Search results

Title: Toward a Systematic Foundation for Identifying Evidence-based Criminal Justice Sanctions and their Relative Effectiveness.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Barnes, James C.
Abstract/Description: Nationally, there have been increased calls for evidence-based criminal justice policy. Despite considerable progress toward that objective, there still is no systematic, comparative foundation for assessing the relative effectiveness of diverse sanctions in achieving any of a range of goals. In this article, the importance of evidence-based policy and the critical research gaps that must be filled were discussed, as well as the next steps that must be taken to place criminal justice...
Show moreNationally, there have been increased calls for evidence-based criminal justice policy. Despite considerable progress toward that objective, there still is no systematic, comparative foundation for assessing the relative effectiveness of diverse sanctions in achieving any of a range of goals. In this article, the importance of evidence-based policy and the critical research gaps that must be filled were discussed, as well as the next steps that must be taken to place criminal justice sanctioning on a solid, evidence-based foundation. Concluding remarks focused on the implications of current research gaps and several strategies for addressing them.
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Date Issued: 2010-07-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1464277908, 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2010.04.044
Format: Citation

Title: Will Churches Respond to the Call?: Religion Civic Responsibility, and Social Service.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: Despite national calls for churches to become more involved in social service, many churches may not be willing or able to respond. Drawing on sociological theory, previous research, and interviews with pastors and parish social ministers from Catholic congregations in a large, urban city in Texas, we examine key factors linked to church-based social service efforts. Particular attention is given to church leadership, race/ethnicity, organizational characteristics, social and political...
Show moreDespite national calls for churches to become more involved in social service, many churches may not be willing or able to respond. Drawing on sociological theory, previous research, and interviews with pastors and parish social ministers from Catholic congregations in a large, urban city in Texas, we examine key factors linked to church-based social service efforts. Particular attention is given to church leadership, race/ethnicity, organizational characteristics, social and political networks, and the intersection of these factors in affecting service provision and advocacy. We then discuss the likely impacts of policies calling for religious organizations to increase their social service activities.
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Date Issued: 2002-01-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1461157318
Format: Citation

Title: The ‘True’ Juvenile Offender: Age Effects and Juvenile Court Sanctioning.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Cochran, Joshua C., Stults, Brian J., Greenman, Sarah J., Bhati, Avinash S., Greenwald, Mark A.
Abstract/Description: Age is the only factor used to demarcate the boundary between juvenile and adult justice. However, little research has examined how age guides the juvenile court in determining which youth within the juvenile justice system merit particular dispositions, especially those that reflect the court's emphasis on rehabilitation. Drawing on scholarship on the court's origins, attribution theory, and cognitive heuristics, we hypothesize that the court focuses on youth in the middle of the range of...
Show moreAge is the only factor used to demarcate the boundary between juvenile and adult justice. However, little research has examined how age guides the juvenile court in determining which youth within the juvenile justice system merit particular dispositions, especially those that reflect the court's emphasis on rehabilitation. Drawing on scholarship on the court's origins, attribution theory, and cognitive heuristics, we hypothesize that the court focuses on youth in the middle of the range of the court's age of jurisdiction—characterized in this article as “true” juveniles—who may be viewed as meriting more specialized intervention. We use data from Florida for court referrals in 2008 (N = 71,388) to examine the decision to proceed formally or informally and, in turn, to examine formally processed youth dispositions (dismissal, diversion, probation, commitment, and transfer) and informally processed youth dispositions (dismissal, diversion, and probation). The analyses provide partial support for the hypothesis. The very young were more likely to be informally processed; however, among the informally processed youth, the youngest, not “true” juveniles, were most likely to be diverted or placed on probation. By contrast, among formally processed youth, “true” juveniles were most likely to receive traditional juvenile court responses, such as diversion or probation.
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Date Issued: 2014-05-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1460380390, 10.1111/1745-9125.12034
Format: Citation

Title: U.S. Supreme Court Decisions and Sex Offender Legislation: Evidence of Evidence-Based Policy.
Creator: Mancini, Christina, Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: In the past two decades, the Federal government and states have enacted a wide range of new laws that target sex offenders. A series of U.S. Supreme Court cases has addressed the constitutionality of such legislation and in so doing contributed to the current policy landscape. The Court’s influence is noteworthy in part because of the calls during this same time period for evidence-based policy. Does the influence, however, reflect not only the legal considerations that necessarily attend to...
Show moreIn the past two decades, the Federal government and states have enacted a wide range of new laws that target sex offenders. A series of U.S. Supreme Court cases has addressed the constitutionality of such legislation and in so doing contributed to the current policy landscape. The Court’s influence is noteworthy in part because of the calls during this same time period for evidence-based policy. Does the influence, however, reflect not only the legal considerations that necessarily attend to these cases but also an accurate and balanced assessment of social science theory and research? We address this question by examining Supreme Court cases from 1991 to 2011 involving sex crime laws. The findings indicate the Court demonstrates an awareness of scientific research by referencing it in almost all decisions involving sex offender legislation, yet the Court frequently overstates or misinterprets empirical findings. Implications for research and policy are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2013-12-04
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1461855865
Format: Citation

Title: Vulnerable Victims, Monstrous Offenders, and Unmanageable Risk: Explaining Public Opinion on the Social Control of Sex Crime.
Creator: Pickett, Justin T., Mancini, Christina, Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: With the possible exception of terrorists, sex offenders in the United States experience a greater degree of punishment and restriction than any other offender group, nonviolent or violent. Members of the public overwhelmingly support “get tough” sex crime policies and display an intense hostility toward persons labeled “sex criminals.” The theoretical literature has identified three models potentially explaining public opinion on the social control of sex crime: the victim-oriented concerns...
Show moreWith the possible exception of terrorists, sex offenders in the United States experience a greater degree of punishment and restriction than any other offender group, nonviolent or violent. Members of the public overwhelmingly support “get tough” sex crime policies and display an intense hostility toward persons labeled “sex criminals.” The theoretical literature has identified three models potentially explaining public opinion on the social control of sex crime: the victim-oriented concerns model, the sex offender stereotypes model, and the risk-management concerns model. However, empirical work that directly tests these models is absent. This article addresses that gap by analyzing national survey data that includes measures of the key concepts outlined in the different theoretical models and items gauging support for punitive sex crime laws as well as support for sex offender treatment. The findings provide partial support for all three models but suggest that extant theories can better explain support for punitive sex crime policies than views about sex offender treatment.
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Date Issued: 2013-08-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1461873170, 10.1111/1745-9125.12018
Format: Citation

Title: Young Adult Outcomes and the Life-Course Penalties of Parental Incarceration.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Siennick, Sonja E.
Abstract/Description: Objectives: The transition to adulthood can be challenging, especially for children of incarcerated parents. Drawing on reentry and life-course scholarship, we argue that parental incarceration may adversely affect multiple life outcomes for children as they progress from adolescence into adulthood and that such effects may persist from early young adulthood into late young adulthood. Methods: The study uses propensity score matching analyses of National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent...
Show moreObjectives: The transition to adulthood can be challenging, especially for children of incarcerated parents. Drawing on reentry and life-course scholarship, we argue that parental incarceration may adversely affect multiple life outcomes for children as they progress from adolescence into adulthood and that such effects may persist from early young adulthood into late young adulthood. Methods: The study uses propensity score matching analyses of National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data (N = 12,844). Results: Analyses identified harmful effects of parental incarceration on many life domains, including criminal behavior, mental health, illegal drug use, education, earnings, and intimate relationships. These effects typically surfaced by early young adulthood and continued into late young adulthood. Conclusions: The results suggest that parental incarceration constitutes a significant turning point in the lives of young people and underscore the importance of life-course perspectives for understanding incarceration effects. They also illustrate that formal punishment policies may create harms that potentially offset intended benefit
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Date Issued: 2016-02-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1459443417, 10.1177/0022427815592452
Format: Citation

Title: Practitioner Views of Priorities, Policies, and Practices in Juvenile Justice.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Shollenberger, Tracey L., Willison, Janeen B., Owens, Colleen E., Butts, Jeffrey A.
Abstract/Description: Dramatic changes in juvenile justice have occurred in recent decades. One result has been the emergence of new policies and practices, many of which remain largely unexamined. One avenue for gaining insight into whether such policies and practices are needed or effective, as well as into how the juvenile justice system might be improved, is to tap into the perceptions of people who work within this system. Drawing on a national survey of juvenile court practitioners, the authors investigate...
Show moreDramatic changes in juvenile justice have occurred in recent decades. One result has been the emergence of new policies and practices, many of which remain largely unexamined. One avenue for gaining insight into whether such policies and practices are needed or effective, as well as into how the juvenile justice system might be improved, is to tap into the perceptions of people who work within this system. Drawing on a national survey of juvenile court practitioners, the authors investigate key questions about the effectiveness of juvenile justice and discuss the implications of the study’s findings for research, policy, and practice.
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Date Issued: 2010-08-26
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1464278925, 10.1177/0011128708324664
Format: Citation

Title: Prison Visitation and Recidivism.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Cochran, Joshua C., Siennick, Sonja E., Bales, William D.
Abstract/Description: Scholars and policymakers have called for greater attention to understanding the causes of and solutions to improved prisoner reentry outcomes, resulting in renewed attention to a factor—prison visitation—long believed to reduce recidivism. However, despite the theoretical arguments advanced on its behalf and increased calls for evidence-based policy, there remains little credible empirical research on whether a beneficial relationship between visitation and recidivism in fact exists. Against...
Show moreScholars and policymakers have called for greater attention to understanding the causes of and solutions to improved prisoner reentry outcomes, resulting in renewed attention to a factor—prison visitation—long believed to reduce recidivism. However, despite the theoretical arguments advanced on its behalf and increased calls for evidence-based policy, there remains little credible empirical research on whether a beneficial relationship between visitation and recidivism in fact exists. Against that backdrop, this study employs propensity score matching analyses to examine whether visitation of various types and in varying amounts, or “doses,” is in fact negatively associated with recidivism outcomes among a cohort of released prisoners. The analyses suggest that visitation has a small to modest effect in reducing recidivism of all types, especially property offending, and that the effects may be most pronounced for spouse or significant other visitation. We discuss the implications of the findings for research and policy.
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Date Issued: 2012-12-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1461944713, 10.1080/07418825.2011.583932
Format: Citation

Title: Prisoner Reentry, Employment, Signaling, and the Better Identification of Desisters: Introduction to the Special Issue.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Mestre, Julie
Date Issued: 2012-02-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1461945251, 10.1111/j.1745-9133.2012.00784.x
Format: Citation

Title: Prison-Based Programming: Why It’s Needed and What It Can Do.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Lawrence, Sarah, Soloman, Amy L., Waul, Michelle
Date Issued: 2002-01-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1461241862
Format: Citation

Title: The Prison Experience: Introduction to the Special Issue.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P.
Date Issued: 2012-09-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1461942019, 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2012.05.006
Format: Citation

Title: Public (Mis)Understanding of Crime Policy: The Effects of Criminal Justice Experience and Media Reliance.
Creator: Pickett, Justin T., Mancini, Christina, Mears, Daniel P., Gertz, Marc
Abstract/Description: Scholars attribute the public’s low level of knowledge about sentencing and corrections to its lack of extensive criminal justice experience and consequent reliance on the media for justice-related information. However, scant research exists that evaluates how criminal justice experience affects media consumption, or how such consumption may influence knowledge about sentencing laws or the extent of imprisonment. To extend this literature, we develop and test three hypotheses about the...
Show moreScholars attribute the public’s low level of knowledge about sentencing and corrections to its lack of extensive criminal justice experience and consequent reliance on the media for justice-related information. However, scant research exists that evaluates how criminal justice experience affects media consumption, or how such consumption may influence knowledge about sentencing laws or the extent of imprisonment. To extend this literature, we develop and test three hypotheses about the relationships between prior criminal justice experience, reliance on the mass media for information about crime and justice, and knowledge about criminal punishment. Analysis of data from a random telephone survey of 1,308 adult Floridians reveals that individuals with prior criminal justice experience are less likely to rely on the media for crime-related information. The evidence also shows that media reliance is associated with lower levels of knowledge about criminal punishment, and that this effect is particularly strong for female respondents.
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Date Issued: 2015-06-25
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1459521915, 10.1177/0887403414526228
Format: Citation

Title: Self-Control Theory and Nonlinear Effects on Offending.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Cochran, Joshua C., Beaver, Kevin M.
Abstract/Description: Objectives This paper examines Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (A general theory of crime. Stanford University Press, Stanford, 1990) self-control theory and develops theoretical arguments for why self-control may have a differential effect on offending depending on the level of self-control. Methods We test the argument that the association between self-control and violent offending (n = 5,681) and non-violent offending (5,672) is nonlinear by using generalized propensity score analyses of data...
Show moreObjectives This paper examines Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (A general theory of crime. Stanford University Press, Stanford, 1990) self-control theory and develops theoretical arguments for why self-control may have a differential effect on offending depending on the level of self-control. Methods We test the argument that the association between self-control and violent offending (n = 5,681) and non-violent offending (5,672) is nonlinear by using generalized propensity score analyses of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Results The results indicate that self-control and offending are nonlinearly related in a manner that involves two thresholds. Specifically, among individuals at the high end of the self-control spectrum, there was little evidence of an association between variation in self-control and offending. However, among individuals in the middle part of the self-control spectrum, a positive association obtained—that is, the greater the level of low self-control, the greater the likelihood of offending. Finally, among individuals at the low end of the self-control spectrum, there was, once again, little evidence of an association. Conclusions A nonlinear association between self-control and offending may exist and have implications for self-control theory and tests of it. Studies are needed to investigate further the possibility of a nonlinear association and to test empirically the mechanisms that give rise to it.
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Date Issued: 2013-09-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1460485157, 10.1007/s10940-012-9187-5
Format: Citation

Title: Security at the Expense of Liberty: A Test of Predictions Deriving From the Culture of Control Thesi.
Creator: Pickett, Justin T., Mears, Daniel P., Stewart, Eric A., Gertz, Marc
Abstract/Description: In The Culture of Control: Crime and Social Order in Contemporary Society, David Garland linked contemporary crime control policies and welfare reforms to a cultural formation that he termed the “crime complex of late modernity.” According to Garland, once established, the crime complex exerts a contemporaneous effect on public views about both criminal justice and the welfare state, increasing popular support for security measures as well as more restrictive public assistance policies....
Show moreIn The Culture of Control: Crime and Social Order in Contemporary Society, David Garland linked contemporary crime control policies and welfare reforms to a cultural formation that he termed the “crime complex of late modernity.” According to Garland, once established, the crime complex exerts a contemporaneous effect on public views about both criminal justice and the welfare state, increasing popular support for security measures as well as more restrictive public assistance policies. Although Garland’s thesis has featured prominently in scholarship on crime and punishment, few empirical studies have tested the specific predictions that underlie his arguments. To address this research gap, this study uses public opinion data to assess the extent to which key dimensions of the crime complex are associated with public views about criminal justice policies and welfare reforms that emphasize security and control. The results support several of the theoretical underpinnings of Garland’s thesis. The authors discuss the implications of the findings for theory, research, and policy.
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Date Issued: 2013-02-25
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1461874016, 10.1177/0011128712461612
Format: Citation

Title: Social Isolation and Inmate Behavior: A Conceptual Framework for Theorizing Prison Visitation and Guiding and Assessing Research.
Creator: Cochran, Joshua C., Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: Purpose Scholarship suggests that prison visitation is important because it allows inmates access to social ties that, in turn, can offset social isolation and help inmates cope with the transition back into society upon release. Only a small number of empirical assessments of visitation exist, however, and existing studies have typically overlooked how the heterogeneity inherent in visitation may influence whether visitation is beneficial, harmful, or has no effect. The goal of this paper is...
Show morePurpose Scholarship suggests that prison visitation is important because it allows inmates access to social ties that, in turn, can offset social isolation and help inmates cope with the transition back into society upon release. Only a small number of empirical assessments of visitation exist, however, and existing studies have typically overlooked how the heterogeneity inherent in visitation may influence whether visitation is beneficial, harmful, or has no effect. The goal of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework for theorizing this heterogeneity and its impacts, evaluating visitation research, and guiding future research aimed at estimating visitation effects. Methods The paper reviews theory and research on inmate visitation. In so doing, it systematically examines heterogeneity in visitation and the implications of this heterogeneity. Results The paper identifies five dimensions—visitation timing, longitudinal patterns in visitation, visitor type, visitation experiences, and inmate characteristics—that can be used to characterize visitation events or patterns that, themselves, may have varied effects on in-prison outcomes and reentry outcomes. Conclusions More nuanced theories of, and empirical research on, inmate visitation are needed both to understand better the implications of visitation, and inmate social ties more broadly, and to advance theory, research, and policy.
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Date Issued: 2013-07-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1460487632, 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2013.05.001
Format: Citation

Title: The Sociology of Sentencing: Reconceptualizing Decisionmaking Processes and Outcomes.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: Research on juvenile and adult sentencing has been characterized by theoretical, methodological, and empirical limitations that preclude adequate description, prediction, or assessment of decision making processes and outcomes. Five limitations are prominent: emphasis upon atheoretical, empirical attempts, generally unsuccessful, to increase predictive accuracy; limited conceptualizations of dependent variables (e.g., incarceration versus non-incarceration); overreliance upon individual,...
Show moreResearch on juvenile and adult sentencing has been characterized by theoretical, methodological, and empirical limitations that preclude adequate description, prediction, or assessment of decision making processes and outcomes. Five limitations are prominent: emphasis upon atheoretical, empirical attempts, generally unsuccessful, to increase predictive accuracy; limited conceptualizations of dependent variables (e.g., incarceration versus non-incarceration); overreliance upon individual, offender-level data with minimal reference to victims, practitioners, or contextual factors; failure to incorporate analytically multiple research methods; and inattention to intended and unintended uses and effects of sentencing. These limitations can be highlighted by focusing on a context, juvenile justice, in which the goals of sentencing are varied, conflicting, and, due to recent reforms, changing. Using interview and survey data, the present research examines juvenile sentencing reform in Texas to highlight these limitations and to outline an analytical framework for improved description, modeling, and assessment of sentencing.
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Date Issued: 1998
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1460062236
Format: Citation

Title: Sentencing and State-Level Racial and Ethnic Contexts.
Creator: Wang, Xia, Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: Sentencing studies have incorporated social context in studying sentencing decisions, but to date the bulk of prior work has focused almost exclusively on county context. An unresolved question is whether there also may be state-level effects on sentencing. Drawing from the minority threat perspective, we examine (1) whether state-level racial and ethnic contexts affect sentencing, (2) whether this effect amplifies the effect of county-level racial and ethnic contexts on sentencing, and (3)...
Show moreSentencing studies have incorporated social context in studying sentencing decisions, but to date the bulk of prior work has focused almost exclusively on county context. An unresolved question is whether there also may be state-level effects on sentencing. Drawing from the minority threat perspective, we examine (1) whether state-level racial and ethnic contexts affect sentencing, (2) whether this effect amplifies the effect of county-level racial and ethnic contexts on sentencing, and (3) whether the interaction of county-level and state-level contextual effects is greater for minorities than for whites. Analysis of State Court Processing Statistics and other data indicates that state-level racial and ethnic contexts are associated with sentencing outcomes and that this effect may differ by outcome (e.g., incarceration versus sentence length) and by type of context (e.g., racial or ethnic). The study's findings and their implications are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2015-12-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1459518881, 10.1111/lasr.12164
Format: Citation

Title: Sentencing Guidelines and the Transformation of Juvenile Justice in the Twenty-First Century.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: As we enter the 21st century, many States have introduced fundamental changes to their juvenile justice systems. The changes focus on jurisdictional authority, especially transfer to adult court; sentencing guidelines and options; correctional programming; inter-agency information-sharing; offender confidentiality; and victim involvement. At the same time, attention has turned increasingly to prevention, early intervention, rehabilitation, and the use of specialized courts. Because of their...
Show moreAs we enter the 21st century, many States have introduced fundamental changes to their juvenile justice systems. The changes focus on jurisdictional authority, especially transfer to adult court; sentencing guidelines and options; correctional programming; inter-agency information-sharing; offender confidentiality; and victim involvement. At the same time, attention has turned increasingly to prevention, early intervention, rehabilitation, and the use of specialized courts. Because of their special significance in the historical context of the juvenile court, this paper focuses on the emergence of sentencing guidelines to identify underlying trends and issues in the transformation of juvenile justice. In so doing, the paper argues that the considerable attention given by policymakers and researchers to transfer rather than other changes provides a distorted picture of current juvenile justice practice.
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Date Issued: 2002-01-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1461167509, 10.1177/1541204003001003003
Format: Citation

Title: Sex Offender Residence Restriction Laws: Parental Perceptions and Public Policy.
Creator: Mancini, Christina, Shields, Ryan T., Mears, Daniel P., Beaver, Kevin M.
Abstract/Description: Despite a steady decline in sex crime over the past twenty years, new laws, such as residence restrictions, targeting such crime have proliferated. Some scholars have argued that public concern about sexual offending against young children has served as a catalyst for the emergence of these laws. Few studies, however, have empirically tested this claim. To address this gap and to contribute to scholarship on public opinion about crime and justice, this research tests a central implication...
Show moreDespite a steady decline in sex crime over the past twenty years, new laws, such as residence restrictions, targeting such crime have proliferated. Some scholars have argued that public concern about sexual offending against young children has served as a catalyst for the emergence of these laws. Few studies, however, have empirically tested this claim. To address this gap and to contribute to scholarship on public opinion about crime and justice, this research tests a central implication flowing from prior work—namely, the notion that people with children will be more likely to endorse increased restrictions on where sex offenders can live. Analyses of public opinion data from a 2006 poll of Florida residents suggest that parents are indeed significantly more likely to support such restrictions. Implications of the study for research and policy are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2010-09-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1464280597, 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2010.07.004
Format: Citation

Title: Sex Offenders—America's New Witches?: A Theoretical Analysis of the Emergence of Sex Crime Laws.
Creator: Mancini, Christina, Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: During the 1990s, the United States enacted several punitive sex crime laws. Contemporary scholarship suggests this shift can be understood as a modern “witch hunt.” However, theoretical accounts have yet to examine systematically the emergence of such legislation. This study applies two theories—the first by Erikson and the second by Jensen—to assess whether they accord with known facts about the proliferation of these laws. Broad support for the theories as accounts for the punitive trend...
Show moreDuring the 1990s, the United States enacted several punitive sex crime laws. Contemporary scholarship suggests this shift can be understood as a modern “witch hunt.” However, theoretical accounts have yet to examine systematically the emergence of such legislation. This study applies two theories—the first by Erikson and the second by Jensen—to assess whether they accord with known facts about the proliferation of these laws. Broad support for the theories as accounts for the punitive trend in sex crime legislation exists, but the inclusion of information dissemination as an additional factor would strengthen these accounts. Implications are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2016-02-19
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1459446621, 10.1080/01639625.2015.1060084
Format: Citation

Title: Whites’ Concern about Crime: The Effects of Interracial Contact.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Mancini, Christina, Stewart, Eric A.
Abstract/Description: In recent decades, crime has emerged as a prominent policy focus nationally. Accordingly, a large literature on public views about crime has developed, one strand of which highlights the racialization of crime as a factor central to public opinion and policy discourse. Drawing on this work and studies on the effects of interracial contact, the authors seek to advance theory and research on public opinion about crime.To this end, they draw on data from an ABC News and Washington Post poll to...
Show moreIn recent decades, crime has emerged as a prominent policy focus nationally. Accordingly, a large literature on public views about crime has developed, one strand of which highlights the racialization of crime as a factor central to public opinion and policy discourse. Drawing on this work and studies on the effects of interracial contact, the authors seek to advance theory and research on public opinion about crime.To this end, they draw on data from an ABC News and Washington Post poll to test competing hypotheses about the effects of interracial friendship among Whites on concern about local and national crime. The results suggest that interracial contact increases concern about crime among urban Whites.The authors discuss the implications of these findings for theory, research, and policy.
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Date Issued: 2009-11-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1464882407, 10.1177/0022427809341944
Format: Citation

Title: Who Gets Visited In Prison? Individual- And Community-level Disparities In Inmate Visitation Experiences.
Creator: Cochran, Joshua C., Mears, Daniel P., Bales, William D.
Abstract/Description: Scholarship has shown that visitation helps individuals maintain social ties during imprisonment, which, in turn, can improve inmate behavior and reduce recidivism. Not being visited can result in collateral consequences and inequality in punishment. Few studies, however, have explored the factors associated with visitation. This study uses data on Florida inmates to identify individual-and community-level factors that may affect visitation. Consistent with expectations derived from prior...
Show moreScholarship has shown that visitation helps individuals maintain social ties during imprisonment, which, in turn, can improve inmate behavior and reduce recidivism. Not being visited can result in collateral consequences and inequality in punishment. Few studies, however, have explored the factors associated with visitation. This study uses data on Florida inmates to identify individual-and community-level factors that may affect visitation. Consistent with expectations derived from prior theory and research, the study finds that inmates who are older, Black, and who have been incarcerated more frequently experience less visitation. In addition, inmates who come from areas with higher incarceration rates and higher levels of social altruism experience more visits. Unexpectedly, however, sentence length and economic disadvantage are not associated with visitation. Implications of these findings are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2017-05
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_wos_000401088400002, 10.1177/0011128714542503
Format: Citation

Title: Whites’ Perceptions about Black Criminality: A Closer Look at the Contact Hypothesis.
Creator: Mancini, Christina, Mears, Daniel P., Stewart, Eric A., Beaver, Kevin M., Pickett, Justin T.
Abstract/Description: Scholars have documented how media accounts and policy discourse have presented Blacks and criminality as virtually synonymous, a phenomenon termed the racialization of crime. However, despite extant research on the contact hypothesis—which holds that relationships with members of other groups should reduce stereotypes—no studies have examined whether different indicators of interracial contact (IC) affect Whites’ perceptions of Black criminality; by extension, no research speaks to whether...
Show moreScholars have documented how media accounts and policy discourse have presented Blacks and criminality as virtually synonymous, a phenomenon termed the racialization of crime. However, despite extant research on the contact hypothesis—which holds that relationships with members of other groups should reduce stereotypes—no studies have examined whether different indicators of interracial contact (IC) affect Whites’ perceptions of Black criminality; by extension, no research speaks to whether IC effects are contingent on types of racialized views, or whether the amount of IC impacts perceptions. To advance scholarship, this study uses survey data to analyze the extent to which each type of IC is associated with Whites’ views of Black criminality. It then examines whether IC differentially predicts beliefs in crime versus non-crime-related stereotypes. Finally, it assesses whether the amount of IC influences stereotype endorsement. Consistent with the contact hypothesis, results indicate a generalized stereotype-reducing impact of IC, with some caveats.
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Date Issued: 2015-08-17
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1459951674, 10.1177/0011128712461900
Format: Citation

Title: Validating Population Estimates For Harmonized Census Tract Data, 2000-2010.
Creator: Logan, John R., Stults, Brian J., Xu, Zengwang
Abstract/Description: Social scientists regularly rely on population estimates when studying change in small areas over time. Census tract data in the United States are a prime example, as there are substantial shifts in tract boundaries from decade to decade. This study compares alternative estimates of the 2000 population living within 2010 tract boundaries to the Census Bureau's own retabulation. All methods of estimation are subject to error; this is the first study to directly quantify the error in...
Show moreSocial scientists regularly rely on population estimates when studying change in small areas over time. Census tract data in the United States are a prime example, as there are substantial shifts in tract boundaries from decade to decade. This study compares alternative estimates of the 2000 population living within 2010 tract boundaries to the Census Bureau's own retabulation. All methods of estimation are subject to error; this is the first study to directly quantify the error in alternative interpolation methods for U.S. census tracts. A simple areal weighting method closely approximates the estimates provided by one standard source (the Neighborhood Change Data Base), with some improvement provided by considering only area not covered by water. More information is used by the Longitudinal Tract Data Base (LTDB), which relies on a combination of areal and population interpolation as well as ancillary data about water-covered areas. Another set of estimates provided by the National Historical Geographic Information Systems (NHGIS) uses data about land cover in 2001 and the current road network and distribution of population and housing units at the block level. Areal weighting alone results in a large error in a substantial share of tracts that were divided in complex ways. The LTDB and NHGIS perform much better in all situations but are subject to some error when boundaries of both tracts and their component blocks are redrawn. Users of harmonized tract data should be watchful for potential problems in either of these data sources.
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Date Issued: 2016-09
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_wos_000382326900003, 10.1080/24694452.2016.1187060
Format: Citation

Title: What is the effect of IQ on offending?.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Cochran, Joshua C.
Abstract/Description: The aim of this study is to advance scholarship on the IQ–offending relationship by examining the functional form of this relationship and whether confounding introduced by socioeconomic status (SES) and other factors can be adequately addressed. Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth are analyzed using generalized propensity score and propensity score matching analyses. The results suggest that the relationship is curvilinear, such that lower and higher levels of IQ are...
Show moreThe aim of this study is to advance scholarship on the IQ–offending relationship by examining the functional form of this relationship and whether confounding introduced by socioeconomic status (SES) and other factors can be adequately addressed. Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth are analyzed using generalized propensity score and propensity score matching analyses. The results suggest that the relationship is curvilinear, such that lower and higher levels of IQ are associated with lower levels of offending. They also indicate that the distribution of confounders, especially SES, may limit the ability of statistical approaches to arrive at unbiased estimates of IQ effects.
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Date Issued: 2013-10-03
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1460484609, 10.1177/0093854813485736
Format: Citation

Title: Unpacking the relationship between age and prison misconduct.
Creator: Valentine, Colby L., Mears, Daniel P., Bales, William D.
Abstract/Description: Purpose Age constitutes one of the most robust correlates of prison misconduct—younger inmates are more likely to commit infractions. Minimal theoretical or empirical attention, however, has been given to the potential nonlinear effect of age on misconduct. The current study examines the age-misconduct relationship and how it may vary by timing of misconduct after admission and by type of infraction. The paper also assesses the utility of different nonlinear transformations to estimate the...
Show morePurpose Age constitutes one of the most robust correlates of prison misconduct—younger inmates are more likely to commit infractions. Minimal theoretical or empirical attention, however, has been given to the potential nonlinear effect of age on misconduct. The current study examines the age-misconduct relationship and how it may vary by timing of misconduct after admission and by type of infraction. The paper also assesses the utility of different nonlinear transformations to estimate the age-misconduct relationship. Methods The study examines 137,552 offenders admitted to state prison in Florida from 1995 to 2000 and uses negative binomial regression to assess the relationship between age and misconduct. Results Analyses indicate that the youngest inmates, especially those age 24 and under, are substantially more likely to engage in misconduct, that this relationship is more pronounced during the initial months of incarceration, and that it holds regardless of type of offense. Conclusions The youngest inmates appear to be especially likely to engage in misconduct. Nonlinear specifications of the age-misconduct relationship should be employed in future research. Studies are needed to explain why misconduct is disproportionately higher among young inmates. Policies are needed that effectively reduce misconduct among this population.
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Date Issued: 2015-09-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1459520787, 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2015.05.001
Format: Citation

Title: To Execute or Not to Execute?: Examining Public Support for Capital Punishment of Sex Offenders.
Creator: Mancini, Christina, Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: In the 1990s, states enacted a plethora of new “get tough” laws targeting sex crime. These included extending the death penalty—a punishment typically reserved for murderers—to convicted sex offenders. Little attention, however, has been given to explaining why these tougher responses emerged and, in particular, whether the public supported extending the use of the death penalty to sex offenders. The goal of this paper was to examine whether public perceptions about executing sex offenders...
Show moreIn the 1990s, states enacted a plethora of new “get tough” laws targeting sex crime. These included extending the death penalty—a punishment typically reserved for murderers—to convicted sex offenders. Little attention, however, has been given to explaining why these tougher responses emerged and, in particular, whether the public supported extending the use of the death penalty to sex offenders. The goal of this paper was to examine whether public perceptions about executing sex offenders accorded with the punitive shift in policy and, more broadly, to contribute to scholarship on the death penalty. To this end, this paper examined data from a 1991 national public opinion poll, conducted just prior to the punitive shift in sex crime policies. The study found that views about executing sex offenders depended heavily on whether the victim was a child, that support for executing sex offenders was substantially lower than for executing murderers, and that few social and demographic divides differentially predicted support for executing sex offenders versus murderers. Implications of the study are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2010-09-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1464279945, 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2010.06.013
Format: Citation

Title: Internalizing Symptoms, Peer Substance Use, and Substance Use Initiation.
Creator: Siennick, Sonja E, Widdowson, Alex O, Woessner, Mathew, Feinberg, Mark E
Abstract/Description: This study used longitudinal survey and social network data covering sixth through ninth grades to test whether internalizing symptoms make early adolescents more prone to (1) exposure to and (2) influence by substance-using peers. Random effects regressions revealed that increases in symptoms were significantly associated with increases in the proportion of friends who used cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana; some associations weakened across grades. Event history models revealed that the...
Show moreThis study used longitudinal survey and social network data covering sixth through ninth grades to test whether internalizing symptoms make early adolescents more prone to (1) exposure to and (2) influence by substance-using peers. Random effects regressions revealed that increases in symptoms were significantly associated with increases in the proportion of friends who used cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana; some associations weakened across grades. Event history models revealed that the effect of friends' smoking on smoking initiation decreased as internalizing symptoms increased; symptoms did not moderate the effects of friends' alcohol and marijuana use on alcohol and marijuana use initiation. These findings counter the influence hypothesis of the co-occurrence of internalizing symptoms with substance use and partly support the exposure hypothesis.
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Date Issued: 2016-12-01
Identifier: FSU_pmch_28070153, 10.1111/jora.12215, PMC5215896, 28070153, 28070153
Format: Citation

Title: The Development of Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence: An Examination of Key Correlates Among a Sample of Young Adults..
Creator: Copp, Jennifer E, Giordano, Peggy C, Longmore, Monica A, Manning, Wendy D
Abstract/Description: Social learning theory remains one of the leading explanations of intimate partner violence (IPV). Research on attitudes toward IPV represents a logical extension of the social learning tradition, as it is intuitive to expect that individuals exposed to violence in the family of origin may internalize behavioral scripts for violence and adopt attitudes accepting of IPV. Yet despite this assumed link between family violence and attitudes toward IPV, few studies have empirically examined...
Show moreSocial learning theory remains one of the leading explanations of intimate partner violence (IPV). Research on attitudes toward IPV represents a logical extension of the social learning tradition, as it is intuitive to expect that individuals exposed to violence in the family of origin may internalize behavioral scripts for violence and adopt attitudes accepting of IPV. Yet despite this assumed link between family violence and attitudes toward IPV, few studies have empirically examined factors associated with the development of such attitudes. Using data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationship Study (TARS), we examine the role of family violence on the adoption of attitudes accepting of IPV among a sample of young adults (n = 928). The current investigation contributes to existing literature on attitudes toward IPV by (a) providing an empirical examination of factors associated with attitudes toward IPV in predictive models; (b) relying on a multifaceted index, describing specific conditions under which IPV may be deemed justifiable; (c) examining extra-familial factors, in addition to family violence exposure, to provide a more comprehensive account of factors associated with attitudes toward IPV; and (d) focusing particular attention on the role of gender, including whether the factors associated with attitudinal acceptance of IPV are similar for men and women. Findings indicated considerable variation in overall endorsement of attitudes regarding the use of violence across conditions, with greater endorsement among women. Consistent with social learning approaches to IPV, exposure to violence in the family of origin was associated with attitudes toward IPV. Yet findings also signaled the salience of factors beyond the family, including a range of sociodemographic, relationship, and adult status characteristics. We discuss the relevance of our findings for future theorizing and research in the area of attitudes toward IPV.
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Date Issued: 2016-05-25
Identifier: FSU_pmch_27229921, 10.1177/0886260516651311, PMC5123960, 27229921, 27229921, 0886260516651311
Format: Citation

Title: Does a Rising Tide Lift All Boats?: Labor Market Changes and Their Effects on the Recidivism of Released Prisoners..
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Wang, Xia, Bales, William D.
Abstract/Description: The dramatic growth in incarceration nationally has increased attention to the factors that influence recidivism among ex-prisoners. Accordingly, scholars have called for research that identifies factors, such as employment opportunities, that may influence reentry experiences. Few studies, however, have examined how changes in labor market conditions affect ex-prisoner offending. Drawing on prior scholarship, this study examines the effect of such changes on the recidivism of ex-prisoners...
Show moreThe dramatic growth in incarceration nationally has increased attention to the factors that influence recidivism among ex-prisoners. Accordingly, scholars have called for research that identifies factors, such as employment opportunities, that may influence reentry experiences. Few studies, however, have examined how changes in labor market conditions affect ex-prisoner offending. Drawing on prior scholarship, this study examines the effect of such changes on the recidivism of ex-prisoners and, in particular, how the recidivism among blacks and whites may be differentially affected by changes in labor market conditions in the areas to which they return. The analyses indicate that, among black male ex-prisoners, labor market declines increase violent recidivism. They also indicate that, among white male ex-prisoners, the effects are more tenuous, influence only property recidivism, and are moderated by prior labor market conditions and criminal history. Implications of the study are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2012-05-16
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1460381180, 10.1080/07418825.2012.677466
Format: Citation

Title: Does Inmate Behavior Affect Post-Release Offending?: Investigating the Misconduct-Recidivism Relationship among Youth and Adults..
Creator: Cochran, Joshua C., Mears, Daniel P., Bales, William D., Stewart, Eric. A.
Abstract/Description: Recent scholarship has highlighted the potential implications of in-prison experiences for prisoner reentry and, in particular, recidivism. Few penological or reentry studies, however, have examined the relationship between one experience that may be especially consequential, inmate misconduct, and recidivism. The goal of this study is to address this gap in the literature by employing a matching design that estimates the effect of inmate misconduct on reoffending, using data on a release...
Show moreRecent scholarship has highlighted the potential implications of in-prison experiences for prisoner reentry and, in particular, recidivism. Few penological or reentry studies, however, have examined the relationship between one experience that may be especially consequential, inmate misconduct, and recidivism. The goal of this study is to address this gap in the literature by employing a matching design that estimates the effect of inmate misconduct on reoffending, using data on a release cohort of Florida prisoners. The results indicate that inmates who engage in misconduct, violent misconduct in particular, are more likely to recidivate. Consistent with prior scholarship, we find that this relationship holds only for adult inmates. These findings underscore the importance of prison experiences for understanding recidivism, examining youthful and adult inmate populations separately, and devising policies that reduce misconduct.
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Date Issued: 2014-01-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1460383468, 10.1080/07418825.2012.736526
Format: Citation

Title: Determinants of Chicago Neighborhood Homicide Trajectories: 1965-1995.
Creator: Stults, Brian
Abstract/Description: The homicide rate in Chicago nearly tripled between 1965 and 1992, and subsequently declined by more than 50% through 2005. But is this trend representative of all areas in the city? Drawing on the social disorganization and concentrated disadvantage perspectives, this paper uses semi-parametric group-based trajectory modeling to examine homicide trajectories in Chicago neighborhoods from 1965-1995. Significant variability is found in homicide trajectories across neighborhoods. Multivariate...
Show moreThe homicide rate in Chicago nearly tripled between 1965 and 1992, and subsequently declined by more than 50% through 2005. But is this trend representative of all areas in the city? Drawing on the social disorganization and concentrated disadvantage perspectives, this paper uses semi-parametric group-based trajectory modeling to examine homicide trajectories in Chicago neighborhoods from 1965-1995. Significant variability is found in homicide trajectories across neighborhoods. Multivariate results show that disadvantage increases the likelihood of having an increasing or persistently high homicide trajectory. Social disorganization and family disruption are also predictive of variation in homicide trajectories, but only in communities with already low levels of homicide. Other theoretically relevant predictors are evaluated, and suggestions for theoretical refinement and future research are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_crim_faculty_publications-0001, 10.1177/1088767910371173
Format: Citation

Title: A Critique of Waiver Research: Critical Next Steps in Assessing the Impacts of Laws for Transferring Juveniles to the Criminal Justice System.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: Of the many recent changes in juvenile justice, none are more prominent than waiver laws designed to more easily transfer young offenders to adult courts. These laws create more options to punish youth as if they were adults, leading some to question the need for a separate juvenile justice system. As yet, however, we have little systematic empirical basis for assessing the effectiveness of these laws. To help develop the foundation for such an assessment, this article examines the leading...
Show moreOf the many recent changes in juvenile justice, none are more prominent than waiver laws designed to more easily transfer young offenders to adult courts. These laws create more options to punish youth as if they were adults, leading some to question the need for a separate juvenile justice system. As yet, however, we have little systematic empirical basis for assessing the effectiveness of these laws. To help develop the foundation for such an assessment, this article examines the leading intended and unintended impacts identified by researchers. It then discusses critical research gaps that must be addressed if we are to develop a balanced and empirically informed assessment of the effectiveness of waiver.
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Date Issued: 2003-01-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1461348666, 10.1177/1541204002250876
Format: Citation

Title: Assessments and Intake Processes in Juvenile Justice Processing: Emerging Policy Considerations.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Kelly, William R.
Date Issued: 1999-10
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1460062498
Format: Citation

Title: The Effect of Interracial Contact on Whites’ Perceptions of Victimization Risk and Black Criminality.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Pickett, Justin, Golden, Kristin, Chiricos, Ted, Gertz, Marc
Abstract/Description: Objectives. This article examines two questions. First, does interracial contact increase or decrease Whites' perceptions of Blacks' criminality? Second, does it affect Whites' perceived victimization risk, and, if so, is the effect mediated by the perceived criminality of Blacks as compared to the perceived criminality of different racial and ethnic groups? Methods. Multivariate regression analyses of data from a national public opinion poll that included measures of perceived victimization...
Show moreObjectives. This article examines two questions. First, does interracial contact increase or decrease Whites' perceptions of Blacks' criminality? Second, does it affect Whites' perceived victimization risk, and, if so, is the effect mediated by the perceived criminality of Blacks as compared to the perceived criminality of different racial and ethnic groups? Methods. Multivariate regression analyses of data from a national public opinion poll that included measures of perceived victimization risk and the criminality of Whites and Latinos. Results. Interracial contact increases Whites' perceptions of the criminality of all racial and ethnic groups, not just Blacks. It also increases Whites' perceived risk of victimization, an effect that partially arises by increasing their perception of Whites and Latinos, and not just Blacks, as criminal. Conclusions. Although the identified effects may be due to Whites' stereotypes about Blacks, they are equally consistent with the notion that interracial contact may educate Whites about crime. Unfortunately, the present study could not investigate this possibility. Future research ideally will address this limitation, use additional measures of contact, and assess other explanations for any identified effects.
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Date Issued: 2013-05-06
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1460486253, 10.1177/0022427811431156
Format: Citation

Title: The Effect of Agency Scandal on Public Views Toward the Correctional System.
Creator: Christina, Mancini, Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: Evidence of a corrections agency scandal involving corruption can be expected to diminish public perceptions of agency effectiveness, especially in an era in which government accountability has featured prominently in national and state criminal justice policy discourse. However, relatively little scholarly attention has studied this idea. Using 2006 public opinion survey data collected prior to and after the highly publicized resignation of a corrections department director who was...
Show moreEvidence of a corrections agency scandal involving corruption can be expected to diminish public perceptions of agency effectiveness, especially in an era in which government accountability has featured prominently in national and state criminal justice policy discourse. However, relatively little scholarly attention has studied this idea. Using 2006 public opinion survey data collected prior to and after the highly publicized resignation of a corrections department director who was investigated for and subsequently convicted of graft and mismanagement, this study examines whether a prominent corrections agency scandal exerted an appreciable effect on how the public viewed the agency’s performance. Study findings suggest that the scandal had no effect on the public’s perception of the department’s performance. Implications of the study for research and policy are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2013-02-28
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1461854829, 10.1177/0734016812450026
Format: Citation

Title: Response Errors In Surveys Of Defensive Gun Use: A National Internet Survey Experiment.
Creator: Kleck, Gary
Abstract/Description: A national Internet survey of a probability sample of 5,550 U.S. adults was used to study possible sources of error in surveys of defensive gun use (DGU). Respondents (Rs) were randomly exposed to variant question wordings, question sequences, and combinations of questions. Rs were 70% more likely to report a victimization when they were instructed to report incidents involving offenders known to them, and 43% more likely to report a victimization if they were instructed to include incidents...
Show moreA national Internet survey of a probability sample of 5,550 U.S. adults was used to study possible sources of error in surveys of defensive gun use (DGU). Respondents (Rs) were randomly exposed to variant question wordings, question sequences, and combinations of questions. Rs were 70% more likely to report a victimization when they were instructed to report incidents involving offenders known to them, and 43% more likely to report a victimization if they were instructed to include incidents that resulted in no injury or property loss. Rs were 125% more likely to report DGUs if they were directly asked about DGU than if they were first asked about victimization experiences, then asked about DGU in connection with those experiences.
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Date Issued: 2018-08-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_wos_000438563300001, 10.1177/0011128718763138
Format: Citation

Title: Lynchings, Racial Threat, and Whites’ Punitive Views towards Blacks.
Creator: Stewart, Eric A., Mears, Daniel P., Warren, Patricia Y., Baumer, Eric P., Arnio, Ashley N.
Abstract/Description: Disparities in historical and contemporary punishment of Blacks have been well documented. Racial threat has been proffered as a theoretical explanation for this phenomenon. In an effort to understand the factors that inﬂuence punishment and racial divides in America, we draw on racial threat theory and prior scholarship to test three hypotheses. First, Black punitive sentiment among Whites will be greater among those who reside in areas where lynching was more common. Second, heightened...
Show moreDisparities in historical and contemporary punishment of Blacks have been well documented. Racial threat has been proffered as a theoretical explanation for this phenomenon. In an effort to understand the factors that inﬂuence punishment and racial divides in America, we draw on racial threat theory and prior scholarship to test three hypotheses. First, Black punitive sentiment among Whites will be greater among those who reside in areas where lynching was more common. Second, heightened Black punitive sentiment among Whites in areas with more pronounced legacies of lynch-ing will be partially mediated by Whites’ perceptions of Blacks’ criminality and of Black-on-White violence in these areas. Third, the impact of lynching on Black punitive sentiment will be ampliﬁed by Whites’ perceptions of Blacks as criminals and as threatening more generally. We ﬁnd partial support for these hypotheses. The results indicate that lynchings are associated with punitive sentiment toward Black offenders, and these relationships are partially mediated by perceptions of Blacks as criminals and as threats to Whites. In addition, the effects of lynchings on Black punitiveness are ampliﬁed among White respondents who view Blacks as a threat to Whites. These results highlight the salience of historical context for understanding contemporary views about punishment.
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Date Issued: 2018-03-25
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1548792411_6cf254af, 10.1111/1745-9125.12176
Format: Citation

Title: Faith-based efforts to improve prisoner reentry: Assessing the logic and evidence.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Roman, Caterina G., Wolff, Ashley, Buck, Janeen
Abstract/Description: Prisoner reentry constitutes one of the central criminal justice challenges confronting U.S. society. Coinciding with this emerging social problem has been increased policymaker interest in faith-based programs to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations, including released prisoners. Critical questions about the nature and effects of faith-based reentry programs remain largely unaddressed, however: (1) What is a “faith-based” program? (2) How does or could such a program reduce recidivism...
Show morePrisoner reentry constitutes one of the central criminal justice challenges confronting U.S. society. Coinciding with this emerging social problem has been increased policymaker interest in faith-based programs to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations, including released prisoners. Critical questions about the nature and effects of faith-based reentry programs remain largely unaddressed, however: (1) What is a “faith-based” program? (2) How does or could such a program reduce recidivism and improve other behavioral outcomes among released offenders? (3) What is the evidence concerning the impacts of faith-based reentry programs? (4) What are critical implementation issues that may affect the operations and impacts of such programs? This article examines each of these questions and identifies critical conceptual, theoretical, and research gaps in the literature. It highlights that the term “faith-based” is used inconsistently, that the precise causal relationship, if any, between various measures of faith and crime remains in question, and that few rigorous evaluations of faith-based reentry programs exist. It then discusses recommendations for improving knowledge and practice.
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Date Issued: 2006-07-10
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1548357875_50ae2157, 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2006.05.002
Format: Citation

Title: Wardens’ Views on the Wisdom of Supermax Prisons.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Castro, Jennifer L.
Abstract/Description: Super-maximum security prisons have proliferated nationally, reflecting a belief among policy makers and corrections officials that such high-cost housing is effective. Yet little is known about the precise goals of “supermax” prisons, whether these goals are achieved, what unintended effects supermaxes may have, and, more generally, whether they represent a wise investment. State correctional data systems do not readily allow for assessment of these issues. The authors of this study...
Show moreSuper-maximum security prisons have proliferated nationally, reflecting a belief among policy makers and corrections officials that such high-cost housing is effective. Yet little is known about the precise goals of “supermax” prisons, whether these goals are achieved, what unintended effects supermaxes may have, and, more generally, whether they represent a wise investment. State correctional data systems do not readily allow for assessment of these issues. The authors of this study therefore administered surveys to state prison wardens—a population uniquely situated to provide insight about supermaxes—to address existing gaps in knowledge and to inform research and policy debates. The authors discuss the study’s findings and implications.
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Date Issued: 2006-07-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1548355738_3508bd7c, 10.1177/0011128705279484
Format: Citation

Title: The theory and practice of supermax prisons.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Reisig, Michael D.
Abstract/Description: Over the last two decades, super-maximum custody (or ‘supermax’) prisons have become increasingly common throughout the American correctional landscape. Although these institutions can be justiﬁed using a variety of arguments (e.g. retribution), one of the most commonly used rationalizations is that they promote higher levels of prison order throughout the systems in which they are used. Because of the lack of direct empirical evidence to support this claim, we refer to this argument as the ...
Show moreOver the last two decades, super-maximum custody (or ‘supermax’) prisons have become increasingly common throughout the American correctional landscape. Although these institutions can be justiﬁed using a variety of arguments (e.g. retribution), one of the most commonly used rationalizations is that they promote higher levels of prison order throughout the systems in which they are used. Because of the lack of direct empirical evidence to support this claim, we refer to this argument as the ‘system-wide order’ conjecture. In this essay, we explore the different pathways through which supermax prisons may achieve system-wide order. Our analysis suggests that the conceptual foundation upon which the system-wide order conjecture rests is unstable, and that empirical research is needed to resolve debates about the merits of supermax prisons in contributing to order in prison systems. We conclude by identifying critical research gaps that must be addressed to better understand the effects of this high-cost correctional approach.
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Date Issued: 2006-01-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1548356716_a8222e22, 10.1177/1462474506059139
Format: Citation

Title: Exploring State-Level Variation in Juvenile Incarceration Rates: Symbolic Threats and Competing Explanations.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: Despite large-scale increases in juvenile incarceration rates nationally, rela-tively little attention has been given to explaining why some states invest more heavily than others in the long-term confinement of young offenders. This article explores four potential explanations. First, investment in juvenile incarceration may be greater where symbolic threats to social order are higher. Second, it may be greater in states where crime, especially juvenile violent crime, is more prevalent....
Show moreDespite large-scale increases in juvenile incarceration rates nationally, rela-tively little attention has been given to explaining why some states invest more heavily than others in the long-term confinement of young offenders. This article explores four potential explanations. First, investment in juvenile incarceration may be greater where symbolic threats to social order are higher. Second, it may be greater in states where crime, especially juvenile violent crime, is more prevalent. Third, juvenile incarceration practices may simply reflect those deemed suitable for adult offenders; thus, states with higher adult incarceration rates may incarcerate more juveniles. Finally, cul-tural acceptance of punitive policies, as in the South, may contribute to higher rates of juvenile incarceration. Using state-level data, the article focuses primarily on the first explanation and the extent to which the alter-natives can account for any observed symbolic threat effect. The study’s implications for policy and research are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2006-12-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1548358215_36653cb5, 10.1177/0032885506294237
Format: Citation

Title: Trends in Understanding and Addressing Domestic Violence.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Visher, Christy A.
Abstract/Description: This article is a response to three questions posed by the editor about past and future research on interpersonal violence by focusing in this essay on domestic violence: (a) What is the most important thing we have learned about this social problem in the last 20 years, (b) what is the most important thing we need to learn about it in the next 10 years, and (c) what is the most promising methodological innovation in the last 20 years for the study or treatment of domestic violence? This...
Show moreThis article is a response to three questions posed by the editor about past and future research on interpersonal violence by focusing in this essay on domestic violence: (a) What is the most important thing we have learned about this social problem in the last 20 years, (b) what is the most important thing we need to learn about it in the next 10 years, and (c) what is the most promising methodological innovation in the last 20 years for the study or treatment of domestic violence? This assessment suggests that the field has witnessed considerable advances in domestic violence research and pol-icy but that many as yet untapped opportunities exist to improve both knowledge and practice.
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Date Issued: 2005-02-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1548354583_094b116f, 10.1177/0886260504267739
Format: Citation

Title: Youth Development and Reentry.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Travis, Jeremy
Date Issued: 2004-01-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1548280672_48ff5bf0, 10.1177/1541204003260044
Format: Citation

Title: Immigration and Crime: What’s the Connection?.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: Throughout the past century, American citizens and policymakers have expressed concern about immigration and crime, and especially the nexus of the two. The concerns appear to be driven by sudden increases in immigration and crime or by political or economic events. Whatever the proximate cause, immigration and crime are viewed as inextricably linked. We should anticipate, therefore, a firmly developed set of supporting facts. Immigrants presumably are more likely to commit crimes than non...
Show moreThroughout the past century, American citizens and policymakers have expressed concern about immigration and crime, and especially the nexus of the two. The concerns appear to be driven by sudden increases in immigration and crime or by political or economic events. Whatever the proximate cause, immigration and crime are viewed as inextricably linked. We should anticipate, therefore, a firmly developed set of supporting facts. Immigrants presumably are more likely to commit crimes than non-immigrants, cities with greater proportions of immigrants must have higher crime rates, and nationally, when immigration increases, crime increases as well. Presumably, too, research refutes the notion that immigrants commit less crime than non-immigrants or that immigrant crime is attributable to the social conditions immigrants face in U.S. society. Such firmly established research would suggest relatively obvious policy implications for controlling crime in the U.S. For example, policymakers might want to restrict immigration, legal or illegal, or increase law enforcement efforts aimed at incarcerating immigrant offenders. There is, however, one problem: Research to date has been plagued by considerable methodological problems, including reliance on the least useful and least accurate sources of data. Ironically, this research suggests that immigrants are less, not more, criminal than non-immigrants, and that immigration rates are largely unassociated with crime rates. This article reviews these and other issues. Specifically, it discusses research on the immigration-crime nexus and then identifies key issues relevant to understanding both the limitations of existing data and studies and the directions future research should explore. The article concludes by outlining several policy implications.
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Date Issued: 2002-04-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1548280311_e27cb62c, 10.1525/fsr.2002.14.5.284
Format: Citation

Title: Juvenile Referrals in Texas: An Assessment of Criminogenic Needs and the Gap Between Needs and Services.
Creator: Kelly, William R., Macy, Tammy, Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: Researchers emphasize the importance of risk and criminogenic needs in developing intervention strategies for juvenile offenders. Yet, few jurisdictions collect information about the risk/needs profile of known youthful offenders or whether their needs are being addressed. This study estimated the prevalence of mental health, substance abuse, educational, and family-related needs for youths referred to seven juvenile probation departments in Texas, which represent 21% of referrals statewide....
Show moreResearchers emphasize the importance of risk and criminogenic needs in developing intervention strategies for juvenile offenders. Yet, few jurisdictions collect information about the risk/needs profile of known youthful offenders or whether their needs are being addressed. This study estimated the prevalence of mental health, substance abuse, educational, and family-related needs for youths referred to seven juvenile probation departments in Texas, which represent 21% of referrals statewide. Analyses indicate that the most prevalent needs are problems associated with parental supervision, school behavior, school attendance, parental/family problems, disposition/self-image, and substance abuse. Additional analyses suggest that substantial gaps exist between the number of juveniles needing and receiving programs and services. It is concluded that such information is absolutely essential if policy makers are to formulate appropriate and adequate intervention strategies for court-involved youth.
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Date Issued: 2005-12-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1548354089_92b55dab, 10.1177/0032885505281530
Format: Citation

Title: Towards a Fair and Balanced Assessment of Supermax Prisons.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Watson, Jamie
Abstract/Description: Supermaximum (“supermax”) security prisons have become a common feature of the corrections landscape. Despite their substantial costs, questions about their constitutionality, growing fiscal and managerial challenges confronting correctional systems, and increased demand for evidence-based practices, little systematic empirical research about their effectiveness exists. Against this backdrop and a debate often framed in ideological terms, we identify five dimensions that we argue should be...
Show moreSupermaximum (“supermax”) security prisons have become a common feature of the corrections landscape. Despite their substantial costs, questions about their constitutionality, growing fiscal and managerial challenges confronting correctional systems, and increased demand for evidence-based practices, little systematic empirical research about their effectiveness exists. Against this backdrop and a debate often framed in ideological terms, we identify five dimensions that we argue should be taken into account to provide a fair and balanced assessment of supermax prisons. Our study draws on a comprehen-sive analysis of existing research, site visits to three states, and interviews with 60 corrections policymakers, officials, and practitioners. We conclude with recommendations for research and policy.
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Date Issued: 2006-06-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1548357130_8946ca43, 10.1080/07418820600688867
Format: Citation

Title: No Community Is an Island: The Effects of Resource Deprivation on Urban Violence in Spatially and Socially Proximate Communities.
Creator: Mears, Daniel P., Bhati, Avinash S.
Abstract/Description: The link between resource deprivation and urban violence has long been explored in criminological research. Studies, however, have largely ignored the potential for resource deprivation in particular communities to affect rates of violence in others. The relative inattention is notable because of the strong theoretical grounds to anticipate influences that extend both to geographically contiguous areas and to those that, though not contiguous, share similar social characteristics. We argue...
Show moreThe link between resource deprivation and urban violence has long been explored in criminological research. Studies, however, have largely ignored the potential for resource deprivation in particular communities to affect rates of violence in others. The relative inattention is notable because of the strong theoretical grounds to anticipate influences that extend both to geographically contiguous areas and to those that, though not contiguous, share similar social characteristics. We argue that such influences—what we term spatial and social proximity effects, respectively—constitute a central feature of community dynamics. To support this argument, we develop and test theoretically derived hypotheses about spatial and social proximity effects of resource deprivation on aggregated and disaggregated homicide counts. Our analyses indicate that local area resource deprivation contributes to violence in socially proximate communities, an effect that, in the case of instrumental homicides, is stronger when such communities are spatially proximate. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for theories focused on community-level social processes and violence, and for policies aimed at reducing crime in disadvantaged areas.
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Date Issued: 2006-09-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1548355362_bf6cc086, 10.1111/j.1745-9125.2006.00056.x
Format: Citation

Title: Examining Prison Effects on Recidivism: A Regression Discontinuity Approach.
Creator: Mitchell, Ojmarrh, Cochran, Joshua C., Mears, Daniel P., Bales, William D.
Abstract/Description: The “get-tough” era of punishment led to exponential growth in the rate of incarceration in the United States. Recent reviews of the literature indicate, however, that limited rigorous research exists examining the effect of imprisonment on the likelihood of future offending. As a result, scholars have called for assessment of this relationship, while using methodologies that can better account for selection effects. This study addresses these calls directly by applying regression...
Show moreThe “get-tough” era of punishment led to exponential growth in the rate of incarceration in the United States. Recent reviews of the literature indicate, however, that limited rigorous research exists examining the effect of imprisonment on the likelihood of future offending. As a result, scholars have called for assessment of this relationship, while using methodologies that can better account for selection effects. This study addresses these calls directly by applying regression discontinuity, a methodology well suited to account for selection bias, on a cohort of felony offenders in Florida. Results suggest that prison, as compared to non-incarcerative sanctions, has no appreciable impact on recidivism. Although no differential effects surfaced across race/ethnicity, the analyses indicated that imprisonment exerts a differential effect by gender with the effect being more criminogenic among males than females.
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Date Issued: 2016-08-18
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1548790326_ee40e34e, 10.1080/07418825.2016.1219762
Format: Citation

Title: Social Exclusion and Parental Incarceration Impacts on Adolescents’ Networks and School Engagement.
Creator: Cochran, Joshua C., Siennick, Sonja E., Mears, Daniel P.
Abstract/Description: Although prior research links parental incarceration to deleterious outcomes for children during the life course, few studies have examined whether such incarceration affects the social exclusion of children during adolescence. Draw-ing on several lines of scholarship, the authors examined whether adolescents with incarcerated parents have fewer or lower quality relationships, participate in more antisocial peer networks, and feel less integrated or engaged in school. The study applies...
Show moreAlthough prior research links parental incarceration to deleterious outcomes for children during the life course, few studies have examined whether such incarceration affects the social exclusion of children during adolescence. Draw-ing on several lines of scholarship, the authors examined whether adolescents with incarcerated parents have fewer or lower quality relationships, participate in more antisocial peer networks, and feel less integrated or engaged in school. The study applies propensity score matching to survey and network data from a national sample of youth. Analyses indicated that children with incarcerated parents have more antisocial peers; the authors found limited evidence that parental incarceration adversely impacts peer networks and school integration domains. The results suggest that the impacts of parental incarceration on adolescents’ social lives have less to do with isolation than with the types of peers adolescents befriend. Findings provide support for the idea that parental incarceration may adversely affect children’s social exclusion.
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Date Issued: 2018-04-01
Identifier: FSU_libsubv1_scholarship_submission_1548790712_39d71275, 10.1111/jomf.12464
Format: Citation

Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine (1)	+ -
Department of Sociology (1)	+ -
University Libraries (1)	+ -

Adolescent (2)	+ -
Female (2)	+ -
Humans (2)	+ -
Male (2)	+ -
Peer Group (2)	+ -

Adolescent Behavior/psychology (1)	+ -
Child (1)	+ -
Crime (1)	+ -
Criminology (1)	+ -
Demography (1)	+ -
Depressive Disorder/epidemiology (1)	+ -
Depressive Disorder/psychology (1)	+ -
Deviant behavior (1)	+ -
Ecology (1)	+ -
Friends (1)	+ -
Friends/psychology (1)	+ -
Law (1)	+ -
Marijuana Abuse (1)	+ -
Marijuana Smoking (1)	+ -
Pennsylvania/epidemiology (1)	+ -
Population (1)	+ -
Risk Factors (1)	+ -
Social control (1)	+ -
Study and teaching (1)	+ -
Substance-Related Disorders (1)	+ -
Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology (1)	+ -
Substance-Related Disorders/psychology (1)	+ -

text (118)	+ -
journal article (44)	+ -

Mears, Daniel P. (105)	+ -
Cochran, Joshua C. (23)	+ -
Bales, William D. (18)	+ -
Mancini, Christina (13)	+ -
Stewart, Eric A. (11)	+ -

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