Summaries
Drs. Mark G. Leymon, Christopher Campbell, Kris Henning, and Brian Renauer, published "The Impacts of Length of Prison Stay on Recidivism on Non-violent Offenders in Oregon" in the Journal of Criminal Justice.
Abstract: Over the last five decades, US imprisonment growth has significantly strained state resources and extensively impacted communities. Due to increased costs and faced with the potential of opening a new correctional facility, Oregon passed its version of Justice Reinvestment (JRI) in 2013. It specifically targeted nonviolent crimes to reduce prison use, reduce recidivism, maintain public safety, and increase offender accountability. While Oregon and other states look to reduce prison use, including shortening sentences, there is concern that recidivism may rise. The current study assesses the impact of LOS on rearrest and reincarceration for nonviolent offenders in Oregon utilizing a quasi-experimental approach employing marginal means weighting through stratification. The results indicate that LOS has no meaningful impact on the recidivism rate in almost all cases and that sentences longer than 24 months are not likely warranted for nonviolent offenders. The results suggest that policymakers may consider shorter sentences without sacrificing public safety.
Drs. Arynn A. Infante, Xia Wang, and Dustin Pardini, published "The Development and Validation of a Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Latino Threat" in the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies.
Abstract: Perceived threat is a central feature of theories of intergroup behaviour, such as the minority threat perspective. Studies have linked perceptions of Latinos as threatening the interests of Whites to Whites’ support for more punitive policies in the U.S., especially in areas experiencing a recent growth in the Latino population. This research, however, is limited in that researchers rarely measure perceptions of Latino threat directly and have yet to expand on the limitations of existing measures. To this end, this study was designed to develop a 20-item Perceived Latino Threat Scale (PLTS) and assess its association with relevant external criteria, including several vehicles for the social control of Latinos. The scale was administered to students attending a Southwestern university during the Republican Party presidential primaries (Study 1: N = 332) and just prior to the 2016 election (Study 2: N = 259). Bifactor analyses indicated that perceptions of Latino threat can be subdivided into four dimensions: economic, political, criminal, and opportunity threat. Higher perceptions of Latino threat, especially economic threat, were associated with support for Donald Trump, being a Republican and politically conservative, and harbouring punitive attitudes toward crime and border control. Implications for theory and research are discussed.
Drs. Lisa Anne Zilney, Danielle McGurrin and Sammy Zahran, published "Environmental Justice and the Role of Criminology: an Analytical Review of 33 Years of Environmental Justice Research" in Criminal Justice Review.
Abstract: An increasing number of scholars and activists have begun to tackle a variety of issues relevant to environmental justice studies. This study attempts to address the role of criminologists in this domain. The authors examine 425 environmental justice articles in 204 academic journals, representing 18 programs/departments between 1970 and 2003. First, they measure the environmental justice contributions in the literature by academic department or activist affiliation. Second, they identify the major themes in the literature as they have developed and reveal the current and future directions of environmental justice studies. Such themes include the spatial distribution of hazards, social movements, law and public policy, and environmental discrimination. Finally, the authors seek to call attention to the evident linkages between accepted areas of criminological scholarship and environmental justice. From this latter objective, the authors seek to demonstrate how criminology and criminal justice can advance this critical dialogue and social movement.
Drs. Adam Vaughan, Kathryn E. Wuschke, Ashley N. Hewitt, Tarah Hodgkinson, Martin A. Andresen, Patricia Brantingham, and Simon Verdun-Jones published "Variations in Mental Health Act Calls to Police: an Analysis of Hourly and Intra-week Patterns" in Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management.
Abstract: Purpose – Investigating the day of week and hour of day temporal patterns of crime typically show that (late) nights and weekends are the prime time for criminal activity. Though instructive, mental-health-related calls for service are a significant component of police service to the community that have not been a part of this research. The purpose of this paper is to analyze calls for police service that relate to mental health, using intimate partner/domestic related calls for police service for context. Design/methodology/approach – Approximately 20,000 mental health related and 20,000 intimate partner/domestic related calls for police service are analyzed. Intra-week and intra-day temporal patterns are analyzed using circular statistics. Findings – Mental-health-related calls for police service have a distinct temporal pattern for both days of the week and hours of the day. Specifically, these calls for police service peak during the middle of the week and in the mid-afternoon. Originality/value – This is the first analysis regarding the temporal patterns of police calls for service for mental health-related calls. The results have implications for police resourcing and scheduling, especially in the context of special teams for addressing mental health-related calls for police service.
Drs. Arynn A. Infante, Stephanie J. Morse, Chatal Famy and Kevin A. Wright published "Racial Politics in the Contemporary Prison Society: The Importance of Race and Ethnicity to Prison Social Organization" in Criminal Justice Behavior.
Abstract: Prior research documents race and ethnicity as central to how individuals navigate the social and physical space of prisons. Racial segregation persists as a feature of prison life, and in navigating this racialized structure, racial groups construct and enforce a set of racialized norms to govern behavior (i.e., the “racial code”) that reinforce and reify prison racial politics. These processes, however, have remained largely descriptive in nature. Using data from a sample of incarcerated men in Arizona prisons (N = 251), this article extends prior work by operationalizing the concept of the racial code, assessing its dimensionality, distinguishing it from the prison code, and differentiating how features of prison social organization influence racial code adherence and mobilization. Results suggest that the racial code is distinct from the prison code and that racial differences exist in the extent of adhering to versus mobilizing the racial code, net of gang status.
Dr. Brian Renauer published "Reducing fear of crime: citizen, police or government responsibility?" in Police Quarterly.
Abstract: This study addresses whether residents' perceptions of informal neighborhood social control or police and government activities in their neighborhood provides a stronger explanation of their emotional fear of crime. Survey data from 505 residents from 10 diverse neighborhoods are used to test the relationship between informal and formal social control and individual fear of crime. The results indicate both informal control, especially social cohesion, and formal social control—a fear of police encounters and police effectiveness—explain emotional fear of crime. Discussion of citizen, police, and government responsibilities for reducing fear of crime is undertaken.
Drs. Matsuda, Thornberry, Loughran, and Krohn published "Are Late Bloomers Real? Identification and Comparison of Late-Onset Offending Patterns from Ages 14-20" in The Journal of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology.
Abstract: Numerous studies have identified a late-onset pattern of offending, yet debate remains over whether this pattern is real or attributable to measurement error. The goal of the present study is to identify whether this late-onset trajectory exists. We used prospective longitudinal data from the Rochester Youth Development Study and group-based trajectory modeling to identify distinct developmental patterns in self-reported incidence of general delinquency from approximately ages 14 to 31. We then examined and compared the means of general, violent, street, and property offending for individuals belonging to late bloomer, chronic, and low-level offending trajectories across three periods: (1) pre-onset (ages 14–17), (2) post-onset (ages 29–31), and (3) for a subset of participants participating in a follow-up study, post-trajectory (ages 32–40). Results confirmed the existence of a distinct late bloomers offending trajectory characterized by low rates of delinquency throughout adolescence and high levels throughout adulthood. Furthermore, late bloomers had similar mean levels of delinquency as low-level offenders and they were considerably lower than chronic offenders in the pre-onset period and similar means of offending as chronic offenders that were considerably higher than low-level offenders in the post-onset and post-trajectory periods. Comparisons of these three groups on adolescent risk and protective factors indicated that late bloomers were more similar to individuals in the low-level trajectory and had fewer risk and more protective factors than individuals following a chronic trajectory. Contrary to prior work which attributes late-onset offending to reliance on official data which fails to detect adolescent offending, late bloomer offending appears to be a genuine phenomenon. These results lend greater support to dynamic theories of crime.
Drs. J.R. Estes, Chris Carey, Debra Tavares, and David Peterson Del Mar published "Begin It Now: Critical Service Learning in the First Year of College" in the Journal of General Education.
Abstract: While there is a rich array of community-based learning activities and approaches across the Portland State University campus, the authors assert that integrating a critical service learning (CSL), rather than traditional service learning (TSL), model in the first-year curriculum benefits both students and community partners. They advocate for scaffolding CSL throughout the college curriculum beginning in the first year so that as students move through their courses they repeatedly practice the dynamic skill set CSL develops. To that end, they utilize a CSL Process Framework of five essential steps to consider when scaffolding it within the first year: The Plan, Etiquette of Collaboration, Critical Reflection, Engaging Student Agency, and Civic Professionalism (Estes, 2018). The authors describe how each element manifests in three very different examples of CSL within their respective Freshman Inquiry courses. Although this article focuses upon CSL in the first year of college, the CSL Process Framework is applicable across course levels. After presenting examples of how each element manifests as they integrate CSL into their courses and careers, the authors discuss the challenges and implications of this work within their courses, University Studies, and general education.
Dr. Kelsey S. Henderson, of Portland State University and Reveka Shteynberg of California State University -San Bernardino published "Plea Decision-making: the influence of Attorney Expertise, Trustworthiness, and Recommendation" in Psychology, Crime & Law. .
Abstract: Attorney recommendations influence defendant plea decisions (Henderson & Levett, 2018; Viljoen, Klaver, & Roesch, 2005). The degree of influence likely rests on the perceived trustworthiness and level of expertise of the attorney (factors of source credibility). We explored attorney source credibility factors and how these characteristics influence defendants’ plea decision-making. MTurk participants read a hypothetical plea scenario and were asked to imagine themselves as the defendant in a DWI/DUI case making a plea decision; in the scenario, we manipulated the defense attorney’s level of trustworthiness, expertise, and plea recommendation. There was a significant interaction between attorney recommendation and trustworthiness on defendants’ plea decisions; participants who were advised to accept the guilty plea were more likely to plead guilty when the attorney was high in trustworthiness compared to low in trustworthiness. Attorney trustworthiness did not affect plea decisions for defendants advised to reject the guilty plea. Importantly, attorney trustworthiness affected defendants’ decision to follow the attorney’s recommendation and ultimate plea decision (regardless of expertise), and attorney expertise affected defendants’ confidence in their decision (regardless of trustworthiness). Results suggest individual-level characteristics of defense attorneys affect the influence of the attorney and their recommendation, and ultimately defendants’ plea decision-making.
Dr. Kathryn Wuschke, Dr. Martin A. Andresen, and Patricia L. Brantingham published "Pathways of Crime: Measuring Crime Concentration Along Urban Roadways" in The Canadian Geographer.
Abstract: Some urban spaces are associated with disproportionate numbers of criminal events, while other areas are relatively free from disorder and crime. The relationship between urban space and crime concentration has received increased attention in recent years, with the location quotient frequently presented as a tool to identify and quantify such concentration. This measure has several limitations, with one significant concern surrounding the choice of denominator with which to standardize local and global rate calculations. In response, we present a new methodological adaptation to the location quotient, improving the measurement of crime concentration along linear features. To test this adaptation, we measure how crime concentrates by road classification at both a macro and micro level within two Canadian suburban municipalities. Using transportation network data, we identify the road types that are associated with a disproportionate concentration of criminal events, and illustrate how these relationships change alongside the level of aggregation. Results support the use of the adapted location quotient, finding that criminal events concentrate along specific road types, and emphasize the importance of spatial scale in understanding local relationships between crime and the built urban landscape.
Dr. Laura J. Hickman, Dr. Lisa H. Jaycox, and Dr. Jessica Aronoff published "Dating Violence Among Adolescents: Prevalence, Gender Distribution, Prevention Program Effectiveness" in Trauma, Violence and Abuse.
Description: Relative to violence among adult intimate partners, violence among adolescent dating partners remains an understudied phenomenon. In this review, we assess the state of the research literature on teen dating violence. Our review reveals that the broad range of estimates produced by major national data sources and single studies make conclusions about the prevalence of teen dating violence premature. Similarly, our review of what is known about risk factors reveals inconsistency among studies. We assess published evaluations of adolescent dating violence prevention programs and discuss their findings and limitations. Finally, we discuss challenges to researchers in this area and suggest that additional investment in high-quality basic research is needed to inform the development of sound theory and effective prevention and intervention programs.
Student Io Nicholls, advised by Dr. Kris Henning authored this comprehensive "Analysis of Motor Vehicle Theft, Portland, OR 2000-2021"
Student Josh Carmony, advised by Dr. Kris Henning authored this comprehensive "Analysis of Homicides and Shootings in Portland, OR 2000-2022."
Dr. Kris Henning, Dr. Mauri Matsuda, and Dr. Greg Stewart published "Dazed and Confused: Difficulties for Law Enforcement During Oregon's Transition to a Legal Marijuana Market" in Police Quarterly.
Abstract: As more states legalize recreational cannabis, questions remain about the impact of this transition for police who continue to be responsible for enforcing laws governing illicit production and distribution of the drug, use of the substance in prohibited settings, and possession by juveniles. Legalization may also lead to additional responsibilities, including policing homegrown cannabis and licensed businesses involved in cultivating, processing, and selling the drug. Documenting the experience of law enforcement officers in states that have already transitioned to a legal market may provide important insights into the implementation of cannabis policies in other jurisdictions. The present study surveyed 301 law enforcement officers in Oregon three years after the state legalized recreational marijuana. Results indicate that officers perceive increases in many marijuana-related problems following legalization and most officers report that the state’s revised statutes are confusing and difficult to enforce. Implications for public policy are discussed.
Dr. Mauri Matsuda of Portland State University, along with Dr. Thomas A. Loughran of Pennsylvania State University, Dr. Megan Augustryn of the University of Texas at San Antonio, and Dr. Kimberly L. Henry of Colorado State University published "Prognosticating Offending in Early Adulthood: How Early Can We Predict?" in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology.
Abstract
Introduction/Aim: Extant tests of developmental theories have largely refrained from moving past testing models of association to building models of prediction, as have other fields with an intervention focus. With this in mind, we test the prognostic capacity to predict offending outcomes in early adulthood derived from various developmental theories.
Methods: Using 734 subjects from the Rochester Youth Development Study (RYDS), we use out-of-sample predictions based on 5-fold cross-validation and compare the sensitivity, specifcity and positive predictive value of three different prognostic models to predict arrest and serious, persistent offending in early adulthood. The first uses only predictors measures in early adolescence, the second uses dynamic trajectories of delinquency from ages 14–22, and the third uses a combination of the two. We further consider how early in adolescence the trajectory models calibrate prediction.
Results: Both the early adolescent risk factor only model and the dynamic trajectory model were poor at prognosticating both arrest and persistent offending in early adulthood, which is manifest in the large rate of false positive cases.
Conclusion: Furthermore, existing developmental theories would be well served to move beyond cataloging risk factors and draw more heavily on refinements, including a greater focus on human agency in life course patterns of offending.
Dr. Christopher Campbell, Dr. Kelsey Henderson, and Dr. Brian Renauer of Portland State University presented their research to the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission on "Examining Pretrial Detention in Oregon: A Qualitative Analysis of Decision Making."
Executive Summary: Many jurisdictions in Oregon have been reevaluating their pretrial release system in an effort to reduce pretrial detention rates and costs, reduce crimes committed while on pretrial supervision, and increase court appearance rates. Within the context of statutorily prescribed criteria of pretrial release, jurisdictions continue to weigh the utility of risk assessment-based release as opposed to financial-based release, and aim to decrease jail populations. In an effort to address these and other issues, we build from prior research in Oregon (Campbell et al., 2020) to examine how release decisions are made, paying attention to the legal actors involved, the factors that influence decisions, and the role of risk assessment tools in formulating release decisions. Via a sub-grant from Arnold Ventures, National Criminal Justice Association, and the National Criminal Justice Reform Project, researchers from Portland State University (PSU) aimed to gain insight into multiple areas. Over five months (June through October of 2020), our team collected 21 surveys and interviewed 71 justice officials associated with pretrial processes across 31 counties in Oregon.
Dr. Kelsey Henderson, along with co-authors Erika Fountain, Allison Redlich and Jason Cantone published their research titled "Judicial involvement in plea-bargaining" in Psychology, Public Policy and Law.
Abstract: The topic of judicial involvement in plea negotiations is a controversial issue, with potential benefits (e.g., ensuring that the process is fairer) and risks (e.g., inducing an innocent defendant to plead guilty). Currently, 20 jurisdictions explicitly prohibit judicial involvement in plea negotiations, whereas eight permit some type of involvement. We surveyed state court judges about judicial involvement in plea bargaining (colloquy and negotiations) and their perceptions on judicial participation. We expected judges in states that prohibit judicial involvement in negotiations to have a more negative view of judicial participation compared with judges in states that permit involvement or those in states that have no explicit laws permitting or prohibiting it. Our sample consisted of 233 state court judges, in states that permit, prohibit, or make no mention in their state policies regarding judicial involvement in plea negotiations. Our survey addressed components of standard involvement (judges’ expectations of the parties’ responsibilities and judges’ experiences with plea colloquies) and expanded involvement (judges’ experiences with and perceptions of participation in plea negotiations). Judges in permit states were more likely to endorse the benefits of increased judicial participation in plea negotiations compared with judges in no mention and prohibit states. Conversely, judges in prohibit states were more likely to acknowledge the existence of risks of increased judicial participation in plea negotiations compared with judges in no mention and permit states. These data suggest policies and procedures are not only associated with judges’ behavior in plea-bargaining but also their perceptions of this controversial practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
Drs. Kathryn Wuschke, Kris Henning, and Gregory Stewart published their research titled "Dots Versus Density: the Impact of Crime Mapping Techniques on Perception of Safety, Police Performance and Neighbourhood Quality" in Policing and Society.
Abstract: President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing advised law enforcement agencies to ‘[e]stablish a culture of transparency and accountability in order to build public trust and legitimacy’ (2015, p. 12). Such transparency and accountability may be promoted through increased public access to crime data and measures of police activity. The inherently geographic nature of crime has made online maps one of the more popular strategies for disseminating this information to the public. As more agencies deliver crime maps on their own, or hosted websites, it becomes important for social scientists to evaluate how these communications affect public perceptions. Crime mapping is a complex process requiring many decisions. This includes choices about the type of crime to include or exclude, the type of map used, and numerous design features for the map itself. The field of critical cartography argues that all of these decisions have the potential to shape perceptions about a given geographic location, the people living there, and, in the present context, the people charged with maintaining public safety in the area. This study investigates whether different types of maps (i.e. dot vs. density) affect individual perceptions of safety, police performance and neighbourhood quality. Results indicate that the type of crime map viewed does alter perceptions, illustrating a need for careful and consistent decision-making when preparing crime maps for public access.
Drs. Mauri Matsuda, Mark Leymon, Chris Campbell, and Brian Renauer were awarded a grant titled “Justice Reinvestment Return on Investment Project” from Oregon’s Criminal Justice Commission.
The project will analyze the state- and county-level impact of overall and program-specific JRI funding in Oregon’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative on prison use, recidivism rates, and other outcomes related to program goals, and develop/pilot a survey on victim perspectives on JRI.
Drs. Chris Campbell, Brian Renauer, and Kelsey Henderson presented to the Oregon Advisory Committee to the US Commission on Civil Rights on November 12, 2020.
The focus of their presentation was titled, “Examining Pretrial Practices in Oregon”. The report is part of a grant project funded by Oregon’s Criminal Justice Commission. The project involved a survey and interviews with criminal justice practitioners representing all the judicial districts in the state to discussion their bail practices pre-covid and thoughts on pretrial reform for the state.
Drs. Mark Leymon, Chris Campbell, and Kris Henning were awarded a grant titled “Recidivism Phase II and STTL” from Oregon’s Criminal Justice Commission.
The grant entails a study examining the effectiveness of the Short-Term Transitional Leave (STTL) and alternative incarceration program for the State of Oregon.
Drs. Chris Campbell, Kelsey Henderson, and Brian Renauer were awarded a grant from Oregon’s Criminal Justice Commission to study pretrial practices throughout Oregon.
Drs. Brian Renauer, Mark Leymon, Chris Campbell, and Ann Leymon are wrapping up a two-year research project funded by the National Institute of Justice (DOJ), part of their FY17 W.E.B. Du Bois Program of Research on Race and Crime.
The project examines how the integration of a pre-adjudication risk assessment (PAA) has impacted sentencing outcomes in two Oregon counties. Particular attention is given to whether the us of a PAA creates disparate outcomes for persons of color.
Drs. Mark Leymon, Chris Campbell, Kris Henning, and Brian Renauer presented findings from their report “Effect of Prison Length of Stay in Oregon” to the Senate and House Committees on Judiciary at the Oregon Legislature in Salem.
The project was funded by the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission.
Drs. Chris Campbell and Ryan Labrecque presented findings from their report “Effect of Pretrial Detention in Oregon” to the Senate and House Committees on Judiciary at the Oregon Legislature in Salem.
The project was funded by the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission.
Dr. Ryan Labrecque did a presentation entitled "Security Threat Management Re-Alignment Initiative" at the Oregon Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General Annual CORE Retreat and Training in Woodburn, OR.
Dr. Joel Garner, CJPRI Senior Research Fellow, co-wrote a journal article with with Ronald Malega (Missouri State University) entitled "Sworn Volunteers in American Policing, 1999 - 2013" published in the journal Police Quarterly.
This study describes changes in the use of sworn volunteers among the nation’s local law enforcement agencies and identifies those state-level certification, community, and agency characteristics associated with agencies using such volunteers in 2013. Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics data from 1999 through 2013 were analyzed to document trends in both the number of sworn volunteers and the prevalence of agencies using sworn volunteers. While there has been a modest decline in the use of sworn volunteers since 1999, in 2013, about 36% of all local law enforcement agencies used sworn volunteers; furthermore, these volunteers comprised 7% of all local sworn personnel having arrest authority nationwide in 2013. A survey of peace officer standards and training agencies found that approximately two thirds of states required state-level certification of sworn volunteers. Multivariate analyses of state-level certification standards, census data, and agency characteristics found that agencies were more likely to use sworn volunteers if they (a) are a sheriff’s office, (b) serve jurisdictions with larger populations, (c) have greater levels of social disadvantage, (d) do not require recruits to have more than a high school education, or (e) are located within states offering graduated levels of sworn volunteer certifications. Agencies were less likely to use volunteer officers if they (a) hire part-time sworn officers, (b) have a greater entry-level salary, or (c) are accredited.
Dr. Kris Henning gave an invited presentation at the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys' Safety & Justice Challenge Leadership Institute in Portland, OR.
The presentation detailed how actuarial risk assessment scales are created and used in a variety of criminal justice settings.
Dr. Mauri Matsuda did a poster presentation with Karen Chan Osilla and David Kennedy (both at RAND Corporation) at the Research Society on Alcoholism conference in San Diego, CA.
This poster presented initial results from a research study examining the social network characteristics of a subsample of participants in Project Rethinking Avenues for Change (REACH), a study comparing effects of cognitive behavioral therapy with usual care for individuals convicted of a first-time DUI and screened for alcohol use disorders. The main objectives of this study were to describe the overall social network characteristics of the sample at baseline, assess whether social network characteristics differ by participant gender, age, and race/ethnicity, and to examine whether social network characteristics change between baseline and follow-up.
Greg Stewart (Portland Police Bureau; CCJ adjunct faculty) helped organize and run the second annual American Society of Evidence-Based Policing Conference, held at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA.
Dr. Kelsey Henderson’s article entitled “Investigating Predictors of True and False Guilty Pleas”, co-authored with Dr. Lora Levett (University of Florida), has been accepted for publication by the journal Law and Human Behavior.
Attorney recommendations affected innocent and guilty individuals’ plea decisions, however the effect was stronger for innocent individuals. Main findings indicate that innocent individuals were less likely to falsely plead guilty if the advocate recommended to go to trial compared to if the advocate made other recommendations (recommended accepting the guilty plea; gave neutral, educational information) or was absent.
Dr. Mark Leymon was part of a team that was awarded the 2018 Bruce Baer Award for their series entitled, “Unequal Justice”. The Bruce Baer Award, now in its 41th year, is Oregon's most prestigious prize for investigative reporting.
The investigative series documented and analyzed racial and ethnic disparities in justice outcomes in Oregon. The series assessed 8.4 million court records from 2005 to 2015. The findings show people of color remain unfairly treated in the criminal justice system. This series introduces the statistics that define the problem, examines life inside those numbers, and explores the policies and practices that perpetuate them. Unequal Justice is a joint project of InvestigateWest and the Pamplin Media Group, made possible in part by a grant from the Fund for Investigative Journalism. The journalists included Lee Van Der Voo, Nick Budnick, and Kate Wilson. Professor Mark Leymon (Harmon) from the Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice at Portland State University provided statistical review and analysis. The series produced over 30 separate news articles investigating multiple areas of the justice system. The Bruce Baer Award has been presented annually and honors the late Bruce Baer, a political reporter for the Portland Reporter and worked for 13 years with Portland’s KATU (2). The award focuses on in-depth coverage of Oregon politics and public affairs. Articles are judged on the quality of investigative reporting of political and public affairs topics related to Oregon, the effort and enterprise of the nominee, and the courage reflected in the work.
Dr. Mauri Matsuda received the PSU Faculty Enhancement Grant for her project “An exploration of correlates and trajectories of delinquency involvement and justice-system contact among sexual minority youth”.
The goal of this project is to examine trajectories of delinquency involvement and justice system contact experienced by sexual minority youth, as well as risk and protective factors that are associated with these outcomes, using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.
Dr. Kris Henning gave a community presentation to the Portland Pearl Rotary Club entitled "Crime in Portland: Patterns, trends, and community perceptions."
Dr. Kris Henning took part in a discussion panel on gun violence and gun control at The Northwest Academy, a high school in Portland, Oregon.
Dr. Christopher Carey gave a presentation for the Multnomah County Sex Trafficking Network entitled "The Intersections between Foster Care and Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children".
Dr. Christopher Campbell gave an invited presentation on the importance of client satisfaction and procedural justice at the Mississippi Spring Public Defenders Seminar in Biloxi, MS.
This presentation emphasized the importance and utility of client-centered representation for public defenders. Specifically, I discussed how focusing on the client can increase perceptions of procedural justice, strengthen the legitimacy of public defenders and the system, as well as improve the quality of representation provided to indigent clients. The presentation had two parts - one focusing on adult criminal defense, and the other focusing on juveniles.
Dr. Christopher Carey testified in front of the Oregon Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights regarding sex trafficking in Oregon.
Kelli Russell, Criminology and Criminal Justice adjunct instructor and graduate of the CCJ Masters degree program, received the Randy Nunnecamp Award from the Child Abuse and Family Violence Summit.
This award recognizes those who go above and beyond in the fight against family violence and child abuse. Kelli is the Operations Manager for Safety Compass, a culturally specific, community-based, confidential advocacy agency serving Marion and Clackamas Counties that offers support for survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and sex-trafficking.
Dr. Ryan Labrecque wrote an article for the The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) United States Politics and Policy (USAPP) Blog entitled "How a new inmate triage system could reduce the use of solitary confinement and improve prison safety"
Across the political spectrum in the United States, there are growing concerns regarding the effectiveness and utility of solitary confinement – a practice also referred to as restrictive housing. However, for a country that has grown reliant on the use of solitary confinement in its prisons, there are still more questions than answers about how to reduce its use while also ensuring institutional safety and security. Ryan M. Labrecque created a new tool for use by corrections staff to triage inmates by risk. He argues that this tool can be effective in reducing the use of restrictive housing and increasing prison safety by proactively targeting high-risk inmates for treatment services upon their entry into the prison system.
Dr. Ryan Labrecque was interviewed for an Associated Press article entitled "Inmate death shines light on cellmate pairings at US prisons".
Dr. Kelsey Henderson and Lora M. Levett (Univ. of Florida gave a presentation at the American Psychology-Law Society (APLS) annual conference in Memphis, TN entitled "Evaluating the Totality of Confession Evidence."
The authors examined if jurors were sensitive to the source (i.e., interrogation or suspect) and consistency of information in evaluating confession evidence. Confession evidence is a product of the interrogation; the accuracy of a confession partially depends on the interrogation methods used and the content of that confession. Research suggests confronting suspects up-front with evidence (a common interrogation tactic) gives suspects knowledge of non-public details, increasing the likelihood of a false confession (Gudjonsson & Pearse, 2011; Leo, 2009). By sharing information during the interrogation, it's possible to taint a suspect's confession, making it harder to judge as more or less accurate. Overall, results suggest jurors weigh a confession that is consistent with crime details more heavily than a confession that is inconsistent with crime details when rendering a verdict. However, the type of interrogation method used (i.e., best practices versus traditional practices) did not influence juror decisions.
Dr. Ryan Labrecque published a journal article entitled "Taking Stock: A Meta-Analysis of the Predictors of Restrictive Housing" in the Victims & Offenders, An International Journal of Evidence-based Research, Policy, and Practice.
Two competing views on the use of restrictive housing have emerged in the literature. The first position has argued that restrictive housing helps make correctional institutions safer and more secure environments, largely by incapacitating violent and dangerous inmates. In contrast, a second perspective has maintained that restrictive housing not only causes serious psychological damage and increases criminal coping, but also that it has served as a mechanism for officials to punish certain groups of inmates unfairly. This study tests these competing hypotheses by meta-analyzing the literature on the predictors of placement in restrictive housing. The results of this investigation provide support for both perspectives. The implications of the study's findings are discussed.
Dr. Mark Leymon (publishes under Harmon) testified at an informational hearing at the Oregon Senate Committee on the Judiciary about the impacts of Measure 11 on youth.
Between 1995 and 2012 nearly 4000 Oregon 15, 16, and 17-year-olds were referred to adult court under Measure 11. According to Pew Charitable Trust Oregon has the second highest rate of youth transferred to adult court after Florida. Though youth of color and white youth received about the same average sentence, youth of color are significantly more likely to receive a measure 11 referral. Black youth make up about 16% of all measure 11 referrals, yet account for only about 2% of the total population of Oregon. Across all 21 measure 11 offenses, black youth were 13.6 times more likely than a white youth to be referred.
Ron Louie, CCJ adjunct instructor and retired Chief of Hillsboro Police Department, co-presented at the Oregon Law & Mental Health Conference with retired Chief of Eugene PD Pete Kerns.
In this session, two veteran police chiefs identified those factors that contribute and influence police officer impairment such as: misuse of force, domestic violence, suicide, citizen complaints, career self-sabotage, absenteeism and failed relationships. They also discussed what they view as the best strategies to impact and reduce these impairment factors.
Dr. Joel Garner, CJPRI Senior Research Fellow, co-authored an article with Matthew Hickman (Seattle University), Ronald Malega (Missouri State University) and Christopher Maxwell (Michigan State University) that was published in the journal PLOS One.
This research builds on three decades of effort to produce national estimates of the amount and rate of force used by law enforcement officers in the United States. Prior efforts to produce national estimates have suffered from poor and inconsistent measurements of force, small and unrepresentative samples, low survey and/or item response rates, and disparate reporting of rates of force. The present study employs data from a nationally representative survey of state and local law enforcement agencies that has a high survey response rate as well as a relatively high rate of reporting uses of force. Using data on arrests for violent offenses and the number of sworn officers to impute missing data on uses of force, we estimate a total of 337,590 use of physical force incidents among State and local law enforcement agencies during 2012 with a 95 percent confidence interval of +/- 10,470 incidents or +/- 3.1 percent. This article reports the extent to which the number and rate of force incidents vary by the type and size of law enforcement agencies. Our findings demonstrate the willingness of a large proportion of law enforcement agencies to voluntarily report the amount of force used by their officers and the relative strengths and weaknesses of the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) program to produce nationally representative information about police behavior.
Dr. Christopher M. Campbell had an article entitled "Rethinking conditional release as an assumption-based test of offender readiness" published in Criminal Justice Review Journal.
While many great strides have been made in supervision generally toward more evidence-based practices, the primary tenets of conditional release have remained unchanged, untested, and assumption based. This essay examines the fundamental tenets of conditional release and how they have been widely overlooked in spite of the evidence-based movement. By laying out the problems in practice, recording, and definition, as well as gaps in the literature, this essay displays several areas where future research can progress both knowledge and policy. The author argues that the crux of issues surrounding conditional release is the notion that it is a test of readiness and should be regarded as such. By viewing the practice from this perspective, the inadequacies of state systems to address criminogenic needs become glaringly apparent. Following this explication, it is consequently clear as to why the released person may not be ready and how successful reentry may have less to do with individual accountability and more to do with a rehabilitative ideal.
Dr. Debra Lindberg presented "Allowing for Internship Experiences in an Online Degree Program" at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences annual conference in New Orleans, LA.
The criminology and criminal justice department at Portland State University offers four-year degrees both through the traditional on-campus, face-to-face mode and through an entirely on-line mode (i.e., students may live anywhere and complete their degrees online, without ever setting foot on campus). Students have several options for completing the eight credit hour internship requirement: through internships with field agencies in their local vicinities; through an online alternative for those who may not need "real world" experiences (e.g., a person who has worked in law enforcement for many years, desires to earn a degree, and intends to remain in the same field); or a combination of both. Regardless of the scenario a student chooses, he/she will fulfill the requirement through “real” work, as well as reading and writing activities.
Molly Harvis, graduate student in the Criminology and Criminal Justice Masters of Science degree program, presented on the preliminary findings from a study entitled "Fairness and Respect in Institutional Corrections: Examining the Role of Procedural Justice in Reducing Harm and Disorder in Prison" conducted by Drs. Christopher Campbell, Ryan Labrecque, Roger Schaefer (Central Washington University), and a group of CCJ graduate students (Leah Reddy, Kayla LaBranche, Karma Rose Macias) at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences annual conference in New Orleans, LA.
Recent scholarship suggests that disciplinary protocols and humanistic approaches of correctional officers may be important factors in influencing inmate behavior and prison order. These factors nod to the possibility such influence might be rooted in inmate perceptions of procedural justice, however, extant research has not yet examined this. To fill this gap, surveys of over 140 minimum and medium security inmates in Maine were coupled with administrative data to answer the question: To what extent does procedural justice perceptions correlate and potentially influence patterns of misconduct? Findings are discussed in the context of institutional policy involving officers and disciplinary procedure.
Dr. Brian Renauer presented "Impact of Pre-Adjudication Risk Assessment on Court Outcomes and Racial/Ethnic Disparity" at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences annual conference in New Orleans, LA.
The use of risk assessment instruments has received increasing attention as a potential tool to reduce incarceration without harming public safety. However, the use of risk assessment in the pre-adjudication or sentencing phase of the court process brings with it controversy regarding social justice costs, particularly disparate racial/ethnic sentencing outcomes. This paper examines the impact of utilizing a pre-adjudication risk assessment (PAA) in a judicial conference on court sentencing outcomes over time. Propensity score matching is used to compare samples from pre and post implementation of the PAA in an Oregon county that only differ regarding defendant’s race.
Drs. Mark Leymon (publishes under Harmon), Brian Renauer, and Christopher Campbell presented "I Can Measure That: Recommendations for the Measurement of Disparities in the Age of the RRI" at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences annual conference in New Orleans, LA.
In recent years, the use of the Relative Rate Index (RRI), as a measure of disparity, has grown exponentially, especially among policymakers and program evaluators. Typically, the RRI is used to compare the rates of justice contact experienced by people of color to whites. While the RRI has utility and relative ease of interpretation, it does have limitations that are often overlooked, misunderstood, or downplayed. We discuss the RRI’s evolution, make recommendations for applying it, discuss other measures, propose modified RRIs, and illustrate that multimeasure approaches will likely lead to more robust and nuanced understandings of racial and ethnic disparities.
Drs. Ryan Labrecque and Paula Smith (Univ. of Cincinnati) presented "Creation and Validation of the Inmate Risk Assessment for Segregation Placement (RASP)" at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences annual conference in New Orleans, LA.
Administrative segregation is one of the most severe punishments that can be imposed upon inmates. Recently, however, this practice has been the subject of increased legal, ethical, and academic scrutiny. In response, several justice officials have called upon the academic community to help aid correctional systems in reforming its use. One area in need of more research involves the development of strategies to identify inmates at risk for being placed in segregation. This study addresses this need by constructing and validating a risk scale that predicts segregation placement in a five-year admission cohort of inmates in a large Midwestern state.
Dr. Kathryn Wuschke co-authored a journal article entitled "Variations in Mental Health Act calls to police: an analysis of hourly and intra-week patterns" published in Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies.
Investigating the day of week and hour of day temporal patterns of crime typically show that (late) nights and weekends are the prime time for criminal activity. Though instructive, mental-health-related calls for service are a significant component of police service to the community that have not been a part of this research. The purpose of this paper is to analyze calls for police service that relate to mental health, using intimate partner/domestic related calls for police service for context. Approximately 20,000 mental health related and 20,000 intimate partner/domestic related calls for police service are analyzed in this study. Intra-week and intra-day temporal patterns are analyzed using circular statistics. The findings show that mental-health-related calls for police service have a distinct temporal pattern for both days of the week and hours of the day. Specifically, these calls for police service peak during the middle of the week and in the mid-afternoon. This is the first analysis regarding the temporal patterns of police calls for service for mental health-related calls. The results have implications for police resourcing and scheduling, especially in the context of special teams for addressing mental health-related calls for police service.
Dr. Mark Leymon (publishes under Harmon) and Tanika Siscoe, graduate student in the CCJ Masters of Science program, contributed to the "Youth and Measure 11" report recently published by the Oregon Council on Civil Rights in collaboration with the Oregon Justice Resource Center.
The report outlines the impact or Oregon's ballot Measure 11, which was enacted in Oregon in 1994. It created lengthier, mandatory minimum prison sentences for many person-on-person crimes, for which youth 15 years or older are tried in adult court and subject to the same penalties as adults. Dr. Leymon supplied data analysis, which included cleaning, analyzing, and generating tables and figures for the report. Tanika Siscoe assisted in research, youth interviews and transcription. The report finds that youth of color are substantially more likely to be charged and convicted of a Measure 11 offense.
Drs. Kathryn Wuschke and J. Bryan Kinney (Simon Fraser Univ.) co-authored a book chapter entitled "Built Environment, Land Use, and Crime" published in the Oxford Handbook of Environmental Criminology
Grounded within environmental criminology, several theoretical frameworks have emphasized the important connection between land use and concentrations of urban crime. Guided by these approaches, this chapter provides an overview of existing research, exploring the varied connections between urban land use and crime. These concepts are illustrated through the use of a multiscale research example centered on Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. The results highlight the importance of locally based studies, and emphasize that the relationship between land use and crime varies according to both crime type and scale of analysis. Among the findings is that both property crimes and crimes against persons occur in highest numbers on residential properties; but in disproportionately highest rates on addresses classified as commercial and civic, institutional, and recreational.
Drs. Mark Leymon (publishes under Harmon), Brian Renauer, Christopher Campbell and Kris Henning were awarded a $181,164 grant from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission.
This project is a replication of a quasi-experimental study examining the connection between length of stay and recidivism. In 2011, Snodgrass et al. published a study examining how length of prison stay impacts recidivism, accounting for criminal history, criminal trajectory, severity of current crime, and relevant demographics. They found no consistent and significant relationship between time served and offending. We cannot assume that the results apply to Oregon, however, since this examined Netherlands data. The Snodgrass study is one of a few rigorous research studies on this topic, with varying and conflicting results. The relationship between imprisonment and recidivism is clearly complex, and it is likely that the overall influence depends on the specific context of the criminal justice system in question. Because of this, we must replicate this study in Oregon to get an answer. Replicating this method in a different context provides an important contribution to the small but important collection of studies of the relationship between length of prison and recidivism. It will provide useful information for Oregon on the effectiveness and efficiency of our criminal justice system.
Drs. Brian Renauer and Lisa Bates (Urban Studies and Planning) were interviewed for a recent KATU piece on real estate development and its effect on Portland's neighborhoods. Watch the interview here.
Ron Louie, CCJ adjunct instructor and retired Chief of Hillsboro PD, was interviewed for The Skanner's article on a new bill to be introduced in the Oregon legislature targeting police mental health. Read the article here.
Drs. Ryan M. Labrecque and Paula Smith (Univ. of Cincinnati) trained a group of case managers and clinicians from the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (NDDOCR) in Bismarck on their two new Free Your Mind cognitive-behavioral treatment curricula: (1) a prevention program (Free Your Mind in Prison), and (2) a segregation intervention (Free Your Mind in Segregation).
The segregation program is being implemented in the North Dakota State Penitentiary’s (NDSP) Behavioral Intervention Unit (BIU), and the prevention program is being implemented in three separate state facilities.