Beyond Basic Needs: Social Support and Structure for Successful Offender Reentry

Barriers to successful reentry have long been identified as impeding an offender’s ability to successfully reenter society upon release from incarceration. As a result, research has long examined what shared obstacles the majority of offenders often face upon reentering society. Much of the research identifies factors such as poor education, obtaining/maintaining employment, stable housing, and transportation as common barriers to successful reentry. By using in-depth interviews with ex-offenders deemed as successful that were conducted by two respective non-profit agencies, the present study explores what significant requirements, if any, successful offenders perceive to need and/or have experienced as lacking while attempting to successfully reenter society. Findings from this study highlight that many of the research- identified needs are not major barriers because they are often provided for by various non-profit agencies. Furthermore, successful ex-offenders overwhelmingly identify poor social support as a major barrier that oftentimes remains neglected in government and non-profit organizational programming

A National Study of Warden\u27s Perceptions of Prison Sex in their Institutions

A survey submitted by Christopher Hensley to the Research and Creative Productions Committee in 2001 on prison sex as perceived by wardens of penitentiaries

Crime victims’ satisfaction with police services: An assessment in one urban community

A 3‐month study examined crime victims’ satisfaction with police response to calls for service. Respondents were asked to rate officers with whom they interacted in overall satisfaction, and in courtesy/politeness, speed of response, concern, and helpfulness. Results indicate consistently high overall ratings. Nonparametric statistics indicate that female respondents rated officers significantly higher than male respondents, but no other demographic (age, race, education) or experiential variables (reason for call, location of problem, prior contact with police) significantly impacted ratings. Nonparametric correlations indicated that an officer\u27s perceived helpfulness was the strongest correlate of overall satisfaction, while speed of response was the weakest

Community Corrections Professionals\u27 Views of Sex Offenders, Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification and Residency Restrictions

The article discusses a study which explained the views of corrections professionals on sex offender registration and community notification (SORN) policies. The researchers focused on the examination of attitudes of criminal justice officials who are charged with enforcing such policies by forty three-item survey questionnaire. They found that these professionals are moderately supportive of residency restrictions and believe that both with SORN are effective in preventing sex offenses

Performance of a Native Butterfly and Introduced Moth on Native and Introduced Lineages of Phragmites australis

This study examined the performance of Poanes viator (Edwards) (Hesperiidae), a native North American skipper, and Rhizedra lutosa (Hübner) (Noctuidae), an introduced moth, reared on native and non-native, invasive lineages of Phragmites australis. Poanes viator is a generalist on monocots and larvae were also fed leaves of Zizania aquatica, a native macrophyte that the skipper commonly uses as a host plant. Larval survival and duration, pupal weight, and pupation time were compared for P. viator feeding on leaf tissue and R. lutosa feeding on rhizomes of either native or introduced plants. We also tested an artificial diet supplemented with P. australis rhizome powder as a potential food for rearing other stalk and rhizome boring Lepidoptera. In experiments using excised plant tissues, some individuals of both species fed and developed to the pupal stage on native and introduced plants, but overall, larval survival rates were low. Plant species/haplotype identity did not cause strong differences in larval survival for either species. However, P. viator larvae only pupated when feeding on native plants (Zizania aquatica and native P. australis haplotypes), whereas R. lutosa successfully pupated on both native and introduced P. australis. Although larval survival was low, 100% of P. viator and 95% of R. lutosa that reached the pupal stage emerged as adults. Rhizedra lutosa larvae fed an artificial diet supplemented with P. australis rhizome powder had significantly greater survival and pupal weights, and shorter pupation times than larvae fed rhizomes only. Several specialist Lepidopteran species are being considered for approval as biological control agents for the non-native P. australis haplotype, and the convenience and increased larval performance make this artificial diet a good alternative for rearing organisms

Host specificity and risk assessment of Archanara geminipuncta and Archanara neurica, two potential biocontrol agents for invasive Phragmites australis in North America

Invasive Phragmites australis is widespread in North America and despite decades of management and large annual expenditures (\u3e5 million US$) using physical and chemical means, local populations and the species range are expanding. Allowing continued expansion does not only threaten native wetland biota but also an endemic North American subspecies Phragmites australis americanus. We used extensive multi-pronged investigations in Europe and North America to evaluate host specificity and impact of two European stem mining noctuid moths, Archanara geminipuncta and A. neurica. Both moth species are specific to the genus Phragmites and both show a very strong, but not absolute, preference for invasive P. australis over endemic P. australis americanus. No-choice tests or tests in small cages provided inconsistent results, but both moths showed consistently high preferences for introduced P. australis. Open field multiple-choice oviposition tests affirmed this; moths laid 6.5% of their eggs on native P. australis americanus. The native subspecies is further safeguarded by increased mortality of eggs and larvae when laid on, or developing in P. australis americanus. Phragmites populations in the southern US, particularly along the Gulf of Mexico, occur outside the climate range of these two temperate moth species. We consider potential threats to P. australis americanus demography due to A. geminipuncta and A. neurica attack to be far smaller than allowing expansion of invasive P. australis to continue. We therefore recommend release of these two biocontrol agents in North America

Biological Control of Fenusa pusilla (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) in the Northeastern United States: A Thirty-four Year Perspective on Efficacy

Parasitoid releases against the birch leafminer Fenusa pusilla (Lepeletier) (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) in eastern North America began in 1974, with releases in eastern Canada, followed by others in the Middle Atlantic States and New England. Of 4 parasitoids released, only 1, the ichneumonid Lathrolestes nigricollis (Thompson), established and spread widely. Studies of its preliminary impacts were made in several locations in the 1980s and 1990s, but full impact of the parasitoid on host density was not yet achieved in that period. Here we report results of surveys in 7 states (MA, CT, RI, NY, PA, NJ, DE) in 2007 documenting the current birch leaf miner levels (as % of leaves mined in spring) and parasitism. Survey results show that the pest has declined dramatically to barely detectable levels in 5 states (MA, CT, RI, NY, PA) but that in southern NJ, the pest remains abundant (ca 50% leaves mined) despite significant parasitism levels. Survey results, in context with previous evaluations made when populations were still declining, show that the project has been completely successful in much of the northeastern USA, but that there is a southern limit to efficacy in mid-New Jersey. Possible reasons for lack of control in this area, in contrast to high levels of control elsewhere, are discussed

When misconceptions impede best practices: evidence supports biological control of invasive Phragmites

Development of a biological control program for invasive Phagmites australis australis in North America required 20 years of careful research, and consideration of management alternatives. A recent paper by Kiviat et al. (Biol Invasions 21:2529–2541, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-019-02014-9) articulates opposition to this biocontrol program and questions the ethics and thoroughness of the researchers. Here we address inaccuracies and misleading statements presented in Kiviat et al. (2019), followed by a brief overview of why biological control targeting Phragmites in North America can be implemented safely with little risk to native species. Similar to our colleagues, we are very concerned about the risks invasive Phragmites represent to North American habitats. But to protect those habitats and the species, including P. australis americanus, we come to a different decision regarding biological control. Current management techniques have not been able to reverse the invasiveness of P. australis australis, threats to native rare and endangered species continue, and large-scale herbicide campaigns are not only costly, but also represent threats to non-target species. We see implementation of biocontrol as the best hope for managing one of the most problematic invasive plants in North America. After extensive review, our petition to release two host specific stem miners was approved by The Technical Advisory Group for the Release of Biological Control Agents in the US and Canadian federal authorities

Diel surface temperature range scales with lake size

Ecological and biogeochemical processes in lakes are strongly dependent upon water temperature. Long-term surface warming of many lakes is unequivocal, but little is known about the comparative magnitude of temperature variation at diel timescales, due to a lack of appropriately resolved data. Here we quantify the pattern and magnitude of diel temperature variability of surface waters using high-frequency data from 100 lakes. We show that the near-surface diel temperature range can be substantial in summer relative to long-term change and, for lakes smaller than 3 km2, increases sharply and predictably with decreasing lake area. Most small lakes included in this study experience average summer diel ranges in their near-surface temperatures of between 4 and 7°C. Large diel temperature fluctuations in the majority of lakes undoubtedly influence their structure, function and role in biogeochemical cycles, but the full implications remain largely unexplored

Linking behaviour and climate change in intertidal ectotherms: insights from littorinid snails

A key element missing from many predictive models of the impacts of climate change on intertidal ectotherms is the role of individual behaviour. In this synthesis, using littorinid snails as a case study, we show how thermoregulatory behaviours may buffer changes in environmental temperatures. These behaviours include either a flight response, to escape the most extreme conditions and utilize warmer or cooler environments; or a fight response, where individuals modify their own environments to minimize thermal extremes. A conceptual model, generated from studies of littorinid snails, shows that various flight and fight thermoregulatory behaviours may allow an individual to widen its thermal safety margin (TSM) under warming or cooling environmental conditions and hence increase species’ resilience to climate change. Thermoregulatory behaviours may also buffer sublethal fitness impacts associated with thermal stresses. Through this synthesis, we emphasise that future studies need to consider not only animals' physiological limits but also their capacities to buffer the impact of climate change through behavioural responses. Current generalizations, made largely on physiological limits of species, often neglect the buffering effects of behaviour and may, therefore, provide an over-estimation of vulnerability, and consequently poor prediction of the potential impacts of climate change on intertidal ectotherms