Anthony G. Vito

Examining Adolescent Cocaine Use With Social Learning and Self-Control Theories

An estimated 1.6 million adolescents use cocaine on a regular basis. Social learning theory and self-control theory are regularly used to explain adolescent substance use, but few studies have examined Hirschi’s (2004) revised self-control theory. This study examines the efficacy of these three theories in explaining adolescent cocaine use using data from the 2011 Monitoring the Future survey. The study finds that Hirschi’s (2004) revised theory and peer hard drug use predicted the probability of adolescent cocaine use in the previous 30 days. When examining cocaine use in the prior year, all three theoretical perspectives were significant predictor of cocaine use. The implications of the findings are discussed.

Heroin Use among Adolescents: A Multi-Theoretical Examination

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.

A Research Note on Adolescent Steroid Use: An Examination of Social Learning Theory and Self-Control Theory

This study compared the criminological theories social learning theory and low self-control to determine their effects on adolescent steroid use. The data for this study came from the 12th-grade survey of the 2009 Monitoring the Future Project Form 6 that is a nationally representative sample. We found that social learning theory and the sex (i.e., male) of the adolescent are all significant predictors of adolescent steroid use.

Searches and Traffic Stops: Racial Profiling and Capriciousness

The purpose of the present study is to examine traffic stop data—in particular data on searches—to better understand racial profiling. We use a measure of capriciousness to understand whether the decision to search occurs at random. Using data from more than 40,000 traffic stops from Louisville, Kentucky, the present study finds that race is one of many factors that are used in the determination of a search. For the overall, White, and Black samples, we find that the decision to search occurs at random, suggesting that racial profiling is not occurring in these data.

The Threat of Methamphetamine Use and Production: Evaluation Results from a Kentucky Law Enforcement Programme

Methamphetamine production and use have grown dramatically in the first decade of the 21st century, particularly in the USA. This research presents findings on the extent and nature of this threat, along with evaluation results from a Kentucky law enforcement programme that was specifically designed to address the problems associated with this drug. Policy considerations are also examined.

Analyzing racial profiling from traffic searches: Using focal concerns theory and propensity score matching

The purpose of this paper is to examine the issue of racial profiling when the traffic stop outcome is a search using focal concerns theory as a theoretical explanation for police officer decision making and propensity score matching (PSM) as a better analysis to understand the race of the driver.,The data for this study come from traffic stops conducted by the Louisville Police Department between January 1 and December 31, 2002.,The results show that the elements of focal concerns theory matter most when it comes to if a traffic stop that resulted in a search even though racial profiling was evident. The use of PSM provides evidence that it is a better statistical technique when studying racial profiling. The gender of the driver was significant for male drivers but not for female drivers.,The data for this study are cross-sectional and are self-report data from the police officer.,This paper serves as a theoretical explanation that other researchers could use when studying racial profiling along with a better type of statistical analysis being PSM.,The findings based on focal concerns theory could provide an explanation for police officer decision making that police departments could use to help citizens understand why a traffic stop search took place.,This is the first study of its kind to the researcher’s knowledge to apply focal concerns theory with PSM to understand traffic stop searches.

The Issue of Racial Profiling in Traffic Stop Citations

This study addresses racial profiling when the traffic stop outcome is a citation. This study uses focal concerns theory as a theoretical explanation for police officer decision-making while using propensity score matching to provide similarly situated drivers based on race and/or gender. This study uses traffic stop data (N = 48,586) collected by the Louisville Police Department between January 1 and December 31, 2002. The statistical results show that focal concerns theory components matter the most for traffic stop data even though racial profiling is still an issue. Propensity score matching is a statistical technique that provides a better way to determine whether racial profiling was evident. Gender was not significant for female drivers. This study advances our understanding of race and traffic stop citations using a theoretical explanation.

The Recidivism of Drug Offenders Following Release from Prison: A Comparison of Kentucky Outcomes

ABSTRACT This study presents findings on the community release performance of prisoners incarcerated for a drug offense and released over a 30-month period (July 2002 – December 2004). Within this sample, propensity score matching was used to construct comparable groups of parolees and offenders released unconditionally into the community. The authors find that drug offenders released from prison are highly likely to be returned to prison postrelease and drug offenders released on parole are more likely than their counterparts to be returned to prison. In addition, drug offenders on parole are substantially more likely than drug offenders released without supervision to be reincarcerated within 5 years after release.

What police leaders learned from “Lincoln on leadership”

Purpose – One of the most popular texts on his subject, Donald T. Phillips’ Lincoln on Leadership – Executive Strategies for Tough Times, offers a superb examination of the President’s views on how to lead an organization. The purpose of this paper is to outline Lincoln’s leadership principles (15 chapters, 126 principles), illustrated and supported by 14 stories that narrated by Lincoln himself. This analysis is based upon papers submitted by police managers who analyzed Lincoln on Leadership that considered his examples through the lenses of their personal and professional experiences in policing. These police managers attended the Administrative Officer’s Course at the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville. In their assignment, these students identified three principles and three stories they felt were most significant to police leadership. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a content analysis of police student responses to questions about Lincoln on Leadership. Fin...