The impact of the wilson administration on economic crime rates

Previous research, based upon the interrupted time-series analysis of monthly data, has demonstrated that changes in the organizational structure of police departments produce short-term changes in the level of reported crime. The present study extends this literature by examining the independent effects of a change in hierarchical control (i.e., the appointment of O. W. Wilson as the new chief of the Chicago Police Department) and changes, over time, in the ecological structure of Chicago on reported rates of economic crime. The multivariate analyses indicate that the failure to take into account organizational change leads to model specification error. We conclude that longitudinal, within-jurisdictional research, based on the analysis of UCR data, must take into account changes in police bureaucracies that can affect the production of official counts of crime.     

PROFILE OF A PUBLIC SERVICE UNION: THE ACT BRANCH OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND CLERICAL OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION

Abstract: The ACOA is now the largest union in Australia whose members are exclusively engaged in public employment; and the ACT branch, with some 12,000 members, is the largest in the union. Over the past twenty years the association has been in the process of transforming itself into an organization more like an orthodox trade union. This process has accelerated during the past decade, with the adoption of certain types of sanctions to support endeavours for the attainment of its goals. While this change has been occurring throughout the ACOA its progress has not been uniform within its eight branches. When it comes to engaging in direct industrial action the ACT branch is usually at variance with other branches, preferring to adhere to established principles of conciliation and arbitration. The predominantly higher-paid, career conscious members in the ACT see less need to use aggressive bargaining tactics than their colleagues elsewhere. Nevertheless, the branch has not escaped the effects of changing attitudes among public servants to the role of their unions. Since the latter 1960s the internal political life of the branch has been marked by factional divisions. The principal division has been between an ALP-supporting faction which favours a more orthodox role for the union and a Catholic, conservative faction identified with the Democratic Labor Party before its demise and the National Civic Council. This latter faction favours a continuation of the traditionally conservative stance of the union. For the future there is no sign of a decrease in the controversy which has surrounded branch politics in recent years although the bulk of the members will probably opt for a continuation of the established ways of doing things.     

Expanding a community's justice response to sex crimes through advocacy, prosecutorial, and public health collaboration: introducing the RESTORE program

Problems in criminal justice system response to date-acquaintance rape and nonpenetration sexual offenses include (a) they are markers of a sexual offending career, yet are viewed as minor; (b) perpetrators are not held accountable in ways that reduce reoffense; and (c) criminal justice response disappoints and traumatizes victims. To address these problems, a collaboration of victim services, prosecutors, legal scholars, and public health professionals are implementing and evaluating RESTORE, a victim-driven, community-based restorative justice program for selected sex crimes. RESTORE prepares survivors, responsible persons (offenders), and both parties' families and friends for face-to-face dialogue to identify the harm and develop a redress plan. The program then monitors the offender's compliance for 12 months. The article summarizes empirical data on problems in criminal justice response, defines restorative justice models, and examines outcome. Then the RESTORE program processes and goals are described. The article highlights community collaboration in building and sustaining this program.