Jill A. Gordon

Never too late Public optimism about juvenile rehabilitation

Policy decisions with respect to juvenile offenders oscillate between rehabilitation and punishment, and the effectiveness of these two approaches, including which one for which type of offender, has yet to be realized. Less studied is the extent to which the public favors one approach or the other generally, and whether the public believes that there is an age at which it may be too late to help a juvenile offender turn away from a life of crime. In this study, we explore whether optimism about juvenile rehabilitation is a near universal, shared belief, or whether there exist important variations across socio-demographic groups about whether juveniles can be rehabilitated (and if so at what age). Studying this issue is important because public attitudes have the potential to shape policy. In the domain of juvenile justice, the challenge is whether public opinion will breed unfettered punitiveness or, as we anticipate, will serve as an impetus for a richer and more progressive response to juvenile offenders. Using data from a random sample of Pennsylvania residents, our results point not toward a division over the beliefs about ‘saving children,’ but instead demonstrate a consensus — that optimism about juvenile rehabilitation is not something citizens argue over. Implications for public policies regarding juvenile offenders are addressed.

Do Fairness and Equity Matter? An Examination of Organizational Justice Among Correctional Officers in Adult Prisons

The concepts of justice and fairness are commonly examined in the literature on criminal justice, except for the issues affecting organizational justice in the workplace. Organizational justice has two properties: distributive justice (the focus on the outcome of a decision) and procedural justice (the decision-making process that leads to the outcome). The authors surveyed 1,200 correctional officers across one states prison system. Both organizational justice dimensions were leading predictors of job stress and variants of organizational commitment (i.e., climate for learning and type of organizational climate). Procedural justice was related to individual perceptions of fear and perceived risk of inmate victimization. A positive work environment was more likely to occur when employees had a moderate to high sense of equity, which influenced factors related to acceptance of change, stronger commitment to the organization, and better understanding and agreement with organizational goals. Study findings reaffirm the need for administrators to support organizational justice through expanded use of work team processes whereby staff are involved in assessing organizational functionality and recommending improvements.

Do staff attitudes vary by position?: A look at one juvenile correctional center

Correctional staff are a vital part of an inmate’s institutional experience. Prior research suggests interaction between staff and inmates may be a function of worker attitudes toward crime and punishment. The current study examines attitudes about crime causation and punishment by surveying correctional staff members at a single-purpose juvenile treatment center. Correctional officers and treatment personnel exhibit different levels of support for rehabilitative ideals. Organizational ramifications stemming from these divergent outlooks are discussed.

ADHD among incarcerated youth: An investigation on the congruency with ADHD prevalence and correlates among the general population

The limited literature on the topic speculates that the rate of ADHD would be higher among incarcerated youth than found in the general population. However, to our knowledge no such published figures exist for juveniles in the United States. This study investigates the likelihood of ADHD diagnosis among 453 incarcerated youth and compares and contrasts a variety of demographic, social, educational, psychological, and criminal characteristics to the general literature on ADHD. Both similarities and differences are reported.

The impact of sentencing options on recidivism among domestic violence offenders: A case study

Past domestic violence research has tended to focus on issues related to law enforcement responses. More recently, the focus has shifted to other components of the criminal justice system, such as prosecution and correctional responses, to determine the best way to reduce domestic violence. This project is a case study of 177 male convicted domestic violence offenders who were sentenced to one of five options: community corrections; jail; a suspended sentence; private counseling, a fine, or restitution; and advisement. The focus of this inquiry is on the likelihood of each sanction reducing future arrests and convictions for domestic violence. The results reveal that no one sanction is more effective than the other options.

Juvenile Correctional Officers’ Perceived Fear And Risk Of Victimization Examining Individual and Collective Levels of Victimization in Two Juvenile Correctional Centers in Virginia

In this exploratory study, the authors examined perceived fear and risk of victimization among juvenile correctional officers at two juvenile detention centers in Virginia. Expanding on previous work, four scales were created to measure fear of victimization and risk of victimization at individual and collective levels. Our analyses revealed no difference in fear or risk of victimization levels among the juvenile correctional officers based on the type of correctional facility; however, gender was found to be statistically significant in all models. Female officers were more likely to have a higher level of perceived fear and risk of victimization at the individual and collective levels than were male officers. Race and education were also found to be significant factors in one model, perceived risk of victimization at the individual level.

The Impact of a Juvenile Residential Treatment Center on Minority Offenders

This study compares postrelease behavior of youth released from a residential treatment center to a similar group of youth discharged from traditional juvenile institutions. The hypotheses tested are (a) non-White youth are more likely to be reconvicted of a new offense and recommitted than are White youth regardless of the type of facility, (b) non-White youth in a residential treatment facility are less likely to be reconvicted of a new offense or recommitted than are non-White comparison youth, and (c) White youth in a residential treatment facility are less likely to be reconvicted of a new offense or recommitted than a comparison group of White youth. Regardless of race, the residential treatment group has a lower percentage of reconvictions and recommitments than the comparison group. Minority offenders in a residential treatment facility are less likely to be reconvicted or recommitted than minority offenders in the comparison group. These findings have implications for future correctional endeavors.

Does ADHD matter? Examining attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder on the likelihood of recidivism among detained youth

There is limited research regarding attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among youth in the juvenile justice system, but the existing research demonstrates higher rates of difficulties, including substance abuse, parental dysfunction, and school issues. There is, however, little knowledge regarding the impact of detainment on delinquent youth with an ADHD diagnosis, which is the focus of this study. The main research question is if detained youth diagnosed with ADHD are more likely to be rearrested and/or reconvicted, while considering the impact of the type of detention facility to which the individual youth is assigned (treatment or a traditional facility). The findings indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between an ADHD diagnosis, the interaction between ADHD and the type of detention facility, and reconviction. Offenders with ADHD were more likely to recidivate than non-ADHD youth and the youth with ADHD detained in the treatment center appear to have a negative outcome. The research points to the difficulties that juveniles with ADHD face as they attempt to navigate successfully through the juvenile justice system and considers a number of treatment protocol factors to reflect on when working with ADHD youth.

A Hierarchical Analysis of Correctional Officers’ Procedural Justice Judgments of Correctional Institutions: Examining the Influence of Transformational Leadership

A substantial body of prior research has demonstrated the significant positive effect of organizational procedural justice on institutional policy compliance. However, research examining the antecedents of organizational procedural justice is only just beginning to emerge in the criminal justice literature. Due to the potential for institutional deviance and the importance of rule adherence among individuals in positions of authority, we believe it is important to investigate correctional officers’ procedural justice perceptions. As such, this study examines 929 correctional officers over 40 institutions to identify if criteria for fairness, leadership style, and officer and institutional characteristics influence officers’ perceptions of procedural justice. Results from hierarchical linear regression indicate that the ability to have a say in decisions, a sense that institutional rules are impartial, and perceptions that management leads through motivation and encouragement significantly increases correctional officers’ perceptions of procedural justice. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Who, what, and when: A descriptive examination of crowd formation, crowd behavior, and participation with law enforcement at homicide scenes in one city

This study provides a descriptive look at the characteristics, behaviors, and differences of crowds and crowd formation that emerge as a result of a homicide. The research was conducted as a result of anecdotal information provided by law enforcement officers who conveyed concern over the “dysfunctional” behaviors and lack of participation with law enforcement occurring at homicide scenes. The theoretical foundation for the study is grounded in the literature surrounding crowd formation and group norms. The study uncovered a variety of factors related to crowd size and participation with law enforcement. Noteworthy is the finding that reveals the classification of the homicide (drug-related or non-drug related) is related to crowd size, participation with law enforcement, and victim characteristics.