Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-11-16DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102566
Christina Mancini , Sarah Koon-Magnin , Patrick Wells
Given rising concerns about gun violence and the extent of parental liability, we examine firearm storage practices among the public. Using a subsample of respondents with guns in their households (n = 525) drawn from a nationally representative survey (N = 1271), we address two key research questions. First, to what extent do gun-owners engage in potentially unsafe firearm storage (e.g., keeping firearms unlocked, loaded, or with ammunition in reach)? Second, what factors are associated with these risky practices among the public? Overall, our findings suggest that prior use of guns within one's profession, personal experiences with firearms (e.g., victimization, having witnessed gun violence), living in a child-free household, and other socio-demographic factors, particularly gender, are tied with the likelihood of engaging in risky storage habits. The implications of study findings are discussed.
{"title":"The pursuit of gun safety in a new era: Exploring predictors of firearm storage practices among the public","authors":"Christina Mancini , Sarah Koon-Magnin , Patrick Wells","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102566","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102566","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Given rising concerns about gun violence and the extent of parental liability, we examine firearm storage practices among the public. Using a subsample of respondents with guns in their households (<em>n</em> = 525) drawn from a nationally representative survey (<em>N</em> = 1271), we address two key research questions. First, to what extent do gun-owners engage in potentially unsafe firearm storage (e.g., keeping firearms unlocked, loaded, or with ammunition in reach)? Second, what factors are associated with these risky practices among the public? Overall, our findings suggest that prior use of guns within one's profession, personal experiences with firearms (e.g., victimization, having witnessed gun violence), living in a child-free household, and other socio-demographic factors, particularly gender, are tied with the likelihood of engaging in risky storage habits. The implications of study findings are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48272,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Criminal Justice","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102566"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145569991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102578
M. Hunter Martaindale , Peter T. Tanksley
Active shooter events remain a critical public safety concern, with public expectations often centered on how quickly police intervene to stop the threat. While recent studies have examined how law enforcement officers view their role in these events, no research has directly measured citizen perceptions of officer actions. This study addresses that gap by using a quasi-experimental factorial survey with two national samples of U.S. adults. Respondents (n = 767, n = 827) each evaluated 10 randomly assigned vignettes depicting officer decisions during active shooter scenarios, resulting in more than 15,800 vignette assessments. Results show that citizens' judgments of appropriateness were driven less by situational “driving forces,” such as gunfire or wounded victims, and more by symbolic features of the event, particularly the location. Citizens strongly supported immediate entry in schools and parades, while support was lower in large malls where waiting for backup was viewed as more acceptable. These findings contrast with prior officer-focused research, which found that police judgments are primarily influenced by threat cues. The divergence underscores that public legitimacy cannot be fully understood through officer perspectives alone. Law enforcement policy and training may not be guided by public preferences, but citizen perceptions shape legitimacy, accountability, and trust following high-profile events. Future research should continue to explore how public expectations intersect with professional practices under conditions of extreme uncertainty.
活跃的枪手事件仍然是一个重要的公共安全问题,公众的期望往往集中在警方如何迅速干预以阻止威胁。虽然最近的研究调查了执法人员如何看待他们在这些事件中的角色,但没有研究直接衡量公民对官员行为的看法。本研究通过对两个美国成年人样本进行准实验因子调查来解决这一差距。受访者(n = 767, n = 827)每人评估了10个随机分配的小片段,这些小片段描述了活跃枪手场景下的警官决策,得出了超过15,800个小片段评估。结果表明,公民对适当性的判断较少受到情景“驱动力”的影响,如枪声或受伤的受害者,更多地受到事件的象征性特征,特别是地点的影响。市民强烈支持立即进入学校和游行,而在大型购物中心的支持率较低,在那里等待后援被认为是更可以接受的。这些发现与先前以警察为中心的研究形成对比,后者发现警察的判断主要受到威胁线索的影响。这种分歧强调,仅从官员的角度不能完全理解公共合法性。执法政策和培训可能不会以公众偏好为导向,但在高调事件发生后,公民的看法会影响合法性、问责制和信任。未来的研究应该继续探索在极端不确定的条件下,公众期望与专业实践是如何交叉的。
{"title":"Public opinion and the immediate entry dilemma: A factorial survey experiment on active shooter response","authors":"M. Hunter Martaindale , Peter T. Tanksley","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102578","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102578","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Active shooter events remain a critical public safety concern, with public expectations often centered on how quickly police intervene to stop the threat. While recent studies have examined how law enforcement officers view their role in these events, no research has directly measured citizen perceptions of officer actions. This study addresses that gap by using a quasi-experimental factorial survey with two national samples of U.S. adults. Respondents (<em>n</em> = 767, <em>n</em> = 827) each evaluated 10 randomly assigned vignettes depicting officer decisions during active shooter scenarios, resulting in more than 15,800 vignette assessments. Results show that citizens' judgments of appropriateness were driven less by situational “driving forces,” such as gunfire or wounded victims, and more by symbolic features of the event, particularly the location. Citizens strongly supported immediate entry in schools and parades, while support was lower in large malls where waiting for backup was viewed as more acceptable. These findings contrast with prior officer-focused research, which found that police judgments are primarily influenced by threat cues. The divergence underscores that public legitimacy cannot be fully understood through officer perspectives alone. Law enforcement policy and training may not be guided by public preferences, but citizen perceptions shape legitimacy, accountability, and trust following high-profile events. Future research should continue to explore how public expectations intersect with professional practices under conditions of extreme uncertainty.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48272,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Criminal Justice","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102578"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145736342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-11-17DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102571
Christopher J. Marier , Conor Goodwin
A persistent “reasonableness divide” exists between the legal standards governing police use of force and the public’s expectations, producing “lawful but awful” uses of force. This study empirically tests the “Community Expectations Standard” (CES), a model that identifies five criteria the public uses to evaluate force: underlying governmental interest, avoidability, officer motivation, subject resistance, and the presence of a “highly dangerous” environment. Using a factorial survey experiment with a national sample of nearly 2000 U.S. adults, we analyzed responses to a hypothetical vignette depicting non-lethal force using t-tests and Bayesian linear regression models. The results show that underlying governmental interest and subject resistance—those factors with analogs in constitutional law—are the most powerful predictors of reasonableness judgments. In contrast, other CES factors were weaker, with their effects potentially filtered through the observer’s personal characteristics. Notably, political partisanship emerged as a more potent predictor of reasonableness appraisals than race or ethnicity, suggesting partisanship acts as a primary lens for interpreting police use of force. We conclude that the CES framework is a valuable tool but should be refined to distinguish between objective, event-based criteria and subjective, observer-based criteria. Bridging the reasonableness divide requires adjusting both law enforcement practices and public expectations.
{"title":"Force and fallout: Experimental evidence from a national test of the Community Expectations Standard","authors":"Christopher J. Marier , Conor Goodwin","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102571","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102571","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A persistent “reasonableness divide” exists between the legal standards governing police use of force and the public’s expectations, producing “lawful but awful” uses of force. This study empirically tests the “Community Expectations Standard” (CES), a model that identifies five criteria the public uses to evaluate force: underlying governmental interest, avoidability, officer motivation, subject resistance, and the presence of a “highly dangerous” environment. Using a factorial survey experiment with a national sample of nearly 2000 U.S. adults, we analyzed responses to a hypothetical vignette depicting non-lethal force using t-tests and Bayesian linear regression models. The results show that underlying governmental interest and subject resistance—those factors with analogs in constitutional law—are the most powerful predictors of reasonableness judgments. In contrast, other CES factors were weaker, with their effects potentially filtered through the observer’s personal characteristics. Notably, political partisanship emerged as a more potent predictor of reasonableness appraisals than race or ethnicity, suggesting partisanship acts as a primary lens for interpreting police use of force. We conclude that the CES framework is a valuable tool but should be refined to distinguish between objective, event-based criteria and subjective, observer-based criteria. Bridging the reasonableness divide requires adjusting both law enforcement practices and public expectations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48272,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Criminal Justice","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102571"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145569990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-12DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102586
Tova A. Cohen , Ian A. Silver
Informal labeling, or unofficial labels imposed by oneself and others, has been linked to criminal legal involvement. However, it is still unclear whether self or familial labeling is more criminogenic. Using a subset of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97) (N = 2980), the current study examines the association between self-perception and parental perception of incarceration by age 20, as well as criminal legal system involvement from ages 18–20 and 21–41. Results suggest that self-perception of incarceration by age 20 was positively associated with the number of arrests between 18 and 20 and after 20, while parental perception of incarceration by age 20 appeared to be associated with the number of months incarcerated from 18 to 20 and after 20. These results, overall, highlight that self and familial labeling could have distinct effects on future involvement in the criminal legal system, but both could be criminogenic.
{"title":"Is it a self-fulfilling prophecy?: Examining how parental and youth perceptions of future system involvement predict early adulthood criminal involvement","authors":"Tova A. Cohen , Ian A. Silver","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102586","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102586","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Informal labeling, or unofficial labels imposed by oneself and others, has been linked to criminal legal involvement. However, it is still unclear whether self or familial labeling is more criminogenic. Using a subset of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97) (<em>N</em> = 2980), the current study examines the association between self-perception and parental perception of incarceration by age 20, as well as criminal legal system involvement from ages 18–20 and 21–41. Results suggest that self-perception of incarceration by age 20 was positively associated with the number of arrests between 18 and 20 and after 20, while parental perception of incarceration by age 20 appeared to be associated with the number of months incarcerated from 18 to 20 and after 20. These results, overall, highlight that self and familial labeling could have distinct effects on future involvement in the criminal legal system, but both could be criminogenic.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48272,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Criminal Justice","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102586"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145736343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-11-14DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102556
Ryan Randa , Ashley K. Fansher , Bradford W. Reyns
The present study addresses the determinants of cyberstalking perpetration within a sample of college students. Using self-report survey data collected from a large Southern university in fall 2016, a final sample of 1127 respondents were asked to report their history of both cyberstalking perpetration as well as cyberstalking victimization. This study explores cyberstalking perpetration, through the lens of low self-control, cyberstalking victimization experience, sexual compulsivity, sexual deception, and relationship status through logistic regression analyses and marginal effects. Findings suggest a relationship between cyberstalking perpetration and cyberstalking victimization across levels of self-control, where the strongest connection is among those the poorest self-control. Additionally, we explore differences between male and female respondents in their likelihood to engage in cyberstalking behavior, finding that women are more likely to offend particularly when exhibiting low self-control.
{"title":"Cyberstalking perpetration by college students: The effects of low self-control and prior victimization","authors":"Ryan Randa , Ashley K. Fansher , Bradford W. Reyns","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102556","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102556","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study addresses the determinants of cyberstalking perpetration within a sample of college students. Using self-report survey data collected from a large Southern university in fall 2016, a final sample of 1127 respondents were asked to report their history of both cyberstalking perpetration as well as cyberstalking victimization. This study explores cyberstalking perpetration, through the lens of low self-control, cyberstalking victimization experience, sexual compulsivity, sexual deception, and relationship status through logistic regression analyses and marginal effects. Findings suggest a relationship between cyberstalking perpetration and cyberstalking victimization across levels of self-control, where the strongest connection is among those the poorest self-control. Additionally, we explore differences between male and female respondents in their likelihood to engage in cyberstalking behavior, finding that women are more likely to offend particularly when exhibiting low self-control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48272,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Criminal Justice","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102556"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145521078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Evaluations of police de-escalation training programs have provided mixed results on the effectiveness of these programs in reducing the use of force. These programs rely on a causal logic model that suggests training improves intermediary behaviors, such as communication tactics or empathy, which decrease the likelihood of force being necessary in interactions with citizens. In this paper, we present the results of a randomized-controlled trial of a police de-escalation training curriculum. We employ systematic social observation of body-worn camera footage to examine these intermediary behaviors and analyze administrative use of force records to assess use of force as an outcome. The analyses demonstrate that the program is successful in improving intermediary behaviors but does not reduce use of force incidents. Considering these results in combination with the growing body of literature on police de-escalation training programs, we suggest that de-escalation training programs are largely successful in improving intermediary behaviors but that those behaviors are not as closely linked to use of force rates as theorized. Accordingly, we suggest that scholars and policymakers consider de-escalation training as a method for improving interpersonal skills for police officers but look for other methods to reduce the use of force.
{"title":"Police de-escalation training and its effects on communication: Evidence from an experimental evaluation","authors":"Kyle McLean , Trey Bussey , Justin Nix , Jeffrey Rojek , Geoffrey P. Alpert","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2026.102598","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2026.102598","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Evaluations of police de-escalation training programs have provided mixed results on the effectiveness of these programs in reducing the use of force. These programs rely on a causal logic model that suggests training improves intermediary behaviors, such as communication tactics or empathy, which decrease the likelihood of force being necessary in interactions with citizens. In this paper, we present the results of a randomized-controlled trial of a police de-escalation training curriculum. We employ systematic social observation of body-worn camera footage to examine these intermediary behaviors and analyze administrative use of force records to assess use of force as an outcome. The analyses demonstrate that the program is successful in improving intermediary behaviors but does not reduce use of force incidents. Considering these results in combination with the growing body of literature on police de-escalation training programs, we suggest that de-escalation training programs are largely successful in improving intermediary behaviors but that those behaviors are not as closely linked to use of force rates as theorized. Accordingly, we suggest that scholars and policymakers consider de-escalation training as a method for improving interpersonal skills for police officers but look for other methods to reduce the use of force.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48272,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Criminal Justice","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102598"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146022232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-11-07DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102538
Andrea Canel , Marc Graf , Christian Huber , Jérôme Endrass , Nathalie Brackmann
The social climate of secure settings plays a critical role in correctional rehabilitation, yet little is known about how interpersonal dynamics between clients and staff shape these environments. This study investigated the influence of interpersonal motives on perceptions of social climate in correctional facilities and forensic psychiatric hospitals in Switzerland. Interpersonal motives are preferences for certain interpersonal outcomes or modes of reactions along the dimensions of dominance and affiliation. Data were collected from 442 participants (369 clients, 73 staff) across six institutions using validated self-report and observer-rated measures. Multilevel modeling was used to assess individual and institutional-level predictors of three key social climate dimensions: Experienced Safety, Resident Cohesion, and Therapeutic Hold. For clients, higher levels of affiliative motives, both self-reported and perceived in staff, consistently predicted more positive perceptions of the social climate across all dimensions. In contrast, dominance-related motives showed no significant associations. Staff members' perceptions of social climate were more strongly shaped by institutional context, though perceiving clients as affiliative was linked to higher ratings of Resident Cohesion and the social climate overall. Individual affiliative motives also predicted stronger perceptions of Therapeutic Hold among staff. These findings underscore the relevance of everyday relational dynamics—particularly affiliative behaviors—in promoting safe, cohesive, and rehabilitative environments. The study highlights the reciprocal nature of staff-client relationships and the need to train and support frontline staff in cultivating prosocial, compassionate interactions. Understanding how interpersonal motives shape climate perceptions provides valuable insights for improving correctional outcomes and working conditions in secure settings.
{"title":"Influence of social motives of clients and staff on the social climate of secure settings","authors":"Andrea Canel , Marc Graf , Christian Huber , Jérôme Endrass , Nathalie Brackmann","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102538","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102538","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The social climate of secure settings plays a critical role in correctional rehabilitation, yet little is known about how interpersonal dynamics between clients and staff shape these environments. This study investigated the influence of interpersonal motives on perceptions of social climate in correctional facilities and forensic psychiatric hospitals in Switzerland. Interpersonal motives are preferences for certain interpersonal outcomes or modes of reactions along the dimensions of dominance and affiliation. Data were collected from 442 participants (369 clients, 73 staff) across six institutions using validated self-report and observer-rated measures. Multilevel modeling was used to assess individual and institutional-level predictors of three key social climate dimensions: Experienced Safety, Resident Cohesion, and Therapeutic Hold. For clients, higher levels of affiliative motives, both self-reported and perceived in staff, consistently predicted more positive perceptions of the social climate across all dimensions. In contrast, dominance-related motives showed no significant associations. Staff members' perceptions of social climate were more strongly shaped by institutional context, though perceiving clients as affiliative was linked to higher ratings of Resident Cohesion and the social climate overall. Individual affiliative motives also predicted stronger perceptions of Therapeutic Hold among staff. These findings underscore the relevance of everyday relational dynamics—particularly affiliative behaviors—in promoting safe, cohesive, and rehabilitative environments. The study highlights the reciprocal nature of staff-client relationships and the need to train and support frontline staff in cultivating prosocial, compassionate interactions. Understanding how interpersonal motives shape climate perceptions provides valuable insights for improving correctional outcomes and working conditions in secure settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48272,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Criminal Justice","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102538"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145468871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-17DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102577
Laura Bui , Kofi Boakye
{"title":"The Other perspectives on the development and life course of offending","authors":"Laura Bui , Kofi Boakye","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102577","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102577","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":48272,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Criminal Justice","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102577"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146076771","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-12-07DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102579
Duan Vilela Ferreira , Vania Aparecida Ceccato , Caroline Maria de Miranda Mota
The objective of this article is to investigate the spatiotemporal patterns of homicides in Recife, a major tourist destination in northeastern Brazil. We begin by analysing the distribution of homicides in relation to periods to assess later how different types of urban land uses, including leisure-related facilities, affect lethal violence using negative binomial regression models, over the period from 2017 to 2022. The findings indicate that some leisure-related areas, not all, contribute to shaping the spatial distribution of homicides. Yet lethal violence in Recife's impoverished neighbourhoods remains chronically high throughout the year. These results highlight the dual challenge faced by the city: managing seasonal risks linked to tourism while addressing persistent structural violence rooted in social inequality and organised crime.
{"title":"Lethal violence in a Tourist City of the global south: Evidence from Recife, Brazil","authors":"Duan Vilela Ferreira , Vania Aparecida Ceccato , Caroline Maria de Miranda Mota","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102579","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102579","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The objective of this article is to investigate the spatiotemporal patterns of homicides in Recife, a major tourist destination in northeastern Brazil. We begin by analysing the distribution of homicides in relation to periods to assess later how different types of urban land uses, including leisure-related facilities, affect lethal violence using negative binomial regression models, over the period from 2017 to 2022. The findings indicate that some leisure-related areas, not all, contribute to shaping the spatial distribution of homicides. Yet lethal violence in Recife's impoverished neighbourhoods remains chronically high throughout the year. These results highlight the dual challenge faced by the city: managing seasonal risks linked to tourism while addressing persistent structural violence rooted in social inequality and organised crime.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48272,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Criminal Justice","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102579"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145736341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-11-28DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102570
Aki Roberts, John M. Roberts Jr.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd murder and subsequent public reaction disrupted American policing in 2020. Because these socio-political events substantially affected agency practices and reduced citizen engagement in crime investigation, they may have been reflected in a key policing outcome, crime clearance by arrest. In survival analysis of 437,763 serious crime incidents from 131 police agencies in 2019 and 2020, drawn from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), we compared clearance hazard rates in periods of 2020 defined by the pandemic and George Floyd’s murder to those in corresponding periods of 2019, controlling for other agency/jurisdiction-level and incident-level factors. Results indicated slightly higher clearance in the initial pandemic period of 2020 than in the equivalent period of 2019. Following the Floyd killing, clearance was lower in 2020 than in the corresponding periods of 2019. Additional analyses separated incidents by city size and crime type and examined data for the early part of 2021. Pandemic-related changes in policing may not have been detrimental to arrest clearance, but a highly prominent police killing may have been. Policymakers and police leaders should closely examine pandemic-related organizational changes and consider whether continuing at least some would improve clearance rates and other policing outcomes. In addition to reducing incidents of police lethal violence, the police should focus on building legitimacy and fostering community engagement by consistently applying principles of procedural justice in everyday interactions with the public.
{"title":"Pandemic, protests, and policing: Clearing crime in 2020","authors":"Aki Roberts, John M. Roberts Jr.","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102570","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2025.102570","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd murder and subsequent public reaction disrupted American policing in 2020. Because these socio-political events substantially affected agency practices and reduced citizen engagement in crime investigation, they may have been reflected in a key policing outcome, crime clearance by arrest. In survival analysis of 437,763 serious crime incidents from 131 police agencies in 2019 and 2020, drawn from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), we compared clearance hazard rates in periods of 2020 defined by the pandemic and George Floyd’s murder to those in corresponding periods of 2019, controlling for other agency/jurisdiction-level and incident-level factors. Results indicated slightly higher clearance in the initial pandemic period of 2020 than in the equivalent period of 2019. Following the Floyd killing, clearance was lower in 2020 than in the corresponding periods of 2019. Additional analyses separated incidents by city size and crime type and examined data for the early part of 2021. Pandemic-related changes in policing may not have been detrimental to arrest clearance, but a highly prominent police killing may have been. Policymakers and police leaders should closely examine pandemic-related organizational changes and consider whether continuing at least some would improve clearance rates and other policing outcomes. In addition to reducing incidents of police lethal violence, the police should focus on building legitimacy and fostering community engagement by consistently applying principles of procedural justice in everyday interactions with the public.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48272,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Criminal Justice","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102570"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145615737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}