Doris C. Chu

Chinese Immigrants’ Perceptions of the Police in New York City:

This article examines Chinese immigrants’ perceptions of the police in New York City. It identifies the areas of these immigrants’ concerns related to the interaction with the police. Data are analyzed based on a survey conducted with 151 Chinese immigrants in the boroughs of Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn between July and August 2004. The findings include the following: (a) Individuals who had previous contact with police rated police as less favorable, (b) those who rated police as helpful when they called the police for help expressed greater satisfaction toward police, and (c) a strong majority of respondents stated that more bilingual police were needed in the city. In general, the quality of police contact, rather than the quantity of police contact, mattered the most to respondents. Improving the quality of police services, recruiting more bilingual officers, and deepening understanding of cultural differences should enhance immigrants’ satisfaction with the police.

Racial Differences in Desistance From Substance Abuse The Impact of Religious Involvement on Recovery

This study examines variations by race in the relationship between religiosity and desistance from substance abuse. Although most studies have included race as a control variable, only a few studies compared the equivalence of associations among religiosity, delinquency, recovery from substance abuse, and other variables between Black and White samples. Using data from the intake and 12-month follow-up survey of the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study, this study examines levels of religious involvement of Black and White drug treatment clients. In addition, it empirically tests whether religious involvement exerts differential effects on Black and White clients’ recovery from substance abuse. It was found that Black clients reported higher levels of religious involvement (measured by church attendance) than did White clients. Data indicated that religious behavior at 1-year follow-up was positively associated with Black clients’ recovery from substance abuse. In contrast, religious behavior was not a significant predictor of White clients’ desistance from substance abuse. Directions for future research and policy implications are discussed.

Gender differences in policing: an analysis of Taiwanese officers’ attitudes

This study empirically tests whether policewomen and policemen differ in their job‐related attitudes. Using data collected from 108 policewomen and 228 policemen in two Taiwanese police departments, this study assesses gender differences in officers’ attitudes toward aggressive enforcement, community building, peer group, and career advancement. The results show that Taiwanese policewomen show stronger support for aggressive enforcement than policemen. Policewomen are also found to have less favorable attitudes toward peer groups and be less likely to view promotion as an important issue than their male colleagues.

Religious Conversion and Treatment Outcome: An Examination of Clients in a Faith-Based Residential Substance Treatment Program

Religious conversion has been the core of religion-based treatment models (e.g., Teen Challenge programs in the United States and Operation Dawn in Taiwan). This study aims to assess the impact of religious conversion on treatment retention and completion and to identify correlates of treatment retention and completion. In-take data and administrative records from 708 substance abusers who participated in an Evangelical faith-based recovery program in Taiwan between January 2001 and March 2009 were used to analyze the effect of religious conversion on treatment retention and completion. It was found that religious conversion is a strong predictor of length of stay in treatment and completion of treatment. Findings shed light on the empirical adequacy of the religious model of recovery and the profile of substance abusers likely to respond to faith-based interventions.

Collateral Gains From the Military? A Cross-National Analysis of the Armed Forces–Crime Relationship:

Research has repeatedly showed that males aged between 16 and 24 years old account for a disproportionately large volume of crime. Armed forces are major employers of young males in their crime-prone ages and thus could play an essential role in crime prevention. The military is a highly structured and regimented total institution in which rigid behavioral norms and very close monitoring are imposed both on soldiers and on officers. Using data from 65 countries for the period of 1995 to 1999, this study assesses the crime-reduction function of the military by testing the influence of the relative size of the armed forces and the existence of conscription on national rates of homicide. The findings show that the size of the military and the existence of conscription are significantly related to homicide rates. Implications for future research are discussed.

Reactive Versus Proactive Attitudes Toward Domestic Violence A Comparison of Taiwanese Male and Female Police Officers

Although there has been a growing research interest in examining factors associated with police arrest decisions and victims’ perceptions of the police in handling domestic violence, very few studies have empirically assessed female and male officers’ attitudes toward domestic violence. Using survey data collected from 272 male and female officers from two metropolitan police departments in Taiwan, this research compared male and female police officers’ reactive and proactive attitudes toward handling domestic violence incidents. The findings indicated that male officers were more likely than female officers to support minimum police involvement and to tolerate domestic violence. With regard to proactive attitudes, there was no significant gender difference in officers’ endorsement of proarrest policy and the importance of domestic violence in police work. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.

The Role of the State on Cross-National Homicide Rates

Although previous research has established important links between economic factors (e.g., economic inequality), social support variables, ethnic fractionalization, and cross-national homicides, one important area remains unexplored. Relatively little is known about how the role of the state affects cross-national homicide rates. Using data from 183 nations, this study examined the effect of the role of the state (political instability, regime type, and use of the death penalty) on homicide rates. The findings indicate that homicide rates are higher in countries that are politically unstable. In addition, anocracies (transitional states that have a mixture of democratic and autocratic features) were found to be correlated with higher homicide rates. Suggestions for future research are discussed.

A Comparison of Occupational Attitudes between Taiwanese and American Police Officers

This study examines attitudinal differences between Taiwanese and American police officers. Data used in this research were collected from two Taiwanese cities, Taipei and Kaohsiung, and two American cities, Indianapolis and St Petersburg. Occupational attitudes are assessed along four dimensions: order maintenance, community building, selective enforcement and distrust of citizens. The results indicate that, compared with their American counterparts, Taiwanese officers are more likely to support community building and distrust of citizens and less likely to favour selective enforcement. Taiwanese and American officers, however, do not differ much in their attitudes toward order maintenance. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.

Treatment Philosophy and Service Delivery in a Network of Faith-Based Substance Abuse Treatment

This research examines how the treatment philosophy and clinical practice of the Teen Challenge USA (TC)–-a national network of faith-based recovery services–-differ from secular substance abuse treatment programs. Using survey data from 80 TC administrators and counselors and 68 non-TC counterparts randomly selected from secular providers of substance abuse treatment, TC and non-TC providers were compared on these dimensions: views on human nature and morality perspectives on substance abuse and its treatment, structural capacity of the program and facilities, characteristics of the treatment population, service availability and utilization, and staff profiles. Findings revealed important differences as well as interesting similarities between TC and non-TC programs. Recommendations based on these findings are offered to both faith-based and secular service providers.

The Links Between Religiosity, Childhood Sexual Abuse, and Subsequent Marijuana Use An Empirical Inquiry of a Sample of Female College Students

A number of studies indicate that childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has a negative impact on later psychological well-being. It is well documented that experiences of CSA are associated with depression, self-destructiveness, and subsequent substance abuse or alcohol consumption. Compared with women who experienced no such sexual abuse in childhood, women who were victims of sexual abuse in childhood were more likely to be depressed and use drugs or consume alcohol in later life. Analyzing data of 1,569 females derived from the “Longitudinal Study of Violence Against Women,” this study examines whether the strain caused by sexual victimization leads to a higher level of subsequent marijuana use and whether religiosity moderates the negative effects of CSA. It was found that CSA was associated with an increased level of marijuana use in high school. However, more proximate sexual victimization (victimization in college) seemed to override the impact of CSA on subsequent marijuana use. Religiosity was found to moderate the effect of CSA on marijuana use in high school. Religiosity was negatively associated with marijuana use in high school as well as the second and fourth collegiate years. Policy implications and promising directions for future research are discussed.