Helen Eigenberg

Contributory factors affecting arrest in domestic and non‐domestic assaults

Provides empirical evidence for the first time to suggest that police officers are less apt to arrest in domestic violence cases when directly comparing officers’ responses in domestic and non‐domestic assaults. Uses a sample of 92,000 police reports in a small midwestern police department of the USA. Supports the premise of disparate treatment for domestic assaults. Finds that injuries were equally likely in domestic and non‐domestic assaults; that the impact of weapons is limited. Calls for further research to clarify these issues, e.g., to re‐examine officers’definitions of injuries and weapons. Supports findings that officers are more apt to arrest when a victim requests this.

Role Strain and Incarcerated Mothers

Abstract A survey was administered to 109 mothers incarcerated at a minimum-security prison. The purpose of this study was to examine a variety of variables associated with being a mother in prison to determine whether these factors affected the maternal role strain of incarcerated women. The findings suggest that women in prison experience high levels of role strain as a whole. However, white women, women who had served longer sentences, women who had not lived with their children prior to incarceration, and women who did not approve of their childrens custody arrangements were found to have significantly higher levels of role strain. The study also indicates that women in prison will experience less role strain if they are allowed to engage in mothering activities rather than simply maintaining this prescribed status.

Protective order legislation: Trends in state statutes

Abstract Very little research has examined state legislation on protective orders. This study examined recent state statutes and compared the findings with a landmark 1988 study. Results indicated that more recent laws provided greater access to victims and expanded their eligible populations to include categories that were excluded in earlier legislation (i.e., dating partners, sexual partners, and same-sex partners). Orders increased slightly in duration and there were more access to them outside of normal working hours. Compared with earlier legislation, newer laws were more apt to authorize judges to fashion remedies that address financial matters. Penalties for violations remained relatively stable, although states were increasingly willing to use enhanced sanctions for repeat offenders. States continued to use mandatory arrest to enforce orders, although this trend was not as pronounced as one might have anticipated. Finally, legislators incorporated many aspects of new federal legislation into state statutes.

Correctional officers' definitions of rape in male prisons

Research on rape in the community demonstrates that definitions of rape are highly situational and that the behavior of the victim is frequently used to redefine rape as consensual sexual behavior. Research on male rape in prison also suggests that the line between consensual homosexuality and rape is often blurred and that certain types of men are viewed as legitimate victims who precipitate their victimization. This study examines correctional officers definitions of male rape in prison and explores whether a number of factors, including victim blaming, affect officers definitions of rape.

Women and the publication process: A content analysis of criminal justice journals

Journal publications have a great impact on academic disciplines; they have the power to define topics of inquiry and to structure research questions. Prior research suggests that women do not participate in the publication process in proportion to their representation in various disciplines. This study reports the results of a content analysis of criminal justice journals which examines womens participation in the publication process.

The national crime survey and rape: The case of the missing question

Existing data on rape from the National Crime Survey (NCS) are of questionable value. These data are problematic because the survey never asks respondents directly whether they have been raped. As a result, it is difficult to ascertain exactly what the NCS is measuring. Nonetheless, there is some evidence that the NCS underestimates rape, thereby reinforcing the perception that rape is a rare occurrence. This paper also examines the redesign of the NCS and discusses the efficacy of the proposed changes in terms of their impact on the study of rape.

Domestic Violence and Local Law Enforcement in Texas Examining Police Officers' Awareness of State Legislation

In the past decade many states have introduced new legislation that allows police officers to make warrentless arrests in misdemeanor cases of domestic violence. Previous research has concentrated on examining those factors which influence police officersuse of discretion in terms of making arrests, but it has failed to evaluate whether police officers are aware of the changes in the law. This exploratory study evaluated 64 Texas police officers and found that a sizable minority of officers did not know the conditions under which an arrest could have been made.

Is Jury Selection Fair? Perceptions of Race and the Jury Selection Process

This study explores jurors’ perceptions of whether the jury system is fair, and more specifically, the role, if any, race plays in perceptions of jury selection. Although Supreme Court decisions have held that discrimination in peremptory challenges based on race is prohibited, there remain questions as to whether these standards truly exist in the jury selection process. The current study failed to find sufficient evidence that jurors believe that racial bias had an impact upon their ability to serve on juries and failed to establish a relationship between views about racial representation on juries and system fairness. It did, however, find that a significant minority of jurors questioned the racial neutrality of the system, which in turn decreased perceptions of system fairness.

Attitudes Toward Dating Violence: How Does Sexual Identity Influence Perceptions Among College Students?

ABSTRACT In the current study, we explore how sexual identity affects attitudes toward dating violence by utilizing a survey of 1,645 college students. We examine attitudes toward justification for relationship violence and perceptions of unhealthy relationships. It is important to explore how sexual identity influences perceptions of intimate partner violence because recent research suggests that rates of IPV among LGBT individuals are equal to or higher than IPV rates among heterosexuals (Walters, Chen, & Breiding, 2013). Additionally, non-heterosexual individuals often face different difficulties than their heterosexual counterparts when they attempt to report IPV and seek help. Considering prior research has often failed to examine how these differences influence attitudes toward relationship violence, the current study attempts to fill this void in the literature. Findings from the current study indicate that gender, more than sexuality, appears to be influencing attitudes towards IPV. Implications for future research are discussed.