al., 2016). The long-term residual consequences of the country’s imprisonment binge are likely to burden later generations through a myriad of social and economic disadvantages that extend through the children of today’s prisoners. Consequences may manifest in terms of social …

Criminogenic Risk Factors And Mental Illness: An Examination Of The 2010 Kelly Elementary School Shooter, Brendan Liam O'Rourke, Gordon A. Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The purpose of this presentation is to examine school violence perpetrator Mr. Brendan Liam O'Rourke and his involvement in the Kelly Elementary School playground shooting in Carlsbad, California, on October 8, 2010.

Most people suffering from mental illness are not violent, unless they are abusing substances or their mental illness is untreated (i.e., never diagnosed or not taking their medication because they do not think they need them, thus anosognosia).

This mentally ill offender, suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, will be examined through the lens of "8 Criminogenic Risk Factors". Relying upon the work of Andrews et al., Osher …

Where There's A Will There's A Way: Examining The Possible Impacts Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Incidents Of Mass Violence In The Usa, Gordon A. Crews, Garrison A. Crews, Samantha Leigh Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

“Where there’s a will there’s a way” is a proverb that simply means if someone is determined to do something, he or she will find a way to accomplish it regardless of obstacles. Unfortunately, this is very true for those who wish to commit acts of violence wish to commit acts of violence. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the possible impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on incidents of mass and multiple victim violence in the US. More specifically, what impact did efforts such as stay-athome/shelter-in-place orders, telecommuting options for workers, school closures, cancellation of large public events, …