Criminology Commons^™

Gun Victimization In The Line Of Duty: Fatal And Non-Fatal Firearm Assaults On Police Officers In The United States, 2014-2019, Michael Sierra-Arévalo, Justin Nix

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Research Summary

Using open‐source data from the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), we analyze national‐ and state‐level trends in fatal and nonfatal firearm assaults of U.S. police officers from 2014 to 2019 (N = 1,467). Results show that (a) most firearm assaults are nonfatal, (b) there is no compelling evidence that the national rate of firearm assault on police has substantially increased during the last 6 years, and (c) there is substantial state‐level variation in rates of firearm assault on police officers.

Policy Implications

GVA has decided strengths relative to existing data sources on police victimization and danger in policing. …

Crime Risk Near Reported Homeless Encampments: A Spatial Analysis, Kortney Lynn Russell

Dissertations and Theses

Those experiencing homelessness face several challenges in contemporary society including a higher risk of victimization compared to the general population. In order to offer effective intervention to protect members of this population, understanding the spatial relationship between homeless camps and crime is imperative. To provide the foundation for a future risk assessment used to identify camps with a higher risk of nearby victimization, this study assessed crime concentration in relation to reported homeless camps in Portland, Oregon. Utilizing two publicly available data sources, this study conducted spatial analyses on voluntarily reported homeless camp data from October through December 2019 and …

How Social Dominance Orientation Shapes Perceptions Of Police, Belen Lowrey-Kinberg, Hillary Mellinger, Erin M. Kearns

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Purpose

There remain several underaddressed issues in the procedural justice literature. The authors draw from a rich body of psychological research on how the sociopolitical orientation to group inequality influences individual views on government and apply this to perceptions of procedural justice.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a laboratory-style experimental design to examine the extent to which social dominance orientation (SDO) shapes how people view the language of law enforcement. Four treatments are tested: procedural justice, rapport, deference, and direct.

Findings

The authors find that, overall, exclusively emphasizing rapport – as opposed to procedural justice, deference, or directness – is not …

Is There A Relationship Between The Number Of Female Students Who Were Cyberbullied And The Number Of Female Students Who Seriously Considered Attempting Suicide?, Wayne L. Davis

Lincoln Memorial University Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

In the United States, cyberbullying has become a major public health concern. Indeed, many people who are victims of cyberbullying consider harming themselves. Because criminal justice practitioners are concerned with public safety, this is an area worthy of study. The general purpose of this study is to investigate whether there is a correlation between the percentage of female students who were electronically bullied and the percentage of female students who seriously considered suicide. Data were collected in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017 using a three-stage cluster sample design, which produced a nationally representative sample of students in grades 9–12 who …

Path Dependence In Geographic Crime Patterns, Theodore Lentz

Dissertations

This dissertation argues that status quo bias in crime location choice has substantial effects on geographic crime patterns. Offenders often re-select prior crime locations when they commit crimes. Mainstream theories argue this is because such locations are objectively more suitable for crime and thereby attract offending behavior at higher rates. I contend that locational suitability is only one consideration and that offenders may re-select a location that has been established as a status quo option, despite availability of more optimal alternatives. When individuals re-select prior crime locations, crimes will increasingly concentrate and create hotspots that are stable over time and …

Prosecutorial And Judicial Decision-Making In Federal Sovereign Citizen Cases, Kyle Kaminicki

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how ideology and extralegal factors shape prosecutorial and judicial outcomes among sovereign citizens (“sovereigns”) compared to other terrorists accused of committing non-violent crimes in the United States. This study is informed by focal concerns theory (Steffensmeier et al. 1998), which suggests that perceptions of blameworthiness, risk, and other practical implications shape prosecutorial and judicial decision-making.

Data come from the American Terrorism Study (ATS) where several measures are used including terrorist background and other extralegal factors (age, race, gender) for sovereign citizens and terrorists affiliated with other ideologies. Data on 308 sovereign citizens indicted in 158 federal court …

Who Are The Mavens Of Bystander Intervention? Implications For The Social Diffusion Of Intervention Norms, Leah C. Butler, Bonnie S. Fisher

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

A recent randomized controlled trial reported that Green Dot (GD)—a bystander intervention training program that targets popular opinion leaders for intensive training—reduced school-level interpersonal violence perpetration and victimization. Expanding GD’s targeted group members to include “mavens” of bystander intervention—those who spread bystander intervention norms to others by communicating with peers—may increase the effectiveness of such training. Self-report data collected from students at the 13 intervention high schools in Kentucky are analyzed to identify characteristics of those who engage in discussions with peers about preventing interpersonal violence. Findings show that students who engage in more frequent bystander behaviors are more likely …

Immigration And Crime In The News, 2014-2018: Do Focusing Events And Policy Windows Affect Framing?, Abigale Rongey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although an abundance of literature demonstrates that immigrant populations are less crime-prone than the native-born population, the majority of Americans believe that immigration inherently threatens the security of the United States. Because Americans are not well versed in the complex issues of immigration and crime, public opinion is undoubtedly influenced by media outlets’ crafted narratives that simplify circumstances and events into easily digestible material. The current study examines how media behavior changes and responds to social and political events by examining “frames” utilized in articles that produce narratives about immigration and crime. Using content analysis of over 1,700 articles published …

Immigrants And Crime, Daniel L. Stageman

Publications and Research

The gap between public perception of immigrant criminality and the research consensus on immigrants’ actual rates of criminal participation is persistent and cross-cultural. While the available evidence shows that immigrants worldwide tend to participate in criminal activity at rates slightly lower than the native-born, media and political discourse portraying immigrants as uniquely crime-prone remains a pervasive global phenomenon. This apparent disconnect is rooted in the dynamics of othering, or the tendency to dehumanize and criminalize identifiable out-groups. Given that most migration decisions are motivated by economic factors, othering is commonly used to justify subjecting immigrants to exploitative labor practices, with …

Is There A Difference Between Democrat And Republican States In The Number Of Female Students Who Experienced Cyberbullying?, Wayne Davis

Lincoln Memorial University Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

In the United States, cyberbullying has become a major public health concern. Because there is a difference between the Democrat Party and the Republican Party on their philosophies involving laws and government interventions related to the control of electronic communications, it is important to know if there is a difference between political partisanship and cyberbullying. Data were collected in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017 using a three-stage cluster sample design, which produced a nationally representative sample of students in grades 9–12 who attended public and private schools. Initially, this study employed Poisson regression, which is a parametric statistic, in an …

5 Reasons Police Officers Should Have College Degrees, Leana A. Bouffard, Gaylene Armstrong

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Following several deaths of unarmed black men at the hands of police, President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order on June 16 that calls for increased training and credentialing to reduce the use of excessive force by police.

The order did not mention the need for police to get a college education, even though higher education was identified in the 2015 President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing as one of six effective ways to reduce crime and build better relations between police and the communities they serve.

As researchers who specialize in crime and punishment, we see …

Attitudinal Changes Toward Body-Worn Cameras: Perceptions Of Cameras, Organizational Justice, And Procedural Justice Among Volunteer And Mandated Officers, Jessica Huff, Charles M. Katz, Vincent J. Webb, E. C. Hedberg

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Little is known about officer perceptions of body-worn cameras (BWCs), and whether perceptions change following implementation within their agencies. BWC deployment varies, with some agencies mandating officers to wear BWCs and others using volunteers. Researchers have yet to assess attitudinal differences between volunteers and mandated officers. This study addresses these gaps using data from an evaluation of BWCs in the Phoenix Police Department to examine officer perceptions of the utility of BWCs, perceptions of organizational justice, and support for using procedural justice. We use inverse propensity weighted difference-in-difference models to examine changes in officer perceptions over time between randomly selected …

An Analysis Of Police Shootings In Dallas, Texas, 2003-2018, Steven Mccain

Theses and Dissertations

Legal establishments authorize police discretion of deadly force if they believe the threat to life or great bodily harm outweighs to threat presented by a criminal. Policing has been reactive when modern weapons of the times are used for criminal purposes. The adaptation process by police has made firearms necessary tools for conflict resolution. The Supreme Court also plays a role in determining what is reasonable use of deadly force, as these situations are rare with little precedent that require judicial review. Research on deadly force examines micro-level characteristics to better understand these situations. This study contributes to existing literature …

Reflective Writing In Prisons: Rehabilitation And The Power Of Stories And Connections, Sandeep Kumar

VA Engage Journal

The United States has the highest rate of incarceration in the world. Even though the rate of crime is dropping, incarceration rates remain fairly steady. What’s more, recidivism (i.e., re-offending after conviction for other crimes) is also very high in the US. If offenders continue to offend, even after completing their sentences in a correctional system designed to address their underlying criminal activity, what is the point of having such a system? Can the system be made more accountable and better? Have we considered all the options for criminal reform? This article explores these questions using effective rehabilitation principles to …

Crim 204: Crime And Justice In The Urban Community In The New Millenium, Adrian Bordoni

Open Educational Resources

Lesson Plans for CRIM 204 Crime and Justice in the Urban Community, including all OER materials discussing Critical thinking; NYPD Patrol Guide and UCR statistics; Gangs as Deviant Groups and Sub-Cultures; Transnational Gangs; Drug Policies in the U.S.; Different types of Policing, Human Trafficking and Sexual Assault

Differences In Characteristics Of Criminal Behavior Between Solo And Team Serial Killers, Matthew Woster

Dissertations

Criminal Profiling and classification of serial killers has been an expanding area of research for decades. Recent research has called into question the accuracy and utility of these systems, and calls for further research and development. This study aims to use the Serial Killer Database (SKDB) to examine and classify differences in criminal behavior between serial killers who act alone versus those who act in pairs, groups, or teams. The specific aim of this study is to examine whether there are significant differences between Solo Serial Killers and Team Serial Killers in the Number of Victims, Length of Career, Method …

Redemption At A Correctional Turning Point: Public Support For Rehabilitation Ceremonies, Leah C. Butler, Francis T. Cullen, Alexander L. Burton, Angela J. Thielo, Velmer S. Burton Jr.

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The authors studied the extent to which the American public would support the implementation of rehabilitation ceremonies, including certificates. Using a national-level survey they commissioned YouGov to undertake, the authors examined public views about the redeemability of offenders--whether they believe that those convicted of felonies are intractably criminal or have the potential to change for the better. Results of the survey indicate substantial belief in offender redeemability and support for rehabilitation ceremonies and certificates.

An Analysis Of The Parental Structure And Involvement On Subsequent Delinquency, Bosco Villavicencio Jr

Student Theses

This thesis examines how parental involvement and family structure relate to the prevalence of juvenile delinquency. To answer the research question, the current study used a large sample of 12^th grade youth (n=1,272) from the Monitoring the Future project which includes measures on parental involvement, household structure, academic abilities, and risky behavior and delinquent behavior. The results of this secondary analysis showed a significant association between parental-child involvement measures and the delinquent outcomes examined; drinking, suspension, and skipping school. This study emphasizes the need to consider that the impact of household structure as well as that of a supportive …

Disciplinary And Interdisciplinary Trends In Cybercrime Research: An Examination, Brian K. Payne, Lora Hadzhidimova

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Compared to other topics, cybercrime is a relatively new addition to the criminological literature. Interest in the topic has grown over the past decade, with a Iran, of scholars leading efforts to generate empirical understanding about the topic. Common conclusions reached in these studies are that more research is needed, cybercrime is interdisciplinary in nature, and cybercrime should be addressed as an international problem. In this study, we examine a sample of 593 prior cybercrime scholarly articles to identify the types of research strategies used in them, the patterns guiding those strategies, whether the research is interdisciplinary, and the degree …

Going Viral: Youth And Sexual Assault In The Digital Age, Anna Gjika

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines the growing phenomenon of using digital media technologies to capture and perpetuate sexual abuse. Focusing on instances of high-profile juvenile sexual assault, I use case studies, interviews, focus groups, and thematic media analysis to investigate (a) how crime, gender, status and technology intersect for young people growing up digital, and (b) the ways technology intersections with sexual abuse to create new forms of crime, new ways to victimize and perpetuate harm, as well as new opportunities to investigate and address sexual violence both through the criminal justice system and in the public. I argue that young people …

Examining The Contextual Effects Of Racial Profiling, And The Long-Term Consequences Of Punitive Interventions: Testing Labeling Theory With The National Longitudinal Study Of Adolescent To Adult Health Data, Margrét Valdimarsdóttir

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The overrepresentation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system has been well documented. More research has, however, been needed on levels of discrimination, particularly on potential biases in the earliest point of contact, such as police decisions to stop and arrest young people. Further, few studies have examined individual and neighborhood characteristics simultaneously, which has limited the understanding of citizens’ experiences with the police. Focusing on potential biases in the juvenile justice system is essential as recent studies indicate that most types of interventions have different negative consequences for the lives of young people, such as increasing the probability …

Living In A World Of “Stop, Question And Frisk” And “Trespass Enforcement”: Black And Latinx Youth Engaging In Police Reform In New York City, Jeanene Lee Barrett

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Although much has been written about youths’ experiences with police encounters in general, little qualitative research has been conducted into the SQF and housing trespass enforcement experiences of Black and Latinx youth in NYC. Additionally, there is little research that uses the voice of Black and Latinx youth to envision interactions with NYPD that could improve police-community relations. The present study, using a purposively sampled sub-set of 20 transcripts from a larger focus group process, examined the lived experience of Black and Latinx youth between the ages of 13 – 25, with a focus on stop-question-frisk (SQF) and housing trespass …

The Role And Impact Of Long-Term, Faith-Based Reentry Programs After Incarceration, Louie John Martinez, Rebecca Graf

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The focus of this exploratory study is on individuals who have completed long term, faith-based reentry programs after incarceration. Through one-on-one interviews with participants, this study will examine the impact that long-term, faith-based treatment programs have had in helping persons with a criminal past re-acclimate back into society. As more reentry programs focus on skills-based treatment only, this study seeks to explore the integration of faith and spirituality in long-term faith-based treatment programs in conjunction with other treatment modalities. This study will contribute to a deeper understanding of the critical elements necessary to help individuals overcome their past and collateral …

The Influence Of Social Media On Murder, Brandy Jones

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research contains information on how much or if at all social media influences murder. Social media has such a big impact on the lives of many around the world, it is almost impossible to avoid. There is research on how social media effects brain processes and may even cause addiction. And there is research on why people commit murder, but there is little to no research on the role social media can play in some murders. Social media is almost like an alternate universe where people can pretend to be the people they want to be in real life, …

Collateral Consequences: The Experiences Of Black Women With Incarcerated Loved Ones, Keiondra Jné Grace

Dissertations

A wealth of research exists that considers the causes of mass incarceration, particularly how it has shaped crime narratives and the life courses of Black men and Black women that experience imprisonment. Scholars have also explored the collateral consequences of incarceration for families and communities in general, but mentioning that Black families and communities in particular are disproportionately impacted by mass incarceration. Despite the documented impact of incarceration on families, and the acknowledgement of the toll mass incarceration has on Black communities—the social cost of mass incarceration in the lives of Black women whom have not experienced incarcerated is yet …

Perceptions Of Danger, Tolerance Of Delinquency, And Economic Disadvantage: Examining Neighborhood Influences On Child Physical Abuse, Marijana M. Kotlaja, Abigail A. Fagan, Emily M. Wright

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Background

Social disorganization theory posits that both structural and social features of a particular geographic unit are associated with criminal behavior. Despite many tests of social disorganization theory, few studies have assessed its relevance to child abuse.

Objective

This study seeks to explain neighborhood variation in child maltreatment. The goal of the current study is to fill this gap by investigating whether or not child physical abuse is related to neighborhood economic disadvantage, perceptions of the dangerousness of the neighborhood, and norms regarding delinquency.

Participants and Setting

Data were drawn from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods …

Public Punitiveness: The Intersection Of Racial Attitudes And Empathy, Arsala Aneeq Khan

Theses and Dissertations

Public punitiveness has grown in recent decades and two components that help explain this rise are negative racial attitudes and empathy. For this thesis, a survey was passed out to 66 undergraduate criminal justice students at a mid-sized southern university. In order to better understand respondent relationship to punitiveness, a factor analysis was conducted that divided punitiveness into three scales. These scales were subsequently measured using three OLS regression analyses testing punitiveness with negative racial attitudes, empathy and control variables. The results showed no significant relationships between negative racial attitudes, empathy, and punitiveness. However, control variables such as age and …

The Influence Of Prison Sentence Length On The Societal Dehumanization Of Ex-Offenders, Skye Jensen

Student Theses

The current study examined the factors that influence the societal dehumanization of offenders, belief in offender redeemability, and support for resource allocation and offender re- enfranchisement. Specifically, the study investigated how prison sentence length influences public opinion on these measures. Two hundred and twenty-two individuals participated in this study and were randomly assigned to one of two conditions involving their responses to a vignette depicting an offender having served either five or 15 years. The results revealed that the length of the offender’s prison sentence did not impact participants’ dehumanization of offenders, belief in their redeemability, or support for reentry …

Digilantism, Discrimination And Punitive Attitudes. A Digital Vigilantism Model, Sebastián A. Galleguillos

Student Theses

In this article, I propose and apply a digital vigilantism model to a specific incident that occurred in Mexico, where the death of two innocent people was filmed through Facebook Live. Using a mixed methods approach and content analysis, I analyzed digilante Facebook posts (N=942) coding gender, digital vigilantism categories, discriminatory comments, and punitive attitudes aimed at the perpetrators and the inciter of the lynching. The categories include investigating, blaming, or rebuking, while the discriminatory comments include classism, racism, homophobia, and body-shaming. I coded the punitive attitudes distinguishing four categories: non-physical punishment (calling for God’s wrath and the guilty conscience …

Sanctuary Cities And Their Respective Effect On Crime Rates, Adam R. Schutt

Undergraduate Economic Review

According to the U.S. Center for Immigration Studies (2017), cities or counties in twenty-four states declare themselves as a place of “sanctuary” for illegal immigrants. This study addresses the following question: Do sanctuary cities experience higher crime rates than those cities that are not? Using publicly available data, this regression analysis investigates the relationship between crime rates in selected cities and independent variables which the research literature or the media has linked to criminal activity. Results of this research reveal that sanctuary cities do not experience higher violent or property crime rates than those cities that are not sanctuary cities.