WSU Criminal Justice Library and Research News

People, Places, and Things: The Social Process of Reentry for Female Ex-Offenders (PDF; 3.13 MB)
Source: National Institute of Justice
“This study examined the social lives of female ex-offenders to determine the features of their relationships after their release from prison.”

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 3:20 PM 0 comments

Office of Justice Programs Resource Guide: Fiscal 2006 Edition (PDF; 511 KB)
Source: National Institute of Justice
“After outlining the mission and organization of the U.S. Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), this report describes OJP’s funding opportunities, training, technical assistance, and other resources for fiscal 2006.”

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 3:19 PM 0 comments

European Sourcebook of Crime and Criminal Justice Statistics - 2006
Source: WODC (Dutch abbreviation for Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek- en Documentatiecentrum)

“This third edition is a partial update of the second edition (2003) and covers the years 2000-2003. The European Sourcebook is divided into five chapters: Police data, Prosecution statistics, Conviction statistics and Correctional statistics.” Download sections as PDFs.

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 4:14 PM 0 comments

Florida Death Penalty Assessment Report

Source: American Bar Association

From press release:
“The Florida team unanimously agreed that the state fails to comply or
is only in partial compliance with many of the protocols developed by
the ABA to assess death penalty systems. It specifically identified 11
problem areas in the state system, including: the high number of
death-row exonerations (22 since 1973), the failure to ensure that
lawyers assigned to represent capital defendants during the
post-conviction process are qualified and adequately compensated, the
continued existence of racial and charging disparities in capital
sentencing, the fact that unanimity is not required in jury sentencing
decisions, the failure to give sufficient weight to the mitigating
effects of serious mental disability, and the level of secrecy
surrounding the clemency process.”

Note: “Florida is the fourth state assessed under the
ABA project. Assessments in Georgia, Alabama and Arizona also are
complete and are accessible on the ABA’s Web site. Other assessments
are being conducted in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and
Virginia.”

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 10:00 AM 0 comments

Criminal Victimization, 2005

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics (USDoJ)

“Presents estimates of national levels and rates of personal and
property victimization for the year 2005. Rates and levels are provided
for personal and property victimization by victim characteristics, type
of crime, victim-offender relationship, use of weapons, and reporting
to police. Annual average victimization rates for 2004-05 are compared
with those of the previous two years, 2002-03. A section is devoted to
trends in victimization from 1993 to 2005. Estimates are from data
collected using the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), an
ongoing survey of households that interviews about 134,000 persons in
77,200 households twice annually. Violent crimes included in the report
are rape/sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault and simple assault
(from the NCVS), and homicide (from the FBI’s UCR program). Property
crimes examined are burglary, motor vehicle theft, and property theft.”
Full report available in PDF or txt.

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 2:20 PM 0 comments

From the announcement.

The TKB team is proud to announce the release of the Europe Media Monitor (EMM) on TKB. EMM is a new feature which significantly upgrades TKB’s ability to provide relevant and important terrorism news in real-time.

The EMM News Explorer provides breaking news coupled with sophisticated tools for analysis, and visual mapping features that give TKB users the ability to go beyond the headlines.

EMM news modules have been placed on group, leader and country profiles, offering targeted terrorism news in a matter of seconds.

Users can also employ EMM’s visual mapping tools to explore relationships between leaders to elucidate how terrorist networks operate in our ever-shrinking world.

Example: al-Qaeda
Note the new news and visualization tools located on the right side of the page. Powered by the EMM News Explorer (a site that looks like it’s worth a closer look).

What is the European News Explorer?

Europe Media Monitor (EMM) reads and analyses around 40.000 new news items per day. One of the results of this analysis is the clusters of the main stories in several languages. The selection and placement of stories are determined automatically by a computer program. This site is a joint project of DG-JRC and DG-COMM.

See Also: TKB Analytical Tools

Source: MIPT

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 12:44 PM 0 comments

Proximal Psychiatric Risk Factors for Suicidality in Youth
Source: Archives of General Psychiatry
“Several conclusions can be drawn regarding short-term risks for suicidality in children and adolescents through 16 years of age. Depression is a major proximal risk factor, especially in association with anxiety (specifically GAD) or disruptive disorders (primarily ODD). Anxiety or SUD alone do not increase risk. Subthreshold (disruptive) disorder is as potent a risk factor as many diagnosable psychiatric disorders. Severity of symptom-related impairment will help identify which youth with psychiatric disorders are most at risk. Youth living in poverty defined by federal guidelines for families are also at increased risk, irrespective of psychiatric profile or severity of psychopathology.”

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 12:39 PM 0 comments

Federal Criminal Justice Trends, 2003
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics (USDoJ)
“Presents data on Federal criminal justice trends from 1994-2003. This report summarizes the activities of agencies at each stage of the Federal criminal case process. It includes 10-year trend statistics on the number arrested (with detail on drug offenses); number and disposition of suspects investigated by U.S. attorneys; number of persons detained prior to trial; number of defendants in cases filed, convicted, and sentenced; and number of offenders under Federal correctional supervision (incarceration, supervised release, probation, and parole).” Download in PDF (6 MB) or ASCII (34 KB). Spreadsheets also available.

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 12:31 PM 0 comments

National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS): Operations 2005 (PDF; )

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (USDoJ)

From press release: “The FBI today released its annual report on the performance of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) which is designed to screen prospective firearms transferees for criminal record history information. NICS was implemented by the FBI in 1998 as mandated by the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act. NICS is maintained and operated out of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division in Clarksburg, WV. In 2005, NICS produced many achievements in furtherance of its mission by identifying, developing, and implementing system improvements to enhance its overall effectiveness. The FBI is committed to providing timely and accurate determination of firearms and explosives eligibility for prospective transferees.”

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 4:55 PM 0 comments

World Female Imprisonment List (PDF; 162 KB)

Source: International Centre for Prison Studies, King’s College London

“The World Female Imprisonment List shows the number of women and girls held in penal institutions, as pre-trial detainees (remand prisoners) or having been convicted and sentenced, in 187 prison systems in independent countries and dependent territories. It also shows the percentage of women and girls within each national prison population. The information is the latest available at the end of April 2006.”

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 4:50 PM 0 comments

Principles of Drug Abuse Treatment for Criminal Justice Populations - A Research-Based Guide

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse

“This guide is intended to describe the treatment principles and research findings that are of particular relevance to the criminal justice community and to treatment professionals working with drug abusing offenders. The guide is divided into three main sections: (1) the first distills research findings on the addicted offender into 13 essential principles; (2) the second contains a series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) about drug abuse treatment for those involved with the criminal justice system; and (3) the third is a resource section that provides Web sites for additional information.”

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 4:42 PM 0 comments

No More “Cell” Phones

Source: National Institute of Justice (USDoJ)

” Cell phones are not permitted in prisons yet their ever-shrinking size means many of them are smuggled into prisons and used by inmates for illicit purposes. Four main approaches have been identified to deal with the cell phone problem: (1) locate and confiscate cell phones through the use of detection technology; (2) overpower the cell phone signal with a stronger signal, commonly referred to as “jamming;” (3) trick the cell phone into reacting as if there is no service; and (4) intercept the signal, which requires a judge’s order. The simplest option is signal detection which carries no regulatory or legal restrictions. Since all cell phones use radio frequency (RF) antenna power, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), and the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Dahlgren are launching a multi-year project to develop technology to detect RF and to evaluate and test existing technologies. The resulting information will ultimately be included in a report that recommends the next technology development steps for the NIJ. Contact information is presented to learn more about the BOP’s research into cell phone use by inmates and NIJ’s involvement.”

Full Document (PDF; 42 KB)

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 4:36 PM 0 comments

Learning From Longitudinal Research in Criminology and the Health Sciences

Source: Reading Research Quarterly

“This article reviews longitudinal research within criminology and the health sciences on the relationship between reading and criminal, delinquent, or antisocial behavior. Longitudinal research in criminology, medicine, and psychology examines the role of reading within a broad set of interactive processes, connecting literacy to public health via its association with child and adolescent behavior, family dynamics, and sociocognitive phenomena such as school-bonding and academic frustration. The article provides a select review of longitudinal research in three areas of concentration: preschool; reading achievement; and antisocial, delinquent, or criminal behavior. Following this review, the article compares longitudinal research in criminology and the health sciences with ethnographic and social practice research within literacy studies. The article discusses the viability of literacy practices and educational resilience as theoretical frames that may help scholars integrate reading research across disciplines. The article closes with recommendations for expanding the breadth of topics engaged within reading research and for further research on high-stakes testing, resilience, and the relation of literacy to behavior and the bonds and attachments children form with their parents, teachers, and schools.”

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 4:26 PM 0 comments

Crime Analysis Unit Developer Kit

Source: Crime Mapping & Analysis Program (CMAP)

“This collection of documents, publications, examples, and tools has been researched, collected, and made publicly available by the Crime Mapping & Analysis Program (CMAP) with the professional crime and intelligence analyst in mind. These products have been selected to meet the needs of crime analysts at every level of sophistication and at every point in their analytical unit development, from planning a unit from scratch to increasing your analytical firepower, through expanding the profession with internships.” Download with software (370 MB) or without software (25 MB). U.S. public safety personnel may request a free CD.

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 4:22 PM 0 comments

Confronting Confinement: A Report of the Commission on Safety and Abuse in American’s Prisons

Source: Commission on Safety and Abuse in America’s Prisons

“The Commission’s findings show that violence remains a serious problem in America’s prisons and jails and that there is sufficient information on what is causing this violence so that prevention efforts can be tailored to the causes. Still, more reliable measures of violence in prisons and jails are needed. In addition to violence, high rates of inmate illness, coupled with inadequate funding for correctional health care, are endangering inmates, staff, and the public. The findings also show that the increased use of high-security segregation is counterproductive, often causing violence among inmates and between inmates and staff, as well as contributing to reoffending after release. In the areas of labor and leadership, the Commission concluded that better safety inside prisons and jails depends on changing the institutional culture, which requires improving the education, training, and recruitment at all levels of the corrections profession. The Commission’s finding regarding oversight and accountability is that most correctional facilities are not subject to external monitoring and public scrutiny. Also, internal oversight and accountability need improving. In the area of knowledge and data, uniform nationwide reporting on safety and abuse in correctional facilities is incomplete and unreliable, which impedes correctional leaders, legislators, and the public in making sound decisions regarding prisons and jails. Recommendations are offered for addressing the safety and abuse issues identified. The Commission’s report is based on consultation with experts, correctional personnel, inmates and former inmates, and site visits.”

Full Report (PDF; 7.87 MB)

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 4:18 PM 0 comments

Logical and Consistent? An Analysis of Supreme Court Opinions Regarding the Death Penalty

Source: Justice Policy Journal

“Main findings revealed that justices’ opinions in four major capital punishment cases–Furman v. Georgia (1972), Woodson v. North Carolina (1976), Gregg v. Georgia (1976), and McCleskey v. Kemp (1987)–were clearly contradictory to opinions issued in earlier cases (Type I inconsistency). Moreover, some of the justices’ opinions were contradictory to statements made in written opinions in earlier cases (Type II inconsistency) and in some cases the Court ruled in ways that violated precedents or rules of law (Type III inconsistency). Seven factors are identified as the main explanations for these inconsistencies: (1) Constitutional ambiguity; (2) ideology/attitudes and political affiliation of justices; (3) approach to interpreting the Constitution; (4) strategic rationality and bargaining; (5) changing justices over time; (6) evolving human standards; and (7) public opinion and State legislative activity. The authors argue that the analysis of the four most significant Supreme Court capital punishment cases illustrates that the Supreme Court is unable to provide a clear interpretation of some sections of the Constitution and highlights the disagreement among the justices themselves. Data were drawn from the Supreme Court decisions in four major capital punishment cases. Three main types of inconsistencies in judge’s opinions were examined: (1) issuing an opinion that was contradictory to opinions issued in earlier cases; (2) issuing an opinion that appeared to be contradictory to statements made in written opinions in earlier cases; and (3) ruling in a way that appeared to violate a precedent or rule of law. The analysis also focused on factors that could explain these inconsistencies and changes in opinions across time.”

Full Paper (PDF; 257 KB)

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 4:15 PM 0 comments

New Issue: Journal of Economic Crime Management

Source: Economic Crime Institute of Utica College

“Although this is our first issue in over a year, we are pleased to
present four articles on varied subjects: identity fraud, gender and software
piracy, illegal use of video poker machines, and self control and insurance
fraud. These four are an indication of the wide range of topics with which we
are faced as we study and work in the field of economic crime investigation and
management. We believe that a considerable amount of research is being done and
hope that we canreach out to those of you who are conducting it, so that you
will consider submitting articles for publication.” Articles in PDF.

+ TheOngoing Critical Threats Created by Identity Fraud: An Action Plan

+ GenderDifferences in Software Piracy: The Mediating Roles of Self-Control Theory and Social Learning Theory

+ The Illegal Use of Video Poker Machines by Public Bars and Private Social Clubs in
Pennsylvania: It’s a Rational Choice

+ Self-Control and Insurance Fraud

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 4:09 PM 0 comments

Federal Law
Enforcement Officers, 2004Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics“Reports the
results of a biennial census of Federal agencies employing personnel with arrest
and firearms authority. Using agency classifications, the report presents the
number of officers working in the areas of police response and patrol, criminal
investigation and enforcement, inspections, security and protection, court
operations, and corrections, by agency and State, as of September 2004. Data on
gender and race of officers are also included.” Full report available in PDF or
text.

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 3:59 PM 0 comments

Violent Felons in Large Urban Counties
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics
“Presents data collected from a representative sample of felony cases that resulted in a felony conviction for a violent offense in 40 of the Nation’s 75 largest counties. The study tracks cases for up to 1 year from the date of filing through final disposition. Defendants convicted of murder, rape, robbery, assault or other violent felonies are described in terms of demographic characteristics (gender, race, Hispanic origin, age), prior arrests and convictions, criminal justice status at time of arrest, type of pretrial release or detention, type of adjudication, and sentence received.” Full report available in PDF or text.

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 3:05 PM 0 comments

AMBER Alert: Best Practices Guide for Public Information Officers
Source: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
“Describes the public information officer’s (PIO’s) job responsibilities and provides tips to maximize the PIO’s effectiveness before, during, and after an AMBER Alert activation. It offers recommendations for helping law enforcement agencies achieve a smooth, rapid public warning activation program. This guide underscores the value of the PIO as an integral member of the public warning network, one who will be most helpful to the AMBER Alert team when he or she has been a key member from the outset.”
Full Document (PDF; 863 KB)

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 3:01 PM 0 comments

Is Crime Contagious? (PDF; 606 KB)
Source: Institute for the Study of Labor
“Understanding whether criminal behavior is ‘contagious’ is important for law enforcement and for policies that affect how people are sorted across social settings. We test the hypothesis that criminal behavior is contagious by using data from the Moving to Opportunity (MTO) randomized housing-mobility experiment to examine the extent to which lower local-area crime rates decrease arrest rates among individuals. Our analysis exploits the fact that the effect of treatment group assignment yields different types of neighborhood changes across the five MTO demonstration sites. We use treatment-site interactions to instrument for measures of neighborhood crime rates, poverty and racial segregation in our analysis of individual arrest outcomes. We are unable to detect evidence in support of the contagion hypothesis. Neighborhood racial segregation appears to be the most important explanation for across-neighborhood variation in arrests for violent crimes in our sample, perhaps because drug market activity is more common in high-minority neighborhoods.”

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 3:00 PM 0 comments

Preventing Suicide in Prison: A Collaborative Responsibility of Administrative, Custodial, and Clinical Staff
Source: American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
“Suicide is a sentinel event in prison, and preventive efforts reflect the adequacy and comprehensiveness of mental health, psychiatric, custodial, and administrative services in a correctional system. This article reviews the literature on suicide in prison during the past three decades and identifies the pattern and occurrence of risk factors. These risk factors are classified as demographic, institutional, and clinical. Based on this review, the author outlines specific administrative, custodial, and clinical steps and procedures that form the basis of a comprehensive suicide-prevention program that can be implemented in small and large systems. The author recognizes the limitations of staff availability, the budget constraints, and the ineffectiveness of efforts to prevent suicides that occur without any warning. Ultimately, a prevention program is the collective responsibility of administrative, custodial, and clinical staff.”

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 2:58 PM 0 comments

Reducing Crime: An Overview Analysis
Source: Home Office Strategic Policy Team (UK)
“In England and Wales, all major types of volume crime are being driven downward. Overall, crime against individuals and households has fallen by almost 40 percent since 1995 according to the British Crime Survey. However, despite the reductions in crime, the total cost of crime to individuals and households in 2003-2004 was around 36.2 billion (pounds). Most crimes were concentrated in certain geographical areas particularly deprived areas. Offending was highest among young men in their late teens, particularly for violence and non-injury assault. Crime levels were determined by a mixture of personal and environmental factors: early development, lifestyle and opportunities, aggravating factors, and the opportunities and deterrents to offending. Early year development interventions have been shown to be successful in preventing offending later in life. Examples of early year intervention programs are the Sure Start and On-Track programs. Personalized programs for those with severe behavioral problems include Youth Inclusion Programs and Youth Inclusion and Support Panels. In addition, the transformation of the police services into a problem-oriented service is intended to greatly enhance its potential to reduce crime. The new Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA) will have as its core objective to reduce the harm caused by organized crime. This analysis of crime in England and Wales was conducted in order to synthesize research, to gain an understanding to inform specific strategies, to provide effective targeting, and to develop critical mass interventions. It provides a broad perspective on the evidence on offenders of high volume crime and impacts of interventions.”
Full Report (PDF; 319 KB)

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 2:55 PM 0 comments

Without a Trace: How the Gun Lobby and the Government Suppress the Truth About Guns and Crime (PDF; 2.2 MB)
Source: Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence
“The more the public understands about crime guns, the more it also understands the integral role of reckless licensed gun dealers in supplying the illegal market. The gun lobby, and particularly the gun industry, feel threatened by this knowledge because it supports the need for tighter federal regulation of gun dealers and gun sales to curb the flow of guns into criminal hands. The Tiahrt Amendment is a transparent attempt by the gun lobby, and its wholly owned friends in Congress, to shield the public, as well as government and law enforcement agencies, from the truth about guns and crime.”

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 2:54 PM 0 comments

Homicides and Suicides — National Violent Death Reporting System, United States, 2003–2004
Source: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (CDC)
“Preliminary 2004 national homicide and suicide data from NVSS indicate a decline in rates from 2003 levels; data from the seven states in NVDRS collecting data in both 2003 and 2004 also indicate a decline. Violent deaths continue to be among the 10 leading causes of death in the United States for persons aged < 65 years.

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 2:49 PM 0 comments

Majority Jury Verdicts in Criminal Trials
Source: Queensland Parliamentary Library (Australia)
“A number of Australian jurisdictions, including South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria, have begun allowing majority verdicts in some criminal trials in lieu of a unanimous verdict. England, Wales, and Scotland have allowed majority verdicts for a number of years and legislation is being considered in New South Wales, Queensland, and New Zealand to allow majority verdicts in some or all criminal trials. The history of unanimous verdicts, which have previously been required in all criminal trials, dates back to 1367. Several arguments have been put forth in favor of forgoing a unanimous jury decision in favor of a majority jury decision in criminal trials. Those who support the use of majority verdicts point out that majority jury decisions can reduce the number of hung juries; reduce problems created by ‘rogue’ jurors; reduce the chances of jurors being bribed or intimidated; and cut down on the use of compromise verdicts. On the other hand, some proponents still favor the requirement of a unanimous verdict because there is less risk of convicting innocent persons; it is a fundamental feature of a jury trial; and it leads to better jury deliberations. Moreover, proponents of unanimous verdicts point out that disagreement in a jury is not unreasonable. The specific jury requirements in Australia, New Zealand, England and Wales, and Scotland are briefly reviewed and their potential use of majority verdicts in criminal trials is considered.”
Full Report (PDF; 263 KB)

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 2:47 PM 0 comments

Computer Forensics For Law Enforcement
Source: Infosec Writers
“A phrase often heard in computer technology is ‘computer forensics’. Computer forensics is process of collecting, analyzing and preserving computer related data. I am going to examine computer forensics for law enforcement. I will provide the reader with a better understanding of computer forensics, I will reference specific laws dealing with cybercrime. Finally, I will discuss the tools and techniques to gather evidence from a cybercrime.”
Full Paper (PDF: 90 KB)

# posted by Michael Sensiba @ 2:44 PM 0 comments