Pub Date : 2023-01-04DOI: 10.1177/08874034221143750
Jon T.A. Gist, Frank Ferdik, Hayden P. Smith
Resilient individuals are better able to cope with trauma, and overcome life’s adversities. Correctional officers are routinely exposed to workplace stressors that can be psychologically harmful. For these essential workers, resilience, therefore, offers a way to counteract the aversive conditions of their employment. In light of its importance in promoting mental wellness, studies have explored antecedents of resilience, yet few of which were conducted among correctional officers. To address this literature void, open-ended questionnaire data were collected from maximum-security corrections officers (N = 193) working in a southeastern state to understand the factors they believe most crucial in developing resilience. Respondents identified seven key themes associated with resilience, including co-worker support, establishing purpose in life, individual characteristics, self-care, life balance, prayer/meditation, and finally, maintaining positive attitudes. Results are discussed in light of interventions targeted at improving correctional officer mental health.
{"title":"A Qualitative Inquiry Into the Sources of Resilience Found Among Maximum Security Correctional Officers","authors":"Jon T.A. Gist, Frank Ferdik, Hayden P. Smith","doi":"10.1177/08874034221143750","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/08874034221143750","url":null,"abstract":"Resilient individuals are better able to cope with trauma, and overcome life’s adversities. Correctional officers are routinely exposed to workplace stressors that can be psychologically harmful. For these essential workers, resilience, therefore, offers a way to counteract the aversive conditions of their employment. In light of its importance in promoting mental wellness, studies have explored antecedents of resilience, yet few of which were conducted among correctional officers. To address this literature void, open-ended questionnaire data were collected from maximum-security corrections officers (N = 193) working in a southeastern state to understand the factors they believe most crucial in developing resilience. Respondents identified seven key themes associated with resilience, including co-worker support, establishing purpose in life, individual characteristics, self-care, life balance, prayer/meditation, and finally, maintaining positive attitudes. Results are discussed in light of interventions targeted at improving correctional officer mental health.","PeriodicalId":10757,"journal":{"name":"Criminal Justice Policy Review","volume":"34 1","pages":"291 - 315"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48163259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-12-01DOI: 10.1177/08874034221138738
M. Epperson, Leon Sawh, Sadiq Patel, Carrie Pettus, A. Grier
Prosecutors’ offices are a critical site for criminal legal reform and decarceration efforts. Prosecutor-led diversion programs (PLDPs) are a prosecutorial innovation that process cases away from punitive prosecution and, instead, offer various services and supports. Successfully completing a PLDP results in the dismissal of the charge, which helps participants to avoid formal entry into the criminal legal system and a range of collateral consequences. This paper reports findings from over 11,000 participants in six PLDPs in three Midwestern jurisdictions, and examines race/ethnicity and charge characteristics associated with successful program completion and case dismissal. Findings indicate that PLDPs have the capacity to provide alternative processing to a large volume of defendants with high completion rates, although the likelihood of racial/ethnic minorities to successfully complete the program is mixed. PLDPs are discussed as a promising policy and programmatic innovation that can help to move away from an era of mass incarceration.
{"title":"Examining Case Dismissal Outcomes in Prosecutor-Led Diversion Programs","authors":"M. Epperson, Leon Sawh, Sadiq Patel, Carrie Pettus, A. Grier","doi":"10.1177/08874034221138738","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/08874034221138738","url":null,"abstract":"Prosecutors’ offices are a critical site for criminal legal reform and decarceration efforts. Prosecutor-led diversion programs (PLDPs) are a prosecutorial innovation that process cases away from punitive prosecution and, instead, offer various services and supports. Successfully completing a PLDP results in the dismissal of the charge, which helps participants to avoid formal entry into the criminal legal system and a range of collateral consequences. This paper reports findings from over 11,000 participants in six PLDPs in three Midwestern jurisdictions, and examines race/ethnicity and charge characteristics associated with successful program completion and case dismissal. Findings indicate that PLDPs have the capacity to provide alternative processing to a large volume of defendants with high completion rates, although the likelihood of racial/ethnic minorities to successfully complete the program is mixed. PLDPs are discussed as a promising policy and programmatic innovation that can help to move away from an era of mass incarceration.","PeriodicalId":10757,"journal":{"name":"Criminal Justice Policy Review","volume":"34 1","pages":"236 - 260"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45217390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-09DOI: 10.1177/08874034221128939
Margaret Schmuhl, Colleen E. Mills, Jason R. Silva, Joel A. Capellan
The death penalty is a local phenomenon with 15% of U.S. counties responsible for passing death sentences since 1976. Although state-level research has contributed a greater understanding of abolition and state-level factors surrounding the death penalty, it remains crucially important to understand the sociopolitical context of counties as key decision-makers in death penalty cases. Findings from our study suggest that both racial and gender threats are important predictors of death sentences within these communities. Specifically, counties with Black populations greater than the state median experience increases in all death sentences, while gender equality in education produces an ameliorative effect on death sentencing. The persistence of extralegal factors, especially racial bias, influencing death sentencing suggests that these relationships be carefully considered in the research and administration of capital sentencing.
{"title":"Racial and Gender Threat and the Death Penalty: A County-Level Examination of Sociopolitical Factors Influencing Death Sentences","authors":"Margaret Schmuhl, Colleen E. Mills, Jason R. Silva, Joel A. Capellan","doi":"10.1177/08874034221128939","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/08874034221128939","url":null,"abstract":"The death penalty is a local phenomenon with 15% of U.S. counties responsible for passing death sentences since 1976. Although state-level research has contributed a greater understanding of abolition and state-level factors surrounding the death penalty, it remains crucially important to understand the sociopolitical context of counties as key decision-makers in death penalty cases. Findings from our study suggest that both racial and gender threats are important predictors of death sentences within these communities. Specifically, counties with Black populations greater than the state median experience increases in all death sentences, while gender equality in education produces an ameliorative effect on death sentencing. The persistence of extralegal factors, especially racial bias, influencing death sentencing suggests that these relationships be carefully considered in the research and administration of capital sentencing.","PeriodicalId":10757,"journal":{"name":"Criminal Justice Policy Review","volume":"34 1","pages":"161 - 183"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43575600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-22DOI: 10.1177/08874034221133727
Jeremy Olson
Welcome to our Special Issue on Positive Criminology and Positive Psychology. It is our hope that this issue will help generate critical reflection about American criminal justice policy and the possibility of moving the system towards a happier and more prosocial perspective. To begin, this editorial introduction briefly frames positive criminology and positive psychology for the readers, and then reviews the content of the special issue.
{"title":"Positive Criminology and Positive Psychology","authors":"Jeremy Olson","doi":"10.1177/08874034221133727","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/08874034221133727","url":null,"abstract":"Welcome to our Special Issue on Positive Criminology and Positive Psychology. It is our hope that this issue will help generate critical reflection about American criminal justice policy and the possibility of moving the system towards a happier and more prosocial perspective. To begin, this editorial introduction briefly frames positive criminology and positive psychology for the readers, and then reviews the content of the special issue.","PeriodicalId":10757,"journal":{"name":"Criminal Justice Policy Review","volume":"34 1","pages":"3 - 7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44869889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-22DOI: 10.1177/08874034211065992
Ety Elisha, Natti Ronel
The purpose of this review is to highlight the similarities and differences between positive psychology and positive criminology—both relatively new concepts that represent an optimistic view of human beings and their ability to recover—while calling for a change of focus in the discourse and research of their respective fields. To this end, we first present a brief overview of each of these perspectives, along with findings of studies that confirm their assumptions, and then address their similarities and differences, with an emphasis on positive criminology which is our area of expertise. We conclude that both approaches seek to improve the quality of life and well-being of individuals, families, and communities through the development of human strengths and skills and the provision of social assistance.
{"title":"Positive Psychology and Positive Criminology: Similarities and Differences","authors":"Ety Elisha, Natti Ronel","doi":"10.1177/08874034211065992","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/08874034211065992","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this review is to highlight the similarities and differences between positive psychology and positive criminology—both relatively new concepts that represent an optimistic view of human beings and their ability to recover—while calling for a change of focus in the discourse and research of their respective fields. To this end, we first present a brief overview of each of these perspectives, along with findings of studies that confirm their assumptions, and then address their similarities and differences, with an emphasis on positive criminology which is our area of expertise. We conclude that both approaches seek to improve the quality of life and well-being of individuals, families, and communities through the development of human strengths and skills and the provision of social assistance.","PeriodicalId":10757,"journal":{"name":"Criminal Justice Policy Review","volume":"34 1","pages":"8 - 19"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47204807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-22DOI: 10.1177/08874034211069097
Sami Abdel-Salam, M. E. Antonio, Michele P. Bratina, Ashley Kilmer
Correctional officers (COs) are vital to prison safety. While focused on security, some believe COs should also be trained to engage in the rehabilitation of incarcerated persons by offering motivation and support. This study examined incarcerated persons’ perceptions of COs working in a prison-based therapeutic community (TC). Data were gathered through qualitative interviews with individuals detained in a state correctional system for men. Findings revealed several themes related to incarcerated persons’ perceptions of COs’ knowledge toward treatment, their experiences and interactions with COs, and recommendations about how to improve the role of COs as therapeutic agents of change. Practical opportunities for implementing correctional research and practice using a positive criminology perspective are considered.
{"title":"Rapport and Relationship Building in a Therapeutic Community: Examining the Dynamic Between Correctional Officers and Incarcerated Persons","authors":"Sami Abdel-Salam, M. E. Antonio, Michele P. Bratina, Ashley Kilmer","doi":"10.1177/08874034211069097","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/08874034211069097","url":null,"abstract":"Correctional officers (COs) are vital to prison safety. While focused on security, some believe COs should also be trained to engage in the rehabilitation of incarcerated persons by offering motivation and support. This study examined incarcerated persons’ perceptions of COs working in a prison-based therapeutic community (TC). Data were gathered through qualitative interviews with individuals detained in a state correctional system for men. Findings revealed several themes related to incarcerated persons’ perceptions of COs’ knowledge toward treatment, their experiences and interactions with COs, and recommendations about how to improve the role of COs as therapeutic agents of change. Practical opportunities for implementing correctional research and practice using a positive criminology perspective are considered.","PeriodicalId":10757,"journal":{"name":"Criminal Justice Policy Review","volume":"34 1","pages":"43 - 64"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41842161","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-22DOI: 10.1177/08874034221130037
Uri Timor, Ronit Peled-Laskov, Etty Golan
This study evaluates the impact of a student program for mentoring incarcerated persons. Mentoring has multiple goals for both incarcerated persons and mentors; this article focuses on its contributions to incarcerated persons. The program encourages incarcerated persons to think positively and constructively, apply anger management, and learn about the normative society they will enter. Twenty-one incarcerated persons participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews in this qualitative research. The findings show that the students eventually became significant others for the incarcerated persons, most of whom reported on forming excellent relations with the students, and learning to act more deliberately and less violently due to the students. They also described reducing their self-absorption, expanding their horizons, and better understanding their criminal choices. Some mentioned acquiring more structured worldviews and improving their behavior. The findings point to significant benefits gained from the incarcerated person–student interaction in the mentoring framework, and the importance of expanding the program.
{"title":"Student Mentors of Incarcerated Persons: Contribution of a Mentoring Program for Incarcerated Persons","authors":"Uri Timor, Ronit Peled-Laskov, Etty Golan","doi":"10.1177/08874034221130037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/08874034221130037","url":null,"abstract":"This study evaluates the impact of a student program for mentoring incarcerated persons. Mentoring has multiple goals for both incarcerated persons and mentors; this article focuses on its contributions to incarcerated persons. The program encourages incarcerated persons to think positively and constructively, apply anger management, and learn about the normative society they will enter. Twenty-one incarcerated persons participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews in this qualitative research. The findings show that the students eventually became significant others for the incarcerated persons, most of whom reported on forming excellent relations with the students, and learning to act more deliberately and less violently due to the students. They also described reducing their self-absorption, expanding their horizons, and better understanding their criminal choices. Some mentioned acquiring more structured worldviews and improving their behavior. The findings point to significant benefits gained from the incarcerated person–student interaction in the mentoring framework, and the importance of expanding the program.","PeriodicalId":10757,"journal":{"name":"Criminal Justice Policy Review","volume":"101 3","pages":"65 - 87"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41308260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-07-29DOI: 10.1177/08874034221115337
Jeremy Olson, Rebecca S. Sarver, Brad Killian
This article proposes an approach to intervening in harms that is based on the integration of positive psychology and restorative justice. We begin by reviewing the importance of interpersonal relationships to restorative justice. Next, we discuss harms as viewed in restorative justice. We then explore the concept and language of happiness through models of satisfaction with life (SWL) from positive psychology. We end the article by proposing the integration of models of SWL into the practices of restorative dialogue and the development of restoration plans.
{"title":"Seeing the Harm to Happiness: Integrating Satisfaction With Life Into Restorative Practices","authors":"Jeremy Olson, Rebecca S. Sarver, Brad Killian","doi":"10.1177/08874034221115337","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/08874034221115337","url":null,"abstract":"This article proposes an approach to intervening in harms that is based on the integration of positive psychology and restorative justice. We begin by reviewing the importance of interpersonal relationships to restorative justice. Next, we discuss harms as viewed in restorative justice. We then explore the concept and language of happiness through models of satisfaction with life (SWL) from positive psychology. We end the article by proposing the integration of models of SWL into the practices of restorative dialogue and the development of restoration plans.","PeriodicalId":10757,"journal":{"name":"Criminal Justice Policy Review","volume":"34 1","pages":"88 - 109"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43961134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-07-21DOI: 10.1177/08874034221112847
Matthew A. Bills, M. Vaughn
Hate-motivated crime remains problematic in the United States. California passed the first hate crime law in 1978; Congress followed in 1990. States continue to amend their hate crime legislation, producing an amalgam of statutory provisions. This article creates a conceptual framework from which to classify hate crime legislation across the 50 states and Washington, DC. Laws were identified through Westlaw. Analyses compared the types of crimes covered, discrete and insular minorities protected, prosecutorial alternatives, mandates for law enforcement agencies, and additional rights provided to victims among states’ legislation. Considerable variation in scope and content of hate crime legislation exists among states, leaving several vulnerable groups unprotected, law enforcement underprepared, and victim rights and resources sparse. Future directions for hate crime policy and legislation are discussed.
{"title":"A Contemporary Review of Hate Crime Legislation in the United States","authors":"Matthew A. Bills, M. Vaughn","doi":"10.1177/08874034221112847","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/08874034221112847","url":null,"abstract":"Hate-motivated crime remains problematic in the United States. California passed the first hate crime law in 1978; Congress followed in 1990. States continue to amend their hate crime legislation, producing an amalgam of statutory provisions. This article creates a conceptual framework from which to classify hate crime legislation across the 50 states and Washington, DC. Laws were identified through Westlaw. Analyses compared the types of crimes covered, discrete and insular minorities protected, prosecutorial alternatives, mandates for law enforcement agencies, and additional rights provided to victims among states’ legislation. Considerable variation in scope and content of hate crime legislation exists among states, leaving several vulnerable groups unprotected, law enforcement underprepared, and victim rights and resources sparse. Future directions for hate crime policy and legislation are discussed.","PeriodicalId":10757,"journal":{"name":"Criminal Justice Policy Review","volume":"34 1","pages":"115 - 139"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42773103","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-07-06DOI: 10.1177/08874034221106747
Jordan Nowotny, Amy Shlosberg, T. McAndrew
Wrongful convictions are an indicator of the flaws of the American justice system and represent the consequences of disproportionate crime control policies. To date, few scholars have documented how the public views wrongful conviction frequency or who is responsible for these miscarriages of justice. In this study, we draw on a national sample to examine public perceptions of the prevalence of wrongful convictions and the degree to which the public believes the government is responsible for compensation after a wrongful conviction. Our results demonstrate that most Americans believe felony wrongful convictions happen at least occasionally and that the government should provide compensation to exonerees. These findings are not consistent across groups. Race, political affiliation, gender, and age are significantly related to differences in views of wrongful conviction frequency. Likewise, age and political affiliation are significantly related to differences in support of government compensation. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.
{"title":"Understanding Public Views of Wrongful Conviction Frequency and Government Responsibility for Compensation: Results From a National Sample","authors":"Jordan Nowotny, Amy Shlosberg, T. McAndrew","doi":"10.1177/08874034221106747","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/08874034221106747","url":null,"abstract":"Wrongful convictions are an indicator of the flaws of the American justice system and represent the consequences of disproportionate crime control policies. To date, few scholars have documented how the public views wrongful conviction frequency or who is responsible for these miscarriages of justice. In this study, we draw on a national sample to examine public perceptions of the prevalence of wrongful convictions and the degree to which the public believes the government is responsible for compensation after a wrongful conviction. Our results demonstrate that most Americans believe felony wrongful convictions happen at least occasionally and that the government should provide compensation to exonerees. These findings are not consistent across groups. Race, political affiliation, gender, and age are significantly related to differences in views of wrongful conviction frequency. Likewise, age and political affiliation are significantly related to differences in support of government compensation. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.","PeriodicalId":10757,"journal":{"name":"Criminal Justice Policy Review","volume":"34 1","pages":"140 - 160"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45774155","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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