Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons^™

Editor’S Statement, David Polizzi

Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Criminology

No abstract provided.

The Mediated Body As The Site For Contested Agencies: Ms-13 As A Case Study, Heather Pruss

Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Criminology

No abstract provided.

The Symbolic Capital Of Capital Punishment: A Scholarly Reflection, Jennifer Grimes

Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Criminology

No abstract provided.

Epidemiological Criminology (Epicrim): Definition And Application, Mark M. Lanie

Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Criminology

No abstract provided.

The Emergence Of Habitual Criminals In 19th Century Britain: Implications For Criminology, George Pavlich

Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Criminology

No abstract provided.

Salvia Divinorum: Patterns Of Use, Christie Bowles

Undergraduate Review

This study focuses on 13 salvia divinorum users, specifically seeking to understand the social, situational, and individual factors influencing their decision to use. Through semi-structured, in depth interviews, patterns such as the methods of use, settings of use, other frequently used drugs, and persistence or desistance of use are explored. Currently, there is limited research on salvia or the people who use this drug, and without this substantial research, the most effective way to address salvia use will remain unknown.

The Applicability Of Agnew’S General Theory Of Crime And Delinquency To Recent Juvenile Gang Membership In Houston, Marika Dawkins, Camille Gibson

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

This qualitative descriptive study used Agnew's general strain theory of crime and delinquency as lens through which to interpret the recent developments of juvenile gangs and gang-related activities in Houston, Texas. Agnew strain theory's main prepositions describe: 1) an inability to achieve goals that are valued positively, 2) an absence of positive goals, and 3) a presence of negativity or crime. These were assessed in terms of applicability to joining gangs in Houston. Data were collected by unstructured interviews of city employees who respond to Houston's gangs (e.g., Mayor' Anti-Gang Office staff and Houston Police Department officers), area observations, and …

Same Bang, Less Buck: A Cost-Benefit Analysis Of South Carolina’S Youth Courts, Holly Miller, J Mitchell Miller

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

While youth courts experience tremendous growth nationwide, their utility is largely unproven, particularly in state-level contexts. This study conducted a cost-benefit analysis of South Carolina's youth courts. The study found that while youth courts and family courts produced comparable recidivism rates, youth courts were substantially less expensive for comparable adjudications. The relative efficiency of youth courts, however, was neither monolithic nor guaranteed. Individual youth courts displayed considerable variation and some youth courts were not as efficient as their traditional family court counterparts. Inefficient youth courts had low caseloads, typically resulting from inefficient or immature referral systems and a reliance on …

Africentrism And Africentric Rituals: Their Role In Jamaican Male Motivation To Pursue Higher Education, Totlyn A. Oliver

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

This academic research presents the case for Africentrism and its attendant rituals for the African Diaspora to aid in the motivation and inspiration factor in the male's choice to pursue higher education in Jamaica. The paper discussed Africentric rites of passage against the background of pre-emancipation and post-emancipation education in Jamaica. It also analyzed the current educational system for male nationals along with the implications for applying Africentrism to theories and practice of education for male stu-dents. The major concern precipitating this study was the low levels of male enrolment in institutions of higher learning, as the female population far …

The View Behind Rubber Bars: An Analysis And Examination Of Faith And Non-Faith Jail Reentry Programs In Central Florida, Gautam Nayer

Contemporary Issues in Juvenile Justice

This paper examined the usefulness of jail reentry programs as an alternative towards increased jail and prison costs. Policy issues for returning inmates could and often did include future employment prospects, housing and public safety. Prisoner reentry programs generally fell into two broad categories; faith and non-faith based. Generally, non-faith programs were conducted in jail or prison while the individual was incarcerated for an extended period of time.Non-faith type programs involved classes on anger management, G.E.D. attainment, college credits, or alcohol or drug abuse therapy. Faith based programs were generally Christian based, although they usually did not discriminate against other …

Incarcerated Adults Sentenced In Adult Criminal Court While Juveniles: Knowledge, Understanding, And Perceptions Of Their Sentences, Karen Miner-Romanoff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An estimated 200,000 juveniles are tried as adults yearly and receive punitive sentences intended to deter juvenile crime and increase public safety. Few qualitative studies on juveniles sentenced as adults and contradictory results indicate a need for further research. This study used a qualitative, phenomenological interpretive design, with the conceptual frameworks of general and specific deterrence and rational choice theories. In-depth interviews took place with 12 incarcerated adults serving sentences (24--540 months) for juvenile crimes. The research questions explored their knowledge of transfer laws and adult sentencing and perceptions of deterrence from future criminal activity. Coding of transcripts and audio …

No Adult Left Behind: An Examination Of The Perception Of Parolees Toward The Ged And Its Possible Impact On Recidivism, Elisa Louise Bircher

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses - Archive

The purpose of this study is to examine the perception of offenders toward a general education degree. The data is compiled using a 27-question survey of offenders currently on parole and reporting to the Fort Worth II District Parole Office in Fort Worth, Texas. The research found that there are statistically significant differences between offenders who are on parole for the first time and those who have been on parole more than once. In general, offenders who have been on parole more than once perceive that acquiring a general education degree while they are incarcerated is more important than those …

Community Oriented Policing Post September 11, 2001, Shahrzad Pakbin

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses - Archive

The events of September 11 2001, affected many in the United States, among them the local police. Not only did it impact the way the police operate, but also how they interacted with the general populace. This study identified patterns in the literature as it pertained to Community Oriented Policing post September 11, 2001. It examined the development of law enforcement agencies around Community Oriented Policing and how specifically Middle Eastern communities were impacted. This study was conducted by analyzing the content material of publications post September 11, 2001. Data for this study was collected through a qualitative content analysis, …

Defining Fear And Aggression: Typological Emotive Responses To Perceptions Of Textual Symbols, Donna Lynn Salazar

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses - Archive

Millennial technology has shed new light on early biological theories of crime. Recent evidence supports a new paradigm in criminological research designed to embrace an integration of neuro-scientific, psychological, and sociological theories in order to understand the multi-dimensional characteristics of causality involved in criminal behavior. The current study explores the value of an integrated approach to define typological fear and aggression emotive responses utilizing symbolic interaction as the mechanism by which the various disciplines interact. Through perceptions of emotionally charged textual symbols, typological representations of fear and aggression, and a 3-Part electronic survey instrument, the study reveals support for an …

Perceptions Of Police Officers Towards Law Enforcement Hiring Practices As They Pertain To Minority Candidates While Controlling For Gender, Angela Nicole Shaw

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses - Archive

The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of police officers towards law enforcement hiring practices as they pertain to minority candidates while controlling for gender. A survey instrument was devised and implemented to measure perceptions of hiring practices as they pertain to minorities and females at a police department in northern Texas. Once the data were collected, it was analyzed and examined for any statistically significance.

Students' Opinions Toward Carrying Concealed Handguns On Campus, Melissa Van Winkle

Criminology & Criminal Justice Theses - Archive

Since the massacre at Virginia Tech, there has been much attention regarding the idea of students carrying guns on campus. The purpose of this paper is to determine the opinions of graduate and undergraduate students who attend the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) regarding policies for carrying guns on campus while differentiating between criminal justice and non-criminal justice majors. The researcher conducted a survey with the target population being students who attend classes on the UTA campus. Students were asked to specify their level of studies (graduate or undergraduate), and their major of studies and provide their opinion as …

Race/Ethnicity And Potential Suicide Misclassification: Window On A Minority Suicide Paradox?, Ian Rh Rockett, Shuhui Wang, Steven Stack, Diego De Leo, James L. Frost, Alan M. Ducatman, Rheeda L. Walker, Nestor D. Kapusta

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Suicide officially kills approximately 30,000 annually in the United States. Analysis of this leading public health problem is complicated by undercounting. Despite persisting socioeconomic and health disparities, non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics register suicide rates less than half that of non-Hispanic Whites.

Methods

This cross-sectional study uses multiple cause-of-death data from the US National Center for Health Statistics to assess whether race/ethnicity, psychiatric comorbidity documentation, and other decedent characteristics were associated with differential potential for suicide misclassification. Subjects were 105,946 White, Black, and Hispanic residents aged 15 years and older, dying in the US between 2003 and 2005, whose …

Jurors And Social Loafing: Factors That Reduce Participation During Jury Deliberations, Cynthia J. Najdowski

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

The American jury system rests on the fundamental assumption that jurors will engage in a thorough analysis of facts and robust debate to ensure that verdicts are reliable. Research demonstrates, however, that this expectation is rarely met. All jurors do not participate equally in deliberations. This may be explained in part by social loafing, or the withdrawal of effort that may occur when an individual works in a group relative to when the individual works alone. Despite evidence that jurors do not participate equally during jury deliberations, an analysis of factors contributing to participation, or the lack thereof, has not …

Understanding Alcohol-Related Sexual Assaults: Characteristics And Consequences, Sarah E. Ullman, Cynthia J. Najdowski

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Sexual assaults commonly involve alcohol use, but little is known about alcohol’s effects on many aspects of assaults and their aftermath. We investigated characteristics of victims, perpetrators, and assaults as a function of whether alcohol was involved in the assault, as well as differences in women’s post-assault experiences. Assaults prior to which only perpetrators were drinking differed not only from non-alcohol-related assaults, but also from those prior to which both perpetrators and victims were drinking. Understanding the effects of alcohol-related assaults is important for identifying victims who should be targeted for mental health and substance use interventions.

Alcohol-Related Help Seeking In Problem Drinking Women Sexual Assault Survivors, Sarah E. Ullman, Cynthia J. Najdowski

Psychology Faculty Scholarship

Correlates of alcohol-related help seeking were studied in women sexual assault survivors who were current problem drinkers (N = 526) in a large metropolitan area in 2002-2003. Volunteer participants completed several valid and reliable instruments, which assessed alcohol use and misuse and related help seeking (i.e., the TWEAK, GFM, and MAST). Data were analyzed using logistic regression models. Results suggest that correlates of women survivors’ alcohol-related help seeking vary depending on the specific source. Limitations and implications are noted and recommendations for future research are made. This study was funded by the National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.