Conceptualizing the Impact of Health Care Crimes on the Poor

Past research shows that a small percentage of health care employees commit an assortment of criminal acts while on the job. Missing from previous research, however, is an examination of the effects such acts have on the poor (i.e. the victims). This paper fills this void by considering the effects of three broadly defined health care crimes: Medicaid fraud, elder abuse, and prescription fraud. In addition to the direct victimization experiences of those served by me health care system, the physical, economic, and time losses are also considered. Implications for future research and policy are provided

President\u27s Message

The author offers information on the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences\u27 (ACJS) annual conference in March 2015 and discusses the theme of the journal\u27s issue, Emerging Topics in Corrections

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

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

Cyber Security and Criminal Justice Programs in the United States: Exploring the Intersections

The study of cyber security is an interdisciplinary pursuit that includes STEM disciplines as well as the social sciences. While research on cyber security appears to be central in STEM disciplines, it is not yet clear how central cyber security and cyber crime is to criminal justice scholarship. In order to examine the connections between cyber security and criminal justice, in this study attention is given to the way that criminal justice scholars have embraced cyber crime research and coursework. Results show that while there are a number of cyber crime courses included in criminal justice majors there are not a large number of cyber crime research studies incorporated in mainstream criminal justice journals

Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Trends in Cybercrime Research: An Examination

Compared to other topics, cybercrime is a relatively new addition to the criminological literature. Interest in the topic has grown over the past decade, with a Iran, of scholars leading efforts to generate empirical understanding about the topic. Common conclusions reached in these studies are that more research is needed, cybercrime is interdisciplinary in nature, and cybercrime should be addressed as an international problem. In this study, we examine a sample of 593 prior cybercrime scholarly articles to identify the types of research strategies used in them, the patterns guiding those strategies, whether the research is interdisciplinary, and the degree to which scholars engage in international cybercrime studies. Attention is also given to co-authorship as well citation patterns. Implications for future research are provided

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

Anomie, Deviant Behavior, and the Olympics

Criminal and deviant behavior is known to occur in all places, settings, and times. The Olympics, both Summer and Winter, are not immune to deviant behavior. This paper focuses on the specific types of deviant and criminal acts arising out of the Olympic settings and the anomic factors that possibly lead to deviance in this particular arena. The way that athletes are conformists, innovators, ritualists, and retreatists is considered along with the way that norm confusion influences the Olympic event. Also considered is the role of norm saturation in confusing the way actors interpret appropriate behavior in this setting. Implications are provided

The Criminal Justice Response to Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes: A Routine Activities Perspective

Politicians and researchers have begun to pay more attention to elder abuse in recent times. Most of the research on elder abuse has focused on cases of abuse perpetrated by family members, treating the phenomenon as a social problem, but it is increasingly being conceptualized as a crime problem. The current study examines elder abuse in nursing homes from a criminological perspective. Using routine activities theory as a guide, particular attention is given to the criminal justice system\u27s response to abusive activities committed by nursing home employees. In all, 801 cases of abuse investigated by Medicaid Fraud Control Units are examined. Results suggest that past research has mischaracterized the motivated offender and that legislative policies fall short of providing capable guardianship. In addition, increases in vulnerability are related to abuse type. Implications are provided