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Investigating Perceptions Of Race And Ethnic Diversity Among Prospective Police Officers, Natalie Todak, Jessica Huff, Lois James

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Many have suggested police diversity will improve police-community relations, but research testing this hypothesis is inconclusive. We investigated perceptions of police race, ethnicity, and diversity in a heterogeneous sample of prospective police officers. Data are drawn from interviews with 42 criminal justice college students in the Southwestern United States, of which 15 were Hispanic, and who each wanted to become a police officer. Participants supported diversity in policing, and collectively expressed a belief that race plays a central role in policing today. Furthermore, participants expressed support for the ideals of both passive and active representative bureaucracy. Hispanics in the sample …

When Bad News Arrives: Project Hope In A Post-Factual World, Francis T. Cullen, Travis C. Pratt, Jillian J. Turanovic, Leah C. Butler

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

On the basis of limited empirical evidence, advocates of Project HOPE (Hawaii’s Opportunity Probation with Enforcement) have succeeded in spreading the model to a reported 31 states and 160 locations. A recent randomized control experiment across four sites has revealed negative results: no overall effect on recidivism. In this context, we examine how prominent advocates of Project HOPE have coped with the arrival of this “bad news.” Despite null findings from a “gold standard” evaluation study, advocates continue to express confidence in the HOPE model and to support its further implementation. The risk thus exists that Project HOPE is entering …

Contents Full Article Content List Abstract Introduction How Media Affects Attitudes Media And Law Enforcement Public Perception Of And Support For Torture Linking Public Opinion And Policy Experimental Design Participants Results Discussion Future Directions Policy Implications Acknowledgements Notes References Did You Struggle To Get Access To This Article? This Product Could Help You Lean Library Figures & Tables Article Metrics Related Articles Cite Share Request Permissions Explore More Download Pdf Open Epub “If Torture Is Wrong, What About 24?” Torture And The Hollywood Effect, Erin M. Kearns, Joseph K. Young

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Since 9/11, entertainment media has focused on depictions of terrorism and counterterrorism. How do dramatic depictions of counterterrorism practices—specifically torture—affect public opinion and policy? Using a mixed within-subjects and between-subjects experimental design, we examine how framing affects support for torture. Participants (n = 150) were randomly assigned to a condition for dramatic depictions showing torture as (a) effective, (b) ineffective, or (c) not present (control). Participants who saw torture as effective increased their stated support for it. Participants who saw torture—regardless of whether or not it was effective—were more likely to sign a petition on …

Police Research, Officer Surveys, And Response Rates, Justin Nix, Justin T. Pickett, Hyunin Baek, Geoffrey P. Alpert

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

In recent years, policing scholars have increasingly used survey methods to gain insight into officers’ attitudes and behaviours. Yet, surprisingly, methodological research analysing surveys of police officers is rare. We analysed the extent and correlates of response rates in police surveys, providing insights about the survey design features and study characteristics associated with higher rates of officer participation. We examined the response rates to 497 police surveys reported in 390 articles published in 15 journals from 2008 to 2017. Findings included the following: (1) the average response rate was 64%, but there was a great deal of variation, (2) in-person …

Why Are Some Officers More Supportive Of Community Policing With Minorities Than Others?, Erin M. Kearns

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Officers are not equally supportive of community policing despite its potential for improving police–citizen relationships. Research has yet to identify and explain variations in officer support for community policing with racial minorities. Using roll-call surveys with 741 officers in three departments, this project addressed two questions: Do officers differ in their support for community policing across racial groups? And, if so, why? Officers are less supportive of community policing with racial minorities and perceive greater social distance from minority groups. General support for community policing and lower perceived social distance from a minority community are linked with greater support for …

Factors Associated With Reporting Of Sexual Assault Among College And Non-College Women, Ryan E. Spohn, Abby L. Bjornsen-Ramig, Emily M. Wright

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine factors impacting college and non-college women reporting sexual assault to police. The goal is to increase knowledge regarding differences in the rates of reporting and reasons for reporting across these two groups.

Design/methodology/approach

Participants were drawn from a national telephone survey of US women and a sample of US college women. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine factors influencing the reporting of sexual assault to police.

Findings

Non-college women were more likely than college women to report to police. Women who perceived their victimization as rape were much more …

Support For Political Mobilization And Protest In Egypt And Morocco: An Online Experimental Study, Anthony F. Lemieux, Erin M. Kearns, Victor Asal, James Igoe Walsh

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Why do individuals engage in or support acts of contentious politics? Building from previous work, this article uses a 2 (high/low grievance) × 2 (high/low risk) × 2 (high/low opportunity) online experimental design to examine the impact of these factors on political action with participants from Egypt (n = 517) and Morocco (n = 462). Participants assumed a first-person perspective as a member of a fictional oppressed ethnic minority group in one of eight vignettes. Participants then indicated the extent to which they would engage in various forms of protest and violence, and how justified such actions were. …

Command-Level Police Officers’ Perceptions Of The “War On Cops” And De-Policing, Justin Nix, Scott E. Wolfe, Bradley A. Campbell

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Policing has been the subject of intense public scrutiny for the better part of two years after several high-profile police killings of unarmed African Americans across the United States. The scrutiny has been so extreme that some contend there is currently a “war on cops”—whereby citizens are emboldened by protests and negative media coverage of the police, and are lashing out by assaulting police officers more frequently. In response, it is argued that officers are de-policing (i.e. avoiding proactive stops). We surveyed command-level police officers from a southeastern state about their attitudes concerning the war on cops and de-policing. The …

Third-Person Perceptions, Hostile Media Effects, And Policing: Developing A Theoretical Framework For Assessing The Ferguson Effect, Justin Nix, Justin T. Pickett

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Objectives

Policing in the United States has come under intense scrutiny following numerous deadly force incidents involving unarmed black citizens, which dominated the news media. Some have argued that consequently, a “chill wind” has blown through law enforcement, such that officers have become more distrustful of civilians, fearful of scandal, and are de-policing. To date, however, scholars have given insufficient theoretical and empirical attention to why and how media coverage of policing may lead to such outcomes.

Methods

We addressed this literature gap using data from a survey of officers in a metropolitan police department in the southeast.

Results

We …

Neighborhoods And Intimate Partner Violence Against Women: The Direct And Interactive Effects Of Social Ties And Collective Efficacy, Emily M. Wright, Marie Skubak Tillyer

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This study examines the impact of several indicators of neighborhood social ties (e.g., residents’ interactions with each other; residents’ ability to recognize outsiders) on intimate partner violence (IPV) against women as well as whether neighborhood collective efficacy’s impact on IPV is contingent upon such ties. This study used data from 4,151 women (46% Latina, 33% African American, 17% Caucasian, on average 32 years old) in 80 neighborhoods from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods. We estimated a series of random effects hierarchical Bernoulli models to assess the main and interactive effects of neighborhood social ties and collective efficacy …

Demeanor, Race, And Police Perceptions Of Procedural Justice: Evidence From Two Randomized Experiments, Justin Nix, Justin T. Pickett, Scott E. Wolfe, Bradley A. Campbell

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing recently endorsed procedural justice as a way to restore trust between police and communities. Yet police–citizen interactions vary immensely, and research has yet to give sufficient consideration to the factors that might affect the importance officers place on exercising procedural justice during interactions. Building on research examining “moral worthiness” judgments and racial stereotyping among police officers, we conducted two randomized experiments to test whether suspect race and demeanor affect officers’ perceptions of the threat of violence and importance of exercising procedural justice while interacting with suspicious persons. We find that suspect race …

Empirical Challenges To Studying Terrorism And Homicide, Joseph K. Young, Erin M. Kearns

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The study of terrorism has bridged multiple scholarly domains. Terrorism is discussed within political science as a form of political violence (Crenshaw 1981) related to civil conflict (Findley and Young 2012) and interstate war (Findley, Piazza, and Young 2012). Terrorism is studied within criminology as a form of criminal violence along with homicide and assault, and under political crime as a form of oppositional action put alongside sedition and treason (J.I. Ross 2006). In scholarly work, it is becoming increasingly more common to see works on terrorism connected to political violence (e.g., Thomas 2014) or political crimes (e.g., Chermak, Freilich, …

Intimate Partner Violence And The Overlap Of Perpetration And Victimization: Considering The Influence Of Physical, Sexual, And Emotional Abuse In Childhood, Tara N. Richards, Marie Skubak Tillyer, Emily M. Wright

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Using data from Wave 4 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, this study examined the independent relationship of childhood maltreatment type (emotional, sexual, physical) on IPV victimization and perpetration; then mutually exclusive categories of IPV involvement (victimization, perpetration, and victimization/perpetration) were investigated. IPV victimization and perpetration were assessed using items from the revised Conflict Tactics Scales. A series of binary regression models and multinomial regression models were estimated. Models were stratified across gender. Results uncovered significant relationships between child physical abuse and IPV victimization as well as IPV perpetration for males and females, but this effect …

Book Review: Peer Pressure, Peer Prevention: The Role Of Friends In Crime And Conformity, Samantha S. Clinkinbeard

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Barbara Costello and Trina Hope contribute to the literature on peer influence in the areas of crime and conformity by exploring questions and using simple methodologies that have been long overlooked by criminologists. The authors argue that despite decades of work confirming that delinquent youth often have delinquent friends and a lot of deviant behavior happens in groups, we still know little about the mechanisms of peer influence. The authors note that because criminologists have long operated based on the assumption that peer influence is negative, the field has ignored the potentially positive effects that peers can have on one …

Do Race And Ethnicity Matter? An Examination Of Racial/Ethnic Differences In Perceptions Of Procedural Justice And Recidivism Among Problem-Solving Court Clients, Cassandra A. Atkin-Plunk, Jennifer H. Peck, Gaylene Armstrong

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Over the years, a distinct body of research has emerged that examines procedural justice in problem-solving courts. However, there is virtually no research to date on racial and ethnic differences in perceptions of procedural justice among problem-solving court clients. The present study seeks to understand the complexities of judicial procedural justice and race/ethnicity within problem-solving courts. Using a convenience sample of 132 clients from two problem-solving courts in a southern state, this study addresses a void in the literature by examining the influence of race/ethnicity on perceptions of procedural justice as well as the impact of race/ethnicity and procedural justice …

Creepers, Druggers, And Predator Ambiguity: The Interactional Construction Of Campus Victimization And The University Sex Predator, Leah C. Butler, Holly Ningard, Brandie Pugh, Thomas Vander Ven

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

In response to the pervasive problem of sexual victimization on campus, many colleges in the United States have adopted bystander intervention programs which seek to educate students and provide them with the tools necessary to intervene in potentially risky situations. Research shows that how potential bystanders construct potential victims and perpetrators of campus victimization significantly impacts their progression to intervention. As an extension of Pugh, Ningard, Vander Ven and Butler’s (Deviant Behavior, 2016) work on victim ambiguity, the present study drew from intensive interviews of 30 undergraduates from a large university in the American Midwest to examine …

Public Health Framing And Attribution: Analysis Of The First Lady’S Remarks And News Coverage On Childhood Obesity, Jennifer A. Andersen, Lindsey Wylie, Eve M. Brank

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

First Lady Michelle Obama’s public health promotion “Let’s Move” seeks to place children on a path to better health by giving families access to health education and fostering healthier environments. We examined the use of public health framing and attribution of responsibility in the First Lady’s remarks and newspaper articles reporting on childhood obesity. We coded the Whitehouse.gov website for remarks made by the First Lady regarding the childhood obesity prevention program “Let’s Move.” Of the 103 remarks coded, 35% of the remarks used public health framing. The First Lady’s remarks attributed responsibility and solutions for the childhood obesity crisis …

A Review Of State Standards For Batterer Intervention Treatment Programs And The Colorado Model, Angela Gover, Tara Richards

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Many states aiming to improve domestic-violence-offender treatment have passed legislative standards for Batterer Intervention Treatment (BIT). This article reviews existing literature in relation to state standards for BIT in general and Colorado’s unique model for BIT specifically. In addition, existing research focused on the Colorado model’s adherence to evidence-based practices and principles is discussed, and ongoing research that examines the relationship between the novel elements of the Colorado model and BIT completion and recidivism is explained.

The Importance Of Interagency Collaboration For Crossover Youth, Emily M. Wright, Ryan E. Spohn, Joselyne Chenane, Nicholas Juliano

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Crossover or dually-involved youth are youth enmeshed in the child welfare (CWS) and juvenile justice systems (JJS). Given their dual status and high needs, attention has recently focused on how to best respond to them in an integrated, interagency fashion. The Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM) is designed to facilitate interagency collaboration between the CWS and JJS in order to enhance services and diversion to these youth. This study reports on the benefits and challenges that the JJS and CWS, as well as the personnel working within them, experience by participating in a CYPM effort in a Midwestern county, and …

Sensitivity To The Ferguson Effect: The Role Of Managerial Organizational Justice, Justin Nix, Scott E. Wolfe

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Purpose

We argue that the police have been adversely impacted by Ferguson-related negative publicity in ways beyond the supposed increase in crime (e.g., reduced motivation and increased perception of danger). Further, we suggest that organizational justice is a key factor that influences officers' sensitivity to such Ferguson Effects.

Methods

We used a sample of 510 sheriff's deputies surveyed 6 months after the incident in Ferguson. We explored whether organizational justice is associated with deputies' sensitivity to several manifestations of the Ferguson Effect using OLS and ordered logistic regression models.

Results

The results demonstrated that deputies who believed their supervisors were …

An Examination Of The Impact Of Drug Court Clients’ Perceptions Of Procedural Justice On Graduation Rates And Recidivism, Cassandra A. Atkin-Plunk, Gaylene Armstrong

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Over the years, researchers have found drug courts reduce recidivism for participants. Scholars have hypothesized that drug courts are effective at producing positive outcomes for participants due in part to a case management approach that implements concepts of procedural justice. Using a convenience sample of participants involved in one drug court, this study adds to the limited body of research on procedural justice and drug courts by examining whether variation in drug court clients’ perceptions of procedural justice is related to their likelihood of graduation from drug court and recidivism. Results, policy implications, and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Gendered Self-Concepts And Drinking Behavior In A National Sample Of Emerging Adults, Samantha S. Clinkinbeard, Tim Barnum

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Despite evidence that males drink more than females, there is much to be learned about gendered explanations for sex differences in alcohol use. We use the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health data to investigate gendered self-concept as related to alcohol use and related consequences among a sample of emerging adults. Dominance Masculinity (e.g., being aggressive, forceful, dominant) was the most consistent predictor of alcohol-related outcomes for both males and females. Endorsement of feminine characteristics (e.g., compassion, understanding, sympathetic) was protective against binge drinking and social consequences for males whereas endorsement of general masculine characteristics (e.g., independent, assertive, …

Rape And Mental Health Outcomes Among Women: Examining The Moderating Effects Of “Healthy” Fear Levels, Ryan E. Spohn, Emily M. Wright, Johanna C. Peterson

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This study examined the mediating and moderating impact of fear of victimization on the relationships between forcible and vicarious rape on depression and PTSD among college women. Forcible and vicarious rape positively affected PTSD and depression symptomology, but fear did not mediate these relationships. Fear moderated the impact of forcible rape on PTSD, but was not a moderator for depression. Findings suggest that there may be “healthy” levels of fear in the aftermath of victimization where having too little fear may leave women unnecessarily vulnerable to victimization, while having too much fear may lead to social isolation and withdrawal.

Is The Effect Of Procedural Justice On Police Legitimacy Invariant? Testing The Generality Of Procedural Justice And Competing Antecedents Of Legitimacy, Scott E. Wolfe, Justin Nix, Robert Kaminski, Jeff Rojek

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Objectives

This study tests the generality of Tyler’s process-based model of policing by examining whether the effect of procedural justice and competing variables (i.e., distributive justice and police effectiveness) on police legitimacy evaluations operate in the same manner across individual and situational differences.

Methods

Data from a random sample of mail survey respondents are used to test the “invariance thesis” (N = 1681). Multiplicative interaction effects between the key antecedents of legitimacy (measured separately for obligation to obey and trust in the police) and various demographic categories, prior experiences, and perceived neighborhood conditions are estimated in a series of multivariate …

Nonstranger Victimization And Inmate Maladjustment: Is The Relationship Gendered?, Calli M. Cain, Benjamin Steiner, Emily M. Wright, Benjamin Meade

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Scholars have hypothesized that victimization elicits distinctive effects on women’s pathways to prison and subsequent prison maladjustment, but few researchers have investigated gender differences in this relationship. Using nationally representative samples of men and women housed in state prisons, we examine gender differences in the effects of experiencing different types of nonstranger victimization prior to prison on inmate maladjustment. Results indicate that pre-prison nonstranger victimization affects men’s and women’s maladjustment similarly, with some gender differences—specifically, the effect of being physically assaulted by a nonstranger as an adult on violent misconduct was stronger among men, as was the effect of child …

Perceptions Of Motivational Interviewing: Validation Of The Client Evaluation Of Motivational Interviewing Scale With Probation Clients, Gaylene Armstrong, Cassandra A. Atkin-Plunk, Nancy R. Gartner

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The practice of motivational interviewing (MI) has gained acceptance as an effective approach to support behavior change in various therapeutic contexts. In recent years, MI has been extended to clients within less traditional therapeutic settings including prisons and probation departments. Despite the known strengths of MI for positively affecting behavioral change in therapeutic contexts, the extent to which probation officers are able to effectively utilize MI remains unknown. The current study utilizes self-report responses from 485 probationers to assess the internal consistency and factor structure of the Client Evaluation of Motivational Interviewing (CEMI) as a tool for gathering feedback on …

Formal Controls, Neighborhood Disadvantage, And Violent Crime In U.S. Cities: Examining (Un)Intended Consequences, Allison Martin, Emily M. Wright, Benjamin Steiner

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Purpose This study examines the intended and unintended effects of formal social controls on violent crime within and across U.S. cities. Methods Using data from the National Neighborhood Crime Study, we assess whether greater police arrest activity and jail incarceration risk are associated with lower violent crime rates across cities. We also investigate whether greater use of these formal social controls exacerbates the relationship between extreme neighborhood disadvantage and violent crime. Results Results from multilevel analyses show that some formal controls (jail incarceration risk) reduce violent crime across cities, but other formal controls (police arrest activity) amplify the relationship between …

Examining Behaviors Using Respondents’ Cell Phones And A Burst Design: Drinking And Activities Across The First Year Of College Among Transitioning Freshmen, Amy L. Anderson, Samantha S. Clinkinbeard, Tim Barnum, Rita J. Augustyn

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Purpose

The study of developmental and life-course changes of an individual necessitates longitudinal data. Traditional panel designs, however, that tend to collect data annually or less often may not reflect change experienced by individuals especially in periods of transition. The first year of college likely is one such period in which change takes place at a rapid pace.

Methods

We followed approximately 100 residential college students across their freshman year. In an attempt to capture the changes taking place in friendships, activities, and alcohol use, we used a traditional panel design in which we administered structured surveys at the beginning, …

Victim Ambiguity: Bystander Intervention And Sexual Assault In The College Drinking Scene, Brandie Pugh, Holly Ningard, Thomas Vander Ven, Leah C. Butler

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Alcohol-related sexual assault is the most common form of sexual victimization on college campuses. Bystander intervention has been suggested as effective in preventing sexual assault, but its usefulness in sexual assaults that involve alcohol in particular has not yet been examined. The current study draws from intensive interviews with 30 undergraduates at a large Midwestern university to understand how students’ perceptions about sexual victimization and alcohol use affect their bystander behavior. Findings suggest that in alcohol-involved situations, the ambiguity of whether the woman is at risk and her perceived worthiness are significant barriers to intervention. Policy implications are discussed.

The Use Of Social Media By Alleged Members Of Mexican Cartels And Affiliated Drug Trafficking Organizations, Justin Nix, Michael R. Smith, Matthew Petrocelli, Jeff Rojek, Victor M. Manjarrez

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Focusing on Mexican cartels and affiliated drug trafficking organizations, this article examines how self-proclaimed cartel members use social media to further the criminal activities of their organizations. Employing an opensource, intelligence-driven methodology, the authors identified, followed, and mapped the connections between and among 75 alleged cartel members over a period of 4 months. Results indicated that cartel members actively use Facebook to plan, organize, and communicate in real-time. These findings provide tentative validation to the utility of using open-source social media platforms to study the social structure and operations of Mexican drug cartels. Implications for law enforcement, homeland security, and …