International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology current issue

Carpe Diem Antisocial Behaviors: Street Robbery and Assault

Palermo, G. B. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:48:46 PST

The Role of Violence in Street Crime: A Qualitative Study of Violent Offenders

Bennett, T., Brookman, F. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:48:46 PST

Studies on the motivation for violent street crime, such as robbery and assault, have tended to draw on either the rational choice or the subcultural perspective. This study explores the extent to which violence on the street can be explained by rational factors associated with the successful commission of the offence or social factors related to street culture. The study is based on qualitative interviews with 55 violent street offenders who were serving sentences for street robbery and assault in six prisons in the United Kingdom. The findings, based on accounts of 101 incidents of street violence, identified four main explanations for street violence: (a) successful offence enactment, (b) buzz and excitement, (c) status and honor, and (d) informal justice. The article concludes that there might be benefits in combining the insights of both perspectives by generating an integrated theory that would properly explain both the rational and the seemingly irrational components of street violence.

Mental Health Performance Measurement in Corrections

Hoge, S. K., Greifinger, R. B., Lundquist, T., Mellow, J. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:48:46 PST

Correctional facilities have become, by default, one of the largest providers of mental health care for patients with serious mental illness. In its 2002 Report to Congress, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care has reported that most facilities do not provide quality mental health care, nor do they conform to nationally accepted guidelines for mental health screening and treatment. This article describes the product of a consensus panel of correctional health care experts, charged to develop performance measures, based on nationally accepted standards, for selected elements of psychiatric treatment behind bars, aimed to improve the quality of care. Performance measures were developed for medication adherence, suicide prevention, mental health treatment planning, and sleep medication usage.

Inmate Harassment and Rape: An Exploratory Study of Seven Maximum- and Medium-Security Male Prisons in Israel

Einat, T. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:48:46 PST

Prisons deprive male inmates of heterosexual relationships and thus prevent them from asserting their masculinity via "traditional" means. Accordingly, many prisoners experience extreme emotional, psychological, and physical distress, which turns several of them to intimidation, aggression, and re-establishment of their sense of dominance through homosexual activities with coerced partners. This study, based on 760 hours of phenomenological semi-structured interviews undertaken in a random sample of 1.5% of the male prisoner population in Israel, analyzes the neglected issue of homosexual rape in Israeli prisons. The study finds that (a) sexual harassment or homosexual rapes rarely take place in Israeli prisons and (b) Israeli inmates view homosexual rape in prison as disgusting and disgraceful and conceptualize it in highly negative emotional terms.

Effect of a Longer Versus Shorter Test-Release Interval on Recidivism Prediction With the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS)

Walters, G. D. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:48:46 PST

The General Criminal Thinking (GCT) score of the Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS) was correlated with recidivism data obtained on 284 released male federal prisoners. The sample was divided into those inmates who had been released within 24 months of having completed the PICTS (shorter test-release interval; n = 138) and those inmates who had been released more than 24 months after having completed the PICTS (longer test-release interval; n = 146), and recidivism was measured by subsequent arrests and convictions accrued during a 6- to 78-month follow-up. Although the GCT score successfully predicted release outcome in the shorter test-release interval group, it failed to predict release outcome in the longer test-release interval group. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Public Perception of Sex Offender Social Policies and the Impact on Sex Offenders

Schiavone, S. K., Jeglic, E. L. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:48:46 PST

This study examines the public perception of sex offender policies and the perceived impact of sex offender policies on the sex offenders themselves. Specifically, this study explores how the community feels about the effectiveness of policies such as registration and community notification (Megan’s Law), and housing restrictions in reducing sexual recidivism. Data are collected from 115 participants from a nationwide online community message board. Results suggest that although most individuals support Megan’s Law, they do not feel the policy reduces recidivism. Furthermore, the majority of the participants also do not believe that housing restriction statutes are effective in reducing sexual recidivism. When questioned about the policy impact on sex offenders, the majority of respondents agree that as a consequence of Megan’s Law, sex offenders are afraid for their safety; however, they do not believe that residence restrictions hinder sex offenders’ employment opportunities. Findings from this study are discussed as they pertain to public policy and sex offender reintegration.

Racial Differences in Desistance From Substance Abuse: The Impact of Religious Involvement on Recovery

Chu, D. C., Sung, H.-E. — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:48:46 PST

This study examines variations by race in the relationship between religiosity and desistance from substance abuse. Although most studies have included race as a control variable, only a few studies compared the equivalence of associations among religiosity, delinquency, recovery from substance abuse, and other variables between Black and White samples. Using data from the intake and 12-month follow-up survey of the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study, this study examines levels of religious involvement of Black and White drug treatment clients. In addition, it empirically tests whether religious involvement exerts differential effects on Black and White clients’ recovery from substance abuse. It was found that Black clients reported higher levels of religious involvement (measured by church attendance) than did White clients. Data indicated that religious behavior at 1-year follow-up was positively associated with Black clients’ recovery from substance abuse. In contrast, religious behavior was not a significant predictor of White clients’ desistance from substance abuse. Directions for future research and policy implications are discussed.

Drug Use and Criminal Activity Among Rural Probationers With DUI Histories

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:48:46 PST

The present study examined whether ever being arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) was associated with higher levels of substance use and criminal activity in a sample of 800 probationers. Lifetime and 30-day histories of substance use and criminal activity were compared across three groups of probationers from rural Kentucky: those with a single DUI arrest, those with two or more DUI arrests, and those with no DUI arrests. A larger percentage of probationers with a DUI arrest reported lifetime and 30-day substance use than non-DUI offenders in almost all drug and alcohol categories. Higher prevalence of criminal activity was limited primarily to the multiple DUI arrest group. Findings add to the literature on rural substance abusers and indicate that DUI may be used as a marker to help identify opportunities for targeted substance abuse interventions.