Melissa W. Burek

The unintended consequences of digital technology: exploring the relationship between sexting and cybervictimization

Progress in cyber technology has created innovative ways for individuals to communicate with each other. Sophisticated cell phones, often with integrated cameras, have made it possible for users to instantly send photos, videos, and other materials back and forth to each other regardless of their physical separation. This same technology also makes sexting possible – sending nude or semi-nude images, often of oneself, to others electronically (e.g., by text message, email). Few studies examining sexting have been published, and most have focused on the legal issues associated with juvenile sexting. In general, lacking are empirical analyses of the prevalence of sexting, and its potential consequences (i.e., victimization) that are theoretically grounded. Accordingly, we explored the possible link between sexting and online personal victimization (i.e., cybervictimization) among a sample of college students. As hypothesized, respondents who engaged in sexting were more likely to not only experience cybervictimization, but also to be victimized by different types of cybervictimization.

Distress and Violent Victimization among Young Adolescents Early Puberty and the Social Interactionist Explanation

This article explores the empirical validity of the Social Interactionist (SI) perspective as an explanation of violent victimization. An additional goal is to explain why early puberty among adolescents is connected to violent victimization. Using SI, we theorize that early puberty creates unusually high levels of distress for adolescents (more so for girls than boys), causing them to behave in ways that create grievances with others and provoke victimization. The research hypotheses were tested using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a nationally representative data set of teenagers attending school in the United States. We found that measures of distress significantly increase violent victimization among members of the sample. Furthermore, the SI measures partially mediated the relationship between early puberty and violent victimization for boys and fully mediated this relationship for girls.

He Sends Rain Upon the Wicked A Panel Study of the Influence of Religiosity on Violent Victimization

This research investigates low religiosity as a predictor of violent victimization. The theoretical framework the authors present here posits that religiosity should help structure daily activities in such a way as to (a) limit exposure to offenders by encouraging contact with peers who are less deviant, (b) lessen ones target suitability by inhibiting grievance-causing delinquent activity, and (c) enhance guardianship by fostering stronger bonds with parents and school. Thus, although researchers expect religion to be a bivariate predictor of violent victimization, its influence should be indirect. The authors investigate these claims using two waves from the public-use version of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). The results indicate that religiosity is a correlate of violent victimization. Consistent with these theoretical claims, the effect of religiosity is not direct, but instead occurs indirectly primarily through its influence on self-reported delinquency and peer deviance.

Now Serving Part Two Crimes: Testing the Relationship Between Welfare Spending and Property Crimes:

Studies that examine the effects of welfare, specifically the program of Aid to Families of Dependent Children (AFDC), have primarily examined the relationship between public assistance spending and index, or part one, offenses. In general, the results of past studies have found a negative relationship between welfare and serious crime rates. To date, however, few studies have examined the effects of welfare on the more prevalent part two crimes. Given that previous examinations have found an inverse relationship between index crimes and welfare spending, changes in levels of spending could potentially affect both categories of crime in unwanted directions. As such, this study examined both part one and part two property crimes in relation to welfare spending from 1980 to 1990 in Kentucky counties. Significant positive findings were observed between AFDC spending and part two property crimes.

JUSTICE, JURIES, AND CONVICTIONS: THE RELEVANCE OF RACE IN JURY VERDICTS

ABSTRACT Previous research has suggested that the racial composition of a jury plays a role in the likelihood of conviction of certain defendants. In general, it has been supported that White jury members are more likely to vote to convict Black defendants, while Black jury members are more likely to vote to acquit Black defendants. Prior research has suffered from flaws that could possibly affect these outcomes. For instance, the use of mock juries to examine jury behavior creates artificiality and may not adequately reflect real jury decision-making. Additionally, research on real juries either focuses on certain types of cases (i.e., capital cases) or suffers from problems relating to insufficient or incomplete trial or jury data. As a result, existing jury research has failed to fully capture or explain the factors that are related to jury-decision-making in non-capital felony trials. The current research examined case outcomes in real jury trials of defendants charged with non-capital felonies. In particular, the current study analyzed the relationship between the racial composition of the jury and conviction of black defendants. Results indicated a significant relationship between these two variables.

IMPORTED AND INHERENT FACTORS IN RELATION TO DRINKING, DEVIANCE, AND CRIME: A NEW WAY OF EXAMINING OLD BEHAVIORS OF COLLEGE STUDENTS

ABSTRACT In the past two decades, researchers have extensively examined a variety of factors that have contributed to the escalation or curtailing of binge drinking behaviors among college students while infrequently addressing more prevalent drinking behaviors or general deviant or criminal behaviors resulting from intoxication. Broader contextual elements have also been traditionally overlooked when examining correlates related to college students’ alcohol use. Previous research studies have typically centered on students’ attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to episodic heavy drinking behaviors. Although individual characteristics must be considered, imported factors (i.e., student traits that exist prior to the college experience) as well as inherent factors (i.e., college environmental and social influences) may also contribute to college students’ drinking practices and behaviors resulting from alcohol consumption. The purpose of the present study was to look beyond the commonly examined binge drinking predictors and investigate the role of imported and inherent risk factors among a large sample of college students from the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study.

Reentry in a Comparative Context: Exploring Past, Present, and Future Participation in Services Between Nonurban and Urban Inmates:

Studies on offender reentry have consistently shown that lack of, or limited access to, needed postrelease resources and services adversely affects recidivism. Few studies have taken into consideration nonurban and urban contexts for reentry services and program participation. Toward this end, 130 currently incarcerated offenders were surveyed. The results of this study indicate that there were significant differences in employment and other services utilization observed between the two subsamples that varied depending on involvement prior to prison and during incarceration, and affecting the types of programs and services inmates would like to access postrelease.