Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons^™

The Interaction Effects Of Subjective And Structural Factors On Crime Among Formerly Incarcerated Males, Christopher Alvin Veeh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The high rate of recidivism in the over 600,000 individuals who return from incarceration each year is an important social problem facing U.S. society and the criminal justice system. Efforts undertaken so far early in the 21st century to address the problem of recidivism in the formerly incarcerated, particularly prison reentry programs, have produced disappointing results at reducing the rate of recidivism. Therefore, there is a need to identify new ways for prison reentry programs to reduce recidivism among individuals recently returned from prison, and social work with its person-in-environment perspective can make an important contribution through conducting research to …

The Effectiveness Of Motivational Interviewing On Intimate Partner Violence Clients, Chelsea Drake

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The criminal justice response to perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) is often a rehabilitative group treatment called Batterers Intervention Programs (Bl). This thesis assesses the effects of motivational interviewing (Ml) on clients ordered to local probation for IPV. Records were collected on IPV offenders enrolled in BI, within a small city in the Southeast Criminal Justice Agency. The pre-MI data were gathered from 2006, and post-MI data from 2007-2008 after the implementation of Ml. This thesis focuses on the use of MI as an intervention to enhance clients' motivation to change. This research is guided by questions that involve …

The Fatherhood Factor: The Impact Of The Father-Child Relationship On The Social, Interpersonal, And Recidivism Risk Factors Of Previously Incarcerated Men, Larissa A. Maley

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Of the men who return home from prison, nearly 7 out of 10 will be re-arrested and sent back within 3 years of their release (Travis, Solomon, & Waul, 2001). This trend has large- scale implications, not just for individuals, but for their families and communities as well. Clearly, understanding the factors that contribute to a man’s success or failure in staying out of prison is extremely important in constructing policy and programs to assist these at-risk individuals and communities. Of the few studies that have explored the lives of previously incarcerated men, some have found fatherhood to be a …

An Equine-Facilitated Prison-Based Program: Human-Horse Relations And Effects On Inmate Emotions And Behaviors, Keren Bachi

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Policy makers and correctional authorities are seeking ways to enhance effectiveness of incarceration and reduce recidivism. Equine-facilitated prison-based vocational programs aim to rehabilitate inmates. Informed by the theories of attachment and desistance, this study evaluates the emotional and behavioral effects of such an intervention utilizing a quasi-experimental methodological triangulation design.

Recidivism and disciplinary misconduct are examined by clinical data-mining of institutional records. Propensity Score Matching, binary and multinomial logistic regressions are applied in a discrete-time event history analysis. Semi-structured interviews revealing the subjective experiences of participants are analyzed via the Listening Guide methodology. Quantitative questionnaires, exploring attachment and closeness to …

The Punishment Should Fit The Crime—Not The Prior Convictions Of The Person That Committed The Crime: An Argument For Less Impact Being Accorded To Previous Convictions, Mirko Bagaric

San Diego Law Review

The seriousness of the offense is the main consideration that should determine the severity of criminal punishment. This cardinal sentencing principle is undermined by the reality that often the criminal history of the offender is the most decisive sentencing consideration. Recidivists are frequently sent to imprisonment for long periods for crimes, which, when committed by first-time offenders, are dealt with by a bond, probation, or a fine. This makes sentencing more about an individual’s profile than the harm caused by the offender and has contributed to a large increase in prison numbers. Intuitively, it feels right to punish repeat offenders …

Incarceration And Reintegration: How It Impacts Mental Health, April M. Marier, Alex Alfredo Reyes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Background: Previous criminal justice policies have been non-effective leading to overpopulated prisons and unsuccessful reintegration. There is a lack of effective supportive and/or rehabilitative services resulting in high rates of recidivism and mental health implications. Objective: This study investigated the perceived impact that incarceration and reintegration with little to no supportive and/or rehabilitative services has on the mental health status of an individual. The emphasis was on participant perception and not on professional reports because of underreporting and lack of attention to mental health in the criminal justice system. Methods: Focus groups in the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley …

Prison Poetry Group, Master Of Fine Arts Creative Writing Program, College Of Liberal Arts, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Bay State Correctional Center

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Beginning in September 2012, a graduate student enrolled in UMass Boston’s MFA Creative Writing Program served as the volunteer instructor for a Poetry Group at Baystate Correctional Center. Through creative development and community discussion, this program, which operates during the academic year (September-May), facilitates positive behavioral change in order to eliminate violence, victimization, and recidivism.

Juvenile Diversion Programs: High-Risk Youth And Their Effect On Offense Targeting, Chelsey R. Warner

Political Science Theses and Capstones

One of the largest problems that plague the juvenile justice system today is how to better handle juvenile crime without causing the juvenile to revert back to that behavior, but still helping them understand and acknowledge the crime they have committed. The state of Minnesota has created juvenile diversion programs as an attempt to aid in that endeavor. These programs however are under researched. The goal of this article is to shed some light on what those programs look like and how some counties programs vary from other programs on other counties; specifically focusing on the variation between offense-targeting for …

The Sexual History Polygraph Examination And Its Influences On Recidivism, Roger Cook, William Barkley, Peter B. Anderson

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

The polygraph in postconviction sex offender testing is used to assist in the treatment and supervision of convicted sex offenders by more than 70% of the jurisdictions that supervise these offenders in the United States. Prior researchers have failed to convincingly demonstrate how the polygraph can be used to target risk behaviors and reduce recidivism. Consequently, the use of the sexual history polygraph examination (SHPE) has not been demonstrated to reduce recidivism. We sought answers as to how the SHPE influences the behaviors of sexual offenders required to undergo a SHPE, and whether or not there is a difference in …

The New Scarlet Letter? Negotiating The U.S. Labor Market With A Criminal Record, Steven Raphael

Upjohn Press

This book explores the difficulties facing ex-offenders as they try to enter and remain in the U.S. labor market.

Examining Barriers To Reentry Faced By Offenders In A Metropolitan County Jail And Community Setting, Kelly J. Russell

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

This study uses a strain theory approach to examine the barriers to community reentry faced by individuals being released from county detention facilities. Individuals who are reentering the community from jail face a variety of challenges, particularly when trying to access community resources. In almost every community, barriers to offender reentry include, but are not limited to, housing, benefit acquisition, healthcare, access to medications, identification, transportation, mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment and employment. While there has certainly been an increase in the amount of programs and services available for former offenders, research analysis presented here will identify what these …

Studies On Religion And Recidivism: Focus On Roxbury, Dorchester, And Mattapan, George Walters-Sleyon

Trotter Review

This research article raises the question of whether religion can be considered a viable partner in the reduction of the high rate of recidivism associated with the increasing mass incarceration in the United States. Can sustainable transformation in the life of a prisoner or former prisoner as a result of religious conversion be subjected to evidenced-based practices to derive impartial conclusions about the value of religion in their lives? With a particular focus on three neighborhoods of Boston—Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan—this study examines the relevance of religion and faith-based organizations in lowering the high rate of recidivism associated with incarceration …

A Path Analysis On The Acquisition Of Mental Health Treatment And The Effect Of That Treatment On Subsequent Offending, Gabriel Jude Saucedo

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to determine how various demographic and systemic factors interacted to either facilitate or hinder the acquisition of mental health treatment, and if once acquired, what effect did that treatment have on subsequent offending. Mental health treatment is viewed as an effective and cost effective way of reducing offending in this population. Unfortunately, research also indicates that many juveniles due to various demographic and systemic impediments, do not acquire the mental health treatment they need. Consequently, their symptoms deteriorate to the point they manifest as delinquent.

Community Reentry Programs And Their Effect On Recidivism:: A Study Of Life Skills Clients At The Denver County Jail, Valerie M. Gantzler

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Recidivism, or repeat offending, is prevalent among misdemeanants. Their sentences are usually short and become even shorter with mandates to keep county jails from overcrowding. These misdemeanants are then released from jail and go back to the same environments they were in before. Many of these people go on to commit the same or similar crimes and end up back in jail. Jails across the U. S. have begun implementing transitional programs in the hopes that providing repeat offenders with case management, counseling, and other services might enable them to break the habit of repeat offending and make better choices …

Juvenile Delinquency: An Investigation Of Risk Factors And Solutions., Lauren Cardoso

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

This article proposes that educational and community based programs can help juveniles stay away from crime and prevent recidivism. A presentation of federal and state statistics, along with an analysis of the risk factors for delinquency, will be provided in order to illustrate the important areas that should be addressed in successful programs. Testimonies, including personal interviews with those who have experience working at the RI Training School, DCYF, Boys' Town, Child and Family Services will be shared as evidence of the research found. Finally, recommendations based on the findings will be proposed.

Delinquents After Exile: A Review Of Aftercare Programs, Jeremy Olson, Daniel R. Lee

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

No abstract provided.

Prevention As The Primary Goal Of Sentencing: The Modern Case For Indeterminate Dispositions In Criminal Cases, Christopher Slobogin

San Diego Law Review

This Article contends that properly constituted, indeterminate sentencing is both a morally defensible method of preventing crime and the optimal regime for doing so, at least for crimes against person and most other street crimes.

More specifically, the position defended in this Article is that, once a person is convicted of an offense, the duration and nature of sentence should be based on a back-end decision made by experts in recidivism reduction, within broad ranges set by the legislature. Compared to determinate sentencing, the sentencing regime advanced in this Article relies on wider sentence ranges and explicit assessments of risk, …

Effectiveness Of Therapeutic Communities: A Comparison Of Prison-Based And Community-Based Therapeutic Communities, Nicole R. Roybal

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

This study was conducted to determine whether therapeutic communities can be used as a restorative justice policy to lower recidivism rates. Particularly, it investigated the effectiveness of two Colorado Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Therapeutic Communities (RSAT TC)as treatment to reduce recidivism for male inmates with substance abuse addiction. The first, the Crossroad to Freedom House Therapeutic Community at the Arrowhead Correction Center (ACC TC)is a prison-based program. The second, Peer 1 Therapeutic Community (Peer 1), is a community-based program. The object of this study was to examine these two Colorado therapeutic communities and whether or not they should be mandated …

Recidivism: A Multi-Level Explanation, Brian Eric Oliver

Dissertations

Numerous studies have shown that several characteristics of offenders are related to their likelihood of recidivism after release from prison. Nearly all of these studies, however, have focused on offenders from just one state. Few studies have examined recidivism rates controlling for the characteristics of offenders from multiple states, and virtually none have examined recidivism rates controlling for characteristics of offenders from multiple states during different periods of time. Additionally, few studies have explored different types of recidivism across multiple jurisdictions. To address these shortcomings, this dissertation applied logistic regression models to data from the publicly available Prisoners Released in …

The Prevalence And Predictive Nature Of Victimization, Substance Abuse & Mental Health On Recidivism: A Comparative Longitudinal Examination Of Male And Female Oregon Department Of Corrections Inmates, Anastacia Konstantinos Papadopulos

Dissertations and Theses

As a consequence of increased awareness and the current scholarly debate regarding women's differential predictors of recidivism, criminal justice agencies are working with researchers in the field to expand their knowledge in this area. In 2007, Portland State University researchers in collaboration with the Oregon Department of Corrections conducted an investigation of factors emerging in the pathways and gender responsive literature as predictive of women's recidivism in a randomly selected sample of female (n=150) and male (n=150) inmates. This study used information gathered from that investigation for two purposes: (1) to assess the prevalence rates of victimization experiences (childhood, adolescent …

Sex, Drug Courts, And Recidivism, Doria Nour Dandan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Research studies have identified gender differences in the drug abusing patterns and treatment needs of men and women. Even so, studies on the drug court model have not assessed drug court effectiveness across sex. Using secondary data collected from the Ada County Drug Court, the recidivism rates of drug court participants (n=259) and probationers (n=235) were analyzed. Drug court participants were found to be less likely to recidivate compared to probationers, which supports previous research on drug court effectiveness. Regression analyses failed to find an interaction between group membership and sex, thereby indicating that the effect of the drug court …

An Exemplar-Based Approach To Risk Assessment: Validating The Risk Management Systems Instrument, Bridget Kelly, Deborah K. Shaffer, Joel D. Lieberman

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

Using a sample of federal probationers, this study examines the predictive validity of the Risk Management Systems assessment instrument. The results indicate the RMS is predictive of arrest, technical violation, and unsuccessful termination from supervision.

Attitudes Towards Megan's Law And Juvenile Sex Offenders, Debra Lee Cochrane

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sex offender registration laws are very controversial. All fifty states require adult sex offenders to register. Twenty-eight states have extended registration and community notification requirements to juveniles (Hiller, 1998). These states seem to have failed to look at the uniqueness of juvenile sex offending. Juveniles have a very low recidivism rate and complex issues of culpability from age-of-consent laws. Applying Megan's Law to juveniles could have considerable negative consequences for juveniles' social development, particularly because one of the main stipulations of the law requires the juvenile to notify their school. Rehabilitation is a key factor of the juvenile justice system …

Entrepreneurship / Small Business Programming Within Correctional Facilities, Nancy M. Levenburg, Nikki J. Powers

Student Summer Scholars Manuscripts

The full-text download for this paper is an extensive abstract of the project.

A Validation Study Of Risk Management Systems, Bridget Kelly

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive validity of Risk Management Systems (RMS) as a risk assessment instrument. To date, a published validation study does not exist for the RMS. The study employs secondary data analysis to examine the predictive validity of RMS recidivism and violence scores on three outcomes: arrest, unsuccessful termination from supervision, and technical violations. The study sample consisted of 830 probationers from the United States Probation Office, District of Nevada. The analyses showed that RMS recidivism and violence scores were moderately predictive of all three outcomes.

Domestic Violence And The Air Force Family: Research Into Situational Dynamics And Evaluation Of The Air Force Family Advocacy Program, Thomas Peter Sherman

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Air Force Family Advocacy Program and examine the effects that situational dynamics have on recidivism. Although, the high volume of program participants and low recidivism rate demonstrated that the Family Advocacy Program is a valuable resource for treating families referred for spousal domestic violence.

The Recidivism Of Violent Youths In Juvenile And Adult Court: A Consideration Of Selection Bias, David Myers

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Contemporary research suggests that increased efforts to transfer juveniles to the adult criminal justice system may backfire, as waived youths generally exhibit greater recidivism as compared to similar offenders retained in juvenile court. One concern with this research is the possibility of selection bias, meaning that the findings could be explained as merely a simple consequence of the highest risk youth being transferred. This study examined this issue for 494 violent youths from Pennsylvania, of which 79 were waived to adult court and 415 were retained in juvenile court. The likelihood, seriousness, and timing of their recidivism were analyzed, with …

Comparison Of Education Level, Intelligence Quotient, And Higher Education Courses Of Individuals Who Commit Violent Crimes And Those Individuals Who Commit Nonviolent Crimes In Arkansas, W. Andranette Anderson-Blackwell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare education levels, intelligence quotients, and college courses taken or are being taken by criminal offenders who commit violent versus nonviolent crimes. One hundred males and 100 females from the states' correctional facilities were used as the sample. The sample was stratified according to four characteristics: type of crime committed (violent or nonviolent), ethnicity, age, and gender. The null hypothesis tested in this study was that there is no statistically significant difference, at the 0.05 level, in the educational levels or intelligence quotients of criminal offenders as to age, ethnicity, gender, …

Characteristics Of Recidivism Among Intensive And Regular Probationers., Jennifer Joseph

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined characteristics of 100 intensive probationers and 100 regular probationers to have a better understanding of why some probationers recidivate and others do not. Logistic analysis was used to analyze the following variables: age, race, gender, employment status, level of education, convicted offense, prior misdemeanor arrests, prior felony arrests, history of drug abuse, and type of probation. It was discovered that age, prior misdemeanor arrests, and offender category were significant variables correlated to recidivism. These findings are consistent with prior research and provide information that can be helpful to probation and parole officers in their supervision of offenders …

An Evaluation Of Washington State's First-Time Offender Waiver (Ftow), Marianne Galgon

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Considering the current staggering number of people under various forms of government supervision, reducing recidivism is a serious concern of the criminal justice system. A possible solution to this problem may lie in intensive supervision programs (ISPs) that were implemented in every state by 1990. This thesis evaluates Washington State's First-Time Offender Waiver (FTOW) to determine whether it is a viable alternative to prison for eligible nonviolent offenders. Specifically, I want to know: (1) Is there is a bias in who is sentenced with FTOW based on demographic variables? (2) Do FTOW recipients recidivate more or less compared to eligible …