Christopher A. Kierkus

Property Crime at O’Hare International Airport: An Examination of the Routine Activities Approach

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks permanently transformed aviation security, generating more intensive security-related practices. Although these enhanced security measures primarily sought to prevent future terrorist attacks, they also may have provided a secondary benefit of reducing property crimes at airports. The present case study examines changes in airport security at Chicagos O’Hare International Airport post-9/11 in the context of routine activities theory. The study first posits that increased security measures at O’Hare should have resulted in increased capable guardianship, thereby reducing the number of suitable targets and criminal opportunities for motivated offenders. After identifying various changes in airport security at O’Hare since 9/11 in the context of routine activities theory, the study then examines changes in larcenies from January 1999 to June 2006 using an interrupted time series analysis. The ARIMA model indicates that in the post 9/11 O’Hare Airport environment, there was a statistically significant and persistent reduction in reported larcenies.

Cohabiting, Family and Community Stressors, Selection, and Juvenile Delinquency

Prior research has established that children from traditional, two-parent nuclear families experience a lower risk of delinquency than children raised in alternative family structures. However, many studies have ignored the effect of parental cohabiting on delinquent development. A growing body of research suggests that cohabiting (even among biological parents) may be harmful to children. This study tests the hypothesis that cohabiting is associated with four different types of delinquent behavior. It examines two theoretical models, a family stress model and a community stress/selection model, as possible explanations of ‘‘the cohabiting effect.’’ The analysis reveals that cohabiting is generally associated with increased risk of misbehavior (although the effects do vary somewhat by type of delinquency). Although the theoretical models could not completely explain ‘‘the cohabiting effect,’’ substantial evidence of both mediation and moderation is found. The implications of the findings are discussed.

The Language of Information Literacy: Do Students Understand?

To effectively access and use the resources of the academic library and to become information-literate, students must understand the language of information literacy. This study analyzes undergraduate students’ understanding of fourteen commonly used information-literacy terms. It was found that some of the terms least understood by students are those most frequently found in faculty-created research assignments and syllabi and that are used by librarians during library instruction. It is recommended that librarians work with faculty to make them aware of students’ lack of understanding of information literacy terms and that librarians also reinforce their meaning during library instruction and in one-on-one consultations.

Who Skips? An Analysis of Bail Bond Failure to Appear

This exploratory study draws on data from a private bail bond agency in the Midwestern United States to examine who “skips,” the vernacular used by the bail bond industry to classify individuals who have failed to appear (FTA) for their scheduled court appointments. A bivariate regression analysis found that the type of offense, bond amount, indemnitors gender, and indemnitors relationship to the offender were each significant predictors of skipping bail. A multivariate logistic model, meanwhile, found that offenders released on bail for a drug offense, whose bond had been posted by a friend, instead of a family member, were more likely to skip bail. Policy implications of FTAs on the criminal justice system and the importance of developing prediction instruments are reviewed.