Politics, culture, and political crime: Covariates of abortion clinic attacks in the United States

This study examined crime and violence against abortion clinics, testing elements of several theories that may help explain the variation of such attacks. The study theoretically and methodologically improved upon the prior research on abortion-related crime and violence. Theoretically, it investigated previously unexamined hypotheses from the social movement literature that may be relevant to this type of behavior. Methodologically, it used more careful measures for several variables, employed unique and heretofore ignored data bases, and examined hundreds of criminal acts across several types of crime (e.g., violence, vandalism, and harassment) directed at abortion clinics. Employing robust logistic regression and correcting for clustering of clinics by state, the study investigated the cross-sectional effects of state-level cultural and structural characteristics on anti-abortion crimes against clinics and staff. Results indicated that some crimes against clinics are more likely in areas where female empowerment is weaker, female victimization is more tolerated, and the anti-abortion movement has failed to reduce abortions.     

Type of contact and evaluations of police officers: The effects of procedural justice across three types of police–citizen contacts

The public's perception of the police is important because it is linked to several important outcomes, including compliance and cooperation with police. Long recognized as being important, research has investigated the factors associated with citizens' evaluations of the police. The way police do their jobs, in addition to what they accomplish, has recently emerged as being a significant determinant of citizens' evaluations of police. What remains largely unexamined is whether this relationship varies across distinct types of contacts between the police and citizens. The current study estimated the effects of citizens' perceptions of procedural justice on overall ratings of officer performance across three types of police–citizen encounters. Results showed that procedurally fair treatment is the most important predictor of citizens' evaluations.     

Regulatory Risk Management of Psychoactive Substances

Congress and the Drug Enforcement Administration have assigned certain psychoactive substances to one of five schedules, based on assumed or demonstrated abuse potential. Although formidable difficulties exist in assessing the hazards of drug use, some of these assignments do not appear consistent with empirical estimates. This mismatch of assignment and abuse potential -possibly due to "radical" political ideology - obscures significant differences in drug effects, and therefore stifles meaningful public participation in evaluating the benefits, risks, and proper use (if any) of available psychoactive substances.