THREE WORLDS OF WESTERN PUNISHMENT: A REGIME THEORY OF CROSS-NATIONAL INCARCERATION RATE VARIATION, 1960-2002

This dissertation offers an explanation of cross national incarceration rate variation for 17 industrialized countries for the second half of the 20th century. Both historical case studies and time-series cross-section analyses are used to provide an institutional explanation of incarceration rate differences. Borrowing from Weber’s Sociology of Law and comparative legal scholarship, it is suggested that three types of legal thinking exist among western democracies—Common, Romano-Germanic, and Nordic law. A regime approach commonly applied in political economic explanations of welfare state development is used to quantify the legal and criminal justice institutional differences between 1960 and 2002 to assert that there are ‘three worlds of western punishment’ in the post-War period. The countries used in this analysis are similar in numerous ways, but historically embedded legal differences have resulted in different trial structures, judge-attorney relationships, rules of criminal evidence, and lay participation that influence the amount of incarceration in each country. The historical case studies demonstrate how important events set countries on particular developmental paths such as the power of defense attorneys in common law, despite their original exclusion from trials; the choice of scientific legal principles as a basis for an objective law blending Roman and Germanic legal principles; and the Nordic’s amalgamation of common and Romano-Germanic legal principles. These legal institutions are complimented by political economic variables that suggest that the presence of more left leaning political parties, centralization of wage bargaining, and labor organization provide a further break on the drive to incarcerate. The quantitative findings support the legal regime approach as well as political economic variables while controlling for crime and homicide rates

Probation and Parole Officers Speak Out--Caseload and Workload Allocation

The article deals with the perceptions of the Probation and Parole Officers on making case load and workload decisions. Caseload is the number of offenders an officer supervised while the workload is the amount of time needed to accomplish a task. The American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) provides baseline data in assisting policy-makers to resolve caseload and workload allocation issues. According to the article, officials should establish a definite goal to diminish recidivism through research-based processes

The Role of Probation and Parole Officers in the Collaborative Response to Sex Offenders

The article presents the curriculum for training community corrections professionals on how to deal with low-level/low-risk sex offenders, with emphasis on the role of various agencies in the collaborative response system. The role of probation and parole officers as the sex offender\u27s external conscience is explained as well as the duties of law enforcement officers in responding to sex offenses. Jail staff may become involved by being court staff, prison staff and treatment staff

Warning: Sex Offenders Need to be Supervised in the Community

The article explains the need for the training of officers so that they may properly supervise sex offenders returning to a community. It is suggested that officers need to be objective, be informed of laws against sexual offending and aware of common characteristics of sex offenders. It is inferred that a combined effort from different government agencies is needed to be able to effectively supervise sex offenders. Several steps to ensure the safety of the supervisors are also discussed

Understanding the Micro-Situational Dynamics of White Supremacist Violence in the United States

While substantial effort has been devoted to investigating the radicalization process and developing theories to explain why this occurs, surprisingly few studies offer explanations of the micro-situational factors that characterize how extremists accomplish violence. Relying on in-depth life history interviews with 89 former white supremacists, we analyzed the situational, emotional, and moral considerations surrounding white supremacist violence. Overall, we identified a variety of strategies white supremacists utilize for overcoming emotional and cognitive obstacles required to perform violent action. Furthermore, we also identified the callous effect of habitual violence. We conclude this article with suggestions for future research and recommendations for practitioners addressing terrorism prevention initiatives

White supremacy can be addictive, and leaving it behind can be like kicking a drug habit.

The 2016 election and the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, earlier this year have focused the attention of many on to the resurgence of far-right extremism and radicalization. In new research based on interviews with former white supremacists, Pete Simi, Kathleen Blee, Matthew DeMichele and Steven Windisch find that many of those involved in such movements consider themselves as having been ..

Findings and Implications from a Project on White Supremacist Entry and Exit Pathways

This Research Note provides an overview of the main findings from a project on white supremacist pathways - or why some individuals join and leave white supremacist groups - with a specific focus on elucidating common themes, theoretical applications, main takeaways, and providing recommendations for academics and policymakers. One key lesson is that identity is central to entry and exit pathways

On the Permissibility of Homicidal Violence: Perspectives from Former U.S. White Supremacists

Drawing upon in-depth life-history interviews with 91 North American-based former white supremacists, we examine how participants perceive homicidal violence as either an appropriate or inappropriate political strategy. Based on the current findings, participants considered homicidal violence as largely inappropriate due to moral concerns and its politically ineffective nature but also discussed how homicidal violence could be an appropriate defensive measure in RAHOWA (Racial Holy War) or through divine mandate. Capturing how white supremacists frame the permissibility of homicidal violence is a step toward better understanding the “upper limit” or thresholds for violence among members who are trying to construct and negotiate a collective identity that involves violent and aggressive worldviews

Barriers to Family Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) of Mobilization Behaviors and Pre-Operational Planning: Report to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

The Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) Initiative (NSI) is one of many tools used by law enforcement to help prevent terrorism and terrorism-related activity (see Figure 1). In addition to state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) agencies and federal law enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) relies on communities to report suspicious behaviors. While much is known about the actual SAR process, 1 less is known about an essential segment of the community: family members. Family members of violent extremists (VE) play an important role in countering violent extremism (CVE), whether by supporting disengagement and deradicalization or by alerting authorities when concerned for the safety of their loved one(s) and/or others. However, due to issues like mistrust and fear of law enforcement, or a general lack of understanding about SAR and the investigative process, family members may be reluctant to report suspicious behaviors. This fundamental issue reduces the effectiveness of any CVE program or policy. It thus warrants an investigation into how law enforcement agencies can better support and promote family members reporting of suspicious activity. This report seeks to determine whether the DHS and the NSI collaborative have protocols to address family engagement in CVE and report suspicious behaviors. The following two research questions will guide the remainder of this report: (1) How do SAR trainings address family engagement in suspicious reporting? (2) How do members of the NSI collaborative perceive family engagement in the SAR process (i.e., report suspicious behavior)

Family Responses to White Supremacist Extremism: Report to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Executive Overview: • Families often express some form of disapproval to relatives involved in white supremacist extremism (WSE); • Expressions of disapproval are often limited to “staying out of trouble” or involve limited to no clearly defined intervention; • Families fear “closing doors” will increase the likelihood they will push their relative away; • Families rarely seek out formal assistance from either governmental or non-governmental agencies; • While nearly 34% of the sample received counseling during childhood and/or adolescence, none of those counseling sessions addressed WSE; the counseling focused exclusively on non-WSE issues (e.g., academic failure, generic delinquency, etc.)