James R. Maupin

Teen Court: An Examination of Processes and Outcomes

Teen courts are becoming a popular mechanism whereby to process youngsters charged with relatively minor offenses. There has been limited systematic analysis of teen courts to identify either their successes or failures. This study examines the teen court of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, including its processes and apparent recidivism rates. The 478 participants were randomly selected from the program and traced through the local Juvenile Probation and Parole Office (JPPO) database. Interviews were conducted with a teen court staff member, JPPO staff members, and former teen court participants. A 25% recidivism rate was found between 1994 and 1998, affected by gender, age, the presence of a prior referral, whether the youngster completed the teen court program, with whom the juvenile resided, and the severity of the jury sentence. The study—the first of its kind for this court—was able to identify some of the successes and shortcomings of this countys teen court.

Drunk Drivers, DWI “Drug Court” Treatment, and Recidivism: Who Fails?:

We conducted an evaluation of an experimental Driving-While-Intoxicated (DWI) Drug Court treatment program operated by a single municipal court. Specially trained court personnel assessed first-time (and, as we found out, some second-time) DWI offenders for symptoms of alcoholism. Once court personnel reached a clinical determination that an individual was an alcoholic, research team members randomly assigned that person to either the treatment program or to a control group receiving normal municipal court processing. A third group consisted of a like number of randomly selected, nonalcoholic, first-time offenders. The conviction records of all three groups were tracked for up to 24 months following the initial DWI conviction. We found significantly fewer alcohol-related and other serious crime reconvictions for the nonalcoholic group. Among those determined to be alcoholic, the treatment group had significantly fewer reconvictions than the control group. We address the implications and limitations of our findings for similar experimental studies in criminal justice and for DWI Drug Court treatment programs.

Juvenile justice decision making in a rural hispanic community

The processing of juveniles through the juvenile justice system of a jurisdiction encompassing two rural counties in New Mexico where the numerical majority of the population is Hispanic/Mexican American was examined. The official records of 591 juveniles referred to the Juvenile Probation and Parole Office were analyzed and interviews with all Juvenile Probation and Parole Officers (JPPOs) assigned to this jurisdiction were conducted. The results suggest that (1) juveniles are subject to considerable police surveillance; (2) this rural community relies extensively on formal social control; and (3) the diversity, rather than homogeneity, of this rural community affects the decision making of its juvenile justice professionals.

A two cohort study of the ethical orientations of state police officers

The ethical orientations of two cohorts of officers in a large state police organization were identified using an ethical orientation questionnaire that measures scales of idealism and relativism. Cohort 1 was measured during the recruit academy and after one year on the job. Cohort 2 was measured at one year on the job and two years. This research examined the ethical orientations of these two cohorts, the ethical orientation differences between the two cohorts and characteristics associated with those differences. There were significant differences in the ethical orientations of Cohort 1 officers between the first and second measurement. New recruits tend toward the idealistic ethical dimension more than one‐year officers. One‐year officers tend more toward the relativistic ethical dimension than new recruits. Similar but non‐significant differences were found in Cohort 2.

Ethical orientations of state police recruits and one-year experienced officers

Abstract The ethical orientations of police recruits in a large state police organization were identified using an Ethical Orientation Questionnaire that measured scales of idealism and relativism. The ethical orientations of officers from the same organizations who had one year of experience were also identified. This research examined the ethical orientations of these two groups, the ethical orientation differences between the two groups, and characteristics associated with those differences. There were significant differences in the ethical orientation between the two groups. New recruits tend toward the idealistic ethical dimension more than one-year officers. One-year officers tend more toward the relativistic ethical dimension than new recruits. Education is a significant factor in ethical orientation.

Drunk Driving and the Prediction of Analogous Behavior: A Longitudinal Test of Social Learning and Self-Control Theories

Abstract Drunk driving assumed near pandemic proportions in the 1980s, and state legislatures rushed to control it throughout the 1990s—largely with increased surveillance, apprehension, and punishment, key elements in a deterrence model. Early in the twenty-first century, researchers and policy makers suggested that deterrence models poorly served us in the control of drunk drivers. Policy makers needed better insights into the social psychology of chronic drunk drivers. In their general theory of crime, Gottfredson and Hirschi describe the propensity of low self-control persons to exhibit a higher propensity for crime and analogous behavior relative to persons with higher levels of self-control. Akerss social learning theory emphasizes the various mechanisms by which the motives, orientations, and methods of crime and delinquency are learned and reinforced. We used data collected as part of an assessment of a municipal court drug-treatment program to explore the ability of variables taken from both theories to predict status as an alcoholic, self-reported misconduct, and subsequent criminal conduct. We followed the programs 110 drunk drivers for at least six months after sentencing. We found that with respect to status as an alcoholic and reconviction status, age (i.e., being older) and level of self-reported misbehavior (i.e., higher levels of self-reported criminal activity) are the most crucial factors. In terms of the theoretical variables, only differential associations play a significant role in the analyses; further, this role appears to be indirect, through the level of self-reported misbehavior.

The impact of Indian gaming on crime in New Mexico: A research note☆

Abstract The complexity of the relationship between gambling and crime make empirical establishment of a relationship between the two difficult. Focusing on one state, we examine the impact of Indian gaming on crime in New Mexico. Specific crime rates in New Mexico counties with tribal gaming are discussed. Comparisons of the rates of specific crimes are made between New Mexico counties with tribal gaming and those without.

New Mexico’s experience with Indian casinos and crime

Gambling has been around forever. Yet we still know relatively little about the effect of gambling on the fabric of societies. Previous studies have attempted to explain the relationship between gambling and crime, but most have fallen short because the relationship is so complex and making the connection has been so difficult. In this paper we will examine the impact of Indian gaming on crime in the State of New Mexico. First, specific crime rates in New Mexico counties with tribal gaming are discussed. Second, comparisons of the rates of specific crimes are made between New Mexico counties with tribal gaming and those without.

Delinquency and Justice: Tribal Court Data and Tribal Members' Perspectives from One American Indian Nation

Abstract In an attempt to demonstrate the value of case study research on delinquency in American Indian communities, Tribal Court juvenile records from one western American Indian community, 1991 through 1998, were analyzed and interviews conducted with community members. Most arrests of juveniles were for alcohol possession and consumption, conduct offenses and status offenses. The most severe offense was simple assault. Youths were more likely to be detained for underage consumption than youths off reservation. Few bookings (26%) resulted in court hearings and all cases resulted in dismissal, deferred adjudication, or deferred sentencing. Girls had higher rates of arrest and detention than males. Interviews identified alcohol consumption and erosion of the extended family as correlates of delinquency.