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Hirschi recently revised the measurement of self-control to include the number and salience of costs an individual considers in an offending situation. Evidence is mixed on its predictive utility relative to other self-control measures... more
Hirschi recently revised the measurement of self-control to include the number and salience of costs an individual considers in an offending situation. Evidence is mixed on its predictive utility relative to other self-control measures but suffers from different studies operationalising the measure in different ways and mostly examining it with non-offenders. This study aimed to investigate Hirschi's reconceptualisation of self-control. Our research question was whether the number and salience of Hirschi's 'costs' are independently related to offending. Data on self-perceptions of likelihood of driving while drunk and various self-control and social control measures were collected by researchers during an orientation class for convicted offenders newly received into correctional facilities - one for men and one for women - during January to May 2011. Eight hundred and nineteen men and 194 women completed the ratings. Both attitudinal and situational self-control measures were independently associated with self-rated likelihood of driving while drunk. These findings were confined to the male offenders. Findings revealed mixed support for Hirschi's conceptualisation of self-control and its relevance. Situational and attitudinal measures of self-control share some common ground but relate differently to offending according to gender. Further research is needed to find out if these results are generalisable to other crime types and whether race/ethnicity could modify the findings. Even among convicted offenders whose crimes are serious and/or frequent enough to result in imprisonment, high self-control may inhibit offending. This has implications for intervention programmes. This is the first study to compare attitudinal and self-control measures in relation to offending among a sample of incarcerated offenders and across gender. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Research Interests: Criminology, Psychology, Prisons, Humans, Crime, and 9 moreFemale, Male, Attitude, Middle Aged, Self Concept, Adult, Sex Factors, Criminals, and Impulsive behavior
Research in the last few years has begun to examine the prevalence of female sexual offending as well as attempting to understand the predictors of sexually coercive behavior among women. Although women engage in sexual coercion... more
Research in the last few years has begun to examine the prevalence of female sexual offending as well as attempting to understand the predictors of sexually coercive behavior among women. Although women engage in sexual coercion significantly less often than men, more research on female sexual coercion is warranted. The current study provides an exploratory examination of the relationship between several attitudinal, experiential, and situational factors, and the use of various sexual coercion tactics among a sample of 582 sexually active, female undergraduate students, as well as proposing an explanatory model of female sexual coercion. Results indicate that several variables that are significant predictors of sexual aggression for men are also predictive for women. However, these variables seem to work differently in predicting sexually coercive behavior for women. Implications for theory and further study are discussed.
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To study criminal decision making, researchers often present participants with a written vignette describing a hypothetical offense.Participants are then asked to self-report their likelihood of engaging in the offense, as well as their... more
To study criminal decision making, researchers often present participants with a written vignette describing a hypothetical offense.Participants are then asked to self-report their likelihood of engaging in the offense, as well as their perceptions of the certainty and severity of various consequences. In this chapter, we examine two criticisms of the hypothetical scenario methodology. First, we consider whether self-reported intentions
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Drug treatment courts provide a new strategy for providing treatment services to offenders within the criminal justice system. With over 400 drug treatment courts in the United States, the courts have evolved to provide treatment services... more
Drug treatment courts provide a new strategy for providing treatment services to offenders within the criminal justice system. With over 400 drug treatment courts in the United States, the courts have evolved to provide treatment services under different models. This article will review the different typologies for delivery of treatment services to drug user offenders in the drug treatment court setting, and it will raise questions about some of the difficult issues underscoring an integrated service delivery model. The paper then identifies some research questions for the future.
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... Faye S. Taxman Jeffrey A. Bouffard ... evaluation was conducted during the first 14 months of the RSAT programs' implementation; however, in four of the six jurisdictions studied, the local public health agency had... more
... Faye S. Taxman Jeffrey A. Bouffard ... evaluation was conducted during the first 14 months of the RSAT programs' implementation; however, in four of the six jurisdictions studied, the local public health agency had been offering services in the facilities for many years prior to the ...
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Research Interests: Psychology, Group Therapy, Philosophy, Treatment, Quality of Mental Health Care, and 16 moreTechnology transfer, Public Health, Counseling, Substance Abuse Treatment, Humans, Crime, Substance Abuse, United States, Strategies, Drug Addiction, Middle Aged, Adult, Public health systems and services research, Service Provider, Rural Health Services, and Substance-Related Disorders
Abstract: The analysis focused on evaluation research in vocational education/job training, community employment, and correctional industries. The analysis used the Maryland Scale for Scientific Rigor developed by researchers at the... more
Abstract: The analysis focused on evaluation research in vocational education/job training, community employment, and correctional industries. The analysis used the Maryland Scale for Scientific Rigor developed by researchers at the University of Maryland as the set of ...
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Drug treatment is one of the critical components of drug court programming, yet it has not been thoroughly studied in the drug court literature. Very little is understood about the nature of drug treatment services provided in the drug... more
Drug treatment is one of the critical components of drug court programming, yet it has not been thoroughly studied in the drug court literature. Very little is understood about the nature of drug treatment services provided in the drug court setting. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of selected treatment variables on drug court outcomes. In
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Sexual coercion is a significant problem on college campuses despite numerous attempts to better understand and prevent it. Some criminological research has examined the role of sexual arousal in decisions to use coercion and force, while... more
Sexual coercion is a significant problem on college campuses despite numerous attempts to better understand and prevent it. Some criminological research has examined the role of sexual arousal in decisions to use coercion and force, while psychologists have studied how overperception of sexual interest relates to coercive behaviors. The current study combines these two lines of research to examine whether sexual arousal increases the perception of sexual interest in a hypothetical coercion scenario. A sample of 387 college males were randomly placed into arousal and control conditions and asked to watch either erotic material or a lecture and complete questions regarding a common social dating scenario. Bivariate and multivariate results indicated significant relationships between sexual arousal and overperception of sexual intent with the decision to engage in sexually coercive behaviors, as well as a mediation effect. The implications for theory and sexual assault prevention are discussed.
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Previous research has examined individual trait-level characteristics, as well as situational factors related to the self-reported likelihood of males engaging in sexually aggressive behaviors. This study integrates both of these lines of... more
Previous research has examined individual trait-level characteristics, as well as situational factors related to the self-reported likelihood of males engaging in sexually aggressive behaviors. This study integrates both of these lines of research, proposing a model where individual attitudinal characteristics (sexually coercive attitudes, sexually coercive fantasy use) predict intermediate situational outcomes (current arousal, perceptions of the victim's experience), and subsequent
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Brandon Applegate Gregg Barak Stephen Baron Candice Batton Jeffrey Bouffard Bobby Brame Chester Britt Frances Burden Melissa Burek Dawn Cecil Mitchell Chamlin Todd Clear Nicolas Cosario Ed Day Christina DeJong David N. Falcone Bonnie S.... more
Brandon Applegate Gregg Barak Stephen Baron Candice Batton Jeffrey Bouffard Bobby Brame Chester Britt Frances Burden Melissa Burek Dawn Cecil Mitchell Chamlin Todd Clear Nicolas Cosario Ed Day Christina DeJong David N. Falcone Bonnie S. Fisher David Forde Elaine Gunnison Carter Hay Karen Hayslett-McCall Jefferson Holcomb Tad Hughes Michelle Inderbitzen Lonn Lama-Kaduce Michael Leiber Kimberly Kempf-Leonard Sesha Kethineni William King John MacDonald Stacy Mallicoat Karen Mason ... J. Mitchell Miller Brian Payne Dan Phillips Nicole ...
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Page 1. http://cjp.sagepub.com Criminal Justice Policy Review DOI: 10.1177/ 0887403406298621 2007; 18; 274 Criminal Justice Policy Review Jeffrey A. Bouffard and Katie A. Richardson Drug-Involved Offenders Offenders ...
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Hirschi (2004) redefined self-control as the tendency to consider the “full range” of potential costs relevant to a criminal act, suggesting that such costs vary in number and salience based on one’s level of self-control. He also... more
Hirschi (2004) redefined self-control as the tendency to consider the “full range” of potential costs relevant to a criminal act, suggesting that such costs vary in number and salience based on one’s level of self-control. He also suggested self-control, as expressed at the moment of decision, was influenced by the individual’s level of social bonding; those with fewer bonds would
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ABSTRACT Among other arguments, advocates for lifting bans on carrying concealed handguns on campus propose that this would increase the prevalence of legitimately carried handguns, which might then deter crimes or be used to intervene in... more
ABSTRACT Among other arguments, advocates for lifting bans on carrying concealed handguns on campus propose that this would increase the prevalence of legitimately carried handguns, which might then deter crimes or be used to intervene in campus shooting incidents like the one that took place at Virginia Tech in 2007. Opponents suggest that increased prevalence of concealed handguns would lead to increases in other negative consequences, such as accidental shootings. Little empirical research has examined the potential outcomes of such a policy change, nor has existing research examined the prerequisite issue of whether lifting these bans would result in substantial increases in the prevalence of concealed handguns among students. Using a sample of undergraduate classrooms selected from five academic buildings at a public university in Texas, this study examines the potential impact of lifting the concealed handgun ban on the likelihood that a given classroom would contain at least one legally carried handgun. Results reveal that the impact of potential policy changes in this area vary based on the building under consideration and the measure of potential handgun prevalence. Limitations of the study and implications for future research on the issue of concealed handgun carrying on college campuses are discussed.
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ABSTRACT The current study examines whether students' course of study is related to their desire to carry a concealed handgun on campus. This analysis is motivated by a growing number of studies that have explored differences... more
ABSTRACT The current study examines whether students' course of study is related to their desire to carry a concealed handgun on campus. This analysis is motivated by a growing number of studies that have explored differences between criminal justice (CJ) and other majors in the areas of personality, attitudes, values, and career expectations, and also by discussions of the issue of concealed handguns on campuses following recent shootings on college campuses. Using data from over 3,100 students who completed an online survey instrument, results revealed that CJ majors were in fact more interested in carrying a legally concealed handgun on campus, if it were allowed by university policies. These results held even when controlling for other significant predictors of the desire to carry a concealed handgun. Implications for CJ education and the wider debate about concealed weapons on university campuses are discussed.
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Restorative justice (RJ) programs have become widespread in the United States and in other countries. These programs are often seen as a viable alternative to traditional retributive processing, especially for minor, and sometimes more... more
Restorative justice (RJ) programs have become widespread in the United States and in other countries. These programs are often seen as a viable alternative to traditional retributive processing, especially for minor, and sometimes more serious, forms of delinquency and adult criminality. The programs hold promise for achieving several goals, including increased community and victim involvement, greater satisfaction with the case outcomes, improved offender compliance, increased perceptions of fairness, and even recidivism reduction. Meta-analyses have demonstrated varying degrees of program success in recidivism reduction, which may in part reflect differential effectiveness of the RJ approach for various kinds of offenders. This study examined whether an RJ program for juvenile offenders had differential impacts on recidivism across various offender characteristics (including age, gender, racial group, offending history, and current offense). Results generally support the effective...
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Much of the criminological literature testing rational choice theory has utilized hypothetical scenarios presented to university students. Although this research generally supports rational choice theory, a common criticism is that... more
Much of the criminological literature testing rational choice theory has utilized hypothetical scenarios presented to university students. Although this research generally supports rational choice theory, a common criticism is that conclusions from these studies may not generalize to samples of actual offenders. This study proceeds to examine this issue in two steps. First, a traditional sample of university students is examined to determine how various costs and benefits relate to their hypothetical likelihood of offending. Then the same data collection procedures are employed with a somewhat different sample of younger, adjudicated, and institutionalized offenders to determine whether the conclusions drawn from the student sample generalize to this offender sample. Results generally suggest that the content and process of hypothetical criminal decision making differ in the sample of known offenders relative to the university students. Limitations of the current study, as well as s...
Research Interests: Criminology, Psychology, Law, Decision Making, Juvenile Delinquency, and 20 moreCulture, Rational Choice, Moral Development, Adolescent, Rational Choice Theory, Probability, Motivation, Students, Humans, Crime, Aggression, Female, Male, Young Adult, Data Collection, Prisoners, Coercion, Psychological Theory, Costs and Benefits, and Choice Behavior
nne" began using meth at the age of 16 and soon found herself involved with the juvenile justice system. She did not have much to look forward to in her life. Her father had his own chemical dependency (CD) issues and her mother had... more
nne" began using meth at the age of 16 and soon found herself involved with the juvenile justice system. She did not have much to look forward to in her life. Her father had his own chemical dependency (CD) issues and her mother had disappeared when she was 10 years old, leaving her in the care of her grandmother. Anne
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Research Interests: Program Evaluation, Domestic Violence, Community-Based Mental Health Services, Women, Violence Against Women, and 15 moreForensic Medicine, Health Policy, Law Enforcement, Humans, Program Development, Female, Male, Gender Difference, Men, North Dakota, Recurrence, Aftercare, Sex Factors, Consumer Participation, and Logistic Models
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Despite a number of recent evaluations demonstrating the effectiveness of "drug court" programs for reducing both substance abuse and criminal behavior, some authors have recently called... more
Despite a number of recent evaluations demonstrating the effectiveness of "drug court" programs for reducing both substance abuse and criminal behavior, some authors have recently called for more thorough process evaluations (inside the "black box" of treatment) of these programs. Specifically, this article describes the need for thorough process evaluation to examine differences in program implementation across rural and urban drug courts. The delivery of substance-user treatment and allied social services is examined in a sample of four adult drug courts (two urban and two rural), using a direct observation methodology, as well as traditional surveys and interviews of treatment staff and administrators. Results reveal that there are, in fact, differences in implementation, and staff and client characteristics between courts in each type of geographic region and suggest that these differences may impact the effectiveness of the court programs in meeting their goals of reduced substance use and criminal behavior.
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ABSTRACT Internet-based and e-mail surveys represent viable administrative methods for efficiently collecting data. These methods appear to be particularly well-suited for studying college student populations, a group that has gained... more
ABSTRACT Internet-based and e-mail surveys represent viable administrative methods for efficiently collecting data. These methods appear to be particularly well-suited for studying college student populations, a group that has gained attention from criminologists interested in testing theories. An important concern with administering surveys with the Internet and via e-mail is that of non-response bias. Despite the appeal of online surveys, nonresponse bias associated with these methods has not been sufficiently investigated. The study described here estimates nonresponse bias associated with a web-administered survey that measured opinions about changing concealed handgun carrying laws on college campuses, items likely to elicit polarizing opinions. Results show important substantive differences between web-administered and in-class versions of the survey. Students who responded to the web survey expressed more extreme opinions and behavioral responses to a proposed policy that would allow concealed handgun carrying on campus. Survey researchers who utilize web-based administrative methods should consider using multiple sources of leverage when soliciting participation and must carefully evaluate sample representativeness.
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Among other arguments, advocates for lifting bans on carrying concealed handguns on campus propose that this would increase the prevalence of legitimately carried handguns, which might then deter crimes or be used to intervene in campus... more
Among other arguments, advocates for lifting bans on carrying concealed handguns on campus propose that this would increase the prevalence of legitimately carried handguns, which might then deter crimes or be used to intervene in campus shooting incidents like the one that took place at Virginia Tech in 2007. Opponents suggest that increased prevalence of concealed handguns would lead to increases in other negative consequences, such as accidental shootings. Little empirical research has examined the potential outcomes of such a policy change, nor has existing research examined the prerequisite issue of whether lifting these bans would result in substantial increases in the prevalence of concealed handguns among students. Using a sample of undergraduate classrooms selected from five academic buildings at a public university in Texas, this study examines the potential impact of lifting the concealed handgun ban on the likelihood that a given classroom would contain at least one legally carried handgun. Results reveal that the impact of potential policy changes in this area vary based on the building under consideration and the measure of potential handgun prevalence. Limitations of the study and implications for future research on the issue of concealed handgun carrying on college campuses are discussed.
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Research Interests:
ABSTRACT The current study examines whether students' course of study is related to their desire to carry a concealed handgun on campus. This analysis is motivated by a growing number of studies that have explored differences... more
ABSTRACT The current study examines whether students' course of study is related to their desire to carry a concealed handgun on campus. This analysis is motivated by a growing number of studies that have explored differences between criminal justice (CJ) and other majors in the areas of personality, attitudes, values, and career expectations, and also by discussions of the issue of concealed handguns on campuses following recent shootings on college campuses. Using data from over 3,100 students who completed an online survey instrument, results revealed that CJ majors were in fact more interested in carrying a legally concealed handgun on campus, if it were allowed by university policies. These results held even when controlling for other significant predictors of the desire to carry a concealed handgun. Implications for CJ education and the wider debate about concealed weapons on university campuses are discussed.
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A comprehensive methodology was developed for use in a series of process evaluations of seven therapeutic communities (TC's) for drug-involved offenders. Experiences garnered... more
A comprehensive methodology was developed for use in a series of process evaluations of seven therapeutic communities (TC's) for drug-involved offenders. Experiences garnered during these evaluations are related here to underscore the need for combined evaluation methodologies in order to provide an accurate picture of actual program implementation. Comparisons are made between the types of data generated from each of several diverse data collection methods, not between programs themselves. These seven TC's were housed in six short-term jail-facilities and a relatively larger, long-term prison setting. The jail facility programs were subjected to short-term observations (4-5 days each), while the prison-based program was observed over a 12-week period. The comprehensive evaluation methodology employed traditional stakeholder interviews, (with clinicians, correctional officers, and administrators) officially recorded measures of program implementation, (such as drug test and graduated sanction administration) and a newly developed structured observation technique, which captured the nature of the treatment being delivered through direct observation of treatment activities. A discussion of the type and quality of information available from each technique alone is presented, as are the proposed benefits of the comprehensive methodology, in terms of providing more accurate and detailed information on correctional program implementation, generally.
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We examined student support for a policy that would allow carrying of concealed handguns on university campuses. Large percentages of students at 2 universities expressed very low levels of comfort with the idea of permitting concealed... more
We examined student support for a policy that would allow carrying of concealed handguns on university campuses. Large percentages of students at 2 universities expressed very low levels of comfort with the idea of permitting concealed handgun carrying on campus, suggesting that students may not welcome less restrictive policies. Students held slightly different opinions about concealed handguns on and off campus, suggesting that they view the campus environment as unique with respect to concealed handgun carrying.
Research Interests: Students, Humans, Female, Male, Attitude, and 6 moreData Collection, Universities, Firearms, Washington, Texas, and Public Policy
Since the redefinition of self-control (Hirschi, 2004) social bonding measures have been utilized as predictors or indicators of revised or decisional self-control. This approach departs from the prior literature which has hypothesized a... more
Since the redefinition of self-control (Hirschi, 2004) social bonding measures have been utilized as predictors or indicators of revised or decisional self-control. This approach departs from the prior literature which has hypothesized a selection effect of self-control on social bonds. To reconcile this discrepancy and explain the relationship among two self-control measures (attitudinal and revised self-control), an alternate model is proposed that explains the process of self-control on refrainment from offending at the situation level. Surveys using the vignette method for a hypothetical drunk-driving decision-making task were collected from large samples of young adults and inmates. Path analysis is used to model bonds and self-control as determinates of decisional self-control, thus indirectly influencing self-reported estimates of drunk-driving likelihood. Decisional self-control, attitudinal self-control and social bonds also directly affect intentions to drive drunk. Overall, the proposed model is supported. A strong direct effect of attitudinal self-control on drunk-driving likelihood remains while controlling for decisional self-control. There are relatively smaller indirect effects of social bonds and attitudinal self-control on drunk-driving likelihood, through their effects on decisional self-control.