Policy - 840 Class Notes Flashcards
What are the three types of international criminological studies that appear most often in criminology and sociology?
- Studies of a single nation (other than the US)
- Comparative studies of two (or very small number) nations
- Studies that compare crime in a larger number of nations
What is the main focus of single nation studies?
Examining something that may be unique to that country
What is the main focus of comparative studies?
Examine comparisons between nations in terms of victimization, offending and other aspects of the criminal justice system.
What is the main focus of larger scale comparative studies?
To examine national crime rates, normally between a few dozen countries.
What are the four types of sources used by cross-national research?
- United Nations Surveys
- Interpol
- World Health Organization
- International Crime Victims Survey
What are the limitations for using data collected by organizations? (Cross-Nationally)
- Focus on a narrow range of criminal behavior like violent crimes.
- White-collar crimes and victimless crimes are normally absent from these collections.
- There are varying definitions of crimes
- There are varying rates which the crimes are reported and varying times they are collected between nations.
What is a problem with cross-national data?
- There are varying definitions of crimes
- Some crimes may not be a problem in other countries. (Stealing cars in Africa; but stealing bikes may be a problem)
- The data may be unreliable - we know crime is unreported
What is “dispersal”?
The concept that males, in mammalian species, tend to move away from family, find novelty and engage in risk-taking around the age of maturity.
Citation for Juvenile Justice and Crime
(Greenwood & Turner, 2009)
What are the juvenile arrest rates like?
They are currently at a 40-year low.
Are juvenile courts similar to arrest rates?
Yes, they are focused on punitiveness.
Why is the UCR bad for looking at juvenile arrest rates?
The UCR does not provide identifying factor as to which is an adult crime and which is a juvenile crime.
Do juveniles have the same rights adults do in court?
No, juveniles do not have the right to a jury or the right to bail.
What are the obstacles to changing the juvenile justice system?
- The system relies on informal discretionary decision making
- The lack of legislative knowledge about juvenile court practices
- Shortage of community-based programs to deal with delinquent prone youth.
Four Areas of Juvenile Justice Reform
- Revising the criteria under which juveniles can be waived to criminal court.
- Paying more attention to assessing and serving the mental health needs of juveniles.
- Increasing the use of evidence-based programs
- Estimating the benefits of evidence-based programs
What is a judicial waiver?
The waiver that the court uses to transfer juveniles from juvenile court to adult court.
Ranking system: Proven programs and strategies
Meet the blueprint qualifications for model programs - or our found effective by rigorous meta-analysis.
Ranking system: Promising programs
Meets the blueprint for promising programs - may be supported by one or more rigorous evaluations showing reductions in risk-factor.
Ranking system: Principles
Program features that have been found to be associated with more effective programs
Ranking system: Ineffective programs
There are no significant findings or positive effects - the DARE program
Ranking system: Ineffective programs
There are no significant findings or positive effects - the DARE program
What is the “bullying prevention program?”
This program was developed for elementary and middle school children. Teachers and parents developed strict rules and enforcement of rules about bullying. After two years there has been a 50% reduction in bullying.
What is the “multisystemic therapy program?”
This is a family based program designed to help parents deal effectively with their youths behavioral problems.
What are the best explanatory power of serious or violent c offending?
- Antisocial parents
- Male gender
- Low SES
- Psychological factors
What are the best explanatory power of serious or violent offending?
- Antisocial parents
- Male gender
- Low SES
- Psychological factors
What is social homogamy?
Convicted people tend to choose each other because of physical and close proximity.
What is phenotype assortment?
People tend to choose people who are similar to themselves.
What are six possible explanations for why offending is concentrated in certain families?
- Intergenerational - exposure to risk factors
- Assorative mating (females marry male offenders)
- Influences of family members on each other
- The effect of a criminal parent on a child’s offending is mediated by environmental mechanisms
- The effect of a criminal parent on a child’s offending is mediated by genetic mechanisms
- Official bias against known criminal families
What are six possible explanations for why offending is concentrated in certain families?
- Intergenerational - exposure to risk factors
- Assorative mating (females marry male offenders)
- Influences of family members on each other
- The effect of a criminal parent on a child’s offending is mediated by environmental mechanisms
- The effect of a criminal parent on a child’s offending is mediated by genetic mechanisms
- Official bias against known criminal families
Roper v Simmons
(2005) You could no longer execute a juvenile unless they were 18+. Adolescents are different than adults.
Who did the majority opinion for Roper v Simmons
Anthony Kennedy
Graham v Florida
(2010) You cannot sentence juveniles under the age of 18 to life w/o the possibility of parole for non-homicide offenses.
Miller v Alabama
(2012) There cannot be a mandatory sentence of life w/o the possibility of parole. It was considered cruel and unusual punishment. You can still sentence juveniles to life w/o parole but it cannot be mandatory.
Which state has the largest group of juveniles serving life without the possibility of parole?
Pennsylvania. PA tends to not release people.
Which state has the largest group of juveniles serving life without the possibility of parole?
Pennsylvania. PA tends to not release people.
What is happening with brain research?
Brain research is getting cheaper, thus we are able to keep learning and running tests.
What is happening with brain research?
Brain research is getting cheaper, thus we are able to keep learning and running tests.
What are the three waivers for juveniles to adult court?
- Prosecutoral discretion
- Judicial discretion
- Statutory exclusions
What is the cycle of juvenile justice?
We are liberal until we get conservative and then we go back to liberal.
-Simply, we focus on rehabilitation and then punishment and then rehabilitation.
What was the justice system like in the 1980s and 1990s?
It was conservative. We started waiving juveniles to adult courts, publishing juveniles names in the papers and focused on harsher punishments.
What is LEEP?
Law Enforcement Educational Program - Funded officers to get college degrees. Worked around their schedule and promoted education.
What is LEAA?
Law Enforcement Assistants Administration - Develop different programs.
What is the JJDPA?
The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Act (1974) - Focused on getting juveniles with statutory offenses out of residential facilities (deinstitutionalized). And enacted sight and sound separation meaning juveniles could not have any contact with the adult population in jails/prisons.
How did judges respond to the deinstitutionalization of juvenile delinquents?
Judges were upset by this. So they would make a court order saying if you dont do x,y,z, you will come back to court and we will put you in a residential facility.
Which two states process juveniles in adult court once they turn 16?
New York and North Carolina
What is the JJDPA?
The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (1974) - Focused on getting juveniles with statutory offenses out of residential facilities (deinstitutionalized). And enacted sight and sound separation meaning juveniles could not have any contact with the adult population in jails/prisons.
How did judges respond to the deinstitutionalization of juvenile delinquents?
Judges were upset by this. So they would make a court order saying if you dont do x,y,z, you will come back to court and we will put you in a residential facility.
What were the two changes that came from Miller v Alabama?
Some states took a retrospective approach and reduced previous sentences. Other states commuted sentences (took it from life w/o parole to a specific number of years).
What is an “iron triangle?” **
An iron triangle involves three groups of people.
- Executive powers
- Congressional Committees
- Interested Groups
What are executive powers (Iron Triangle)?
Deals with the problems everyday. These groups make the program/policy seem more logical by supporting it. EX: Department of Justice and the FBI
What are Congressional committees (Iron Triangle)?
These people are powerful, the draft the documents or the bills.
What are the Interested Groups (Iron Triangle)?
Typically have time, money, or power to offer congress. These groups can have all three.
What are the Interested Groups (Iron Triangle)?
Typically have time, money, or power to offer congress. These groups can have all three.
Crime Policy is derived from…
3 groups.
What is the “garbage can model?”
You throw everything into the policy model and it comes out like garbage. It will not tell you how it is related. EX: The Patriot Act
How many juvenile justice systems are in the United States?
51 - 50 state systems and one federal system.
How have we moved toward intervention and prevention?
- Emphasis on brain development
- Maltreatment - emphasis on decreasing delinquency
- Trauma informed approach
- Residential facilities have dropped from 100,000 to 55,000
What is the restorative justice triangle?
- Competency development
- Accountability
- Community protection
(Making people accountable for their actions, protecting the community by repairing the harm done to victims and providing the skills to function in society)
Which groups are most likely to be effected by the change in labor markets?
Less educated males and previous offenders.
What is the community level approach?
The role of local communities during reintegration, in lowering and preventing crime. (Not the most effective approach)
What is a community?
Communities are normally broken down geographically or by the government - however, the boundaries can be set by the community. EX: territories that belong to one gang or another.
What is neighborhood stratification?
The socially structured dimensions of disadvantage. Geographic isolation of the poor or the racial isolation of African Americans.
What is collective efficacy?
The linkage of trust and the willingness to intervene when it is for the good of the community.
What is the demand side of the labor market?
We create jobs for incarcerated individuals - gave business’ incentives to hire. (Did not work)