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A systematic review of literature investigating cyberstalking offending and victimization was conducted, considering multiple key words and phrases used to label the behavior: cyberstalking, cyber dating abuse, cybervictimization, Internet, interpersonal electronic surveillance, and victimization. The following electronic databases, with the indication of peer-reviewed journal articles as a requirement, were searched: Academic Search Complete, Criminal Justice Database (ProQuest), Google, JSTOR and PsychInfo. After sorting through the studies using the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 31 studies remained for review. Correlates of the behaviors were discussed for each categorization, with main themes including negative characteristics of relationship behaviors, and social media and online use as main predictors of victimization and offending. There is a strong need for further research utilizing older age groups and individuals who are married, as well as a need for longitudinal research.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of university students with nonconsensual pornography. The focus of the present work is on nonconsensual pornography – the nonconsensual distribution of intimate images and sexual extortion – that are becoming common experiences for many people. While the forms of nonconsensual pornography may vary, each case has one thing in common: the offender has shared a private image of the victim without the victim’s consent. Design/methodology/approach The data for this study was collected from student participants at a southeastern university. The stratified sample of university students was sent a link to an online survey and the responses of those who chose to respond were used in subsequent analyses (n = 300). Findings The findings of this exploratory study show low self-control as a significant predictor of sexting. Significant predictors of victimization via nonconsensual pornography included participation in sexting and use of dating apps. Originality/value While not generalizable, the descriptive data provide an important landscape for consideration of policy and legal recommendations to protect potential victims as well as would-be perpetrators beyond a university setting.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether persons of different racial/ethnic backgrounds differ in their perceptions of the role racial discrimination plays in the overrepresentation of Bl...

The misuse of prescription medication is a prominent public health concern in the United States. The current study examines prescription drug misuse among adolescents under age 18, a segment of the...

Most of the research on alcohol use and being cyberbullied has focused on the correlation between the two. Less is known about the recent epidemiology of adolescent current alcohol use. Objective: ...

Objective Incarcerated adults have high rates of fatal and nonfatal suicidal behaviors. Suicide prevention recommendations stress the need for the provision of health care for incarcerated adults after suicide attempts, yet prison policies and practices often focus instead on punitive responses to suicidal behaviors. Existing research is limited regarding factors that predict the provision of health care to incarcerated adults post-suicide attempt. The current study examined individual, incident, and institutional factors as predictors of health care to incarcerated adults post-suicide attempt. Method We used data from critical incidents reports for suicide attempts (N = 495) to conduct mixed-effects logistical regression models. Results Staff responded to suicide attempts by placing incarcerated adults under direct observation (with no care) or in segregation at odds two and three times higher than of providing health care, particularly in prisons for men. Race was a significant factor; incidents involving Black men were less likely than incidents involving white men to include staff requesting health care, and incidents involving Black women were less likely than incidents involving white women to include requesting and providing health care. Conclusions This study's findings highlight factors predicting health care responses to suicide attempts and the need to address and prevent health care disparities in prisons.

Digital piracy is a global concern for society. Although adolescents’ digital piracy in South Korea is pervasive, its cause has rarely been examined. Using data collected by the Korean Institute of Criminology (KIC) in 2009, this study conducted structural equation modeling to determine if low self-control and social learning theory accounted for digital piracy. This study found that parental indifference increased adolescents’ digital piracy through low self-control and misconception about digital piracy. However, there were no direct effects of parental indifference on the digital piracy behaviors. In particular, the mediation effect in the model combining low self-control and misconception was greater compared to other models. Overall, the combination of low self-control and social learning theory provided a more meaningful framework to explain adolescents’ digital piracy. Results of this study can offer ways to aid in the examination and remediation of this particular form of deviant behaviors on the Internet by adolescents.

Background: Prescription drug–related overdose deaths have increased dramatically in recent years. Women in the justice system experience high rates of drug use, victimization, trauma symptoms, and other health problems and would appear to be at high risk for nonmedical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD). This study will be among the first to describe prevalence and correlates of NMUPD among this population. Methods: This cross-sectional study collected data from 406 victimized women on probation and parole between 2010 and 2012. In a multiple logistic regression model, we differentiated women who reported past-year NMUPD from those who did not using demographic, health, other drug use, substance use treatment, and trauma symptom severity variables. Results: Past-year NMUPD was reported by 26.8% ( n = 109) of the overall sample. Women reporting NMUPD were significantly younger and more likely to be white. Past-year use of alcohol (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 3.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.8–6.1), marijuana (AOR: 3.6; 95% CI: 1.8–7.0), methamphetamines (AOR: 6.1; 95% CI: 1.7–21.3), and heroin (AOR: 8.4; 95% CI: 2.0–35.2) were significantly associated with NMUPD. Additionally, each unit increase in the measure assessing bodily pain was associated with a 40% increase (AOR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1–1.7) in the odds of NMUPD. Finally, meeting diagnostic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder almost doubled (AOR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.1–3.4) the odds of reporting past-year NMUPD. Conclusions: Victimized women on probation and parole report high rates of NMUPD, and this behavior intersects with other complex social, behavioral, psychological, and physical needs. The authors recommend increased access to trauma-informed correctional care among women in the justice system.

Background and Objectives The U.S. has seen increased prevalence of substance use, child maltreatment, and child entry into out-of-home care (OOHC). This study tested whether Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START) were superior to usual child welfare services with regard to: (1) OOHC placements within 12 months of the index maltreatment event; (2) reunification for children who were placed in out-of-home care; and (3) subsequent maltreatment within 12 months of the index maltreatment event. Methods Administrative data from families involved with Child Protective Services in Kentucky between 2010 and 2016 were analyzed. Propensity score matching was used to match the youngest child in families receiving START to children in families receiving usual services (N = 1042). Between-subjects statistical tests were used to estimate treatment effects in the 12 months following initial maltreatment. Results Children in families receiving START were less likely to be placed in OOHC than children in families receiving usual services (20.7% vs. 34.2%; 95% confidence interval (CI) = −17.6%, −9.2%); p Conclusions With regard to preventing OOHC placements, START outperformed usual services. Of children placed in OOHC, half of those served by START were successfully reunified in spite of notable risk factors. Finally, recurrent maltreatment was higher among children in families receiving START, perhaps due to increased surveillance relative to usual services.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the effects of officers’ perceptions of complexity in merging organizational change components (culture, mission, values, decentralization, policies and procedures, administrative reporting practices, weapons, contract, pay, benefits, patrol boundaries, equalization of workload, size of boundaries, communications, 10-codes, and car numbers) during a major metropolitan police department consolidation. Design/methodology/approach The current study utilizes data collected from 390 sworn officers from two agencies in Kentucky that were merged, the Louisville Division of Police and the Jefferson County Police Department. Statistical inquiry included factor analysis and a series of bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis (controlling for demographic measures). Findings Results revealed a noteworthy, positive effect on support for consolidation related to the complexity of three factors: benefits, mission, and policies. Originality/value To date, the relevance of complexity on support for organizational change and, more specifically, police consolidation, is unknown. With this study, the authors aim to add to the discussion.

Justice-involved women experience significantly higher rates of victimization and psychological distress, and these experiences place women at greater risk of initial and ongoing involvement in the criminal justice system. This research explored the relationship between victimization, the hypothesized mediators (social support and coping), and psychological distress among a sample of 406 victimized women on probation/parole. Results of the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were significant and indicated a partial mediation model (74%) with both direct and indirect effects. Based upon the results of this research, implications and future research are explored regarding gender-responsive practices for this population.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to establish the prevalence of disability as measured by self-reported Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) receipt among a sample of women on probation and parole who have experienced interpersonal victimization in childhood and/or adulthood. Women receiving SSDI in this sample were more likely to be older, White, to live alone, and to score lower on measures of social support compared to women nor receiving SSDI. SSDI-recipients were also more likely to report poorer health, chronic pain, and more frequent healthcare service utilization. High rates of adverse childhood experiences, rape, adult victimization, and an overall greater severity of post-traumatic stress disorder symptomatology were observed for women receiving SSDI. Groups had similar overall mental health profiles and diverged primarily on trauma variables. Findings support the need for trauma-informed care and highlight the possibility that some criminal justice system-involved women likely qualify for SSDI yet are not receiving it.

This study describes how prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) are used and identifies the strengths and weakness found in the four PDMPs studied. Focus groups were conducted with law enforcement officers in four states. The results indicate that making it easier to obtain information from the systems in other states or establishing a regional (or national) system would improve and speed investigations. The study also found that officers felt that PDMP systems should be made more proactive to “red flag” offenders and provide evidence of “doctor shopping” by those who may fall outside the normal range of prescription patterns.

Using primary socialization theory (PST), we examined the nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers among African-American adolescents in the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) 2013. Self-reported nonmedical use of pain relievers, PST constructs, and covariates were addressed using cluster logistic regression. The results indicated that the perception of associating with substance using peers and poor parental bonds were more likely to nonmedically use prescription pain relievers. The limitations and implications for future research are noted.

The rapid advancement of technology has produced several substantial benefits that enrich individuals’ lives, but some also note that technology has provided new methods to engage in crime—particularly stalking. This investigation was one of the first to explore whether a relationship existed between cyberstalking and a new phenomenon becoming a pressing issue in the lives of adolescents: Internet Addiction. High school students in a rural North Carolina country were surveyed about their Internet behaviors and experiences. After analysis, the results indicated there is a significant relationship between Internet Addiction and cyberstalking in adolescents.

The present study examines whether the presence of school resource officers (SROs) and their level of involvement in place management activities are associated with higher or lower rates of school-based serious violence. This study uses data from the 2010 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) conducted by National Center for Educational Statistics. Propensity score matching is used to create a quasi-experimental design and isolate the influence of SROs and their level of involvement in place management activities on school-based serious violence. The analysis reveals that schools with a school resource officer are associated with higher rates of reported serious violence and those schools with SROs that participate in more place manager duties are also associated with higher rates of reported serious violence. These findings do not support the notion that SROs are acting as effective place managers and through this place management, reducing reported serious violence. Rather, it appears that the presences of a SRO and their execution of place manager duties is associated with an increase in the reporting of serious violence. Policy implications and limitations of the current research are also discussed.

In an effort to address the problem of prescription drug abuse and diversion in the USA, States have implemented prescription drug monitoring programmes (PDMPs) to track the prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances. For PDMPs to meet their objectives, law enforcement officials must be able to access the information contained within reports. This study provides a descriptive analysis of opinions held by Kentucky law enforcement officials regarding the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting (KASPER) system, the State's PDMP. Surveys designed to elicit perceptions regarding the effectiveness of KASPER were emailed to all 1,119 Kentucky law enforcement officials with a KASPER account; responses were received from 340 (response rate 30.4 per cent). Of these, 306 responses were included in the analysis. Most (65 per cent) respondents indicated that they had utilised a KASPER report in the month prior to survey participation with a median of three reports utilised (interquartile range...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine three different structural models the Leadership Challenge model to determine if they best capture transactional or transformational leadership. The three models are derived from the literature. Design/methodology/approach – The data for this study come from self-report surveys of middle managers that are attending the Administrative Officers Course at the Southern Police Institute. The managers completed the 30-item 360° leadership challenge measure. Because the leadership challenge measure is a 360° evaluation of leadership, up to five observers provided data about their manager. The authors use the data from the observer in this study. Using structural equation modeling, the authors examine the aims. Findings – The findings show two important advances. First, the leadership challenge model may capture both transformational and transactional leadership. Second, the findings support the view that the really captures transformational leadership. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge, no study has performed this type of examination in the policing literature. The value of this type examination is high.

Criminological examination of substance use is common in the extant literature; however, little research has examined heroin use among adolescents. Recent trends in drug use indicate a rise of heroin among adolescents indicating a need to provide theoretical explanations of this phenomenon. This study examines the efficacy of social learning theory and social bond theory to explain heroin use. The study uses a nationally representative sample of adolescents from the Monitoring the Future Survey (N = 2,465). The results support the central arguments from social structure social learning theory. First, the results show that social structure components have links with heroin use. Second, the results show that social learning theory mediates the effect of social structure measures on heroin use. The results are discussed.

Internet addiction is associated with software piracy.Deviant peer association is associated with all forms of piracy.There is a huge learning curve in regard to the effect of Internet addiction on criminal behavior. The present exploratory study sought to address a gap in the current literature on problematic Internet use by investigating the relationship between Internet addiction and digital piracy. The main research question guiding this study was whether IA was correlated with digital piracy. The expectation was that IA would indeed be correlated with digital piracy and increase odds of perpetration. Secondly, taking into account that previous literature on both IA and digital piracy emphasizes the importance of online relationships (Acier & Kern, 2011; Fitzpatrick, 2008; Marcum, Higgins, Wolfe, & Ricketts, 2011), it was expected that deviant peer association would increase the odds of pirating. Finally, taking into account that previous research on both IA and digital piracy has largely shown that these problems affect a greater proportion of males (Andreou & Svoli, 2013; Gunter, Higgins, & Gealt, 2010; Hinduja, 2012; Lam, Peng, Mai, & Jing, 2009; Shaw & Black, 2008), it was expected that being male would increase the odds of pirating.

Increased cell phone use among adolescents has created new opportunities for deviance and victimization in recent years. One teenage cell phone−based behavior that has received increased attention from a variety of sources including public health researchers, parents, and law enforcement is “sexting” (i.e., a minor receiving sexually explicit photos or videos of another adolescent or adult via cell phone or sending such material to another teenager). Research has revealed that sexting is a risky form of adolescent deviance that is linked with a host of potential negative health consequences (e.g., risky sexual behavior and drug use) and legal ramifications. Despite the importance of the issue, research exploring the risk factors associated with exposure to sexts is virtually nonexistent. Using telephone interview data from a representative sample of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, the present study applies routine activity theory to explain the receiving of sexts. The results confirm expectations that both exposure-based (e.g., use of a cell phone during school hours) and supervision-based (i.e., school cell phone rules and family cell phone plan) routine cell phone activities are associated with receiving sexts. Overall, the study extends the generality of routine activity theory to teenage sexting, highlights the utility of examining domain-specific routine activity indicators, and offers one of the first theoretically informed analyses concerning the factors associated with adolescent sexting.

The purpose of the present study is to contribute to the gap in the literature by investigating the sexting behaviors of adolescents under the age of 18 and how these behaviors are related to internet related problems. Using data collected from high school students in a rural county in western North Carolina, results indicated that deviant peer association and Internet-related problems were in fact associated with sexting by juveniles.

While technological innovations over the last thirty years have markedly improved the ways in which people communicate and gather information, these advances have also led to computer crimes and related deviance becoming permanent fixtures in our society. In an effort to curtail internet offending, it is important for academics and practitioners alike to better understand why some individuals engage in cybercriminality. Criminologists have utilized several theories to investigate this type of deviance, including low self-control theory. However, the vast majority of this prior research has focused on a narrow scope of offending, namely digital piracy. The current study utilizes a sample of 488 undergraduate students to evaluate the theory’s generality hypothesis by examining the extent to which low self-control predicts online deviance in general and beyond digital piracy more specifically. Study results support the generality hypothesis in that low self-control is related to non-digital piracy online deviance. Specific findings, policy implications, and directions for future research are discussed.

Within the last two decades, scholars have studied public opinion on racial profiling in multiple contexts, yet there have been limited studies that have examined whether public opinion on racial profiling is consistent across these unique contexts. Using a random sample of White adults from Pennsylvania, we studied whether perceptions on the discriminatory nature of racial profiling, and the perceived effectiveness of this practice in airports, retail settings, and traffic stops, form two distinct latent measures. We found that perceptions of racial profiling as discriminatory are general across these multiple contexts; the same was found to be true for perceptions of effectiveness as well. These latent measures also had different correlates by age and gender.

The purpose of the present study is to contribute to the gap in the literature by investigating the hacking behaviors of adolescents under the age of 18 and the predictors of these behaviors. In order to better understand the predictors of hacking behaviors in young people, we will be utilizing two criminological theories: General Theory of Crime and Social Learning Theory. Using data collected from high school students in a rural county in western North Carolina, results indicated that low self-control and deviant peer association were in fact associated with hacking behaviors of juveniles.

This study examined a national sample of more than 600 Black Americans and their views on bias in the American criminal justice system. The research found that 26% of the Black respondents did not believe there was bias in the American criminal justice system. To explore the segment of respondents holding these views, we separated the sample into Blacks who believe there is bias in the system (referred to as the discrimination thesis or DT supporters) and those who opposed this belief (referred to as the no-discrimination thesis or NDT supporters). The NDT supporters were more likely to be younger, male, less educated, and have lower income than those respondents who supported the DT. NDT supporters were also more likely to believe that Blacks and Whites had equal job opportunities, have more confidence in the police, and believe that racism was not widespread.

As usage of the Internet has grown to approximately 657 million users worldwide, criminality online has become more prevalent. Termed “cybercrime,” this form of criminal behavior can occur in several different. While cybercrime in general is fairly new comparably to crimes in the physical realm, one of the most recently recognized forms of cybercrime is cyberbullying. The present study will examine the victimoffender relationship. Results indicate that both males and females with lower levels of self-control were more likely to participate in cyberbullying by posting hurtful messages or pictures to Facebook. Second, both sexes were more likely to cyerbullying via Facebook if they had been cyberbullied as well.

The purpose of this study was to develop and test a conceptual model of the pathways through which childhood victimization influences adult health outcomes. Specifically, measures of high-risk behaviors, tobacco use, alcohol use, illegal substance use, and HIV risk behaviors were hypothesized to mediate the relationship between childhood victimization and adult physical health. The sample consisted of 406 women on probation and parole with a history of childhood victimization in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between childhood victimization, high-risk behaviors, and physical health outcomes. The findings indicate partial mediation, with health risk behaviors accounting for 12.5% of the variance in the relationship between childhood victimization and health outcomes. Implications for policy and treatment practice in the health and criminal justice arena are discussed.

Moving past descriptions of the amount and nature of domestic violence, researchers in the area of childhood violence now explore a variety of outcomes of experiences of domestic violence as a child. This includes the effects on various outcomes in adulthood though little research so far has explored career choice. In the current study, we examine whether experiencing domestic violence as a child increases the chance that an individual will choose a human services profession as a career and if individuals in the human services professions who report experiences of domestic violence as a child have lower rates of being a victim of domestic violence as adults than those who do not. The findings suggest that experiences of violence as a child do not significantly affect the choice of human services as a career. Those who choose human services as a career, however, are less likely to experience domestic violence as an adult.

Background: Experimental research has shown that nutrition influences behavioral deviance. Objectives: The current project addresses the impact of nutrition on problem alcohol and drug use in a nationally representative sample of US adults. Methods: The study relies on the daily dietary nutrition data and the substance use measures in the 2007–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Results: The findings generally show that macronutrients increase the odds of substance use and micronutrients decrease the odds of substance use, especially among females. In addition, nutrient imbalance is a particularly strong predictor of substance use for both males and females. Depression partially accounts for the relationship between dietary nutrition consumption and substance use. Conclusions: Nutrition represents a promising extension of the biosocial perspective in substance use disorders.

As an anomaly of extant literature that maintains Blacks as a collective are less supportive of racial profiling than other ethnic groups, this article explores the backgrounds of Blacks who support the practice of racial profiling (referred to as Black Supporters). This study analyzed a national Gallup poll that included measures on profiling and had a significant number of Black respondents ( N = 534). Black Supporters tended to be female; live in the Southern United States; and be politically conservative. Although multivariate analyses revealed few differences between Black Supporters and nonsupporters, the study represents an earnest attempt to explore Black support for a policing strategy that has both historically and contemporarily had negative effects on Black communities. We conclude the article by discussing the benefits of studying Black Supporters.

The purpose of the present study is to fill a gap in our understanding of correlates of whether a cybercrime conviction leads to prison or community corrections. Using data from the Internet Crime Complaint Center reports, the results show two important correlates. First, a cybercriminal that has a previous public order offense is likely to be sentenced to prison rather than community corrections. Second, a cybercriminal that has a previous violent offense conviction is likely to be sentenced to prison rather than community corrections. The implications of these results are discussed.

In recent years scholars have researched various aspects of public opinion on racial profiling. To date the literature has confirmed that racial and ethnic minorities tend to perceive the practice of racial profiling differently than do Whites. Specifically, Blacks and Hispanics tend to perceive profiling as being widespread and not justified. A host of other correlates, such as age, gender, education level, class, and neighborhood factors, also significantly predict public opinion on profiling. This article diverges from past research by attempting to determine whether perceptions regarding the discriminatory nature of the practice, the belief that racial profiling is unethical, and the perception that racial profiling is effective influence views on the topic. We find that each of these measures significantly influences public opinion regarding the view that public opinion occurs or that it is an acceptable practice.

This paper discusses research pertaining to law enforcement agencies' recording of crime statistics by race. Using data from a 2010 statewide poll in Pennsylvania, we examined whether there was support for the current policy that requires police to record the race of arrestees. In addition, the poll asked Pennsylvanians (N = 758) whether they believe that recording race and crime statistics promotes racial stereotypes. The study also examined the influence of several covariates (gender, age, race, and education) on the dependent measures. In particular, two hypotheses were tested; first, whether Whites would be more likely to support the recording of race statistics than non-Whites, and second, whether non-Whites would be more likely than Whites to believe that the recording of race statistics promotes racial stereotypes. The study found support for both hypotheses. The implications of these results are discussed.

Racial profiling is an important issue in contemporary policing. Research in this area, especially in the decision to search, has relied on an outcomes test and correlates that are largely devoid of theory. Thus, the research is unable to provide a clear understanding of police decision making during a traffic stop. The purpose of the present study was to examine this process. Using data from more than 36,000 traffic stops from Louisville, KY, the present study applies the focal concerns theory to this decision-making process. The research results indicate that blameworthiness is the primary reason that searches are performed for the entire sample of traffic stops as well as those for the Black and White subsamples.

According to Osuagwu et al. (2010), there are currently 657 million people online. Unfortunately, many of these Internet users are not utilizing this efficient and easy technology in a legal way. The Internet has become a medium for child exploitation for hundreds of thousands of offenders internationally. Federal law enforcement in the United States has begun fighting back in a variety of ways, including specialized task forces that focus on the investigation and prosecution of Internet crimes against children, such as the Internet Crimes against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program. The ICAC was designed to help federal, state, and local law enforcement develop initiatives and programmes to reduce instances of crimes against children. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the literature by examining the potential factors that affect the productivity of these task forces. Language: en

The current work, based on data from a cross-sectional sample of approximately 2,000 randomly selected university students, seeks to clarify exactly who is most likely to engage in online music piracy. The extant knowledgebase on why individuals take part in this form of intellectual property is growing, but little is known about the type and background of those involved. This study therefore seeks to construct a profile of the typical music pirate by measuring the salience of demographic characteristics and the respondent's scope of overall participation in cyberspace-based activities. Findings indicated that respondents’ differentially participated in music piracy based on their gender, race, type of college major, proficiency in using the Internet, and variety of online participation. Policy solutions based on an attempt to clearly specify, reinforce, and enforce definitions of appropriate Internet use are consequently suggested to reduce the prevalence of piracy among a university population.

This research explored the perceptions of members (N = 454) from two national criminology/criminal justice organizations regarding the significance of book publications and publishing peer‐reviewed journal articles for tenure and promotion. The research revealed the sentiment that journal article publications were perceived to be important publications when it came to promotion to both the associate and full professor ranks. More specifically, white faculty, those employed at research institutions, held a doctorate, and had considerable journal article publications, felt peer‐reviewed articles were important for tenure and promotion. The authors close by arguing that tenure and promotion committees should be open to book publications.

This article examines the public opinion of randomly selected Pennsylvanians on their support for racial profiling at airports. The 2009 Penn State Poll revealed that most Pennsylvanians felt that profiling was occurring at airports—but did not support the practice. Building on prior research, the research introduced three new measures into the area of public opinion on racial profiling. These included the role of perceived effectiveness, perceived discrimination, and ethical values in influencing public opinion on racial profiling. Respondents who felt racial profiling in airports was effective and was discriminatory were more likely to believe it was occurring. In terms of support for racial profiling, those who felt the practice was discriminatory and unethical were less likely to support it, whereas conversely, those who felt the practice was effective tended to support its use. We argue that the public needs to be better informed about the strategies that have been proven to be most effective in reducing the threat of terrorist attacks.

Workplace crime in a university context has unique vulnerabilities, such as the context of labor in a large, open, publicly accessed environment. Crime and victimization on college campuses has received a considerable amount of empirical attention, with the majority of studies utilizing student samples. In order to comprehensively understand how crime impacts the overall campus environment, it is important to also look at these issues from the perspectives of faculty and staff. This exploratory study examines the issue of campus crime with a convenience sample of 507 faculty and staff at a mid‐sized urban university in Colorado. Results indicate that nearly 31% of the faculty and staff respondents reported experiencing crime on campus since the onset of their employment at the university. Additionally, results are compared among male and female faculty and staff, since prior research has demonstrated that one's gender affects attitudes and behavior regarding crime and victimization. Implications for polic...

This study examined the scholarly productivity of faculty in criminology/criminal justice programs. Using a sample comprising members from two major criminology/criminal justice associations, the research examined whether gender and race/ethnicity influenced scholarly productivity. In addition, the research explored whether the perceived importance of scholarly publications in influencing the discipline contributed to scholarly productivity. Similarly, the research also investigated whether the perceived impact of publications on policy‐making influenced scholarly productivity. Multivariate analyses revealed differences in publication trends by gender and race/ethnicity, with males publishing more than females and Whites publishing more than non‐Whites. The nuances of these findings show numerous additional differences regarding scholarly productivity by gender and race/ethnicity.

Based on a recent state-level poll of Pennsylvania residents (N = 852), this paper extended previous public opinion research on consumer racial profiling (CRP) by exploring whether the views of Pennsylvanians on CRP were influenced by ethical concerns, the belief that the practice was discriminatory, and the perceived effectiveness of the practice. Support was found that views regarding the perception that CRP was discriminatory increased the likelihood that respondents felt CRP occurs. Similarly, those respondents who perceived that CRP was effective were also more likely to believe that it occurs. Ethical considerations reduced the likelihood of support for CRP while perceived effectiveness increased the support for CRP. The authors argue that scholars should work through the media and civil rights organizations to publicize the empirical research that clearly shows that CRP does exist and that it is not effective.

As the perception that school violence is increasing persists, school districts have invested in school resource officer (SRO) programs to protect students and teachers in schools. To date, little is known about SROs; thus, using data from a single state (n = 149), this study examined the characteristics and functions of newbies (i.e., officers with less than 2.5 years of service) and veterans (i.e., officers with more than 2.5 years of service). The results showed that newbie SROs had statistically different characteristics than veterans, but the functions were performed similarly between newbies and veterans.

The internet is not a single network, limited to one specific type of information or restrictive of the types of users who can access its information. Conversely, the internet is an intercontinental information highway that has enabled people of all ages to communicate with family and friends with lightning-fast speed, share and collect information, and connect with people and companies thousands of miles from their computer (Roberts, Foehr, Rideout, & Brodie, 1999; Rosenbaum et al., 2000; Smith & Rupp, 2002). However, this growth of information technology has introduced a new form of criminality to the criminal justice system: cyber crime (Denning, 1998). The purpose of this research study is to investigate the prevalence of cyber criminality, specifically possession of child pornography, in law enforcement jurisdictions and the types of training which local and State law enforcement agencies currently offer to effectively combat these technological crimes.

This research examined press rankings in criminology and criminal justice (C/CJ). Based on a large sample of respondents (N = 812) from the American Society of Criminology and the American Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, the authors solicited quality and familiarity rankings on 81 presses that publish in the area of C/CJ. The research revealed that university presses such as Oxford, Cambridge, University of Chicago, and Harvard University dominated the quality rankings. On the other hand, commercial academic presses such as McGraw‐Hill, Sage, and Prentice‐Hall dominated the familiarity rankings. Commercial academic presses including Prentice‐Hall and Sage were the presses most desired by scholars for future book publishing plans. The authors also discuss the significance of the findings for faculty in C/CJ.

Informed by a more nuanced racial threat theory, the current study investigates the relationship between the attitudes that African Americans and whites have about the election of Barack Obama as President of the USA and whether they perceive that the police and the criminal justice system are biased against blacks. We test four hypotheses using the 2008 Gallup Minority Rights and Relations/Black‐White Social Audit Poll. We first hypothesize that whites and African Americans should substantially differ in their opinions about whether the police and the criminal justice system are biased against blacks. Second, we posit that African Americans and whites should express substantially different opinions regarding the impact of Obama’s election on race relations. Third, we hypothesize that the relationship between perceptions of criminal justice injustices and attitudes toward Obama’s election should differ among whites. We theorize that there should be a group of whites—committed racists—who deny that the cri...

The purpose of this study was to investigate Internet usage in a sample of college undergraduates, as well as to consider their experiences with online victimization, through variables representing the three constructs of Routine Activity Theory. A survey was administered to 100-level courses at a mid-sized university in the northeast, which questioned respondents on their Internet behaviors and experiences with victimization during the high school senior and college freshman time period. The findings of the study indicated that participating in behaviors that increased exposure to motivated offenders and target suitability in turn increased the likelihood of the three types of victimization measured. Conversely, taking protective measures against victimization to improve capable guardianship did not decrease the likelihood of victimization. This research provides a significant contribution to the literature as there are few explanatory studies that attempt to identify causal reasoning for the victimizati...

The purpose of the present study was to explore hypotheses related to the influence of race relations and perceptions of safety on public opinion regarding racial profiling in traffic stops. Using a representative sample of the United States of America, our results indicate that views regarding race relations influenced public opinion on racial profiling in traffic stops, but perceptions of safety did not influence this view.