N. Prabha Unnithan

Inequality, Economic Development and Lethal Violence: A Cross-National Analysis of Suicide and Homicide

A theoretical tradition predating Durkheim links suicide and homicide as two currents in a single stream of lethal violence. This paper explores the relationships of inequality and economic development to suicide in a sample of 31 nations using both this perspective and the more traditional approach, which treats suicide and homicide separately. Inequality is generally a better predictor than development. After controlling for development, it is curvilinearly related to homicide and to total lethal violence, and it has negative linear effects on suicide and the SMR, a measure of the direction in which violence is directed. Controlling for inequality, development is unrelated to total violence, curvilinearly related to the SMR, and only weakly related to suicide and homicide.

Training in community policing

The widespread acceptance of community policing necessitates the need for training of recruits into its philosophy and practices. We provide a suggested curriculum for such training after describing its three basic premises. This is followed by discussions of the rationale for the curriculum, and a promising training method that can be used in its implementation. All of the above are summarized in our conclusion.

Retrospective Accounts of Violent Events by Gun Offenders

Mills (1940) argues that there is a sharp distinction between “causes” and “explanations” or “accounts.” In this study we employ Scott and Lymans (1968) classic formulation of accounts to examine the narrative explanations gun offenders provide for engaging in their violent acts. These narrative accounts illustrate how inmates attempt to preserve a conventional sense of self. Our observations are drawn from in-depth interviews with a random sample of Colorado inmates convicted of gun-related violent crimes. We find that inmates provide accounts in the form of justifications and excuses. Appeals to defeasibility (excuse) and denial of victim (justification) are the most common types of accounts inmates use to explain their violent behavior. We also find that inmates who report that their victim deserved the injury rarely offer additional accounts for their violence. In contrast, inmates who claim that their violent behavior was beyond their control tend to offer additional accounts in the form of justifications and excuses.

Correctional prediction and the Level of Supervision Inventory

Abstract The Level of Supervision Inventory (LSI) has garnered attention as a useful correctional classification and prediction instrument in Canadian settings, and has also been used in the U.S. The predictive utility of the LSI was tested on a sample of male community corrections clients in Fort Collins, Colorado using halfway house program completion, recidivism on any crime, and felony recidivism as outcome variables. Bivariate correlations, Relative Improvement Over Chance (RIOC) analysis, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. The findings raise questions regarding the predictive value of the LSI on this population.

Wife Burning Cultural Cues for Lethal Violence Against Women Among Asian Indians in the United States

Violence against women in the Asian Indian community in the United States, specifically lethal violence, is a neglected topic. Following a brief profile of Asian Indians in the United States, we note the continued importance of several religio-cultural norms surrounding marriage, family, and gender relations in this group. We discuss the practices of sati and dowry burnings as a backdrop to two case studies of wife burning in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. We use an integrated model of lethal violence to analyze these cases and describe some persistent cultural cues that affect the production and direction of lethality. We conclude with a discussion of the utility of the integrated model in understanding lethal violence against women and possible generational differences in these patterns.

Free to Write: On the Use of Speculative Writing in Sociology Courses.

The major objective of this paper is to outline the goals and the use of speculative (or free) writing and to demonstrate its usefulness in sociology classrooms. This form of writing is compared to other conventional written sociology assignments; the relative benefits are enumerated, particularly in the context of a lecture-discussion course format. On the basis of experiences with free writing in two different universities, some illustrations and suggestions are provided.

Criminological and Criminal Justice Education in India: A Comparative Note

In an effort to understand criminal justice education comparatively, we trace the development of the field in India considering both general education and specific job training. We find that there are several key similarities and differences in comparison to the US. After discussing these findings, we raise four questions which emerge from the comparison: the national government’s influence over criminal justice education; the gap between academic education and job‐related training; the influence of level of economic development on crime‐related education; and, the circumstances surrounding the influence of outsiders and outside agencies on criminal justice education.

Evaluating Shame Transformation in Group Treatment of Domestic Violence Offenders

Offender rehabilitation, pitting the rational ability of criminal justice against the seeming irrationality of criminal behavior, remains controversial. Psychology highlights the importance of emotions in mediating individual behavior. Borrowing from restorative justice as a more emotionally intelligent form of justice, this article examines the role of shame and guilt in a domestic violence offender treatment program. The emotions are differentiated and then activated, similar to the use of reintegrative shaming in restorative justice, to promote greater offender accountability and empathy. Using a two-group comparison of male domestic violence offenders, measurements were taken on three sets of scales in assessing the outcome of the shame transformation process. Statistically significant effects were found for self-esteem and empathetic concern. Findings and future research are discussed.

Gang homicides in California: A discriminant analysis

Previous jurisdictionally limited studies have found gang homicide to possess participant and setting characteristics that are distinctive in comparison to nongang homicide. We tested this conception using discriminant analysis of state-level homicide data. Among the participant variables, age of suspect, age of victim, number of suspects, and lack of prior contact between participants emerged as important predictors. Among the setting variables, public location and use of firearms were influential. Despite some differences, this study provides support for generalizing the distinctiveness conception of gang homicide.

Employment Isn’t Enough Financial Obstacles Experienced by Ex-Prisoners During the Reentry Process

One of the greatest needs for persons leaving prison and returning to their communities is immediate employment. Although this has been researched and written about by many in the field of criminology and criminal justice, this study, based on interview data obtained from seventy men and women on parole in Colorado, expands on the recognized need for employment by identifying and analyzing the additional collateral financial obligations that are rarely addressed by researchers and correctional practitioners. In addition to describing barriers to obtaining employment, we explore financial obligations that may significantly prevent ex-offenders from gaining an economic foothold, even when employed, including mandatory parole expenses and other debts incurred prior to and after incarceration. Without the ability to meet these financial obligations, many returning former prisoners came to believe they will never achieve economic success. A lack of financial stability and little hope for a better future may significantly affect the ability of many persons leaving prison to successfully reenter society.