Post-treatment drug use, recidivism, analogous behaviors, and perceptions of fairness: Examining whether parolees with low self-control will benefit from the Collaborative Behavioral Management intervention

This dissertation tested Gottfredson and Hirschi\u27s (1990) low self-control theory and its relationship with post-treatment outcomes by conducting a secondary-data analysis of a randomized controlled trial on parolees (n=569) called the Step\u27n Out study (2005). The Step\u27n Out study (2005) compared the results of a control group (standard parole) with an experimental treatment for parolees called the Collaborative Behavioral Management (CBM) intervention which was designed to improve substance-use treatment outcomes, reduce drug use, and reduce recidivism for parolees participating in the study. Low self-control theory states that individuals with character traits that are impulsive, risk-seeking, self-centered, and display volatile temper have a high likelihood of engaging in criminal and analogous (i.e. risky sexual practices) behaviors. Gottfredson and Hirschi\u27s (1990) theory makes the assumption that these traits are the result of parental socialization practices, are not able to be changed after the age of 8 or 10, and are stable across time. In order to measure low self-control for the present study, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted on 20 self-report items collected at intake from the parolees in the study and a unidimensional measure of low self-control was constructed. Based on low self-control theory, this study hypothesizes that parolees who self-report engaging in substance use, recidivism, and analogous behaviors after the end of the treatment intervention at the 3 and 9 month follow-up periods will have low self-control traits (measured at intake). Also based on the theory, this study hypothesizes that the treatment condition (control group vs. CBM group) will not moderate the relationship between low self-control traits and post-treatment outcomes even when controlling for demographic, risk-factors, peer-associations, and treatment dosage. The exploratory results from this study were reported using univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistics. Also a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to measure the direct and indirect effects of low self-control, peer-associations, and perceptions of fairness on post-treatment outcomes. The results from this dissertation study largely indicate that parolees across the self-control spectrum (low to high levels of self-control) are engaging in post-treatment outcomes (substance use, recidivism, and analogous behaviors) at the 3 and 9 month follow-up periods even when controlling for age, gender, race, age at first arrest, education status, dosage levels, and treatment condition. Therefore, based on the findings from this study, low self-control theory does not allow researchers to understand the causal mechanisms by which post-treatment outcomes occur for parolees. More theoretical refinement of the theory or alternative theories are needed in order to explain the post-treatment outcomes of parolees participating in the Step\u27n Out study. However, a particularly interesting finding that also has strong public policy implications indicates that parolees that self-reported physically or verbally threatening someone at both the 3 and 9 month follow-up periods had statistically significant lower mean levels of self-control compared to parolees who did not physically or verbally threaten someone

Stimulating Career Development: Assessment of the Effects of Guest Speaker Learning Experiences on Students Enrolled in Criminal Justice College Courses

This research study examines the impact of a guest speaker intervention on college students enrolled in criminal justice courses at a mid-sized university in California. Students in the study attended guest speaker presentations ranging from probation officers, correctional officers, academics, and public defenders. Students in the study were required to complete a pre-and post-survey throughout the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters that examined the students’ agreeableness, confidence, and knowledge with regard to their experiences with attending guest speaker opportunities and their knowledge about career pathways and academic concepts while pursuing a college degree. The results from this study indicate that many students find guest speaker opportunities to be both beneficial for advancing their knowledge of the criminal justice system and confidence in pursuing a career in criminal justice

Control Issues: Examining the Relationship between Low Self-Control and Intimate Partner Violence for both Perpetrators and Victims

Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) low self-control theory is linked to individual-level non-violent and violent criminal offending. In this study, we examine secondary-data collected from a transnational sample of survey respondents (n = 17404) to test a predictive model of low self-control on outcomes related to intimate partner violence for both perpetrators and victims. We control for several variables related to socio-demographic characteristics, substance use history, and deviance history when we test our model using logistic regression analysis. The results from our analysis indicates that a unidimensional measure of low self-control is a consistent and statistically significant predictor of outcomes related to intimate partner violence, even when control variables are entered into the model. These findings have strong policy implications for identifying risk-factors and interventions associated with intimate partner violence

Exploratory Analysis of Predictors Effecting Suicidal Thinking among Inmates Participating in a Prison Treatment Program

In this study, we use a retrospective case–control study design, to compare our outcomes of interest among inmates who have self-reported suicidal ideations (cases) with inmates who do not report suicidal ideations (controls). The sample group included participants admitted into prison treatment programs who have a co-occurring substance abuse and mental disorders. In our multivariate model analyses, we will introduce control variables to understand the magnitude of effect and directionality that control variables, such as demographic and criminal history variables, have in association with our outcome of interest, suicidal ideations. Our results indicate that individuals with stable housing have significantly lower odds of demonstrating suicidal ideations. Finally, we found that individuals with prior weapons offenses and psychiatric hospitalization have higher odds of demonstrating suicidal ideations. We believe these results have implications for the development of research and theory

COVID-19: Examining the Impact of the Global Pandemic on Violent Crime Rates in the Central Valley of California

This study focuses on how a global pandemic like COVID-19 affects violent crimes in the city of Stockton, California. The violent crimes that we will be examining are homicide, robbery, rape, simple assault, and aggravated assault. We obtained crime data from the LexisNexis Community Crime Map and obtained COVID-19 data from the San Joaquin County Health Department regarding the city of Stockton. We developed the results of this research by using time-series plots and interrupted time-series analysis. Our results demonstrate that COVID-19 caused a statistically significant change in the slope for rape, robbery, and simple assault violent crimes. Finally, we discuss in our policy implications section that the Stockton Police Department should establish more community outreach programs that could help prevent these types of violent crimes

The historically enduring gap in death penalty support: Re-examining the role of context in the recent history of the black-white divide

This paper evaluates four racial‑ecological theories regarding the historically enduring racial divide in public opinion regarding death penalty support. Using geo‑coded data from the 20th century, this research examines the relative representation of African Americans, the level of black‑white economic inequality, and the extent of racial residential segregation on race‑spe‑ cific odds of supporting the death penalty. The research finds support for aspects of racial social context accounting for a portion of the black-white gap in death penalty support at the time. We find differential effects, by race, of representation and segregation as mediators of public opinion regarding the death penalty

Citizen Opinion Survey: How a Mid-Sized California Community Perceives their Police Department

Successful community policing is, in part, dependent on the community’s perception of their police officers. The police department of a mid-sized community in California’s Central Valley conducted a survey to gain some measure of the citizen’s perception of their police. The survey was conducted in conjunction with a nearby California State University. The results of the survey are being used to make revisions in the policies and procedures of the police department. It also proved to be an interesting activity for the professors and students of the university

Classical Criminological Perspective and Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Rights

This study examined the degree to which perspectives consistent with classical criminological theory among college students and faculty supported public and governmental responses to same-sex rights (e.g., gay marriage). Classical criminology assumes that “crime is the product of a person’s free will” and “the main reason why people break the law is that they figure they can get away with it”. A convenience sample of 1471 undergraduate and graduate students, and college and university professors in the United States, Eastern Europe, Asia, and other unidentified countries completed a survey (via SurveyMonkey) between 2014 and 2015. The data failed to support our hypothesis that people who supported classical criminology were likely to see the issue of same-sex interaction as a non-rule violation and that same-sex rights should be provided. Bivariate analyses instead indicated that classical criminology perspectives did not support attitudes endorsing same-sex rights. One explanation is that people who support classical criminological perspective are more likely to be political conservative and religious, two characteristics that tend to disapprove homosexuality and, thus, less likely to support same-sex rights

Examining prison rule violations among incarcerated veterans with a history of brain injury, alcohol, and substance use

Background: To investigate how the independent variables: veteran status, brain injury, drug use, and alcohol use predict risk for rule violations and assaulting jail or prison staff while incarcerated. This study used aggregated and disaggregated data to demonstrate relationships between exposure and outcomes. Methods: Cross-sectional survey data was collected from the Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities (SISFCF), 2004 (n = 14499). Chi-square, Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel (CMH), and logistic regression were conducted to determine the relative contribution of the independent variables in predicting rule violations and assaulting jail or prison staff while incarcerated. The research study tested a number of hypotheses that are listed in the hypotheses section of the research study. Results: The findings from the logistic regression conducted in this study demonstrate a significant relationship between veteran status, alcohol use, and brain injury status and the dependent variable: found guilty or written up for jail or prison rule violations while incarcerated. Conclusion: Alcohol use and brain injury present serious risks for maintaining public health and safety of incarcerated veterans and non-veterans. Daily or almost daily consumption of alcohol was the strongest predictor of jail or prison rule violations. Therefore, researchers and practitioners should continue to develop interventions and policies for reducing alcohol consumption of individuals in contact with the criminal justice system

Assisted Suicide and the Death Penalty: Examining Attitudes towards State Sanctioned Death

In this study, we test Durkheim’s (1897) conceptualization of suicide as a pattern of suicidal behavior caused by sociological conditions and its effects on attitudes towards state sanctioned death through examining support for assisted suicide and the death penalty. Using secondary-data and quantitative analytical methods, we empirically examine personal attitudes towards assisted suicide for oneself and its relationship to supporting assisted suicide for medical reasons and the death penalty as a punishment for others. The primary goal of our analysis is to determine whether Durkheim’s (1897) theory of suicide is a relevant theoretical model for specifying the sociological factors influencing attitudes towards state sanctioned death. Findings from our analysis indicate that the sociological factors, such as, gender and religious beliefs influence attitudes towards support for assisted suicide and the death penalty