Julie C. Kunselman

Community Policing: The Middle Manager's Perspective

Community policing has evolved as the new organizational orthodoxy of policing. Volumes have been written on the subject by academics and research scholars. However, the voices of those who are charged with the reorganization of their departments and the implementation of community policing have been relatively silent. This article presents data drawn from the content analysis of the written views of community policing held by a select sample of middle managers from across the country. The respondents were attending the administrative officers course at the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville. During the course of their studies, they read current anthologies on community policing research. These findings identify and discuss a number of problems that they have encountered in the implementation of community policing. As such, they represent a practitioner’s assessment of community policing.

Gun availability and use of guns for suicide, homicide, and murder in Canada

A reliability check of Lesters (2000b) 1970–1995 time series that examined associations between the availability of firearms and their use for homicide and suicide in Canada. For the period 1974 to 1999, the relative availability of firearms as measured by the rate of accidental death from firearms and the average of the percentages of suicides + homicides using firearms was positively associated with the rate of homicide by firearms but not negatively associated with the rate of homicide by all other methods, and positively associated with the rate of suicide by firearms and negatively associated with the rate of suicide by all other methods. Correlations for the homicide versus murder rates, homicide rate using guns versus murder rate using guns, and homicide rate by all other methods versus murder rate by all other methods were very similar. There was a decrease over time of total suicide and homicide rates and firearm suicide and homicide rates, and with a slight indication of substitution of other methods for suicide.

Premature mortality due to suicide, homicide, and motor vehicle accidents in health service delivery areas: comparison of status Indians in British Columbia, Canada, with all other residents.

From each of 15 health regions, potential years of life lost (PYLL) before age 75 for Status Indians is compared for select causes of death with all other residents. Mortality data from 1991 to 2001 for rates of PYLL (standardized to the 1991 population) are from tables of the British Columbia Vital Statistics Agency and First Nations and Inuit Health Branch in 2002. PYLL rate differences and rate ratios were compared for two groups with significance of the former indicated by the 95% confidence interval. Overall, the rates of PYLL for suicide, homicide, and deaths due to motor vehicle accidents were about 224%, 340%, and 248% higher among Status Indians than all other residents. Rates of PYLL for homicide and deaths from motor vehicle accidents among Status Indian women exceeded those of other residents who were men. For suicide, Status Indian men ranked first and all other male residents of British Columbia ranked second.

Mentoring in academe: Models for facilitating academic development

Mentoring academics is an integral step in aiding their professional development. This commitment to mentoring is discussed by three criminal justice professors, each in a distinct phase of his career. Three distinct mentoring models are discussed: (1) continuing a mentoring relationship with a dissertation advisor or other mentor from graduate school, (2) developing a new mentoring relationship at an academic institution where one receives a position, and (3) developing a new mentoring relationship with an academic in the same field, but at a totally separate institution. The authors describe their advancement in the field of criminal justice as it relates to the existence of a mentoring model, focusing on identifying the strengths of each model.

Compstat: The Manager's Perspective

Originally established by Commissioner William Bratton and his colleagues in the New York City Police Department, Compstat has emerged as a new organisational paradigm in policing. This paper presents data drawn from the written views of police managers from across the USA. The respondents were attending the Administrative Officers Course at the Southern Police Institute of the University of Louisville, Kentucky. During the course of their studies, they read several works on Compstat, including Silvermans (1999) work, NYPD Battles Crime. Content analysis of their written comments reveals the strengths and weaknesses that they associate with the Compstat model.

Trust in Government: Lessons from the Clinton Impeachment

Abstract The impeachment of Bill Clinton represented a major event in the nations history. It marked the first time that an elected president was impeached in Americas more than two hundred‐year history. The process captivated attention for over one year and its implications will be debated for many decades into the future. This paper discusses the impeachment within the context of broad administrative themes. In addition, the impact of the Clinton impeachment on major institutions is addressed. Tentative conclusions are finally offered in regard to impeachments impact on trust in government.

Reinventing Government: The Views of Police Middle Managers

This article presents data drawn from the written views of middle managers representing police departments from across the nation. The respondents were attending the Administrative Officers Course at the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville. During the course of their studies, they read Osborne and Gaeblers (1992) Reinventing Government. In a written essay, they were asked to identify the three best and worst ideas from this text. The results indicate that these police middle managers supported the elements of reinvention that reflected the ideals of community policing. They attacked other ideas as inefficient, inequitable, or unethical. Overall, their views reflect cautious support for the changes expressed in Reinventing Government.

QUESTIONING MANDATORY SENTENCING EFFICIENCY: A Case Study of Persistent Felony Offender Rapists in Kentucky

This policy analysis explores the incapacitative efficiency of Kentucky’s career criminal statute in averting the recidivism of offenders convicted of rape. The study utilizes a 1985 cohort of Kentucky persistent felony offenders with at least one rape conviction (n = 62) and tracks recidivism rates up to fifteen years later. The results question the efficiency of mandatory sentencing. In general, mandatory minimum sentences (where offenders are not eligible for statutory good time or parole) kept these offenders incarcerated beyond the time necessary to avert future crimes.

Profiling Sentence Enhancement Offenders: A Case Study of Florida's 10-20-Lifers

This study creates a profile of criminals incarcerated as 10-20-Life offenders and is the initial stage of a postimpact analysis of the statute. Data on all incarcerated 10-20-Life offenders (N = 1,065 as of November 1, 2001) were collected from the Florida Department of Corrections. The data included individual and criminal offense characteristics. The findings reveal that Floridas 10-20-Lifers are overwhelmingly male (96%) and one half are between the ages of 23 and 41. Eighty percent of the offenses were for felon in possession of a firearm or concealed weapon and robbery with a fire-arm or deadly weapon. Slightly over one half of the offenders were sentenced to a term of 3 years and the remaining were sentenced to 10 or more years. The average sentence received was 8 years. The average sentence length was significantly higher for Black offenders sentenced under 10-20-Life. Moreover, Black offenders received all nine of the life sentences.