Social Control, Law, Crime, and Deviance Commons^™

The Masquerade Of Abu Ghraib: State Crime, Torture, And International Law, Dawn Rothe

Dissertations

On April 28, 2004, pictures of abuse and torture of Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison by U.S. military personnel shocked many Americans. In the wake of the images, it became clear that several military personnel were involved in the acts of torture and abuse. This dissertation explores the interconnections of larger structural factors, state policies, and individual actors in an attempt to understand how and why torture and abuse occurred at Abu Ghraib. It builds upon an integrated theoretical model of state and corporate crime. The dissertation revises this model so that it can better address the complexities o …

A Macro-Level Analysis Of Divorce Rates And Juvenile Violent Crime And Drug Abuse In Virginia, Bianca Maria Conn

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

With one out of every two marriages statistically doomed to fail, we must ask ourselves: how does this affect children? This thesis examines the relationship between divorce rates in the 135 cities and counties in Virginia and rates of juvenile violent crime and drug abuse. Social disorganization, used as a main source of reference in this study, is helpful in understanding how divorce affects juveniles at the community level. Family disruption, due to parental divorce, supports the notion that there is less juvenile supervision in the home and in effect the community, which leads to juvenile delinquency.

The three different …

A Case-By-Case Comparison Of The Classification Of Law Enforcement And Vital Statistics Data On Homicide, Marc Riedel, Wendy C. Regoeczi

Sociology & Criminology Faculty Publications

This study uses data from the California Linked Homicide File as a basis for evaluating the validity and reliability of homicide data. Case-by-case comparisons of variables reported by both agencies indicate that agreement between law enforcement and vital statistics data is highest with classifying homicides and victim gender and race and lowest with classifying victim age, manslaughters, and police justifiable homicides. The findings from a multilevel analysis examining what types of cases are unable to be linked over the two data-collection systems reveal that homicides involving Hispanic victims, weapons other than handguns, and family members other than intimate partners and …

Policing And Social Control Of Public Marijuana Use And Selling In New York City, Bruce D. Johnson, Andrew Golub, Eloise Dunlap, Stephen J. Sifaneck, James E. Mccabe

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This article analyzes the history of policies by New York City government and police enforcement strategies to socially control marijuana use and sales in public locations—that is in the streets; parks; and quasi-public settings such as bars, restaurants, and stores. This particular article is organized around the laws, regulations, and enforcement associated with two central civic norms: (1) Users should not smoke marijuana in public settings (streets, parks) or in quasi-public settings such as stores, bars, restaurants, offices, etc. and (2) Persons should not sell marijuana in public and quasi-public settings. Occasionally, the authors make reference to marijuana use and …

Boys Will Be Boys: A Social Control Approach To Assessment Of Gender-Based Sentencing Disparity In Norfolk Circuit Court Cases, Fay F. Spence

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This study evaluated the relationship between gender and sentencing severity for defendants convicted of violent crimes, victimless crimes, and theft crimes in Norfolk Circuit Court during 2001 and 2002. Based upon social control theories, the author hypothesized that women receive harsher penalties than men for violent crimes and victimless crimes, but that men receive harsher penalties for theft crimes. To test these hypotheses, the author relied, in part, upon data collected by the Norfolk Commonwealth Attorney's office on 3368 criminal cases filed in 2001 and concluded by May 22, 2002. After eliminating cases not pertinent to the study, the data …

Taking A Juvenile Into Custody: Situational Factors That Influence Police Officers' Decisions, Terrence T. Allen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Situational factors that influence police officers decisions to take juveniles into custody were investigated. A cross-sectional self administered survey was conducted. Four-hundred and twenty-eight male and female police officers from six police districts in Cleveland Ohio completed and submitted a twenty-five item questionnaire. Using a logistic regression model the study identified: adolescents who disrespect police officers; adolescents who are out late at night; adolescent males; anyone looking suspicious; and the age of the police officer as the most significant predictors. This was an exploratory study that sought to investigate police/juvenile encounters from a street level situational perspective. The results provided …

Book Review: Predators, Pedophiles, Rapists, And Other Sex Offenders By Anna Salter, Wendy A. Walsh

Sociology

No abstract provided.

The Challenge Of Prison Overcrowding And Recidivism, Pearl Jacobs

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The state of Connecticut is currently dealing with a growing prison population. Ex-offenders face enormous obstacle trying to reconnect with society and get a job. They have no skills and lack a family support system.Their lack of preparation for successful reintegration into society places them at risk to become repeat offenders. Overcrowding in prisons produces individuals unable to cope or survive in free society.

Many of the recommendations of The Ex-Offender Employability Task Force of the State of Illinois relate to ex-offender employment and are worthy of consideration in employment programs in Connecticut.

We will have a safer and more …

Social Disorganization And The Ability And Willingness To Enact Control: A Preliminary Test, Ruth A. Triplett, Ivan Y. Sun, Randy R. Gainey

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Dominant models in the social disorganization literature differentially focus on the ability of neighborhoods to enact social control and the willingness to do so. Despite the interest in both concepts, often no clear definition of either is provided, and there is little discussion of their relationship or how they interact to affect neighborhood crime rates. This paper begins to explore the relationship between ability and willingness to enact social control. The findings suggest that, for formal control, ability and willingness are closely related. Furthermore, at the aggregate level, concentrated disadvantage combined with perceived inability has a strong impact on neighborhood …

Bih In Black And White: Photo-Diary Of My Adventure Learning How Ngo’S Anti-Trafficking Prevention Programs Work In Small Communities In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Rebecca Johnson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

From the very beginning of my immersion in the Balkans, the issue of Trafficking of Human Beings has found a nook in my mind of righteousness, and ever since, the interest of learning how this crime is being prevented has festered. In the one-month period of time I had for my research, I spent 5 days in Modriča, 8 days in Ključ, 5 days in Mostar, 7 days in Sarajevo, and 2 days in Dubrovnik. The goal of my travels was to see first hand the actual and physical actions that NGO’s in small towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter …

Social Divisions And Coercive Control In Advanced Societies: Law Enforcement Strength In Eleven Nations From 1975 To 1994., Stephanie L. Kent, David Jacobs

Sociology & Criminology Faculty Publications

Conflict theory suggests that economic stratification poses a threat to order, so we should expect increased inequality to lead to a greater capacity for coercive control. The police are the primary agency that uses force to preserve order, yet we know little about the effects of economic divisions on police size in advanced nations besides the United States. The generality of findings based on a fixed-effects panel design applied to 11 developed nations should provide increased insight about how coercion is used to preserve domestic order. Other social divisions that should matter include minority presence and unemployment. With economic development, …

A Cross-National Analysis Of The Impact Of Conscription On Crime Rates, Nicolette G. Rose

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Research has repeatedly shown that males in the age range of 16 to 24 years account for a disproportionately large volume of crime (Sampson and Laub 1993 ). The armed forces are major employers of young males in this crime-prone age range and could thus play an important role in crime prevention. The military provides many varied opportunities including a highly structured and regimented institution in which rigid behavioral norms and close monitoring are imposed. Some other incentives that service provides include educational opportunities through the" Advanced Individual Training", the GI Bill, in-service tuition assistance, and world-wide travel. All these …

Neighborhood Characteristics And Crime: A Test Of Sampson And Groves' Model Of Social Disorganization, Ivan Y. Sun, Ruth A. Triplett, Randy R. Gainey

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

In 1989 Sampson and Groves proposed a model of social disorganization. In this model, neighborhoods with low socioeconomic status, high residential mobility, racial heterogeneity, and family disruption were predicted to have sparse local friendship networks', low organizational participation, and unsupervised youth groups. These, in turn, were predicted to increase neighborhood crime rates. Although Sampson and Groves' work represents the most complete model of social disorganization to date, it has only been tested twice and then on the same data set. Using data from 36 neighborhoods from 7 U.S. cities, this study examines extensions of Sampson and Groves' model suggested by …

It Does Take A Village To Raise A Child, Rebecca J. Boyd

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Utilizing Cullen's (1994) Social Support Theory and Hunter's (1985) three dimensions of social life, this study is a quantitative, cross-sectional secondary data analysis designed to examine the relationship between institutional social support and rates of juvenile crime for counties and cities in Virginia for the year 2000. Resting on the contention that an inverse, significant relationship exists between measures of institutional support and rates of juvenile property and violent crime, this study examines types of support provided by the institutions of family, school, and the government. These measures of institutional support include 1) familial support: median income, marriage support; 2) …

Justifications For The Probation Sanction Among Residents Of Virginia--Cool Or Un-Cool?, Brian K. Payne, Randy R. Gainey, Ruth A. Triplett, Mona J. E. Danner

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Perhaps as evidence of a growing cultural gap between our students and ourselves, one of the authors was recently amused when a student asked whether probation was a "cool" sanction. In this study, we begin an investigation into how cool the probation sanction is in the eyes of residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Specifically, we use data from a telephone survey of 840 registered voters to explore three questions. First, how often would they recommend the probation sanction in comparison to other sanctions? Second, how do they justify the sanction relative to justifications for other sanctions? Finally, are their …

Review Of In The Name Of Hate: Understanding Hate Crimes. Barbara Perry. Reviewed By Wilma Peebles-Wilkins., Wilma Peebles-Wilkins

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Barbara Perry, In the Name of Hate: Understanding Hate Crimes. New York: Routledge, 2001. $22.95 papercover.

Ideology Or Insanity? Media Presentation Of Ted Kaczynski And Tim Mcveigh, Matthew P. Sheptoski

Dissertations

This dissertation explores mainstream media presentation of two convicted murderers: Theodore J. Kaczynski, otherwise known as "The Unabomber," and Timothy J. McVeigh, found guilty of the 1995 destruction of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. More specifically, I analyze The New York Times's and Time's presentation of these two actors in order to assess whether their acts were attributed to political and ideological motivation or psychological abnormality and mental illness. Quantitative and qualitative findings indicate that Kaczynski's crimes were more likely to be attributed to psychological abnormality and mental illness, while McVeigh's crimes were more likely to be …

Crossing The Line: Juvenile Transfer And Prison Violence, Jessica M. Huffman

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The juvenile court has long held caring and rehabilitation as it's objective for those persons who commit crimes while under age 18. However, arguably, that goal has been compromised with the use of juvenile transfers. Some research has been done on the use of transfers, but little has studied the effects of incarcerating juveniles with adult prisoners at the state level. This thesis examines the use of the juvenile transfer and the effects it has with respect to prison violence using states in the U.S. as the unit of analysis. It was hypothesized that prison violence would increase with an …

So Young And So Untender: Remorseless Children And The Expectations Of The Law, Martha Grace Duncan

Faculty Articles

A nine-year-old speaks with apparent callousness as he walks by the body of the girl he has killed. A fourteen-year-old jokes about "body parts in her pocket" after bashing in her mother's head with a candlestick holder. And a fifteen-year-old laughingly names his accomplice ''Homicide" after participating in a robbery that culminated in the victim's death. Seemingly remorseless acts such as these can have a crucial impact on the way a child or adolescent fares in the juvenile justice or criminal system. Yet, when one looks closely at what the courts interpret as indicators of remorselessness -- ­taking into account …

The Influence Of Demographic Factors On The Experience Of House Arrest, Brian K. Payne, Randy R. Gainey

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

A great deal of research has focused on how various groups perceive and experience incarceration. Research into this area is justified on the grounds that understanding will yield information about appropriate strategies to effectively and efficiently supervise, protect, and treat incarcerated offenders. Groups whose incarceration experiences have been considered by criminologists include female prisoners (Enos, 2001; Kruttschnitt, Gartner, & Miller, 2000; Loucks & Zamble, 2000), older prisoners (Edwards, 1998; Fry & Frese, 1992; King & Bass, 2000), and minority prisoners (Frazier, 1995; Wright, 1989). Researchers have also considered the influence that length of sentence has on the incarceration experience. Together, …

Changing Prison Management Strategies In Response To Voi/Tis Legislation, Susan Turner, Laura J. Hickman, Judith Greene, Terry Fain

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

This legislation was designed to increase the capacity of State correctional systems to confine serious and violent offenders for longer periods of time and to assure the public that these offenders would serve a substantial portion of their sentences. The VOI/TIS incentive grants provide States with funds to build or expand bed capacity in correctional facilities, temporary or permanent correctional facilities, and local jail capacity. This study examined adaptations in prison management made by State correctional agencies in response to VOI/TIS. Specifically, the study addressed the changes in management, safety and training procedures, the type and extent of programming (education, …

Robbing Drug Dealers: Violence Beyond The Law. Bruce A. Jacobs

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Bruce A. Jacobs, Robbing Drug Dealers: Violence Beyond the Law. Hawthorne, NY: Aldine de Gruyter, 2000. $19.95 paperback.

The Emerging Problem Of Preppie Gangs In America, Gordon A. Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

The purpose of this presentation is to examine the growing problem of "Preppie Gangs" in America. Involved youngsters generally come from the affluent upper class and participate in activities similar to traditional gang members. However, they tend to operate in a much safer environment than traditional street gangs and are predominantly "rich white kids". This paper will examine how these groups are currently manifesting themselves as Delinquent Gangs (Mimicking Other Street Gangs), Ideological Gangs (Specific Ideology or Belief System), or Occultic Gangs (Alternative Belief System Connections). Finally the unique issues of activities, causes, and solutions will be discussed .

Beneath The Black And Blue: The Child Abuse-Delinquency Connection, Heather M. Baltodano

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to examine the child abuse-delinquency relationship, as well as mediating variables that may influence that relationship, such as parental attachment, witnessing family violence, and negative life events. Much of the research on this topic utilizes official government statistics and substantiated child abuse cases, which research has shown to be an undercount of the actual incidents of child abuse. This analysis utilizes the data resulting from the 1992 National Youth Victimization Prevention Survey (NYVPS) in which 2000 children between the ages of 10 and 16 were interviewed by telephone. This research examines the impact of …

The Effectiveness And Enforcement Of A Teen Curfew Law, Richard D. Sutphen, Janet Ford

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article examines the effect of a teen curfew on juvenile arrest rates and reviews the first year of the curfew's implementation in a city of over 200,000 population. Juvenile arrest rates were compared for three years prior to the curfew's enactment and three years of curfew enforcement. Data related to 377 curfew violations and 83 parent citations issued in 22 police beats during the first year of implementation were analyzed to determine whether the curfew was primarily enforced in areas with serious juvenile crime or targeted low income, minority neighborhoods. Results indicate that the curfew had no effect on …

Adolescent Violent Victimization And Offending: Assessing The Extent Of The Link, Wendy C. Regoeczi

Sociology & Criminology Faculty Publications

This article discusses the association between adolescent violent victimization and offending. A key issue in understanding both criminal offending and victimization concerns victim-offender relationships. Research on crime, particularly violent offenses, requires examining the interpersonal relationships which exist among victims and offenders. Nevertheless, those studies which disaggregate crime rates by victim-offender relationships have essentially confined their analyses to adults. This coincides with a more general trend in criminological research on adolescents to confine analyses to offending behavior. Consequently, there is a dearth research on adolescents and youth victims, particularly with respect to the individuals most likely to offend against them. Within …

Delinquency And Victimization Among Adolescents: An Examination Of The Relationship And Lifestyle Influences, Joy Eileen Livergood

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This research examines the correlation between delinquency and victimization. Consideration is given to the lifestyle influences including the routine activities and demographic factors. Data from the 1997 Monitoring the Future data set are analyzed in an attempt to understand the extent of the relationship as well as the impact of various lifestyle activities and demographic factors. The study was guided by previous research examining the correlation between delinquency and victimization as well as the impact of lifestyle elements. SPSS 9.0 for Windows was used to analyze the data. Overall, the findings suggest that there is a correlation between delinquency and …

Pathways To Prison: Life Histories Of Former Clients Of The Child Welfare And Juvenile Justice Systems, Stephen A. Kapp

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study examines the relationship between child maltreatment and future offending from the viewpoint of former clients. Imprisoned adults describe their experiences in child welfare and juvenile justice system services. Specifically, those placed out of the home originally into the child welfare system have a different perspective on their path to prison than those placed into the juvenile justice system as delinquents. The study contributes to the literature by examining the relationship between the services children receive in the child welfare system as well as the juvenile justice system and their imprisonment as adults from a former service recipient's point …

Juvenile Gangs In Schools: Characteristics, Causes, And Possible Solutions, Gordon A. Crews

Criminal Justice Faculty Research

The purpose of this seminar is to acquaint participants with the ever-changing characteristics, often conflicting issues of causation, and various proposed solutions to the myriad of problems associated with gangs in schools. Special attention is given to the evolving nature of gangs in K-12 educational institutions (e.g., new types of juvenile groups developing and their associated behavior). Traditional subjects such as gang recruitment, initiation, and criminal activity are examined by discussing the many ways they manifest themselves in the school setting. Finally, a conceptual framework is presented by which a school can identify, understand, and begin to address a potential …

Families, Crime And Criminal Justice: Charting The Linkages, Greer Litton Fox, Michael L. Benson, Ryan E. Spohn

Faculty Books and Monographs

Chapter: Gender Differences in the Effect of Child Maltreatment on Criminal Activity over the Life Course, written by Ryan Spohn, UNO faculty member.

"Contemporary Perspectives in Family Research" is a series of volumes that features scholarly work on the frontiers of interdisciplinary research on families and family life. Volume 2, Families, Crime and Criminal Justice reflects this pioneering orientation by bringing together new empirical research that examines the various ways that families intersect with and are affected by crime and the criminal justice system. The interdisciplinary nature of the volume is reflected in the diversity of disciplines represented, including developmental …