Criminal History Research Articles

A Framework for Healthcare Services Affordability for the Homeless in Malaysia: Addressing Inequalities

The issue of homelessness is a worldwide problem that necessitates attention from all stakeholders. The major concerns are around inadequate legislation safeguarding the rights of the homeless and their financial ability to seek medical care. This study aims to assess the feasibility of establishing a healthcare framework specifically tailored for the homeless population in Malaysia. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with individuals aged 18 years and older who are currently residing in homeless-related facilities in Malaysia. A total of 57 participants from three distinct sites were questioned. Based on the input from these participants, this study discovered that homelessness can be attributed to a range of factors, such as unemployment, familial issues, criminal histories, and even personal choice. When questioned about their primary necessities when experiencing homelessness, the majority expressed apprehension regarding access to sustenance and housing, while a few also voiced concerns about receiving medical care. Although many individuals disregard the importance of seeking medical care, a portion of the homeless population experiences severe ailments. The report presents preventive and sustainable ways to address the issues of homelessness and suggests improvements to legislation.

Prior incarceration, restrictive housing, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in a community sample of persons who use drugs

BackgroundCriminalization of drugs in the United States (US) has extensive consequences for people who use drugs (PWUD). Incarceration and substance use overlap with 65% of the US prison population meeting substance use disorder (SUD) criteria. Exposure to the criminal-legal system negatively impacts the health of PWUD. PTSD is commonly comorbid with SUDs, and exposure to restrictive housing (RH) during incarceration may worsen mental health. Because PWUD are disproportionately incarcerated, experiences occurring during incarceration, such as RH, may contribute to the development or exacerbation of PTSD and SUDs. This study of PWUD investigated prior criminal-legal system exposure and its association with PTSD symptoms in community-dwelling PWUD.MethodsThis cross-sectional study recruited PWUD from syringe service programs (SSP). Inclusion criteria were: age 18+, current or past opioid use disorder, and SSP enrollment. Data collected included: sociodemographics; incarceration, substance use, SUD treatment history, and PTSD assessments (Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5). Bivariate testing and multivariate logistic regression analyses, with probable PTSD as the dependent variable and a three-level variable for criminal legal history as the independent variable, were conducted to determine whether incarceration and RH were associated with probable PTSD.ResultsOf 139 participants, 78% had an incarceration history with 57% of these having a history of RH. 57% of participants screened positive for probable PTSD, and physical assault was the most common traumatic exposure. Any history of incarceration was not associated with probable PTSD diagnosis; however, in multivariate testing, adjusting for age, sex, and substance use, a history of RH (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 3.76, 95% CI 1.27–11.11) was significantly associated with probable PTSD.ConclusionsRH and PTSD were both exceptionally common in a sample of SSP participants. RH can be detrimental to physical and mental health. Clinicians and policy makers may not consider incarceration as a traumatic experience for PWUD; however, our data suggest that among highly marginalized PWUD, prior exposure to incarceration and RH may add an additional burden to their daily struggles, namely PTSD.

Drugs, guns, and violent crime in California

BackgroundThere is evidence linking use of controlled substances with perpetration of interpersonal violence. While the United States constitution protects the right to own a firearm, federal law prohibits firearm purchase and possession by persons believed to be at high risk for violence, including those who use controlled substances unlawfully. MethodsWe report here the results of a 13-year prospective observational study on the risk of violent crime associated with a history of criminal drug charges in a cohort of 79,678 legal purchasers of handguns in California in 2001. The main outcomes were post-purchase charges for any violent crime, violent Crime Index crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault), and firearm-related violent crimes. The main exposure of interest was a history of pre-purchase charge(s) for drug-related offenses; we examined as a secondary exposure a history of marijuana-related charges. We estimated adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) using Cox proportional hazards multiple events models. ResultsWe found that legal handgun purchasers in California with a history of drug-related charges, even those with marijuana charges only, had triple the risk of a post-purchase violent crime charge compared to purchasers with no criminal charges (drug charges only: aHR=2.9, 95 % CI 2.2–3.8; marijuana charges only: aHR=3.3, 95 % CI 1.8–6.0). In addition, a criminal history of drug charges only vs. no criminal history was associated with increased risk of one or more violent crime charges after the first post-purchase arrest event (aHR=1.6, 95 % CI 1.2–2.3). ConclusionIt is incumbent on researchers and policy makers to understand the nature and causes of this risk in order to take effective steps towards mitigation.

The Characteristics and Historical Traditions of Criminal Procedures in the Medieval Mongolian Law

The purpose of our study is to research the criminal justice system's evolution, history, and reform in medieval Mongolia. Studying the evolution, history, and reform of the criminal justice system in medieval Asian countries is a fascinating and important endeavor. Additionally, a historical and legal analysis will be conducted, focusing on the era's innovative approaches to investigation and victim rights thinking. Understanding the history of investigative services is closely tied to the development of legal regulations for handling criminal cases

The Impact of Formal Education, Specialized Training, and Offense Type on Perceptions of Employability: Can Bias Toward Hiring a Person With a Criminal History Be Mitigated?

Though hesitations to hire formerly incarcerated individuals are often related to assumptions about a person's dangerousness, there remain legitimate reasons, such as limited formal education and basic skills, that prevent returning residents from finding work. Previous research suggests that hiring decisions are confounded by offense type, even if an employer would otherwise consider a person with a criminal history. Thus, it is unclear whether returning residents' level of education or training can mitigate barriers related to their offense history. Using hypothetical case vignettes of a formerly incarcerated job applicant, this study examined whether hiring decisions were influenced by education and offense type. A between-subjects design with a sample of 223 individuals recruited via MTurk was conducted. Results of this study were largely consistent with prior research suggesting that criminal history presents an obstacle when trying to obtain employment. Implications and future directions are provided in the discussion.

Criminal behavior in alcohol-related dementia and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome: a Nationwide Register Study.

Chronic heavy alcohol use may lead to permanent brain damage, cognitive impairment, and dementia. While the link between alcohol use and crime is strong, virtually no research exists on the criminal behavior of patients with the alcohol-related neurocognitive disorders of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) and alcohol-related dementia (ARD). The study population included all persons diagnosed with WKS (n = 1149) or ARD (n = 2432) in Finland in 1998-2015. Data on diagnoses, mortality, and crime were obtained from Finnish nationwide registers. Crime incidences were calculated 4 years before and after diagnosis. Crime types, incidences, and mortality were compared between disorders and with the general population. Altogether 35.6% of WKS patients and 23.6% of ARD patients had committed crimes in the 4 years preceding diagnosis, most commonly property and traffic crimes, followed by violent crimes. The incidence of criminal behavior decreased significantly after diagnosis; in WKS patients, the standardized criminality ratio (SCR), the ratio of observed to expected number of crimes (95% CI), was 3.91 (3.72-4.10) in 4 years before and 2.80 (2.61-3.00) in 4 years after diagnosis. Likewise, in ARD patients, the SCRs were 2.63 (2.51-2.75) before and 0.84 (0.75-0.92) after diagnosis. No significant difference emerged in mortality between persons with and without a criminal history. Persons with alcohol-related neurocognitive disorders frequently engage in criminal behavior prior to diagnosis, especially multiple offending. In the 4 years before and after diagnosis, crime rates declined in a linear fashion, with a marked reduction after diagnosis.

Risk factors of suicide in prisons: a comprehensive retrospective cohort study in France, 2017-2020.

Suicide is a leading cause of death in prison and the suicide rates are several times higher in the prison population than in the general population in most countries. Of the studies that have investigated risk factors for suicide in prison, few have controlled for possible confounding factors. The aim of this study is to identify risk factors of suicide among people in French prisons, over a four-year period. All incarcerations that occurred in France during 2017-2020 were eligible. Sociodemographic, criminal and prison characteristics were collected for each incarceration from data of the National Prison Service. Survival univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with a Cox regression model. 358,522 incarcerations were included, of which 449 ended in suicide during the follow-up. The median length of prison stay was 5.1months. The median age at prison entry was 30years and 95.8% of incarcerations involved men. The overall suicide rate was 173 [157-189] per 100,000 person-years. Factors associated with suicide in the multivariate model (p<0.05) were the early stage of incarceration and in particular the first week (HR = 7.6 [5.4-10.8]), violent offences and in particular homicide (HR = 3.0 [2.1-4.2]), French (HR = 1.7 [1.2-2.4]) and other European nationalities (HR = 2.1 [1.4-3.3]), age above 40 (HR = 2.0 [1.5-2.6]), pre-trial incarceration (HR = 1.8 [1.4-2.3]), being separated (HR = 1.6 [1.1-2.3] and having a high school diploma (HR = 1.4 [1.0-1.8]). Factors associated with suicide in prison are complex and involve individuals' criminal history as well as conditions of incarceration. These characteristics may be relevant to focus suicide prevention efforts.

Family Role in the Reintegration of Juvenile Delinquents: A Post Release Analysis in Dir Valley Pakistan

This research focuses on the reintegration of released juvenile offenders within Dir Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Situated within a unique socio-cultural and legal context, this region face distinct challenges that impact the lives of juvenile offenders. This study aims to uncover the role of family dynamics in shaping successful reintegration and inform tailored interventions. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, the study collected data through semi structured interviews with twenty released juvenile offenders and twenty family members. Thematic analysis revealed intricate patterns in family involvement that significantly influence the reintegration process. The family emerged as both a source of support and challenge for these juveniles. Challenges included absent key family members, strained relationships, and dysfunctional family environments, which hinderd reintegration efforts. Economic challenges, emotional support, and family criminal history were also found relevant factors in reintegration. The study’s conclusions offer policy implications, including family centered policies, tailored interventions, and holistic rehabilitation.

Fear, helplessness, pain, anger: The narrated emotions of intimate femicide perpetrators in Latin America

While studies of femicide perpetrators have focused on background factors, such as criminal history and mental health conditions, little attention has been paid to their individual experiences. Perpetrators emotions and sense-making have often been overlooked and even dismissed. With a micro-sociological approach to violence, we identify the narrated emotions involved in the perpetration of intimate femicide. The data gathered are based on 33 open-ended interviews with convicted male perpetrators from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Honduras, Mexico, and Venezuela. We identify four main emotions reflecting participants’ experiences of femicide: Fear, expressed through stories of women as threats to self, family, and community; helplessness, expressed through stories of men being trapped, judged, and persecuted; and pain, connected to stories of jealousy and belittlement. These lead to anger, expressed through stories of bodily reactions and losing control. The findings indicate that intimate femicide perpetrators resort to lethal violence to regulate self-worth and remediate actions they feel were disruptive. Our research demonstrates the importance of embodied and narrated emotions to understand femicides. We argue that viewing femicide as a product of a shared pervasive emotional economy highlights the role of emotions in maintaining a gendered social order.

Prison or treatment? Gender, racial, and ethnic inequities in mental health care utilization and criminal justice history among incarcerated persons with borderline and antisocial personality disorders.

Borderline and antisocial personality disorders are characterized by pervasive psychosocial impairment, disproportionate criminal justice involvement, and high mental health care utilization. Although some evidence suggests that systemic bias may contribute to demographic inequities in criminal justice and mental health care among persons experiencing these mental health conditions, no research to date has explicitly examined such differences. Women and White persons would be more likely to endorse internalizing symptoms and have a more extensive history of mental health service utilization, whereas men, persons from minoritized racial groups, and persons identifying as Hispanic/Latino would be more likely to endorse externalizing symptoms and have more extensive histories of involvement with the criminal justice system. This study examined gender, racial, and ethnic differences in symptom presentation, criminal justice history, and mental health care utilization in a sample of 314 adults with comorbid borderline and antisocial personality disorders enrolled in prison-based substance use treatment programs in the United States. Results suggested that men with these personality disorders were more likely to have early extensive criminal justice involvement, whereas women and White people had more extensive mental health treatment histories. Women were also more likely to endorse a range of internalizing symptoms, and White and non-Hispanic participants were more likely to endorse a history of reckless behavior. Notably, however, many associations-particularly, racial differences in symptom presentation and mental health utilization history and gender differences in symptom presentation-did not persist after we controlled for preincarceration employment and educational attainment. Results highlight a range of gender, racial, and ethnic inequities in criminal justice involvement and mental health utilization among this high-risk high-need population. Findings attest to the likely impact of societal, structural, and systemic factors on trajectories of persons affected by this comorbidity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Drug Screenings in Practice

This research article will contextualize drug testing and conditions of supervision by analyzing eight original in-depth interview and survey narratives provided by persons are in treatment for substance use disorder. We identify a gap in the literature surrounding drug testing as part of community supervision. Specifically, the practice of drug testing from the perspective of the person ordered to test is not well documented. We consider how these experiences diverge from the intention of drug testing by supervising agencies as described in the prior scholarship. This cleavage between the expectations, experiences, and understanding of persons being tested relative to those of supervision agencies presents an avenue for the government to improve community relations, and specifically, improve trust among formerly incarcerated persons towards the supervision process, thereby increasing its legitimacy while enacting procedural justice. The persons under supervision describe broad criminal justice experiences and histories with illicit substances that resulted in drug screenings. The opinions from persons who use drugs towards drug testing and related conditions also vary and suggest evidence-based practices involving drug screening could be helpful to improve compliance with conditions and increase trust towards supervision agencies and courts. Opinions towards obligatory drug screens ranged from fear to one of gratitude. A common theme emerged: when drug tests were viewed as avoidable, respondents described changing their behavior to avoid testing—such as avoiding employers who may test for drug use; when screenings were understood as obligatory, like in the context of court ordered community-based addiction treatment, some respondents identified the broader context of the testing as helpful to their abstinence from drug use. Respondents described drug screenings as impacting their employment, economic well-being, and freedom—in particular, failed drug screens on community supervision, including drug court and other specialized supervision caseloads, could result in punitive action including incarceration and other adverse outcomes like job loss. The risk acknowledgement, however, of consequences of a failed drug screen, had not up to the point of our interview, resulted in long-term abstinence from substances for any of the respondents under community-based supervision.

The Utility of Drug Testing for Probation Risk Classification

Drug testing—either random, scheduled, or for-cause—is a common condition of community supervision. This study investigates the utility of drug testing measures in predicting arrest or revocation outcomes for individuals on probation. Results were generated during the development of a set of new risk classification algorithms for individuals on probation or parole in Georgia. Multiple analytic approaches and predictive factors were tested in the development of these models that were built using data for approximately 154,000 individuals who began probation or parole between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2019. Accuracy at predicting rearrest was improved by implementing time-period-specific models; using recent rather than lifetime criminal history; and incorporating dynamic measures of both protective and risk factors, including drug test results and absence of testing. Models were estimated separately for men and women, for different supervision statuses (probation-only, split-sentence probation, and parole), and for three consecutive time periods (first quarter, next three quarters, one-plus years). Positive test results were predictive of future arrest or revocation, while negative results and absence of testing in latter-period models were associated with reduced risk. Results are presented for the probation-only models for men and women, but similar results obtained for the split-probation and parole models.

Social Determinants Associated with Substance Use and Treatment Seeking in Females of Reproductive Age in the United States.

Introduction: Females of reproductive age (FoRA; 15-49 years) are the demographic most likely to be diagnosed with a substance use disorder. Preventative treatment prior to or during pregnancy is critical. Stigma and social inequities can delay access to care. There is limited research examining social determinants of health (SDoH) and how they are related to substance use and treatment seeking in this demographic. Methods: We analyzed the 2016-2019 data from the United States National Survey on Drug Use and Health using multivariable logistic regression models. Statistically significant variables were conceptually linked to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion's (ODPHP's) SDoH framework's five domains. Results: From a total sample of 1,477,336 (weighted) pregnant people and 39,600,523 (weighted) FoRA, substance use was reported by 879,209 (2.14% [95% confidence interval = 2.13-2.15]). Pregnancy status was not associated with substance use or treatment seeking. Past-month substance use was associated with high educational attainment, an annual income <$20,000, a history of criminality, low religiosity, and having health insurance. Past-month treatment-seeking behavior was associated with older age, an annual income >$20,000, a history of criminality, and greater religiosity. Behavioral health support seeking in the past month was associated with some college education. Higher depression severity was associated with all the three models. Conclusions: Using the ODPHP's SDoH framework, we begin to elicit critical connections that can describe substance use and treatment-seeking practices in FoRA. We encourage additional research to inform public health, health care, behavioral health, and other support service programming.

Criminal responsibility and profile of Turkish firesetters with schizophrenia

This study aimed to examine a subgroup of Turkish firesetters diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) for their motives, individual and offense-related characteristics and courses of action, and their association with expert assessment of criminal responsibility. A cohort of 50 arsonists with SSD, who underwent assessment for criminal responsibility by the Council of Forensic Medicine in Turkiye between 2009 and 2022, was analyzed using a comprehensive retrospective file review. Multivariate analyses indicated that being female, older, experiencing hallucinations at the time of the offense, having a primary diagnosis of SSD other than psychotic disorder not otherwise specified, and no prior convictions were associated with a higher likelihood of being found not criminally responsible. Singling out a definitive profile of SSD arsonists without criminal responsibility is challenging. Our findings, based on forensic expert assessments, suggest that positive psychotic symptoms and criminal history play crucial roles in determining criminal responsibility in this group.

Ban-the-box laws: Fair and effective?

Ban-the-box (BTB) laws are a widely used public policy rooted in employment law related to unnecessarily exclusionary hiring practices. BTB laws are intended to improve the employment opportunities of those with criminal backgrounds by giving them a fair chance during the hiring process. Prior research on the effectiveness of these laws in meeting their objective is limited and inconclusive. In this article, we extend the prior literature in two ways: we expand the years of analysis to a period of rapid expansion of BTB laws and we examine different types of BTB laws depending on the employers affected (e.g., public sector). Results indicate that BTB laws, any type of BTB law or BTB laws covering different types of employers, have no systematic or statistically significant association with employment of low-educated men, both young and old and across racial and ethnic groups. We speculate that the lack of effectiveness of BTB laws stems from the difficulty in enforcing such laws and already high rates of employer willingness to hire those with criminal histories.

Указание судимости как условие реализации избирательных прав граждан

The article reviews separate issues connected with exercising electoral rights by citizens with criminal history (convicted of committing a crime, having a criminal record). An introduction of the requirement for the indication of criminal record data by a candidate upon nomination and restriction of the right to be elected in respect of persons convicted of crimes of certain categories has resulted in the appearance of special understanding of a criminal record in the electoral procedure that differs from the understanding of this term in criminal law. The author suggests ways to update the laws in terms of indication of the respective data in order to raise awareness of voters about participation of mentioned persons in elections.

Criminal background check laws and labor market inequality in the United States

AbstractResearch summaryA growing literature documents the effect of criminal justice contact on inequalities in the labor market. While ample evidence indicates that a criminal record itself imposes considerable disadvantage, the formal legal mechanisms that may contribute to criminal record‐based exclusion have received less empirical attention. The present study examines how one such mechanism—legal requirements for employers and license boards to perform criminal background checks—shapes labor market outcomes among formerly incarcerated people. The study draws from novel longitudinal data on the extensiveness of background check requirements at the state level, as well as individual‐level data on incarceration, wages, and unemployment from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Results show that while the extensiveness of state‐level background check requirements does not significantly affect the likelihood of unemployment, formerly incarcerated people residing in states where background check requirements are extensive are estimated to earn significantly lower wages than their counterparts in states with few screening mandates.Policy implicationsCriminal background check requirements stand as significant policy barriers that diminish the earning potential of formerly incarcerated people. Policy makers seeking to mitigate the collateral consequences of criminal convictions should narrow the scope of these laws to target specific, highly sensitive occupations, as opposed to broader workplace contexts. Reforms should also address persistent data quality issues in state criminal history record systems and shift the burdens imposed by incomplete or erroneous rap sheets. To minimize adverse self‐selection, background check procedures should clarify for applicants the role that a criminal history record may play in clearance decisions. Finally, future research should assess the marginal benefit of criminal background checks compared with other methods of screening prospective hires and licensees.

Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics of Delinquent Children and Factors Associated with Recidivism

Introduction: Many studies have shown that the prevalence and rate of delinquency in adolescents tends to increase during adolescence and decreases rapidly from the 20s to the early 30s. Juvenile delinquency is considered as a serious social problem because it is often occurs at a young age, is repeated and is often committed as a group. In this study, we aimed to investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of children between the ages of 12 and 18 who engage in delinquent behavior and the factors that contribute to recidivism. Methods: Children between the ages of 12 and 18 who were referred by the judicial authorities for alleged crimes were included in the study. The files of the children were reviewed retrospectively. Age, gender, psychiatric diagnoses, types of crimes, intelligence levels, family history of crime, number of crimes were evaluated and the factors associated with recidivism behaviors were investigated. Results: A total of 91 children referred by the judicial authorities to the outpatient clinic for child and adolescent psychiatry were included in the study. The average age of the children at the time of the offense was 14.10±1.25 years and 87 (95.6%) were boys and 4 (4.4%) were girls. At least one active psychopathology was found in 38 (41.8%) of the cases. The most frequent psychiatric disorders among the psychopathologies during the study were attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in 19 (50.0%) children and conduct disorder in 17 (44.7%) children. The presence of a family criminal history (p=0.024), school attendance (p

Challenges and promising practices in background check systems for firearm purchases

AbstractAimThe U.S. prohibits firearm purchase among individuals with specific risk factors. These prohibitions are operationalized using background checks for firearm purchase. Despite these restrictions, prohibited persons have obtained firearms after passing background checks, sometimes with devastating effects.Materials and MethodsWe conducted a mixed‐methods, descriptive study of the records and record‐keeping practices that underpin background checks for firearm transfers. Sources included key informant interviews with individuals working in a leadership capacity with state record‐keeping systems as well as data from state surveys and administrative records. We analyzed quantitative data using descriptive statistics and qualitative data using a thematic analysis approach to code the data and identify themes. Three investigators coded each interview. We returned to all data sources to develop key findings in an iterative process.ResultsKey informants described major improvements in the collection of specific record types that were previously a “black hole” (e.g. criminal history records housed in military justice systems, and records relating to involuntary commitments for mental illness) and advances in the automation of record transfer across agencies, themes corroborated by administrative data. Key informants also identified potential causes and solutions for challenges relating to missing or incomplete information and delays in resolving ambiguous background check results. Examples include manual processes for confirming relationship status in misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence and discordant practices for processing arrest and court records that result in dispositions that cannot be entered or arrests with no disposition.ConclusionBackground checks are the backbone of many policies designed to prevent firearm harm in the United States. This study highlights actionable ways in which states could make background check practices and policies more robust.

Irish-American Anti-Imperialism in Patrick Ford’s The Criminal History of the British Empire

Abstract In 1881, Patrick Ford, the Irish-American nationalist editor of the New York Irish newspaper The Irish World and American Industrial Liberator, published The criminal history of the British empire, a collection of five letters that he had written to William Gladstone. In The criminal history, Ford constructed a comprehensive account of British imperial history, beginning with England’s conquest of Ireland, before detailing the colonization of North America, Britain’s participation in the transatlantic slave trade, the American Revolution, British rule in India, the opium wars, and Britain’s contemporary colonization of Africa. This article contributes to scholarship on American views of the British empire in the post-bellum United States. In exploring how Ford constructed a Manichean interpretation of world history, where the British imperial project devastated every region it invaded, the article analyses Ford’s reasons for writing and publishing the letters that formed The criminal history. Finally, the article shows that Ford’s central purpose was to foster a visceral hatred of the British empire among his Irish-American readership, to maintain a commitment to their ethnic heritage as proud Irish people, and to encourage his readers that a better future would soon arrive, when the British empire was finally a relic of the past.