Showing papers in "Criminal Justice Studies in 2014"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used multiple operationalizations of informal social control and found that the cohesion and control scales are distinct from one another, which adds to the literature showing that they are better treated as separate scales.
Abstract: The investigation of social mechanisms within social disorganization theory has led to the concept of collective efficacy. Collective efficacy has typically been measured as a composite of social cohesion and informal control; however, more work remains to be done with respect to the measurement of informal control and the modeling of the relationship between cohesion and control. The present study addresses this issue by using multiple operationalizations of informal social control. Results suggest that respondents rely upon their ability to call the police as a method, by which they exercise informal control over their area of residence. Moreover, the cohesion and control scales are distinct from one another, which adds to the literature showing that they are better treated as separate scales. In regression models, cohesion emerges as largely unrelated to individuals’ propensity to intervene in neighborhood problems, but enhances their perceptions of their neighbors’ likelihood of intervention. Future r...
44 citations
TL;DR: The Ottawa Charter for health promotion is used to frame public health and health promotion within prisons and to set out a challenging agenda that would make health a priority for everyone, not just ‘health’ staff, within the prison setting.
Abstract: The criminal justice system now serves as the chief provider of health care services to a significant portion of society. This includes the provision of physical and mental health care for offender populations who require substantial health care resources. To date, little is known or understood with regard to how these services and programs are being delivered.
This book addresses the gaps in our knowledge by presenting a range of studies detailing the daily practices that occur in places where criminal justice and public health systems intersect. This includes an assessment of sheriff agency emergency communication systems, a study of problem behaviours and health using a juvenile sample, the challenge of treating mentally ill prison inmates with note of important gender differences, the impact of case management on justice systems, and a review of substance abuse cessation programs among pregnant women currently serving probation and parole sentences. Also included is a policy piece in which the authors call for an integrated model that is neither criminological nor public health specific. These readings provide a range of empirical examples that highlight important successes and challenges facing the criminal justice and public health systems. They suggest that integration and partnerships represent the most efficacious means to reduce critical social problems such as violence, poor health, and criminality. This book was originally published as a special issue of Criminal Justice Studies.
28 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, survey data collected from a statewide population of corrections officers were used to examine the impact of emotional dissonance and job desirability in predicting officer turnover intentions, and they found that emotional discomfort did not have as influential an impact as originally hypothesized.
Abstract: Correctional officers represent the most important component of penitentiaries, as they are required to regulate prisoner conduct and establish safety within the prison. Recent literature, however, reveals that many officers resign from their position shortly after being hired. Although extant literature has found a number of variables to significantly impact officer resignation intentions, including pay dissatisfaction and poor supervisory evaluations, no study has yet evaluated the influences of emotional dissonance and job desirability in predicting this outcome. Survey data collected from a statewide population of officers are used to examine the impact of these specific variables in predicting officer turnover intentions. While emotional dissonance did not have as influential an impact as originally hypothesized, officer evaluations of job desirability instead exhibited a positive and highly significant connection. To reduce officer turnover, prison administrators should improve officer working condi...
26 citations
TL;DR: The authors examined the suspensions and expulsions of students and examined whether these rates are driven by a few high-volume offenders and whether high volume offenders become felons using individual student pupil (rather than incident) data.
Abstract: This paper examines the suspensions and expulsions of students. Using individual student pupil (rather than incident) data, this research examines whether these rates are driven by a few high-volume offenders and whether high-volume offenders become felons. This study uses the number of students at three levels of violations: 0 offenses, 1–3 offenses, and four or more offenses. The authors also examined the relationship between the three groups of violators and committing a felony as a juvenile. The number of offenses per student ranged from 0 to 31. Findings indicated that those with 0 school infractions had no felonies, while the other two groups of violators 1–3 and four or more had a similar numbers of felonies. Implications for developmental models of delinquency are discussed.
20 citations
TL;DR: This paper examined how sex and gender shape media discourses of the sexual offender and victim that are mobilized in the legislative debate on Megan's Law, and found that high-profile media images of sexual offenders and victims are disproportionately associated with sexual violence.
Abstract: Sexual violence remains a pervasive and persistent social problem In 1996, Congress enacted Megan’s Law, dictating mandatory community notification and potential civil commitment for those deemed by the State to be dangerous sexual offenders In 2013, Megan’s Law continues to influence the treatment of sexual offenders under law and the social construction of a highly publicized, yet statistically rare, sexual crime – the rape and murder of a young female child by a depraved male stranger This influence highlights the extent to which this personalized crime bill shapes the social construction of sexual violence in terms of sex and gender systems This paper examines how sex and gender shape media discourses of the sexual offender and victim that are mobilized in the legislative debate on Megan’s Law Drawing on theoretical ideas from cultural studies and feminist legal scholarship, we employ discourse analysis to analyze the legislative debate on Megan’s Law We find that high-profile media images of se
19 citations
TL;DR: The authors compared the profiles and institutional and community outcomes of federally-sentenced Canadian offenders with, and without, a mental disorder and examined the correctional response to their management, finding that OMDs had higher risk and need ratings and were more likely to be serving their current sentence for a violent offense.
Abstract: While there is now a considerable literature on the extent of mental disorder (MD) within correctional settings, there is much less research on the correctional outcomes of offenders with a mental disorder (OMDs). This study contributes to that knowledge base by comparing the profiles and institutional and community outcomes of federally-sentenced Canadian offenders with, and without, a MD and examines the correctional response to their management. Results showed that OMDs had higher risk and need ratings and were more likely to be serving their current sentence for a violent offense. Outcomes for OMDs were poorer as reflected by higher rates of institutional charges and transfers to segregation, and higher rates of recidivism on release. This difference holds for the recidivism analysis, even when variables related to risk are controlled. The results demonstrate the complex needs of OMDs and points to the requirement for correctional agencies to provide specialized interventions that address both their m...
19 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence (ACE!) has developed and implemented four specific research-practitioner partnerships with federal, state, and county criminal justice organizations.
Abstract: Sustainable, collaborative partnerships provide a dynamic and fluid environment for studying and implementing policy and practice in justice agencies. However, these relationships take work to develop, grow, maintain, and sustain. Bridging the gap between academics and criminal justice practitioners requires solid partnerships built on access, agreement, goal setting, feedback, and relationship maintenance. When these components merge, both groups benefit from a resilient partnership with the potential for dramatically improving outcomes. A researcher–practitioner partnership is a challenging and complex process requiring careful attention to detail and an endless supply of energy and determination. This paper highlights some of the many successful researcher–practitioner partnerships our research team at the Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence (ACE!) has with criminal justice agencies. We detail four specific partnerships with federal, state, and county criminal justice organizations spanning fr...
18 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated the effectiveness of the Minnesota Comprehensive Offender Reentry Plan (MCORP), a prisoner reentry pilot project implemented in 2008, and found that MCORP significantly reduced four of the five recidivism measures examined.
Abstract: Using a randomized experimental design, this study evaluated the effectiveness of the Minnesota Comprehensive Offender Reentry Plan (MCORP), a prisoner reentry pilot project implemented in 2008. In an effort to reduce recidivism, MCORP attempted to increase offender access to community services and programming by producing greater case management collaboration between caseworkers in prison and supervision agents in the community. Results from Cox regression models showed that MCORP significantly reduced four of the five recidivism measures examined, although the size of the reduction in hazard ratios was relatively modest (20–25%). The findings further suggested that MCORP reduced costs. Sensitivity analyses showed, however, that the cost avoidance estimates were not robust across all assumptions that were examined.
17 citations
TL;DR: This article examined the intersection of offenders' race and gender in the sentencing process using data on felony cases sentenced in North Carolina and found that race affects punishment similarly for men and women, and that racial disparity is conditional on gender.
Abstract: This study examines the intersection of offenders’ race and gender in the sentencing process using data on felony cases sentenced in North Carolina Analyses examine the likelihood that charges were reduced in severity between initial filing and conviction, the likelihood of imprisonment, and the length of sentence imposed, and test whether race affects punishment similarly for men and women Results indicate that status characteristics predict both reductions in charge severity and the severity of the final sentence, and that racial disparity is conditional on gender However, the results are not entirely consistent with predictions derived from the extant literature Gender significantly predicts case outcomes at each stage, but black men were not uniformly disadvantaged, and black women received the least severe treatment in two out of four analyses Theoretical implications for the intersection of race and gender in sentencing theories are discussed
15 citations
TL;DR: This article found that black inmates were more likely to have served electronic monitoring than white inmates and older inmates find EM more punitive than younger inmates, indicating that EM is perceived as a punitive sanction by those that have experienced it.
Abstract: The purpose of this research is to examine whether inmates that have served electronic monitoring (EM) find it more punitive than offenders that have not served electronic monitoring. We asked a sample of 1194 inmates currently incarcerated in a Midwestern state to estimate exchange rates of electronic monitoring over prison by rating how many months of EM they would serve to avoid 12 months in prison. The results indicate that inmates view EM as less punitive than prison and that monitored offenders find EM more punitive than unmonitored offenders. Additionally, black inmates were more likely to have served EM than white inmates and older inmates find EM more punitive than younger inmates. Previously monitored offenders report that they will be less likely to rely on family and friends upon release from prison. These results suggest that EM is perceived as a punitive sanction by those that have experienced it. Furthermore, racial differences uncovered here may help explain why minorities view alternative...
14 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the nature and magnitude of contextual variability associated with sentencing outcomes using state-level data from felony cases processed in state courts (n = 48,006).
Abstract: Using national data from felony cases processed in state courts (n = 48,006), the current study investigates the nature and magnitude of contextual variability associated with sentencing outcomes. Multivariate models are first estimated to identify the main effects of various offender and offense variables on sentencing decisions. Conjunctive analysis is then used to evaluate the contextual variability of each of these main effects across all observed combinations of offender and offense attributes. Separate analyses are also conducted among states with and without mandatory sentencing guidelines to explore whether these guidelines reduce this variability across different contexts. Findings from this study and its comparative methods are discussed in terms of implications for future research on criminal sentencing and assessing the contextual variability of the main effects of particular legal and extralegal factors.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe the genesis, development, unanticipated complications, and short and long-term value of a researcher-practitioner partnership between the Florida Department of Corrections and the Florida State University College of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Abstract: This paper describes the genesis, development, unanticipated complications, and short- and long-term value of a researcher–practitioner partnership between the Florida Department of Corrections and the Florida State University College of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Collaborations between criminal justice agencies and researchers are infrequent and, we argue, should be encouraged as a means to generate quality policy-relevant research and engender mutually beneficial relationships between researchers and practitioners. This results from the reality that practitioner agencies have a strong desire and need for quality empirical research to inform their policies and practices, have in-depth knowledge of their programs, and massive amounts of data. However, agencies are not funded adequately to devote dedicated resources to complex and time-consuming research. In contrast, non-practitioners such as universities have the expertise and ability to devote considerable dedicated time to conducting comprehensi...
TL;DR: The authors examined gender differences in patterns or subgroups of adolescents based on self-reported problem behaviors and identified differences in health-related factors including service utilization, physical and mental health, and violent victimization across the identified gender-specific subgroups.
Abstract: Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), this study expands on previous research on adolescent problem behavior by (1) examining gender differences in patterns or ‘subgroups’ of adolescents based on self-reported problem behaviors and (2) identifying differences in health-related factors including service utilization, physical and mental health, and violent victimization across the identified gender-specific subgroups. The data used in this study were taken from Wave 2 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) data and includes respondents under the age of 18 (n = 10,360). Based on 16 problem behavior items measuring delinquency, substance use, risky sexual practices, and status offending, latent class analyses identified a 4-class model for the male subsample and a 3-class model for the female subsample. Important differences in health-related factors were observed across the latent classes. However, these differences were fairly consis...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined whether exposure to prison-based treatment reduces involvement in prison misconduct among a sample of female prison inmates controlling for disorder types (i.e. mental health disorder only, substance use disorder only and co-occurring mental and substance use disorders).
Abstract: Inmates with mental health and co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders present difficult challenges for correctional institutions and treatment providers. The complex nature of co-occurring disorders further exacerbates these difficulties and is associated with poor treatment compliance and increased likelihood of engaging in institutional misconduct. The current study examines whether exposure to prison-based treatment reduces involvement in prison misconduct among a sample of female prison inmates controlling for disorder types (i.e. mental health disorder only, substance use disorder only, and co-occurring mental and substance use disorders). Findings revealed that with exposure of more than 181 days of treatment, the odds of misconduct involvement among females with co-occurring disorders more than doubled compared to receiving no treatment. This finding is at odds with treatment retention literature that suggests that a minimum period of time in treatment is needed to affect post-treat...
TL;DR: This paper explored inmates' attempts at safe sex in an environment where sexual behavior, though prohibited, frequently occurs, and where no sex is the only accepted form of "safe" sex.
Abstract: Correctional rules and regulations requiring sexual abstinence for prison inmates, coupled with unsupported beliefs about the risks of condom provision, keep most inmates in a dangerous muddle of criminalized sexual expression, covert efforts at erroneous myth-based safe sex practices, and high risk of sexual disease contraction and transmission. With the vast majority of inmates eventually released to re-enter communities across the US, these health concerns are not quarantined to the correctional environment, but rather contribute to what has been described as the hidden epidemic in public health . Using inmate voice from a large-scale national examination of inmate sexual behavior, the current study explores inmates’ attempts at ‘safe sex’ in an environment where sexual behavior, though prohibited, frequently occurs, and where no sex is the only accepted form of ‘safe’ sex. Inmates identify many approaches to safe sexual practice including barrier protection, partner selection, and risk reduction strat...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe the functions that comprise the research partner role, and draw from their experience as a research partner in one city - Syracuse, NY - to illustrate the performance of those functions and to reflexively distill from that experience some lessons for the development and maintenance of research partnerships.
Abstract: Academics and practitioners recognize that research partnerships can benefit both research and practice. Many such partnerships, of varying scope and duration, have been formed over the past 20 years. However, while we have learned some lessons about such partnerships, we have much yet to learn about how research partnerships can be sustained and put to their greatest use. In this paper, we describe the functions that comprise the research partner role, and we draw from our experience as a research partner in one city – Syracuse, NY – to illustrate the performance of those functions and to reflexively distill from that experience some lessons for the development and maintenance of research partnerships. We discuss the factors that we believe shaped the success with which the partnership has operated, and the challenges that we confronted.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the effect of race and gender on the sentencing of older defendants in the United States Sentencing Commission and found that older females were treated with greater leniency by judges than their younger counterparts.
Abstract: Few studies focus on age as a factor influencing judicial decision-making, in spite of the widespread use of age as a control variable. Although the limited research to have done so is inconsistent, most scholars agree that age may be race- and/or gender-graded in a manner that produces more severe sentences for certain race–gender–age combinations, especially for young males who are Black or Latino. Less consensus exists with regard to whether older defendants are granted more leniency in the sentencing process and, if so, if the effects of older age are also race- and/or gender-graded. The present study examines this question by examining data from the United States Sentencing Commission. The data presented reveal three noteworthy findings. First, a ‘senior citizen discount’ exists insofar as judges afford more leniency in sentencing to older offenders than their younger counterparts. Second, compared to older males, older females were treated with greater leniency by judges. Finally, whereas Latinos 60...
TL;DR: The following special edition of Criminal Justice Studies as discussed by the authors focused on issues that intersect both the criminal justice and public health systems, and relied on a longstanding World Health Organization (WHO) model.
Abstract: The following special edition of Criminal Justice Studies centers on issues that intersect both the criminal justice and public health systems. It relies on a longstanding World Health Organization...
TL;DR: In this article, the experiences of an academic research centre dedicated to conducting community-engaged scholarship (CES) with criminal justice professionals from government and non-profit sectors are discussed.
Abstract: In this paper, we discuss the experiences of our academic research centre, which is dedicated to conducting community-engaged scholarship (CES) with criminal justice professionals from government and non-profit sectors. In doing so, we describe the benefits and challenges we have observed in collaborating with criminal justice agencies as it pertains to the relevance of the research conducted, ability to implement recommendations and measure outcomes, implications for data collection methods, access to knowledge and expertise, expectations about the research, communication and organizational change. We also present our partners’ perceptions of working collaboratively with a university centre. Some of the benefits they identified include being able to access external research, improve their programmes, engage in capacity building, and make better decisions; few challenges were mentioned. Further, we describe the key ingredients that have helped us sustain our collaborative relationships: mutually beneficia...
TL;DR: An ongoing collaboration between the university researchers and a federal probation district in the assessment of an ongoing training program to improve officer interactions with offenders is discussed.
Abstract: Collaborative research partnerships between criminal justice agencies and universities are vital to providing more effective and efficient services to the community by connecting research with practice. Unfortunately, such partnerships are not frequently sought. The tradition of autonomous research is often at least partially rooted in the perception that barriers to collaboration cannot be successfully mitigated. As external factors are increasing the pressure to collaborate, it is constructive to recognize the known barriers and strategies to overcome these hurdles. The present paper discusses an ongoing collaboration between the university researchers and a federal probation district in the assessment of an ongoing training program to improve officer interactions with offenders. Best practices are outlined and suggestions for future projects are discussed.
TL;DR: In this paper, a time-series regression analysis is applied to 30 years of state-level data to examine how economic factors interact with aggregate measures of race/ethnicity in predicting rates of incarceration.
Abstract: Guided by the Rusche and Kirchheimer thesis, this study examines variation in incarceration rates across states Time-series regression analysis is applied to 30 years of state-level data to examine how economic factors interact with aggregate measures of race/ethnicity in predicting rates of incarceration The analysis indicates that income inequality, not unemployment, is the most salient predictor of incarceration rates That is, state-level measures of income inequality exert a strong, positive effect on state-level incarceration rates, and this effect is particularly salient in the presence of higher percentages of African-Americans
TL;DR: The authors investigated whether repeat driving under the influence (DUI) offenders have more extensive histories of violent, property, and drug crimes than first-time drunk drivers and found that being a repeat DUI offender increased the total number of violent and property convictions regardless of severity.
Abstract: This study investigates whether repeat driving under the influence (DUI) offenders have more extensive histories of violent, property, and drug crimes than first-time drunk drivers. It also offers an exploratory investigation into the extent of their criminal specialization. Negative binomial regression was performed on arrest and criminal history data from a systematic random sample of 429 DUI arrestees. Analyses controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, and employment found that being a repeat DUI offender increased the total number of violent and property convictions (regardless of severity) and petty misdemeanor/violation property convictions. The results suggest DUI recidivists are generalists rather than specialists and that impaired driving is best viewed as just one manifestation of a host of deviant behaviors. They also illustrate the challenges of rehabilitating and deterring DUI recidivists and the potential differences between first-time and repeat DUI offenders. The findings should not be inter...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored how people present themselves in traffic court and found that most of those who appear in trafficcourt aim to present themselves professionally and behave with respect while in court.
Abstract: Much work examines self-presentation styles; however, little work explores how people present themselves in traffic court. Utilizing observatory research, we aim to better understand differences in physical presentation and demeanor in traffic court. Further, judges that work in traffic court were interviewed to see how they understood the importance of presentation of self. Data indicate that most of those who appear in traffic court aim to present themselves professionally and behave with respect while in court. This appears to be a wise decision because judges tended to think that presentation of self was an important variable in their courtroom and how they evaluated cases. Still, differences in presentation of self appeared in the courtroom especially with regard to dress – extremely casual to orange jumpsuits. Finally, we argue that while modern defendants aim to present professionally the overall ‘professional’ presentation of self, even in the courtroom, is casual dress.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used data from a larger study of women on supervision to explore the risk and protective factors of substance use during pregnancy, highlighting the importance of self-efficacy, mental health treatment, and family support.
Abstract: Research suggests that a lack of family support, low self-efficacy, mental illness, and life stressors increase the likelihood of women using illicit substances during their pregnancies. These risk factors often characterize the lives of women on probation and parole. The current study uses data from a larger study of women on supervision to explore the risk and protective factors of substance use during pregnancy. Results highlight the importance of self-efficacy, mental health treatment, and family support; and suggest avenues for intervention to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.
TL;DR: In a recent special edition of Criminal Justice Studies as discussed by the authors, the authors focus on the lack of resources specific to our discipline regarding best practices for developing and sustaining these relationships, and highlight the need for a systematic understanding of research collaborations between academic-based researchers and criminal justice agencies.
Abstract: The systematic understanding of partnerships between academic-based researchers and criminal justice agencies has received relatively little attention in scholarly journals. This is an area in need of scholarly attention because research collaborations among universities and justice agencies have increased in recent years and there is a lack of resources specific to our discipline regarding best practices for developing and sustaining these relationships. Indeed, research focusing on researcher-practitioner partnerships exists in other disciplines including the public health, business, and medical fields, and to a lesser degree the social sciences. However, the criminal justice sector is unique in a number of ways including the population served, the sensitivity of the data, the amount of funding available, and the large number of agencies that are involved in a single project. Thus, this is the gap in our literature we hope to begin filling with this special edition of Criminal Justice Studies. The relatively recent increase in university-agency research partnerships can be attributed to a number of different factors. These include the growing recognition by university leaders that academic research should be relevant and useful to the community and the increased attention to evidence-based practices. Among criminal justice agencies, there is also an emerging appreciation of data-driven decisionmaking and the use of rigorous research methodology. Agencies are beginning to recognize that using data to help inform policies and practices can greatly enhance operations, cut down costs, ensure equitable practices, and maintain public safety. In addition, for many years there were suggestions that applicants for nonresearcher-initiated (R01s, etc.) grants should partner with a researcher. However, it was not until recently that this was a requirement. Nowadays, it is not unusual for grant solicitations from government and private funders to carry a requirement for the involvement of an evaluator/researcher from the beginning of the project, with an adequate funding level built into the proposal budget. Furthermore, as we move through the ‘what works’ and ‘what matters’ in the production and dissemination of evidence-based practices, the role of researchers comes into even greater importance. Whether we call it ‘translational research,’ ‘implementation science,’ or some variant of ‘diffusion of innovation,’ the collaborative efforts of the developer/implementer of the new approach and the researchers evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of the approach are crucial aspects of the successfulness of the innovation as a whole. As the importance of university researcher-criminal justice agency partnerships becomes more apparent, the experiences of scholars who have been engaged in this type of research will also become incredibly valuable. The development of a body of work surrounding collaborative partnerships in criminal justice will allow veteran scholars to reflect on their experiences and compare across different partnerships to
TL;DR: Only gender was significantly related to early death – compared to females, males were 2.3 times more likely to have prematurely died and being an African-American female was protective against early death.
Abstract: Most previous research regarding early death prior to, or during, young adulthood among previously detained delinquent youth has focused predominantly on males or on their cause of death. This study extends previous research by evaluating potential factors that are associated with early death in a random sample (N = 999) of formerly detained youthful offenders in New York stratified by gender (50% female). Existing case records were referenced with the National Death Index to determine if the formerly detained youth were deceased by the time they would have reached age 28. Regression analyses were run to determine if any of 16 sociodemographic, offense history, weapons/gang involvement, mental health, substance use, child maltreatment, child welfare, or family environmental risk factors measured in their childhood or adolescence were associated with early death. Two additional regression analyses were run to determine if those risk factors differentially impacted early death for males vs. females. Of the variables measured, however, only gender was significantly related to early death - compared to females, males were 2.3 times more likely to have prematurely died. Additionally, in the model run separately for females, being an African-American female was protective against early death. These findings are compared to findings from the existing literature. Language: en
TL;DR: A content analysis of 2590 sheriff’s office website homepages was conducted to determine the presence or absence of nine communications elements important to people seeking information during an emergency or disaster, and it was found that 71.9% of sheriff's office websites homepages include links to agency services and programs, but only 6.5% provide links to emergency preparedness information.
Abstract: Sheriff’s offices are an integral component of the public health emergency preparedness and response system in the USA. During a public health emergency or disaster, sheriff’s offices need to communicate with people affected by the event. Sheriff’s office websites are logical sources for information about disaster preparedness and response efforts. No prior research evaluates emergency preparedness and response resources available through sheriff’s office websites. The current research is a national study of sheriff’s office websites to assess the availability of information relating to emergency preparedness and response. A content analysis of 2590 sheriff’s office website homepages was conducted to determine the presence or absence of nine communications elements important to people seeking information during an emergency or disaster. We found that 71.9% of sheriff’s office website homepages include links to agency services and programs, but only 6.5% provide links to emergency preparedness information....
TL;DR: Examination of associations among CJ-involvement, social and health services utilization, and health status in a cohort of CJ-involved men living in the community suggests that follow-through on services by released individuals’ remains problematic.
Abstract: In the era of re-entry, a great deal of attention has been paid to the ‘risk-need-responsivity’ model. Most attention to the utilization of services designed to meet need has focused on post-release behaviors. However, little attention has been paid to the pre-incarceration utilization of services that might influence receptivity to post-release utilization. Using constructs borrowed from health services utilization, the current paper examines the associations among CJ-involvement, social and health services utilization, and health status in a cohort of CJ-involved men living in the community. Results from the current cohort, combined with those of previous research, suggest that follow-through on services by released individuals’ remains problematic. Suggestions for future research and questions about the role of criminal justice agencies in improving follow-through are raised.