Researchers found that humanizing police officers through recruiting materials can increase potential candidates' interest in policing as a career. Exposure to humanizing videos led to increased shared identity with police officers, promoting greater interest in a policing career.
A new study by Northeastern University's Crime Prevention Lab found that CCTV cameras in Newark, NJ, were associated with reduced auto thefts three to four years after installation. The study highlights the importance of longer-term evaluations to understand the persistence and potential increase of crime prevention effects.
A recent study assesses hundreds of US police academies and shows a continued emphasis on traditional, crime-fighting approaches in basic training, neglecting community-oriented policing and guardian roles.
Researchers developed machine learning models to identify high-risk gun dealers selling the largest proportion of guns recovered in crimes within a year. The study's findings suggest that enforcing targeted inspections and citations on these dealers can help reduce the supply of firearms to offenders.
A recent special issue of Criminology & Public Policy explores the impact of legislative policies, criminal justice practices, and community-based efforts on gun violence. The studies featured in this issue aim to provide timely solutions to addressing this significant concern in the United States.
A study found that direct incentives, such as tax credits and insurance, can increase hiring managers' willingness to hire applicants with prior records. The most effective incentives were a $2,400 tax credit and $25,000 insurance against losses, which worked regardless of conviction type or perceptions about performance.
This special issue of Criminology & Public Policy explores pressing topics in policing, including evidence-based practices and research-informed policy. The articles featured in the issue aim to guide police reform efforts and improve public safety.
A majority of the American public favors providing incarcerated pregnant women with access to abortion, particularly in cases of rape or health risk. Most also support parental aid for these women, with conservative Republicans being least supportive of both
A study found that progressive prosecutors led to 7% higher relative rates of total and property crime, but not violent crime. The effects varied by time in office, with relatively higher crime rates in the first decade.
The study found that problem property interventions in Boston reduced crime and disorder at target locations and nearby properties for many years. The program incentivized property owners to manage their properties better or sell them to new owners who could maintain them.
A new special issue of Criminology & Public Policy explores cybercrime and cybersecurity, highlighting the need for empirical testing and systematic analysis. The 11 studies in the issue build the knowledge base for understanding and addressing cybercrime, improving cybersecurity through theories and methods in criminology.
A new study by Laura M. DeMarco found that Ohio landlords routinely disqualify individuals with a criminal record from renting homes, particularly in gentrifying neighborhoods and communities with dwindling Black populations. This practice reinforces racial inequalities and perpetuates neighborhood turnover.
A new study found that certain credentials, such as more education, references, and experience, can offset the negative impact of a criminal record on job prospects. Applicants with a criminal record were less likely to be hired without these credentials, but more likely to be hired if they had relevant experience or a college degree.
A new study found that school suspensions increase the likelihood of arrest for Black and Hispanic students, but not White students. Suspension labels can perpetuate stereotypes linked to each racial group, with Blackness associated with criminality and Hispanic people with illegality.
A recent study found that the police murder of George Floyd led to a three-week spike in firearm assaults on U.S. police officers, but this trend quickly subsided. The researchers caution against using the term 'war on cops' and instead suggest focusing on evidence-based solutions to reduce violence.
A new study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee found that diversifying US police departments has no significant impact on clearing aggravated assaults against minorities. The study analyzed data from over 350 agencies and nearly 44,000 incidents, but found no association between diversity measures and clearance rates.
A new study found that US public support for redeemability of Black offenders is high, with 70-80% agreement on offender reform being possible and valued. Racial sympathy and White nationalism significantly influence beliefs in redemption and condemnation of Black offenders.
Researchers found that federal-local immigration enforcement policies significantly increase violent victimization risk among Latinos, contradicting their purpose of enhancing public safety. The study analyzed NCVS data from 2005-2014 and confirmed individual-level factors as major sources of variation in violent victimizations.
A new study found widespread support for second look sentencing, with respondents backing the approach regardless of age. Factors such as petitioners' intent to reform and victim support increased support for release. The study suggests that releasing reformed individuals can reduce costs and enhance public safety.
A Canadian study found that prison subcultures hinder the spread of radicalized messages, with key factors including local norms, beliefs, and behavioral expectations. The research suggests that sociocultural influences play a crucial role in understanding the relation between radicalization and prisons.
Researchers argue that cognitive transformations are crucial in understanding desistance from crime. Individuals' cognitive shifts, such as attitudes and intentions, serve as foundations for social development, including behavioral changes related to criminal behavior.
Francis T. Cullen proposes building 10 prisons, each funded at $1 billion, to foster a new era of progress in corrections. The proposal aims to improve offenders' lives and reduce crime-related risks through evidence-based strategies.
A study found that students who moved to a new school location reported significantly less delinquency after the shift, with fewer delinquent friends and less unstructured socializing. The transition to a new academic setting might reduce levels of juvenile delinquency in the long run.
A study found that incarcerated people with serious mental illness experience frequent and lengthy periods of solitary confinement, spending an average of three times longer than those without mental health problems. The study highlights the importance of correcting officers' discretion and policy change to reduce disparities.
A recent study found that increased gender equality in higher education is linked to lower female prison admission rates compared to males. The study also discovered that gains in labor force participation and political representation contributed to the decline in disparities.
A new study reveals that corrections staff in Kentucky view incarcerated individuals as 'monsters' or 'evils', dehumanizing them to justify violent behavior. This us-them ideology can lead to abuse and harm, and has implications for prison management and the carceral system.
A special issue of Criminology & Public Policy examines the effects of the George Floyd protests on the criminal justice system. Studies focus on policy changes, police institutional change, and public attitudes surrounding defunding the police.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed weaknesses in the criminal justice system, highlighting issues with family and domestic violence, gang activity, and police-community interactions. Scholars from the American Society of Criminology investigate these concerns in a special issue, exploring lessons learned and policy implications.
A new photo-ethnography study published in Criminology explores the narratives and motivations of men and women in rural Alabama who used methamphetamine. The study reveals that participants' stories about their drug use differed by gender, shaping how they interacted with others and navigated their relationships.
A new study found that adolescents' experiences with police can negatively impact their future orientation, leading to reduced educational and career aspirations. The research, conducted by the American Society of Criminology, analyzed data from 1,354 serious offenders and found that even positive interactions with police can create co...
A new study explored how prosecutors think about race in criminal justice, finding that a color-blind approach can entrench racial disparities. The study suggests that changing prosecutor views on race and core beliefs is necessary to achieve justice.
A new study found that the public generally opposes repressive policing of protesters, but certain tactics by protesters increase fear and support for police repression. The goals of protests also impact support for police repression, with racially resentful individuals more supportive of repression.
Researchers found that candidates' pro-gun messages and NRA funding influence voters' evaluations, with racial resentment moderating the effects. Voters who own guns or are racially resentful were more likely to support candidates with similar views, while those low in racial resentment preferred pro-gun control candidates.
A study of federal sentencing data found that Black and Hispanic offenders were more likely to be eligible for life sentences, but not more likely to receive them. The study analyzed data on over 366,000 non-immigration offenders from 2010 to 2017.
Researchers found that individuals have a threshold for opting out of offending, which varies across criminal situations. The study identified reverse bandwagon effects, where group presence both promotes and deters offending intentions.
A study examining corruption in Chicago's organized crime network found that corruption varied by position, context, and timeline. Corruption was more frequent but less deeply embedded before Prohibition, while during Prohibition it moved up the political ladder to include fewer people more deeply involved.
A study found that informal parole status uniquely contributes to the likelihood of receiving a prison sentence, with a large and consistent impact across sentencing guidelines. This cumulative disadvantage disproportionately affects Black defendants, exacerbating the Black-White gap in prison sentences.
A new study analyzing millions of 911 calls found that defunding the police is challenging due to the volume and types of incidents handled by police. The study suggests that if police retain their responsibilities, they need to reconsider how to address community concerns more effectively.
A recent study found that foreign-born status, but not acquired U.S. citizenship, protects against criminal victimization. Researchers used new data to explore the association between citizenship status and risk of victimization, finding significantly lower rates of victimization among foreign-born citizens compared to U.S.-born citizens.
Research found that parenting styles with high levels of behavioral control, such as authoritative and no-nonsense styles, reduced the risk of crime in adulthood. In contrast, low-control styles like abusive, permissive, and lax styles significantly increased the risk for crime.
A new study suggests that replacing high-risk police officers with less likely to generate use-of-force complaints would reduce complaints by just 6 percent over a 10-year period. Researchers found that early warning systems and broader accountability measures are more effective in reducing misconduct.
A study examining ERPO use in Oregon found that these laws are commonly considered as a tool to remove guns from dangerous individuals, but should also be used to prevent gun purchases by those at risk. Most ERPO petitions were filed by law enforcement or reported histories of interpersonal violence or suicidality.
Research found that joining a gang for the first time increases criminal behavior, while second-time membership significantly raises violent behavior. Interventions should account for intermittency in gang membership to disrupt individuals' offending profiles.