Ex-Offenders and Educational Equal Access: Doctoral Programs in Criminology and Criminal Justice

Utilizing data from university websites, this exploratory study examined criminology and criminal justice doctoral program admission requirements, while focusing on identifying barriers and challenges unique to applicants with criminal records. Findings reveal that all doctoral programs in criminology and criminal justice expect applicants to complete the GRE, submit recommendation letters, and provide personal statements. The majority of programs also specify minimum grade point averages necessary for admission, while just over one-half request academic writing samples. Further, data show that many academic institutions housing criminology and criminal justice doctoral programs make deliberate efforts to identify ex-offender applicants, particularly sex offenders. Limitations and directions for future research concerning equal and equitable educational access for ex-offenders are discussed.     

The Effect of Post-ID Feedback on Retrospective Self-Reports in Showups

This study examined the effects of post-identification feedback on witness retrospective self-reports in showups and lineups, and importantly, focused on guilty and innocent suspect identifications. After viewing a mock crime video, participants were asked to identify the suspect from either a target-present or target-absent photo lineup or showup. Participants were randomly assigned to receive confirming feedback (“Great job, you made the correct decision”) or no feedback about their identification, before self-reporting confidence, view, attention, willingness to testify, and trust of a witness with a similar view. We replicated the typical finding that confirming feedback inflated witness self-reports and resulted in a larger proportion of witnesses meeting the credibility threshold necessary to testify. Importantly, we also found that showups had significantly higher self-reports than lineups, despite the equal discriminability achieved in this study between these two procedures. These data provide yet another reason for the police to restrict use of showups.     

Examining gender as moderating the association between psychopathy and substance abuse

Previous research has shown a significant association between psychopathy and substance abuse. To date, these associations have not been compared between men and women in forensic or correctional samples, an important topic in light of some empirical findings indicating that psychopathy manifests differently across gender in other contexts. The current study was designed to address this gap in the literature using archival data sets consisting of four large samples derived from forensic, correctional, and university settings, with different measures for psychopathy, alcohol, and substance use. As expected, psychopathy (particularly traits reflective of disinhibition/social deviance) was significantly and moderately correlated with alcohol and substance abuse in all four samples; however, with one minor exception, hierarchical regression analyses revealed no significant moderating effects of gender on these associations. These findings indicate that, although psychopathy may be manifested differently across gender in some ways, substance abuse is likely not one of them.     

F#ck Your Family!: The Visual Jurisprudence of Automobility

This paper considers the popular visual jurisprudence of bumper stickers. Drawing upon a sample sticker/driver/vehicle assemblages observed at the Gold Coast, Australia in 2014, we argue that the meanings and messages projected by the assemblages have a significant legal dimension. The argument is located at the intersection of past research into bumper stickers, increased scholarly interest in the relation of law to automobility and especially recent considerations of the popular visual jurisprudence of the motor vehicle, its cultures and semiotics. In particular we argue that the sticker/driver/vehicle assemblage represents an engagement with law and legality. We suggest this goes beyond immediate denotations of brands with intellectual property or flags and the sovereign nation state to more essential engagement with consumer capitalisms law of the image, the friend/enemy distinction, the ouroboros of rights and the essential legality of living in a polis.     

Development for whom? Homosexuality and faith-based development in Zimbabwe

This article reviews some of the main arguments advanced by scholars operating at the interface of religion and development. It then seeks to expand the current literature on religion and development to include more ‘uncomfortable’ subject matter, such as homosexuality and discrimination. Using the 1995 Zimbabwe Book Fair as a case study, the author argues that international religious NGOs engaged in evangelical activity must show greater attention to the contexts in which they operate. In particular, they must take an explicit stand against homophobia and discrimination. Otherwise, their development interventions risk strengthening and legitimating cultures of exclusion in countries like Zimbabwe.

Le développement pour qui ? Homosexualité et développement basé sur la foi au Zimbabwe

Cet article passe en revue certains des principaux arguments avancés par les érudits qui travaillent à l'interface de la religion et du développement. Il cherche ensuite à élargir les documents actuels traitant de la religion et du développement pour y inclure des sujets « qui dérangent », comme l'homosexualité et la discrimination. En se basant sur le Salon du livre du Zimbabwe de 1995 comme étude de cas, l'auteur soutient que les ONG religieuses internationales engagées dans des activités évangéliques doivent manifester une plus grande attention aux contextes dans lesquels elles travaillent. Elles doivent notamment adopter une position claire contre l'homophobie et la discrimination. Autrement, leurs interventions de développement risquent de renforcer et de légitimer les cultures d'exclusion dans des pays comme le Zimbabwe.

Desenvolvimento para quem? Homosexualidade e desenvolvimento baseado na fé no Zimbábue

Este artigo revê alguns dos principais argumentos levantados por acadêmicos atuando na interface da religião e desenvolvimento. Ele então busca expandir a literatura atual sobre religião e desenvolvimento para incluir assuntos mais “desconfortáveis”, como homossexualidade e discriminação. Utilizando a Feira de Livros do Zimbábue de 1995 como estudo de caso, o autor argumenta que ONGs religiosas internacionais engajadas em atividade evangélica devem dar uma maior atenção aos contextos nos quais elas operam. Em particular, elas devem assumir uma posição explícita contra a homofobia e a discriminação. Do contrário, suas intervenções para o desenvolvimento correm o risco de fortalecer e legitimar culturas de exclusão em países como o Zimbábue.

¿Desarrollo para quién? La homosexualidad y el desarrollo basado en la fe en Zimbabwe

Este ensayo analiza algunas de las principales hipótesis manejadas por los académicos que estudian la religión y el desarrollo. También procura ampliar los estudios actuales sobre religión y desarrollo incluyendo temas más “incómodos” como la homosexualidad y la discriminación. Usando la Feria del Libro de Zimbabwe de 1995 como estudio de caso, el autor sostiene que las ONG religiosas internacionales que realizan labores de evangelización deberán prestar más atención a los contextos donde trabajan. En particular, tendrán que posicionarse explícitamente contra la homofobia y la discriminación. En caso contrario, sus acciones para el desarrollo podrían fortalecer y legitimar las culturas de exclusión que existen en países como Zimbabwe.     

Assessing the effects of body‐worn cameras on procedural justice in the Los Angeles Police Department*

In this article, we explore variations in procedural justice delivered in face‐to‐face encounters with citizens before and after the implementation of body‐worn cameras (BWCs). We draw on recent advances in the measurement of procedural justice using systematic social observation of police in field settings in the Los Angeles Police Department. Data collected on 555 police–citizen encounters are examined in bivariate and multivariate models exploring the primary hypothesis that BWCs affect procedural justice delivered by police directly and indirectly. Our results indicate that significant increases in procedural justice during police–citizen encounters were directly attributable to the effect of BWCs on police behavior as well as to the indirect effects on citizen disrespect and other variables. The implications for policy include explicit measurement and monitoring of procedural justice or elements such as officer discourtesy in departments adopting BWCs. Further research questions such as more detailed examination of citizens’ behavior changes under BWCs are also considered in the context of the findings.     

Measuring Desiccation Using Qualitative Changes: A Step Toward Determining Regional Decomposition Sequences

The creation of a regional decomposition scoring system for western Colorado provides a model for the creation of regional systems. The development of a scoring system requires: (1) human remains, not proxies, (2) longitudinal observations, and (3) large sample size. First, an enhanced system (total body desiccation score; TBDS) was developed through observations of 40 human remains. This effort produced a categorical scoring model augmented by qualitative categories of gross tissue change. The new model was tested with retrospective photographic packets. A sample of eight donors with data collected over 3 years was selected. Monthly data points over a maximum of a 3‐year period yielded 112 data points. Correlations between TBDS and accumulated degree‐days (ADD), and total body score (TBS) and ADD were approximately equal for a TBS below ~20, but the TBDS correlated better with ADD at higher TBS scores >20. The TBDS may be used to refine postmortem interval (PMI) models in areas where remains desiccate.     

Bioelectrical Impedance as a Technique for Estimating Postmortem Interval,,

Estimation of postmortem interval (PMI) is a critical component of death investigation. A cadaver can be hypothesized to be a resistor–capacitor (RC) circuit the impedance (Z) of which changes in a quantifiable manner as the cadaver decomposes. This hypothesis was tested using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) equipment to apply a current with a fixed amplitude at a single frequency to four cadavers over time and measuring two components of Z, resistance (R) and reactance (X_c). Quadratic regression analysis between Z and accumulated degree days (ADD) showed a statistically significant parabolic relationship. The parabolic relationship poses an initial challenge to the use of the method, and additional research is needed to address this issue. However, the results of the reported research support the hypothesis that Z measured using BIA has a relationship to PMI.     

Religious and Spiritual Support,Reentry, and Risk

Systems and agencies intent on pursuing an evidence-based approach to correctional interventions have widely adopted the risk principle. For a variety of reasons, many studies have found that giving treatment to low risk people has little impact on reducing recidivism and can even increase recidivism. Because of the risk principle, many prison and community correctional systems now target their treatment resources to medium and high risk. This study tests whether the effects of religious/spiritual support on reentry success generalize across offenders as a function of risk. Results from random effects count models suggest that religious and spiritual support does have a strong and robust effect on the likelihood of ex-offenders desisting from substance abuse. Findings also reveal that the risk principle was not supported; religious and social support was associated with significantly lower levels of substance abuse among low risk offenders, but not among higher-risk offenders. On the other hand, religious and spiritual support did not significantly relate to criminal offending at any risk level. Implications for religious programming and services, as well as the study of religion and reentry, are discussed.     

Beliefs about secondary confession evidence: a survey of laypeople and defense attorneys

We surveyed students, community members, and defense attorneys regarding beliefs about secondary confession evidence (i.e. when a third party tells authorities that a person has confessed to him or her) from jailhouse informants and other sources. Results indicated that laypeople perceive secondary confessions as less credible than other types of evidence (e.g. forensics, DNA, eyewitness testimony), and they are knowledgeable about factors that may influence the veracity of secondary confessions, such as incentives or previous testimony. However, they underestimated or were uncertain about how persuasive secondary confessions would be to themselves or other jurors. Compared to laypeople, defense attorneys were more sensitive about issues affecting the reliability of secondary confessions.