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A systematic review of professionals’ views about community management policies for individuals convicted of sexual offenses
- Authors:
- CHRISTENSEN Larissa S., DE RIBERA Olga Sanchez, TRAJTENBERG Nicolas
- Journal article citation:
- Sexual Abuse a Journal of Research and Treatment, 34(2), 2022, pp.127-156.
- Publisher:
- Sage
A contentious criminal justice policy issue in recent times has been community management policies for individuals convicted of sexual offenses. This systematic review attained professionals’ views, areas of concern, and recommendations for community management policies. It went beyond the extant literature by exploring perceptions of heterogenous professional groups involved in the criminal justice system. Of the 25 studies, 12 were quantitative, nine qualitative, and four mixed methods, and included custodial and community correctional officers, probation officers, psychologists, police officers, prosecutors, lawmakers, and academics. Overall, professionals mostly supported the policies, but had less support for public registries and community notification. Four key issues associated with the policies were apparent: problems with actuarial risk assessment tools, difficulties accessing information with partner agencies, limited resources, and lack of education among the public. Within this, four recommendations were identified. These findings offer a valuable resource for researchers, along with government and policy professionals tasked with overseeing community management policies. (Edited publisher abstract)
Empowerment theory and prison-based dog training programs
- Authors:
- HAN Tyler M, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work, 21(6), 2021, pp.1360-1376.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Summary: Though a growing body of evidence supports the efficacy of prison-based dog training programs, research on the process of change or the underlying mechanisms of change for incarcerated individuals who participate in these programs is limited. This qualitative study used interviews with 21 dog program staff to examine the utility of empowerment theory as a theoretical framework for understanding mechanisms of change for participants in prison-based dog training programs. Findings: Thematic analysis of interviews with program staff indicated that outcomes of prison-based dog training programs are consistent with constructs of empowerment theory. Reported outcomes were more aligned with individual-level empowerment; however, participation in these programs addressed some structural issues of power within the correctional institution. Analysis resulted in six themes: (1) finding purpose and meaning, (2) enhanced self-concept, (3) skill development, (4) greater perceived control, (5) increased community engagement, and (6) positive post-release outcomes. Applications: The alignment of prison-based dog training program outcomes with constructs of empowerment theory suggests that positive outcomes may be related to empowering handlers, though human–animal interactions and positive reinforcement training were often mentioned by staff. Consequently, programs may benefit from using empowerment theory as a guiding framework in program design and training of program staff. Prison-based dog training programs may be of particular interest to social workers in correctional settings, as program features align with core social work values of social justice, dignity and worth of the person, and the importance of human relationships. (Edited publisher abstract)
Are we comparing apples and oranges? Exploring trauma experienced by victims of interpersonal violence and abuse and by court-involved women who have used force in relationships
- Authors:
- MILLER Susan L., BECKER Patricia
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(13-14), 2021, pp.NP6951-NP6980.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Due to the enactment of mandatory and proarrest policies, there has been a sharp increase in the number of women arrested for use of force against an intimate partner. Many of these arrested women are also victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) and experience high levels of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Our study explores experiences of two groups: 80 women who self-refer into survivor groups or individual counseling sessions facilitated by a trained counselor and 86 court-involved women who have been arrested on an IPV/abuse (IPV/A)-related charge and (in lieu of more substantial punishment) participate in an intervention/treatment program. The current research asks, “What do trauma measures tell us about women who voluntarily seek IPV/A victim support groups and about women court-mandated to a treatment program?” Using measures of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), post-trauma distress, and danger assessments, we explore these two groups. Our findings demonstrate that within the three measures used, women who voluntarily sought victim counseling services had a higher mean compared with women arrested for use of force against an intimate partner. Yet, both groups are significantly different from the general population in terms of having experienced significant trauma. Both groups of women report significantly higher levels of ACEs, post-trauma distress, and danger assessments compared with the general population, indicating that women who experience IPV/A or women who use force in relationships may share more similarities than differences. In addition, we explore the ways in which different relationship characteristics and treatment trajectories might help explain the differences present between these two groups of women. We conclude with a discussion of policy and treatment implications. (Edited publisher abstract)
Diversion, rights and social justice
- Author:
- SMITH Roger
- Journal article citation:
- Youth Justice, 21(1), 2021, pp.18-32.
- Publisher:
- Sage
This article draws on historical understandings and contemporary models of diversion in order to develop a critical framework and agenda for progressive practice. The argument essentially revolves around the contention that typically diversionary interventions have been constrained by the contextual and ideological frames within which they operate. They have in some cases been highly successful in reducing the numbers of young people being drawn into the formal criminal justice system; however, this has largely been achieved pragmatically, by way of an accommodation with the prevailing logic of penal practices. Young people have been diverted at least partly because they have been ascribed a lesser level of responsibility for their actions, whether by virtue of age or other factors to which their delinquent behaviour is attributed. This ultimately sets limits to diversion, on the one hand, and also offers additional legitimacy to the further criminalisation of those who are not successfully ‘diverted’, on the other. By contrast, the article concludes that a ‘social justice’ model of diversion must ground its arguments in principles of children’s rights and the values of inclusion and anti-oppressive practice. (Edited publisher abstract)
Professionals’ perceptions of female child sexual offenders
- Author:
- CHRISTENSEN Larissa S.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(7-8), 2021, pp.NP4115-NP4138.
- Publisher:
- Sage
The aims of the current study were to (a) obtain an in-depth understanding about professionals’ perceptions of female child sexual offenders and (b) identify where system efforts should be focused to better address and acknowledge female child sexual offenders. In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted one-on-one with a diverse group of professionals (police officers, social workers, counselors, case managers, child and family support workers, and a legal professional; N = 21) involved in the community response and justice sector, which allowed for unique views across diverse vantage points. Four core themes were identified through thematic analysis: (a) female child sexual offenders are a heterogeneous group, (b) negative impact of female-perpetrated sexual abuse, (c) gender of perpetrator is predominantly insignificant in case dealings, and (d) the need for a more open discourse on female child sexual offenders. Professionals in the current study acknowledged that female child sexual offenders can inflict serious and persistent negative impacts on victims and that the gender of the offender is insignificant in their individual professional dealings of child sexual abuse cases. While these findings appear to be a positive step forward, away from earlier perceptions identified in the literature, it was evident that the gender of the perpetrator may still play a significant role in some dealings across professions and among colleagues. Two areas identified by professionals as requiring system efforts were (a) professional development along with the dissemination of appropriate research to better inform professionals and (b) the need for a more open discussion in society concerning female-perpetrated sexual abuse. The findings of the current study may assist with appropriate recognition, protection, and intervention for victims of female-perpetrated sexual abuse. (Edited publisher abstract)
Criminal careers among female perpetrators of family and nonfamily homicide in Australia
- Authors:
- ERIKSSON Li, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(5-6), 2021, pp.NP2551-NP2575.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Knowledge of women’s pathways to serious offending, including homicide, is limited. This study contributes to a small but growing body of literature examining the criminal careers of serious female offenders by using interview data with females convicted of murder or manslaughter in Australia to examine various dimensions of their criminal careers, specifically, prevalence, frequency, age of onset, duration, and offending variety. In particular, in this study we compared criminal career dimensions across women who had killed a family member (e.g., intimate partner, children) and those whose victims were not part of the family unit (i.e., acquaintances or strangers). Our findings reveal differences between female homicide offenders who kill within and outside of the family unit. Although both groups had comparable overall lifetime prevalence of self-reported participation in criminal offending, findings indicate that participation among the family group was typically at low levels of frequency, of limited duration, and with relatively little variety in categories of offending. The family group also reported lower contact with the criminal justice system compared with the nonfamily group, and were less likely to have experienced some form of criminal/legal sanction in the 12 months prior to the homicide incident. This suggests that women who kill family members are more “conventional” than their nonfamily counterparts, in terms of having low and time-limited (i.e., short duration) lifetime participation in criminal offending. (Edited publisher abstract)
‘A veteran space’: a military integrated nested ecological model to understand offending
- Author:
- MOORHEAD Justin
- Journal article citation:
- Probation Journal, 68(1), 2021, pp.64-84.
- Publisher:
- Sage
In recent years there has been an increased focus on military veterans as a distinct population within the criminal justice system. The prevalence and nature of offending, alongside the mental health concerns of this group have dominated existing research, bringing us closer to an informed evidence base. Yet, it is widely acknowledged that more research and insight into the complexity of the lived experience of this population is required. In response, this article proposes a ‘Military Integrated Nested Ecological Model’ (MINEM) as a useful analytical tool for those working with, supporting or researching military veterans post-conviction. In order to better understand the veteran offender, one must first understand the individual, familial, societal, and cultural spaces which they have experienced. Such insight into the veteran’s life course, across these ‘ecological spaces’, offers a framework to plot the life journey of the veteran, articulating the various risk and need factors therein. Ultimately, such an approach culminates in the realisation of the ‘veteran space’, or a representation of the complex and unique lived experience of veterans within the criminal justice system. To accompany this, the article will use alcohol-related domestic abuse, specifically intimate partner violence, as a case study to highlight issues specific to this offence and this population. (Edited publisher abstract)
‘Within my work environment I don’t see gender as an issue’: reflections on gender from a study of criminal justice social workers in Scotland
- Authors:
- McCULLOCH Trish, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Probation Journal, 68(1), 2021, pp.8-27.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Community justice professionals operate within deeply gendered territory, yet there has been little attention to how gender is understood and embodied by the workforce. Building on findings from a mixed method study, this article explores professional perceptions of how gender plays out in criminal justice social work (CJSW) in Scotland. Our findings demonstrate that gender is an important but neglected dimension of CJSW. We conclude that advancing gender in this field requires a more inclusive theorising of gender in professional education and research, a more practical commitment to gender equality in policy and practice, and more routine opportunities for dialogue on issues of gender and justice within and across these domains. (Edited publisher abstract)
Resettlement and the case for women
- Authors:
- DOMINEY Jane, GELSTHORPE Loraine
- Journal article citation:
- Probation Journal, 67(4), 2020, pp.393-409.
- Publisher:
- Sage
This article is about women caught in the cycle of persistent offending, breach and recall. We consider the resettlement challenges faced by this group of women and the extent to which these challenges can be met by the criminal justice system. We reflect on the impact of the Offender Rehabilitation Act 2014 and of statutory post-sentence supervision on the speed of the revolving door between custody and the community. The article draws on some data from an ongoing evaluation of a supported accommodation project for women leaving prison to illustrate its argument. We also question the extent to which the probation service alone has the tools needed to reduce the likelihood of recall and return to prison and identify the importance of factors such as sentencing law and policy and the provision of housing and health services. (Edited publisher abstract)
‘A qualitative investigation into the impact of domestic abuse on women’s desistance’: a practitioner’s response
- Author:
- REED Rachel
- Journal article citation:
- Probation Journal, 67(4), 2020, pp.447-453.
- Publisher:
- Sage
This article is a response to Barr and Christian’s article ‘A qualitative investigation into the impact of domestic abuse on women’s desistance’. Based on the findings of two separate but interlinked projects considering women’s qualitative desistance experiences in the community, Barr and Christian argue for a reframing of desistance from crime as desistance from harm when working with women in the criminal justice system. This article seeks to consider this reframing in terms of probation practice and contemplates some of the structural and cultural barriers which may currently stand in the way. (Edited publisher abstract)