Matthew C. Leone

The public prestige of medical specialties : overviews and undercurrents

This investigation offers a comprehensive analysis of the relative social prestige of various medical specialties. The specialties were evaluated in terms of ascribed esteem by a lay sample of 400 respondents. Several attributes were then tested in order to measure their contribution to overall prestige. The results affirm that a stable prestige hierarchy exists among medical specialties, with certain ones, such as surgery and cardiology, consistently ranked at the top, and others, such as dermatology and psychiatry, consistently resting at the bottom. A specialtys relative standing in perceived income and assigned social value are the best predictors of its hierarchical position, with income being the single best predictor. Moreover, the prediction of a specialtys prestige appears to improve significantly when both variables--income and value--are considered inclusively.

The Effects of “Tough” Drunk Driving Laws on Policing: A Case Study

In 1982, California passed into law severe sanctions for driving while intoxicated. The effects of these law changes on policing were investigated. Using limited time series and elite interview methodologies, it was found that the laws passage was related to reduced arrest rates for several misdemeanors, including driving under the influence.

The Consequences of Jail Crowding

Over the past 20 years, there has been an enormous increase in American jail populations. The most frequently documented result of this increase has been overcrowding in jail facilities. Many also hypothesize that an array of secondary problems for the jail have arisen from such crowding. A nationally representative sample of sheriffs was questioned about 13 of these problems in relation jail crowding within their respective facilities. It was found that although many problems are perceived as related to over-crowding by this study group, others are not believed to be as problematic as is typically assumed. Policy implications of these perceptions are discussed.

Bounty hunters: a look behind the hype

Purpose – To identify and assess the current state of professionalism and operations in the field of bail recovery, or bounty hunting.Design/methodology/approach – A multi‐method approach, which integrated information from interviews with bond agents with information taken from a survey of workers in the bond field.Findings – Survey respondents averaged 51 years of age, and were mostly Caucasian males. Most were religious and conservative, and over 25 percent reported having obtained a four‐year college degree. Roughly one‐third of all survey respondents reported experience in law enforcement; nearly half indicated having specialized skills in weaponry. Money was the most cited reason for becoming a bail enforcement agent, and most respondents believed that bail enforcement agents are an under‐appreciated component of the criminal justice system.Research limitations/implications – These findings were taken from a small number of survey respondents. Consequently, these data are not assumed to be representa...

Commercializing success: the impact of popular media on the career decisions and perceptual accuracy of criminal justice students

Interest in the field of criminal justice continues to grow and attract students to this area of higher education. These students typically represent society in that their beliefs about the justice system are based on media depictions, not education or experience. This study surveyed Introduction to Criminal Justice students from two universities, and compared their television viewing habits with (1) their perceptions of the justice system, (2) their knowledge of justice system policies and procedures, and (3) their occupational aspirations. It was found that self-reported media exposure affected both perceptions of the justice system and major selection. Specifically, viewing law enforcement related television influenced major selection, while forensic and court related shows negatively impacted perceptual accuracy.

Focus groups and evaluation of criminal justice programs

In this article we describe an innovative idea for use in evaluating criminal justice programs. After summarizing some concerns related to the measurement of accountability and the program review process, we introduce and discuss the use of focus groups as an assessment tool. Then we present the advantages and disadvantages of focus groups as applied to evaluation of criminal justice programs. We conclude that focus groups can be a valuable asset to the evaluation process.

New designs, new ideas, and new problems: An analysis of the effects of non‐smoking policies on a “new generation” Jail

Abstract Data were collected in a medium‐sized (capacity = 480) modular style jail, for the year prior to and following the transition to a non‐smoking facility. Staff theorized that the transition would result in increased agitation among the inmates and acts of aggression, and a disruption of the inmate “token economy”. Staff also predicted that the improved air quality would decrease the number of sick days taken, and improve their overall health. The data indicated that 1) staff health, as measured by staff sick days, did not improve in the short term; 2) inmate assaults against both inmates and staff increased significantly, but these assaults were not met with disciplinary segregation, due to the staffs attribution that these acts were due to the deprivation of cigarettes.

Bang for the buck: California court processing and budget allocations: 1976–1986

Abstract We collected California data by county involving total criminal justice system budgets, law enforcement budgets, court budgets, and the total number of criminal justice system personnel for the years 1976 through 1986. Rates of change for each county variable were calculated and compared to determine: (1) which criminal justice agency benefited the most from increases in funding at the system level, and (2) which branch of the court system had the greatest rate of increase in productivity due to increases in operating budget. We found that law enforcement received the greatest share of increases in the criminal justice system budgets, and lower courts produced the greatest increases in productivity due to increase in budget. We concluded that the court system, and specially the superior court system represent a bureaucratized institution, and state legislature attempts to improve the functioning of the court system by allocating additional funds, most often produce little positive change in operations.

Criminal justice education in relation to law school expectation: A failure of confidence

This paper discusses the findings from a survey of admissions officers at law schools in the United States. Deans of Admission (N=119) were asked a variety of questions pertaining to how the undergraduate criminal justice major is perceived in relation to the adequacy of the academic preparation it provides for individuals applying and/or currently attending law school. The findings suggest that the criminal justice major is not perceived as adequate preparation for law school education by the Deans of Admission. Results are discussed within the context of the criminal justice curricula standards recommended by the academic review committee of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.

TOUGH LAWS. POLICYMAKER PERCEPTIONS AND COMMITMENT

Abstract Surveys were administered to assess policymaker perceptions on the effectiveness and consequences of, and their commitment to “tough” criminal legislation in California. In relation to this, policymaker reaction to Californias 1982 DUI laws was assessed. Results suggest that the populations surveyed recognized that problems were created by “tough” laws, specifically jail crowding. Differences existed, however, between the various populations on the perceptions of the effectiveness of such law changes and their commitment to them. Policy implications drawn from this research are discussed.