Showing papers in "Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice in 2007"
TL;DR: The authors discusses the theoretical elements contributing to the development of Black criminal typification to understand how this has been used to justify racial profiling in criminal justice practitioners, and details the theoretical and practical elements that contribute to this type of typification.
Abstract: The racial stereotyping of criminals has been an enduring and unfortunate feature of American culture. However, following the civil rights movement, the linkage between Blacks and crime was galvanized. The stereotyping of Blacks as criminals is so pervasive throughout society that “criminal predator” is used as a euphemism for “young Black male.” This common stereotype has erroneously served as a subtle rationale for the unofficial policy and practice of racial profiling by criminal justice practitioners. This article details the theoretical elements contributing to the development of Black criminal typification to understand how this has been used to justify racial profiling.
364 citations
TL;DR: In recent years, the growing literature on the topic of desistance from crime and deviant behavior has generated a large body of knowledge on this dimension of the criminal career as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: In recent years, the growing literature on the topic of desistance from crime and deviant behavior has generated a large body of knowledge on this dimension of the criminal career. Despite these ef...
259 citations
TL;DR: Several scholars have suggested that life changes may be shaped by social structures through a process of "knifing off" as discussed by the authors, i.e., individuals are thought to change their lives...
Abstract: Several scholars have suggested that life changes—such as desistance from crime—may be shaped by social structures through a process of “knifing off.” Individuals are thought to change their lives ...
257 citations
TL;DR: The needs of women offenders may be qualitatively different than the needs of male offenders as discussed by the authors, and the "pathways" and "gender-responsive" perspectives of female offending have recently garnered attentio...
Abstract: The needs of women offenders may be qualitatively different than the needs of male offenders. The “pathways” and “gender-responsive” perspectives of female offending have recently garnered attentio...
152 citations
TL;DR: The Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R) as mentioned in this paper has been used to assess the level of service inventory for female offenders over a 20-year period (1986 to 2006).
Abstract: The developers of the Level of Service Inventory—Revised (LSI-R) argue that actuarial risk instruments, and the theoretical framework on which they are based, are “gender neutral” and apply to all offenders in a variety of correctional settings. Although there is empirical support for this perspective, recent research using more representative female offender samples suggests that the LSI-R “works” differently for various offender groups (e.g., women who follow “gendered” pathways to crime). The bulk of research used to support claims of gender neutrality is based on males. This research evaluates these claims by reviewing the empirical research on the LSI-R for female offenders published over a 20-year period (1986 — 2006). Based on the evidence, the authors identify directions for future research on gender and risk assessment and also discuss implications for correctional classification and treatment.
143 citations
TL;DR: This paper reviewed key issues in desistance research, especially those arising from developmental and life-course theories and the criminal career paradigm, and outlined key questions that need to be addressed in future research on desistance and set out a 10-year longitudinal research agenda.
Abstract: This article reviews key issues in desistance research, especially those arising from developmental and life-course theories and the criminal career paradigm. It discusses policy issues and the measurement of desistance. It outlines key questions that need to be addressed in future research on desistance and sets out a 10-year longitudinal research agenda. This includes (a) multiple cohorts, (b) community and offender samples, (c) self-report and official measures, (d) repeated measures of offending, and (e) measures of risk factors, life events, situational factors, and cognitive processes. Within-individual analyses are recommended.
131 citations
TL;DR: A broad conceptualization of ILP is presented under the belief that ILP will most likely be most likely integrated into law enforcement and will have the greatest impact if it is adopted from an "all crimes" perspective as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Leading police associations in the United States and the United Kingdom have advocated that law enforcement adopt an intelligence-led policing model (ILP). Much like the situation with community policing, there does not appear to be a commonly accepted definition of ILP nor of the practical implications for police agencies' mission, structure, and processes. This article presents a model of ILP that builds on community policing, problem solving, and continuous improvement business models that have been adopted by police departments. Examples of these practices are reviewed as a method of illustrating the promise of an ILP approach. A broad conceptualization of ILP is presented under the belief that ILP will be most likely integrated into law enforcement and will have the greatest impact if it is adopted from an “all crimes” perspective. The article concludes with illustrations of the utility of ILP for addressing threats of domestic and international terrorism.
125 citations
TL;DR: This article introduces two new conceptualizations of desistance based on individuals’ personal assessments of their own movement away from crime based on qualitative accounts of changes in offending, survey items indexing subjective desistance and reference group desistance.
Abstract: This article introduces two new conceptualizations of desistance based on individuals’ personal assessments of their own movement away from crime Drawing on qualitative accounts of changes in offending, survey items indexing subjective desistance and reference group desistance are developed A representative community sample of young adults is used to compare these new conceptualizations of desistance against more established measures derived from changes in arrest and self-reported crime Results indicate that the prevalence and predictors of desistance vary with these alternative conceptualizations Although relationship quality is consistently related to each desistance measure, the effects of prior crime, peer relationships, race, gender, and parental status depend on the outcome under consideration These results show both the generality of the desistance process and the utility of comparing subjective accounts of this process alongside official and self-reported behavioral measures
84 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors test the risk principle on a large sample of female offenders involved in community corrections in a midwestern state and find that higher risk female offenders who participated in residential treatment showed lower probability of recidivism than a risk-controlled comparison group, while lower risk women increased in likelihood of re-arrest after exposure to the same treatment.
Abstract: Previous research has supported the significance of the principles of effective intervention in correctional treatment. The risk principle suggests that intensive correctional interventions be reserved for higher risk offenders. Increasingly, there is discussion about the application of the risk principle to specialized populations, such as female offenders. The purpose of this article is to test the risk principle on a sizeable sample of female offenders involved in community corrections in a midwestern state. Findings suggest that the risk principle is applicable to women as higher risk female offenders who participated in residential treatment showed lower probability of recidivism than a risk-controlled comparison group, while lower-risk women increased in likelihood of re-arrest after exposure to the same treatment. Results contribute to the growing literature on effective treatment interventions for female offenders.
68 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate desistance from self-reported criminal activity among a sample of French-Canadian men who were adjudicated during adolescence and interviewed on various occasions through midlife.
Abstract: Although the literature has generated a large body of knowledge on the development of criminal activity, much remains unknown about the normative process of desistance. This study investigates desistance from self-reported criminal activity among a sample of French-Canadian men who were adjudicated during adolescence and interviewed on various occasions through midlife. Desistance is defined as the dynamic process characterized by a progressive decline in offending versatility. Latent trajectory modeling was used to test two models, the launch and contemporaneous effect models, accounting for the effects of deviant behavior and measures of self- and social control on desistance. The launch effect model suggests that very few self- or social control variables can predict trajectories of desistance from crime throughout a 25-year period. The contemporaneous effect model reveals that some measures of self- and social control accelerate (or restrain) the desistance process, but only at specific developmental ...
62 citations
TL;DR: The criminal career paradigm parcels offenders' careers into multiple dimensions, including participation, frequency, persistence, seriousness, career length, and desistance, and each dimension may be different from the other as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The criminal career paradigm parcels offenders’ careers into multiple dimensions, including participation, frequency, persistence, seriousness, career length, and desistance, and each dimension may...
TL;DR: In this paper, the results of the within-gender analyses reveal that the type and strength of the predictors of out-of-community placement and recidivism differ for girls and boys.
Abstract: Data on 2,303 youth participating in the New York State Mental Health/ Juvenile Justice Diversion Program were used to explore differences between girls and boys on factors commonly associated with two juvenile justice outcomes: recidivism and out-of-community placement. Bivariate analyses reveal predictable differences between justice-involved girls and boys. Pooled sex multivariate models of these outcomes show no main effect of sex. The results of the within-gender analyses reveal that the type and strength of the predictors of out-of-community placement and recidivism differ for girls and boys. Some predictors suggest even opposite effects by gender. This underscores the necessity to conduct studies of girls (and women) that are grounded in female-specific theories, using data elements derived from those theories and collecting information through gender-sensitive methodologies.
TL;DR: The authors examined the impact of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on organizational development of American state and local law enforcement agencies and found that changes have occurred and continue to develop mainly in organizational structures and processes.
Abstract: This study examines the impact of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on organizational development of American state and local law enforcement agencies. Content analyses of police discourse in two practitioner magazines spanning from 1999 to 2004 are used to determine specific organizational changes that have been triggered by 9/11. Findings from our analyses indicate that changes have occurred and continue to develop mainly in organizational structures and processes. Changes in internal structures, such as the creation of a counterterrorism unit, tend to occur only in larger metropolitan and state police agencies. Changes in organizational processes or operations tend to be far more universal and typically involve an increased collaboration among police departments, specifically greater openness toward information sharing. Implications for future research are discussed.
TL;DR: This paper employed in-depth interviews of patrol officers in the Novad (a fictitious name), Texas, police department about racial profiling and found that a dominant narrative emerged in contrast to the reverse scenario that composes the public discourse on racial profiling.
Abstract: As central actors in the phenomenon, the police view is noticeably absent from research on racial profiling. Given the prominence of “color-blind” racial ideology in the face of disparate opinions about the police between minorities and Whites in the United States, police discourse on racial profiling bears examination. The author employs in-depth interviews of patrol officers in the Novad (a fictitious name), Texas, police department about racial profiling. A dominant narrative—“White boy in a no White boy zone” —emerges in contrast to the reverse scenario that composes the public discourse on racial profiling. This analysis supports the work of Bonilla-Silva, who suggests that rhetorical strategies have developed in the color-blind era to express racialized issues in ways that appear nonracial.
TL;DR: This article examined the effects of several criminal history variables on the risk of a new arrest in adulthood among a sample of serious youthful offenders and found that even after controlling for prior differences in offending levels, the duration of time since the last arrest is a strong predictor of the likelihood of a subsequent arrest.
Abstract: Given the theoretical disagreement between population heterogeneity and state dependence theories in regard to the relevance of specific criminal history variables, this study examines the effects of several criminal history variables on the risk of a new arrest in adulthood among a sample of serious youthful offenders. Findings show that even after controlling for prior differences in offending levels, the duration of time since the last arrest is a strong (and negative) predictor of the risk of a subsequent arrest. Results also suggest that criminal activity in early adulthood is more informative on risk prediction than elements of criminal past tied to the juvenile status.
TL;DR: The authors used data from the American Terrorism Study to compare the period before and after two of the most dramatic terrorist events on U.S. soil: the Oklahoma City bombing and the 9/11 attacks.
Abstract: A major terrorism event has several important consequences for officials involved in the investigation and prosecution of terrorist activities. Such events are likely to bring increased scrutiny by both public policy officials and the media. The article uses data from the American Terrorism Study to compare the period before and after two of the most dramatic terrorist events on U.S. soil: the Oklahoma City bombing and the 9/11 attacks. The results suggest that whether intentional or not, major terrorism events result in the government's pursuing cases that are generally less serious and less complicated, and those cases are treated much more like “traditional” crimes by the prosecution. Following the aftermath of a major event, terrorist defendants are more likely to behave like traditional offenders and are less likely to be convicted as a result of a trial than are terrorists who are indicted before major events.
TL;DR: This paper argued that this approach is limited in its effectiveness and argued that police interest in documenting and preventing racial profiling is driven by concerns about developing and maintaining the perception of responsiveness to the public.
Abstract: Racial profiling is among the most important challenges to the legitimacy of law enforcement agencies in the United States. In response to concerns about racial profiling, police departments have taken a number of approaches to address the threat to legitimacy that racial profiling poses. Among the most common approaches, and one that citizens, policy makers, and scholars have all supported, is the implementation of data collection programs designed to document the situational characteristics of traffic stops. The consensus is that data collection will provide an empirical basis for determining whether race-based or other biased policing is occurring. This article argues that this approach is limited in its effectiveness. It is argued that police interest in documenting and preventing racial profiling is driven by concerns about developing and maintaining the perception of responsiveness to the public. Police strategy, ironically, uses technology and science to enhance institutional legitimacy.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined 135 federal-level racial profiling cases and found that most of the persons alleging they were racially profiled were Black and Hispanic, and more than half of those making racial profiling allegations were caught engaging in criminal activity during the incident that instigated the legal suit.
Abstract: This article examines 135 federal-level racial profiling cases. Based on a review of these cases, the research reveals that such cases are on the decline. Moreover, most of the persons alleging they were racially profiled were Black and Hispanic. More than half of the persons making racial profiling allegations were caught engaging in criminal activity during the incident that instigated the legal suit. In addition, most of the incidents involved multiple male officers, who were employed by local police departments. The research also found that persons making racial profiling allegations win in less than a third of the cases. The article concludes by discussing the implications of these results.
TL;DR: This paper provided a sociohistorical perspective of selected legislative and court decisions that promulgated racial profiling, and the enforcement of these decisions was based on the degree of ethnic/racial visibility.
Abstract: Racial profiling is not confined to the illegal practices of targeting, questioning, and arresting minority group members by law enforcement officials because of their involvement in criminal activity; it is systemic and pervasive in private and public institutions. Other minority groups are racially profiled; however, this discussion focuses on racial profiling of African Americans. Specifically, this article provides a sociohistorical perspective of selected legislative and court decisions that promulgated racial profiling. The enforcement of these decisions was based on the degree of ethnic/racial visibility. Consequently, today's incidence of de facto racial profiling is the result of de jure practices.
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that the SRSW continues to be a reliable measure with satisfactory convergent and predictive validity and security classification recommendations equaled or outperformed correctional caseworker recommendations on all indices of validity.
Abstract: Amid calls for gender-informed classification measures for women offenders, the Correctional Service of Canada developed and field tested the Security Reclassification Scale for Women (SRSW). In 2005, the SRSW was implemented nationally to anchor security level review decisions for federally sentenced women offenders. To reassess the scale's psychometric properties, this study used the population of 448 consecutive security reviews conducted since the scale's implementation. Results demonstrated that the SRSW continues to be a reliable measure with satisfactory convergent and predictive validity. Moreover, SRSW security classification recommendations equaled or outperformed correctional caseworker recommendations on all indices of validity.
TL;DR: In the post-9/11 period, the United States government employed alternate methods to deal with those accused of pursuing terrorism or aiding the nation's enemies as mentioned in this paper, in an effort to thwart terror attacks, officials employed both civilian and military authority to investigate, apprehend, detain and prosecute terror suspects.
Abstract: In the post—9/11 period, the United States government employed alternate methods to deal with those accused of pursuing terrorism or aiding the nation's enemies. In an effort to thwart terror attacks, officials employed both civilian and military authority to investigate, apprehend, detain, and prosecute terror suspects. At first the Bush administration was granted considerable deference by the public and other branches of government on a wide variety of measures, including detainments. Eventually, both the courts and Congress reasserted themselves to limit the broad authority that the administration initially wielded over suspected terrorists. In particular, the ability of the military to detain American citizens in most circumstances was all but eliminated, and its near complete authority over noncitizens was significantly restricted as well.