I’d hook up with them, but never date them: how attitudes towards hooking up influence willingness to date those with a criminal history

Homeless adults with serious mental illnesses and chronic substance abuse problems have few housing options, a problem compounded when a criminal background is present. This study compared the criminal backgrounds and other characteristics of homeless individuals who succeeded in housing (retained housing continuously for two years) and those who failed in housing. The study population consisted of homeless adults with behavioral health disorders who moved into supportive housing between January 1, 2000, and June 30, 2004, regardless of criminal background. Data about criminal history and other characteristics were extracted from existing records and analyzed for associations with housing success. Chi square tests and logistic regression analysis were used to find characteristics predictive of subsequent housing success or failure. Data were available for 347 participants. Most (51%) had a criminal record, and 72% achieved housing success. The presence of a criminal background did not predict housing failure. Younger age at move-in, the presence of a substance abuse problem, and higher numbers of drug crimes and property crimes were separately associated with more housing failure; however, when they were adjusted for each of the other variables, only move-in age remained associated with the outcome. The finding that criminal history does not provide good predictive information about the potential for housing success is important because it contradicts the expectations of housing operators and policy makers. The findings suggest that policies and practices that keep homeless people with criminal records out of housing may be unnecessarily restrictive.

Major international arts festivals are responsible for attracting many international visitors to a location. This study proposes that the high profile major international acts that are programmed within a particular festival play an important role in attracting international visitors to the event. This empirical study was conducted to predict the demographic, attitudinal, and behavioral factors of international visitors that could influence their interest in attending performances of international artists (i.e., those imported for the event) that had taken place at the Hong Kong Arts Festival. It employs descriptive statistics, paired samples t test, and logistic regression as analytical techniques in order to achieve the above objective. A total of 129 samples were drawn randomly from both male and female international visitors. The results from t tests, which generated two-variable correlation coefficient values with corresponding levels of statistical significance, suggest that the show event that most significantly (p≤0.05) influenced international visitors' attendance was the Northern Sinfonia and Chorus, and the Latvian National Opera: Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk was the second most important show event. The results from the logistic regression model suggest that international visitors' interest, in particular international performances, was mostly influenced by their demographic and behavioral factors, but not by their attitudinal factors. This study suggests that relevant programming strategies should consider why, at which degree, and how the demographic, attitudinal, and behavioral factors of international visitors are important to attracting them to and to increasing their interest in the arts festivals of this kind. Although the main limitation of this study is the use of a small subset of samples, further research could overcome this by considering a larger sample size and looking into the demographic, attitudinal, and behavioral factors of international or local visitors that could influence their interest in some other arts festival events/shows showcasing local artists and productions.

Although criminal records in the United States are more publicly accessible than ever before, we lack knowledge about how record‐bearers seek to overcome the negative consequences associated with a visible criminal record as they apply for jobs, housing, and financial aid. Furthermore, although criminal histories record all arrests—and not just those that result in conviction—researchers have yet to compare how those with more extensive versus minor criminal records cope with criminal record stigma. We present interview data from a comparative study of expungement‐seekers (N = 53) who have petitioned the courts to remove their criminal records from public view. One group had extensive criminal records (46 percent); the other group had more minor criminal records (54 percent). Several key findings emerged. First, both groups of participants tried, but failed, to persuade potential employers and landlords to overlook the criminal record. They also faced restricted educational opportunity. Second, participants in both groups expressed distress that criminal justice contact could follow them throughout their lives, subjecting them to ongoing stigma. However, those with extensive versus minor criminal records offered different rationales explaining why the visible criminal record history unfairly burdened them. Implications for reintegration theory and policy are discussed.

Aspirations and expectations are conceptually and empirically different. Given their differential impact on various educational outcomes, it is expected that they, and consequently their convergence, would be affected by different factors. This study examines the factors leading to high aspirations, high expectations and to their alignment by using cross-sectional data on 7th and 8th grade students in Qatar. Results from our study demonstrate that aspirations are affected by attitudinal factors and student grades alone, while expectations are significantly influenced by demographic factors (ethnicity, gender, school type, parent occupation). Parental expectations are influential in shaping student expectations but not student aspirations. The alignment of high aspirations with high expectations were determined by parental expectations, student grades and attitudinal factors. It appears that parental expectations play a critical role in bringing together high aspirations and high expectations. These results, the implications of the research and suggestions for future research are discussed further.

The aim of this paper is to determine what non-exposure factors influence the relationship between vibration and noise exposure from the construction of a Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system and the annoyance of nearby residents. Noise and vibration from construction sites are known to annoy residents, with annoyance increasing as a function of the magnitude of the vibration and noise. There is not a strong correlation between exposure and levels of annoyance suggesting that factors not directly related to the exposure may have an influence. A range of attitudinal, situational and demographic factors are investigated with the aim of understanding the wide variation in annoyance for a given vibration exposure. A face-to-face survey of residents (n = 350) near three sites of LRT construction was conducted, and responses were compared to semi-empirical estimates of the internal vibration within the buildings. It was found that annoyance responses due to vibration were strongly influenced by two attitudinal variables, concern about property damage and sensitivity to vibration. Age, ownership of the property and the visibility of the construction site were also important factors. Gender, time at home and expectation of future levels of vibration had much less influence. Due to the measurement methods used, it was not possible to separate out the effects of noise and vibration on annoyance; as such, this paper focusses on annoyance due to vibration exposure. This work concludes that for the most cost-effective reduction of the impact of construction vibration and noise on the annoyance felt by a community, policies should consider attitudinal factors.

Railway induced vibration is an important source of annoyance among residents living in the vicinity of railways. Annoyance increases with vibration magnitude. However, these correlations between the degree of annoyance and vibration exposure are weak. This suggests that railway vibration induced annoyance is governed by more than just vibration level and therefore other factors may provide information to understand the wide variation in annoyance reactions. Factors coming into play when considering an exposure-response relationship between level of railway vibration and annoyance are presented. The factors investigated were: attitudinal, situational and demographic factors. This was achieved using data from field studies comprised of face-to-face interviews and internal vibration measurements (N = 755). It was found that annoyance scores were strongly influenced by two attitudinal factors: Concern of property damage and expectations about future levels of vibration. Type of residential area and age of the respondent were found to have an important effect on annoyance whereas visibility of the railway and time spent at home showed a significant but small influence. These results indicate that future railway vibration policies and regulations focusing on community impact need to consider additional factors for an optimal assessment of railway effects on residential environments.

Most criminal justice systems accord a central role to an offender's criminal history in the determination of sentence, although the importance of previous convictions varies across jurisdictions. In countries such as Canada, Australia, England and Wales, criminal record plays a critical but limited role in sentencing. Elsewhere, in several American states, criminal record is primary, eclipsing even the seriousness of the offence of conviction as a determinant of severity.(1) Criminal history is relevant in jurisdictions with formal guideline systems, as well as countries that have traditionally eschewed such attempts to structure sentencing practices. Most penal codes around the world also contain repetitive offender provisions that prescribe higher penalties for recidivists, or which defer parole eligibility for the recidivist offender.(2) Statutory premiums for recidivists are not new--for example, the Indictable Offences Bill, introduced in England well over a century ago, provided a mandatory minimum for repeat offenders.(3) Finally, it is worth noting that public attitudes regarding sentencing are also strongly influenced by the offender's criminal antecedents. Survey research in the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere suggests that when members of the public are asked to sentence offenders, support for incarceration increases as a direct function of the number of prior convictions.(4) Justifying the Recidivist Premium The exact impact of criminal record is determined, in theory, by the nature of the underlying sentencing purpose(s). Some desert theorists, including Andrew von Hirsch and Martin Wasik,(5) regard criminal history as being relevant to the sentencing decision, albeit in a limited way. They argue that our everyday moral judgements incorporate the notion of leniency towards people who transgress for the first time. According to this view, a lapse into criminality after a lifetime of lawabiding behavior should be responded to with a certain degree of tolerance. The result is a first offender discount. As Wasik and Von Hirsch note: A first offender, after being confronted with censure or blame, is capable--as a reasoning human being presumed capable of ethical judgments--of reflecting on the morality of what he has done and of making an extra effort to show greater restraint. What we do, in granting the discount [to first offenders], is to show respect for this capacity--and thereby give the offender a so-called 'second chance.' With repetitions, however, the discount should begin to diminish and eventually disappear.(6) In practice, this justification is known as the progressive loss of mitigation.(7) However, there are other desert theorists (such as George Fletcher and Alexis Durham III) who see little role for criminal record in the determination of sanction(8). According to their perspective, there should be no discount for first offenders, and no increase in severity as a function of the number of previous convictions. Neither version of desert theory distinguishes between offenders with lengthy, but varying criminal histories. For Wasik and Von Hirsch, such offenders can no longer claim that their current transgressions are at odds with their actions to that point; they have had their second chance. For the other desert theorists, there is no role for criminal record to mitigate even for first offenders. The utilitarian sentencing purposes use an offender's criminal record in a very different way. An incapacitation strategy would give primary weight to the offender's criminal record, on grounds that the actuarial probability of future offending depends largely on the number and nature of priors. Advocates of individual deterrence would take a re-conviction as evidence that a harsher was now required as the previous clearly failed to deter the offender. Some form of recidivist premium then is justified according to almost all sentencing theories. …

Jurisdictions across the United States have adopted "ban the box" (BTB) policies preventing employers from conducting criminal background checks until late in the job application process. Their goal is to improve employment outcomes for those with criminal records, with a secondary goal of reducing racial disparities in employment. However, removing information about job applicants' criminal histories could lead employers who don't want to hire ex-offenders to try to guess who the ex-offenders are, and avoid interviewing them. In particular, employers might avoid interviewing young, low-skilled, black and Hispanic men when criminal records are not observable. This would worsen employment outcomes for these already-disadvantaged groups. In this paper, we use variation in the details and timing of state and local BTB policies to test BTB's effects on employment for various demographic groups. We find that BTB policies decrease the probability of being employed by 3.4 percentage points (5.1%) for young, low-skilled black men, and by 2.3 percentage points (2.9%) for young, low-skilled Hispanic men. These findings support the hypothesis that when an applicant's criminal history is unavailable, employers statistically discriminate against demographic groups that are likely to have a criminal record.

Employment opportunities for ex-offenders: A field experiment on how type of crime and applicants’ ethnic background affect employment opportunities for low-educated men in the Netherlands

The reintegration of individuals with a criminal history into society after serving time in correctional facilities poses significant challenges for both the individual and their family. Approximately 60,000 such individuals are released back into society each year, and the impact of imprisonment and release can be deeply detrimental to the well-being of their families. The stigma faced by families of these individuals often leads to isolation and the loss of social connections, as well as exacerbating the practical difficulties they may experience. This stigma can also lead to negative experiences and increased suffering for the family, beyond that experienced by the individual with a criminal history. Given that the support and resources provided by the family can greatly contribute to the individual's successful reintegration and reduced likelihood of recidivism, it is important to protect families from social stigma and discrimination. However, research on the stigma faced by these families is limited, as are legal and support systems specifically geared towards them. This study aims to better understand the stigma faced by families of individuals with a criminal history, as well as the psychological factors that influence their perception of this stigma.
 This study used descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, t-test, and regression analysis on a total of 127 data points collected from the 2022 Gyeonggi-do 『Psychological treatment support project for families of individuals on probation and others』. The data included 57 responses from individuals with criminal records and 70 responses from their family members.
 As a result, there were statistically significant differences in the stigma perception of individuals with a criminal record and their families in terms of negative anger response, family predictability, drinking frequency, and drinking problems. However, no significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of the rest of the variables, including the perception of stigma, indicating that the psychological state of the family is not significantly different from that of the individuals with a criminal history. The main psychological factors influencing the stigma of individuals with a criminal record and their families were found to be negative anger responses and negative self-concept. In addition, family predictability was identified as a psychological factor affecting self-stigma among families, suggesting that a greater degree of predictability among family members may be associated with higher levels of self-stigma and an increased number of negative predictions.
 This study suggests the need for further research on the psychological state of families of individuals with a criminal history, as well as the implementation of ongoing educational and psychological support programs to address the challenges faced by these families. Additionally, it is important to consider expanding the legal system to provide practical support for these families.

This study aims to examine the entrepreneurial intentions and characteristics of the millennial generation in rural areas of Jambi Province and to identify the factors influencing these intentions. Data were collected through a survey of millennials in rural Jambi and were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools and the Structural Equation Modeling Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS) approach. The key variables evaluated were individual characteristics, attitudinal factors, and contextual factors. The findings indicate that the entrepreneurial interest of millennials in rural Jambi is relatively high, signaling a promising potential for the emergence of young entrepreneurs in the future. The surveyed millennials' attitudinal and contextual factors directly influence this entrepreneurial interest. While individual characteristics do not directly impact entrepreneurial intentions, they exert an indirect influence mediated by attitudinal and contextual factors.

Objectives: This study identified barriers associated with faculty members' engagement in remote teaching, and indicated the impact of some demographic variables on the classification of barriers, namely, personal, attitudinal, and contextual factors. Method: A descriptive approach was used for collecting and analyzing data. The questionnaire comprised two main sections: (1) the demographic characteristics and (2) factors that are categorized into three main categories: personal barriers, attitudinal factors and contextual factors. Data and Study Sample questionnaire was distributed to 1800 faculty members, and the response rate was 17% for a total of 309 respondents. Results: The results indicated that there were 28 significant barriers facing faculty members who teach remotely. Among the top two obstacles were ``cheating and plagiarism among students in remote teaching'' and the ``lack of laws and regulations toward remote teaching''. The results also revealed that female faculty members were less anxious toward remote teaching than were male faculty members. In addition, those who taught at humanities colleges were more anxious regarding remote teaching than were those who taught at science colleges. Furthermore, the more experience with teaching that faculty members have, the more resistant they are to virtual teaching. One implication of this study is that the traditional evaluation methods cannot simply be applied to remote teaching. Conclusion: Finally, this study recommends that policy makers should take the study results into consideration when developing remote teaching policies, especially in developing countries.

When wrongfully convicted individuals are released from prison, at first glance, it is a triumph; however, anecdotal evidence from exonerees suggests that obtaining housing postrelease is often challenging. We empirically examined whether race (Study 1) or type of criminal offense (Study 2) influenced landlords' willingness to rent to exonerees compared to releasees (i.e., rightfully convicted individuals released from prison) and control (i.e., members of the public). We hypothesized that: (a) exonerees and releasees would receive fewer replies and fewer "yes" available responses compared to control, (b) Indigenous and Black renters would receive fewer replies and fewer "yes" available responses compared to White renters, and (c) individuals convicted of murder would receive fewer replies and fewer "yes" available responses compared to individuals convicted of robbery. The authors responded to online apartment listings across Canada (Study 1) and in Toronto (Study 2) inquiring about unit availability. All rental inquiries were identical with the exception of criminal status and race (Study 1), and criminal status and criminal offense (Study 2). Results demonstrated that landlords were significantly less likely to respond (Study 1: OR = 4.32, 95% CI [3.28, 5.69]; Study 2: OR = 7.88, 95% CI [4.97, 12.48]), and indicate availability (Study 1: OR = 6.62, 95% CI [3.54, 12.38]; Study 2: OR = 21.53, 95% CI [7.07, 65.58]), to rental inquiries from exonerees and releasees compared to members of the public. For race, landlords were significantly less likely to respond to inquiries from Indigenous and Black renters compared to White renters (OR = 1.45, 95% CI [1.12, 1.86]), and those convicted of robbery compared to murder (OR = 1.69, 95% CI [.36, .97]). The barriers that exonerees face when attempting to secure housing postrelease are potentially as great as those facing releasees; however, exonerees do not receive assistance with reentry. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Ban the Box, Criminal Records, and Statistical Discrimination: A Field Experiment

Demographic factors and attitudes that influence the support of the general public for the introduction of universal healthcare in Ireland: A national survey