Sociology Commons^™

Victim-Offender Overlap Among Incarcerated Youth In The United States: A Bivariate Probit Analysis Using National Data, Tzu-Ying Lo, Yu-Hsuan Liu, Amy Adamczyk

Publications and Research

For many crimes, people who are the perpetrators may also be the victims. While several studies have investigated the victim-offender overlap, very few have examined the relationship for incarcerated youth where institutional conditions can exacerbate the overlap. Drawing on ideas from routine activities theory, this study explores the victim-offender overlap among incarcerated American youth using data from the 2008–2009 National Survey of Youth in Custody (NSYC-1, N = 8,625) and the 2012 National Survey of Youth in Custody (NSYC-2, N = 8,125). Findings from a bivariate probit regression indicate that younger age, higher facility populations, negative perceptions of officer legitimacy, …

Framing The Immigrant In Labor Unions And The Military In The United States, Sofya Aptekar, Shannon Gleeson

Publications and Research

We present a comparative study of organizational discourses on immigrants in two cornerstone US institutions: labor unions and the US military, both powerful players in setting the terms of immigration debates and policies in the United States. How do unions and the military frame the role of immigrants within their institutions and in US society? We draw on qualitative content analysis of materials produced by AFL-CIO and the US military between 2000 and 2020. Despite significant differences in these institutions, we find that they share the following three core themes in their framing of immigrants: (1) immigrants as potential threats, …

Study Abroad Angst: A Literature Review On The Mental Health Of International Students During Covid-19, Daisuke Akiba, Michael Perrone, Caterina Almendral

Publications and Research

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique and unprecedented challenges for international students, those studying at institutions of higher education outside of their home countries, due to their distinct circumstances and vulnerabilities. This literature review examines the multifaceted mental health burdens they experienced and highlights the need for targeted support and interventions. Methods: A rigorous search across three databases (i.e., PubMed, PsycINFO, and ERIC) yielded 50 empirical studies for inclusion in this literature review. A six-phase thematic analysis framework was employed to identify and synthesize key themes. Results: Seven prominent themes emerged: (1) academic and professional disruptions; (2) challenges navigating international …

Major Crime Trends Differ In New York City And New York State, Jeffrey A. Butts, Gina Moreno

Publications and Research

Researchers at the John Jay College Research and Evaluation Center analyzed police-reported index crimes across New York State from 2010 to 2024, focusing on trends in violent and property offenses across three regional groups: New York City, its surrounding suburbs, and Upstate New York. While violent and property crimes declined statewide through 2020, both surged in NYC and its suburbs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Upstate regions showed continued or renewed declines. Per capita crime rates reveal more modest increases in NYC and notable decreases in other areas, underscoring regional disparities in crime trends post-2020.

Anti-Discrimination Clauses In Higher Education Collective Bargaining Agreements, William A. Herbert, Erin Ward, Karen Stubaus

Publications and Research

This report presents excerpts from 30 current or recent higher education collective bargaining agreements involving faculty, post-doctoral scholars, or graduate student employees along with hyperlinks to the full agreements. The excerpts are organized by institution and bargaining unit type: combined faculty collective bargaining units; non-tenure track faculty bargaining units; community college faculty bargaining units; post-doctoral scholar and academic researcher bargaining units; and graduate student employee bargaining units.

Synthesizing The Global English-Language Abortion Narrative: A Comparative Analysis Of Media Discourse, Amy L. Adamczyk, Lindsay J. Lerner

Publications and Research

Abortion is one of the most politically divisive topics currently being discussed in the media. No study has yet attempted to make cross-national comparisons assessing the nuances associated with various views on abortion in the English public press. Using an original hand-coded sample of over 800 English-language newspaper articles from 41 countries that mentioned abortion, we examine how country-level influences and newspaper characteristics shape newspaper portrayals of abortion. Our three-level hierarchical models find that democracy and the freedom it engenders increase the likelihood that newspapers discuss laws, policies, and government claimsmakers when abortion is mentioned. When abortion is legal, newspapers …

Minor Role Ii: Youth Under Age 18 And New York City Violence, Jeffrey A. Butts, Gina Moreno

Publications and Research

Researchers from John Jay College of Criminal Justice's Research and Evaluation Center analyzed NYPD arrest data from 2006 to 2024 (with 2024 figures estimated) to assess trends in felony assault, felony robbery, and felony weapon offenses across three age groups: under 18, 18–24, and 25 and older. The study examined concerns about youth crime following New York State’s “Raise the Age” law, which shifted most cases involving individuals under 18 to family court by 2019. While arrests rose across all age groups during the COVID-19 pandemic, trends among youth generally paralleled those of adults. Robbery arrests among youth increased more …

Reimagining Community Safety: Perceptions Of Policy And Practice In Five Cities, Patricia A. Cobar, Kathleen A. Tomberg, Fidel L. Osorio, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

The John Jay College Research and Evaluation Center (REC) and the Urban Institute partnered with the National League of Cities to support five U.S. cities in reimagining public safety through the Municipalities Reimagining Community Safety (MRCS) initiative, funded by Wells Fargo. As the research lead, JohnJay REC conducted a three-wave survey to assess local stakeholder perceptions of public safety strategies, focusing on efficacy and equity. Findings provided insight into city-level approaches to crime prevention and community well-being, informing evaluations of MRCS’s impact across diverse urban contexts.

The State Of The Unions 2024: A Profile Of Organized Labor In New York City, New York State, And The United States, Ruth Milkman, Joseph Van Der Naald

Publications and Research

This report released by the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, State of the Unions 2024: A Profile of Organized Labor in New York City, New York State, and the United States, is a part of an annual publication series, documents recent trends in unionization patterns. The CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies’ latest annual report on unionization patterns shows that private-sector union organizing efforts continued to increase across the country over the last year. The report documents that growth in union election petitions since 2020 has reversed a decade of decline, reaching a level not seen since …

Past And Present Of The Cvs: Empirical Research And Evidence-Based Policy, Kevin T. Wolff

Publications and Research

In this keynote address, I emphasized the critical role of accurate crime measurement in developing evidence-based policies. I discussed the "dark figure of crime," highlighting how many crimes go unreported, and stressed the importance of victimization surveys in uncovering these hidden crimes to provide a more complete picture of criminal activity.

I also explored how technological advancements, particularly AI, are transforming how we collect and analyze crime data. While AI offers significant benefits in predictive policing and resource allocation, I cautioned about the risks of bias and privacy issues that must be managed carefully.

Regional collaboration, standardization, and inclusivity are …

Strategies For Addressing Substance Abuse And Gambling Among Youth, Kevin T. Wolff

Publications and Research

This keynote address opens with a description of recent trends in substance use and gambling among youth, sharing insights from relevant research. I highlight that while some global trends indicate a decline in adolescent substance use, other areas, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, have seen increases. I emphasize the importance of comprehensive prevention strategies, such as school-based, community-based, and family-based programs, and effective treatment approaches like behavioral interventions and integrated mental health services.

On the topic of youth gambling, I highlight the rising normalization and accessibility of gambling, particularly through the internet. I describe specific challenges in regions like South …

Thinking Blue / Writing Red: Marxism And The (Post)Human, Stephen C. Tumino

Publications and Research

Thinking Blue/Writing Red interrogates contemporary culture across a range of texts, from the pandemic (‘Covid’ and ‘Trump Speak’) to high theory (Melville's narratives) and popular culture (Beyoncé's ‘Formation’ and Super Bowl performance, Twin Peaks , metamodern ‘cli-fi’ films). Inspired by Derrida’s idea of the secret, Tumino examines the significance of social movements (Black Lives Matter, Occupy, alter-globalization) and naïve art (Darger, Ryden) to argue that these texts speak of the secrets that capitalism cannot speak. Contending that the cultural surfaces narrate only the ‘nonsecret,’ that to see the social logic of the culture one must dig into what Bruno Latour …

Ticket Punch: The Consequences Of Fare Evasion Enforcement In New York City Subways, Sheyla A. Delgado, Gina Moreno, Fidel L. Osorio, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

Researchers at the John Jay College Research and Evaluation Center studied transit fare evasion in New York City subway stations from 2018 to 2023 as part of the NYPD's Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative. Analyzing fare evasion alongside arrest data and neighborhood characteristics, the study found no significant link between fare enforcement and overall arrest rates. However, fare evasion enforcement was concentrated in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, highlighting the influence of social factors on public safety practices.

‘A Storm Is Coming:' The New York Times Coverage Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In American Prisons, Katarzyna Celinska, Amina Cheboubi

Publications and Research

In this research, we analyzed the content of 171 articles published between March and August 2020 in the New York Times (NYT) on COVID-19 in American correctional institutions. We observed that the NYT coverage decreased significantly over 6 months. Our analysis uncovered 8 themes within two broader frames: institutional and systemic inequity. Although the themes are not mutually exclusive, we argue that ‘Responding to COVID-19,’ ‘A storm is Coming,’ ‘Collective Experience,’ and ‘Critiquing Prison Conditions’ are within the institutional framing. ‘Redefining Public Safety,’ ‘Categorizing Prisoners,’ ‘Doing Injustice,’ and ‘Making it as a Celebrity’ are the themes that highlight systemic inequity, …

It’S Not A Few, It’S All: How Political Elites Create And Construct The Meaning Of Terrorism And Apply It To An Entire Group, Jamarne Mcgill

Publications and Research

In the aftermath of the September 11th terror attacks, we witnessed political elites make adequate use of coded language in order to justify the implementation of an aggressive and punitive foreign policy in the Middle East. Terror attacks are disruptive, catastrophic events that tend to produce feelings of racial resentment and a desire for collective punishment toward an entire group of people. Although the perpetrators of a terror attack do not represent or speak for the majority of a much larger group, the general population of the nation or state that was attacked may not feel this way. Therefore, an …

The Relationship Between Healthcare Access And Change In Health-Related Quality-Of-Life Among The General Population Of Five Countries During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nadja Alexandrov, Emily Stella Scott, Mathieu F. Janssen, Erica I. Lubetkin, John N. Yfantopoulos, Gouke J. Bonsel, Juanita A. Haagsma

Publications and Research

Purpose To determine whether (1) healthcare access at onset of the pandemic and (2) age, gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and pre-existing health status were associated with change in health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study includes a general population sample of five countries.

Methods An online questionnaire was administered to respondents from Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic between April 22nd and May 5th of 2020, and 1 year later between May 23rd and June 29th of 2021. The questionnaire included questions on demographic background, health status, and …

Failure To Appear Across New York Regions, Stephen Koppel, René Ropac, Michael Rempel

Publications and Research

This study examines failure to appear in New York, a topic with important implications for the delivery of pretrial justice. It explores three primary questions: the nature of pretrial release decisions, the variation in FTA rates across different regions and demographics, and the predictors of FTA after controlling for various factors.

Collateral Consequences: The Effects Of Justice Processing For Violations Of Drug Laws In New York City, John K. Roman, Gregory Haugan, Benjamin Schapiro, Sofia Rodriguez

Publications and Research

As part of the NYC Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative, the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice partnered with the Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College and the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago to examine economic factors related to drug-related crimes and arrests. Focusing on Task 84 of the Reform Initiative Tracker, NORC researchers analyzed public data to explore how neighborhood-level economic indicators, such as property values and tax assessments, correlate with drug-related criminal justice contacts. The study supports ongoing efforts to implement and monitor reforms across New York City.

Analysis Of The Relationship Between Religion, Abortion, And Assisted Reproductive Technology: Insights Into Cross-National Public Opinion, Amy L. Adamczyk, Brittany Suh, Lindsay Lerner

Publications and Research

With advancement in reproductive technologies, public opinion regarding these procedures varies considerably across the world. While prominent public debates have focused on abortion, we know less about the factors shaping feelings regarding Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). Both procedures challenge the idea that human life starts with conception – with the fertilization of an embryo. Using European Values Survey data and multilevel modeling, we compare how religion and other personal and country-level factors shape disapproval toward abortion and ART. Conservative Protestants and people who are more engaged with their religion and live in a more religious country are more likely to …

Gender-Responsive Classification Of Women In Prison: A Typology Based On Mental Health Symptoms And Coping Strategies, Irina Fanarraga, Katarzyna Celinska

Publications and Research

Despite the increase in the incarceration rates of women, most correctional practices are still normed on male samples, including prison classification. Moreover, those classifications do not take into account women’s particular experiences, needs, and unique pathways to criminality. The current research proposes a typology based on female prisoners’ mental health symptoms and coping strategies. The data was derived from a survey conducted with 194 women housed in a Northeastern prison. A two-step clustering analysis was used to obtain three classification types—each with different symptomatology, coping mechanisms, demographic, and background characteristics. The results suggest that identifying and relying on needs-based typologies …

The Osborne Association Prepare Program: Recidivism Analysis, Kathleen A. Tomberg, Gina Moreno

Publications and Research

The Research and Evaluation Center (REC) at John Jay College of Criminal Justice partnered with the Osborne Association to evaluate Osborne’s Prepare program that aimed to improve relationships between formerly incarcerated fathers and their children using a family-centered approach. The workshops focused on parenting and workforce skills, and were supplemented with one year of follow-up support. The JohnJayREC team examined data from 578 participants from cohorts one through 47. The research team’s findings suggest Prepare was successful in helping individuals reconnect with their children and families.

Color Contrast: Racial And Ethnic Disparities In New York City Law Enforcement, Gina Moreno, Richard A. Espinobarros, Sheyla A. Delgado, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

Researchers at the John Jay College Research and Evaluation Center examined racial and ethnic disparities in arrest rates across New York City neighborhoods, focusing on assault and larceny offenses. Using 911 call data and demographic controls, the study grouped neighborhoods by proportions of Black and Hispanic residents and analyzed arrest patterns. While arrests of Black and Hispanic individuals were more common in neighborhoods with higher populations of these groups, the arrest-to-resident ratios revealed disproportionate impacts, especially for larceny. The findings highlight the importance of monitoring disparities to promote equitable justice practices.

So Many Roads, So Much At Stake: The Composition Of Faculty Bargaining Units, William A. Herbert, Joseph Van Der Naald

Publications and Research

This book chapter from Contingent Faculty and the Remaking of Higher Education: A Labor History traces the history of faculty bargaining unit composition in higher education. It examines the evolution in higher education from wall-to-wall bargaining units to professional craft units of tenured, tenure-track, and contingent faculty to separate contingent faculty units. The chapter presents historical examples of bargaining units, starting with early CIO wall-to-wall units in the 1940s, and the facts, preferences, and legal doctrines that has resulted in faculty being placed in combined or separate bargaining under collective bargaining laws. It will also explore the conflicting and congruous …

Technical Temporalities Of The Transitional Protest Movements, Talha C. Issevenler

Publications and Research

The concept of political time is unpacked through an analysis of the interactive, technologically mediated field between the state and social movements. The activities of protest movements are set in dialogue with state reason in order to theorize the temporality of political rationality as entangled with political affects (i.e., attachments to past political ideals and unmetabolized/unsymbolized technological propensities).

Differentially Unwell: On Mimi Khúc's "Dear Elia", Seo-Young J. Chu

Publications and Research

[...] Inviting readers to reclaim the stigma of unwellness and collectively to "tend to our unwellness, together," Khúc approaches unwellness as a crucial resource for subverting the "wellness and unwellness" dichotomy entirely. After all, the opposite of "wellness" is not "unwellness"; the opposite of "wellness" does not exist. The opposition itself is an artificial framework, one that reductively harms more than it dialogically helps. We need to move away from these simplistic dualisms, Khúc suggests, and towards more generous, trauma-informed epistemologies. [...]

An Accidental Sociologist Learns The Power Of Listening, Jessie Daniels

Publications and Research

A personal essay by a white sociologist describes her experience with becoming a sociologist and unlearning racism through a qualitative research project in which she had to transcribe interviews with middle-class Black Americans.

The Pleasure In Cruelty Is The Point: Reflections On The Souls Of White Jokes, Jessie Daniels

Publications and Research

"The Pleasure in Cruelty is the Point: Reflections on The Souls of White Jokes,"

Book review of The Souls of White Jokes: How Racist Humor Fuels White Supremacy. Stanford University Press, 2022, by Raúl Pérez, Reviewed by Jessie Daniels. Paperback ISBN: 9781503632332

To be published in:

Identities: Global Stuies in Culture and Power

Climate Change And Critical Agrarian Studies, Ian Scoones, Saturnino M. Borras Jr., Amita Baviskar, Marc Edelman, Nancy Peluso, Wendy Wolford

Publications and Research

Climate change is perhaps the greatest threat to humanity today and plays out as a cruel engine of myriad forms of injustice, violence and destruction. The effects of climate change from human-made emissions of greenhouse gases are devastating and accelerating; yet are uncertain and uneven both in terms of geography and socio-economic impacts. Emerging from the dynamics of capitalism since the industrial revolution — as well as industrialisation under state-led socialism — the consequences of climate change are especially profound for the countryside and its inhabitants. The book interrogates the narratives and strategies that frame climate change and examines the …

The Role Of Place Of Birth And Residence In Puerto Rican Health Disparities: Evidence From Disability Prevalence Among Archipelago- Vs. Mainland-Born Puerto Ricans, Mara Getz Sheftel, Frank W. Heiland

Publications and Research

Objectives: This paper provides new estimates of disability prevalence for the archipelago and mainland-residing Puerto Rican populations ages 40 and above and compares disability by place of birth and place of residence to investigate drivers of middle and older age health.

Methods: Large nationally representative samples from 2013 to 2017 American Community Survey and Puerto Rico Community Survey data are used to estimate age-specific disability prevalence for archipelago-born/archipelago-residing, archipelago-born/mainland-residing, mainland-born/mainland-residing Puerto Ricans.

Results: Mainland-born/ mainland-residing Puerto Ricans have the lowest age-adjusted disability rates and archipelago-born/archipelago-residing Puerto Ricans have the highest rates. Differences in education explain part of this disparity.

Discussion: …

Education And Religion In Shaping Support For Same-Sex Relations: Considering Differences Over Time And Across Geographical Areas, Amy Adamczyk, Ashely French

Publications and Research

Across the world, attitudes about same-sex relationships have become rapidly more supportive. While education is typically viewed as a liberalizing force, religious beliefs are often seen as restricting more tolerant perspectives and contributing to more conservative attitudes in general. Focusing on the United States this study examines the roles of religion and education, as individual and group properties, for understanding disapproval of same-sex relationships. Drawing on restricted information that makes it possible to identify where General Social Survey respondents lived, we find that graduating from college is associated with more support, but has less of an effect on Evangelicals and …