Criminal Justice Professionals Research Articles

Diversion or death? The moral framework shaping bifurcated punishments for drug offences in Indonesia

Background As the UN urges states to move from harsh punishments for drug offences towards treatment programmes, Indonesia has adopted a bifurcated penal policy. Most of those convicted are sentenced to imprisonment or death, but some ‘minor’ offenders are diverted to drug treatment centres. We explore the moralities that shape drug policy, justice professionals’ interpretation and application of laws and policies, and judgements about who is deserving of diversion. Methods We draw on experiences and perceptions of 136 Indonesian criminal justice professionals, through in-depth qualitative interviewing and focus groups, to reveal the moral landscapes shaping policy and practice. Results Justice narratives blur penal concerns with moral judgments about drug offending, with normative responses shaping punishments in law and practice. While there is some compassion for ‘minor’ drug offenders, driving rationales for diversion, drug traffickers are regarded as morally deserving of prison and capital punishment, with traditionalist perceptions of harm amplified by a purgative rationale. Conclusion This article highlights the analytical potential of moralities such as ‘compassion’ and ‘traditionalism’ in criminal justice research and policy in Southeast Asia. Understanding the formation and navigation of these normative values may assist in challenging harsh penal policy in Indonesia and the wider region.

Views and experiences of involuntary civil commitment of people who use drugs in Massachusetts (Section 35)

BackgroundInvoluntary civil commitment (ICC) is a court-mandated process to place people who use drugs (PWUD) into substance use treatment. Research on ICC effectiveness is mixed, but suggests that coercive drug treatment like ICC is harmful and can produce a number of adverse outcomes. We qualitatively examined the experiences and outcomes of ICC among PWUD in Massachusetts. MethodsData for this analysis were collected between 2017 and 2023 as part of a mixed-methods study of Massachusetts residents who disclosed illicit drug use in the past 30-days. We examined the transcripts of 42 participants who completed in-depth interviews and self-reported ICC. Transcripts were coded and thematically analysed using inductive and deductive approaches to understand the diversity of ICC experiences. ResultsParticipants were predominantly male (57 %), white (71 %), age 31–40 (50 %), and stably housed (67 %). All participants experienced ICC at least once; half reported multiple ICCs. Participants highlighted perceptions of ICC for substance use treatment in Massachusetts. Themes surrounding ICC experience included: positive and negative treatment experience’s, strategies for evading ICC, disrupting access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and contributing to continued substance use and risk following release. ConclusionsPWUD experience farther-reaching health and social consequences beyond the immediate outcomes of an ICC. Findings suggest opportunities to amend ICC to facilitate more positive outcomes and experiences, such as providing sufficient access to MOUD and de-criminalizing the ICC processes. Policymakers, public health, and criminal justice professionals should consider possible unintended consequences of ICC on PWUD.

Coalition broadens mental health training for criminal justice professionals

Coalition broadens mental health training for criminal justice professionals

T43 - Women and Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: Contributors to Treatment Success From the Perspectives of Women in Recovery, Women With Past Attempts in Drug Treatment, and Health and Criminal Justice Professionals

T43 - Women and Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: Contributors to Treatment Success From the Perspectives of Women in Recovery, Women With Past Attempts in Drug Treatment, and Health and Criminal Justice Professionals

A Study of Gender Differences on Chinese Criminal Justice Practitioners’ Death Penalty Opinions

Among Western studies of death penalty public opinion, one specific inquiry is on potential gender differences between men and women. While many studies conducted in the United States found a gender gap in which men exhibited significantly higher levels of support for capital punishment, studies of this gender gap in other nations are rare and the results are mixed and inconsistent. Based on a sample of 516 criminal justice professionals (CJPs) from one southern Chinese city, this study examines their death penalty opinions and explores if potential gender differences exist. Bivariate and multivariate analyses showed little significant differences between male and female Chinese CJPs, albeit women displayed lower levels of support in general. In rape crimes, however, female Chinese CJPs were more likely to favor capital punishment than males, after controlling for other variables. This study provides the first in-depth examination of gender differences of death penalty opinions among CJPs.

Cybersecurity Skills, Knowledge and Abilities for Criminal Justice Professionals: An Exploratory Study of Practitioners' Perspectives

Cybersecurity Skills, Knowledge and Abilities for Criminal Justice Professionals: An Exploratory Study of Practitioners' Perspectives

The impact of family systems and social networks on substance use initiation and recovery among women with substance use disorders.

While social networks influence individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs), the mechanisms for such influence are under-explored among women who use drugs. This study triangulates the perspectives of criminal justice professionals, SUD treatment professionals, and women with past and current experiences with substance use to explore these dynamics. We conducted semistructured interviews (N = 42) in 2022 with women with current or past opioid use disorder (n = 20), SUD treatment professionals (n = 12), and criminal justice professionals (n = 10) who work with women with opioid use disorder. Interviews centered around participants' backgrounds, perceived barriers and facilitators to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment, and gender-specific issues in MOUD treatment. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and deidentified. We used a four-step qualitative data analysis process to code transcripts. Across these participants' accounts, we identified mechanisms by which women's social networks influenced their opioid use trajectories: intergenerational substance use, family support and strain, intimate partner influence, and peer support and pressure. Overall, the emergent themes in the present study reflect the embedded nature of support within social systems. Women who had access to and engaged with various forms of social support tended to be those who use/used MOUD and self-identified as in recovery. Combining MOUD treatment with psychosocial interventions allows women to heal from trauma, learn effective coping skills, and receive valuable resources to support recovery. Interventions focusing on family resilience and peer recovery support can disrupt the cycle of addiction and promote MOUD treatment success. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Detecting orphanage trafficking and exploitation

BackgroundThere is growing awareness that a proportion of children in orphanages have been recruited or transferred into the facility for a purpose of exploitation and/or profit. These children are often falsely presented as orphans to evoke sympathy and solicit funding. This process is known as orphanage trafficking. Although orphanage trafficking can be prosecuted under legal frameworks in some jurisdictions, including Cambodia, there have been limited prosecutions to date. One factor that likely contributes to a lack of prosecution is poor detection, yet the indicators of orphanage trafficking have not been considered by extant research. ObjectiveThe current study was conducted as a first step towards providing evidence-based indicators of orphanage trafficking. Participants and settingProfessionals who had identified or responded to cases of orphanage-based exploitation in Cambodia were interviewed. Participants included criminal justice professionals, investigators from civil society organisations, and child protection social workers. MethodsProfessionals' perspectives on how to identify orphanage trafficking were explored via in-depth interviews, and the data were analysed via thematic analysis. ResultsThe analysis revealed a distinct set of indicators that may be used to detect orphanage trafficking, including the operation of an unauthorised facility, orphanage tourism and volunteering, and an overt focus on fundraising. ConclusionThe indicators revealed in this study point to the need for an effective and thorough monitoring system for orphanages, as well as adequate education and training of relevant personnel to aid in the detection of orphanage trafficking.

The Intersection of Anthropology and Criminal Law: Insights for Policy and Practice


 
 
 The intersection of anthropology and criminal law offers valuable insights for informing policy and practice in the criminal justice system. This article explores the dynamic relationship between anthropology and criminal law, highlighting the contributions of anthropological research to understanding crime, criminal behavior, and the functioning of legal systems. Through a qualitative approach, this study conducts a comprehensive review of relevant literature and utilizes library research methods to synthesize key findings. The analysis reveals that anthropology provides unique perspectives on cultural norms, social structures, and power dynamics that influence the formulation and application of criminal laws. By examining diverse cultural contexts, anthropologists uncover the complexities of crime and justice, shedding light on issues such as legal pluralism, cultural defense, and the role of indigenous justice systems. Furthermore, anthropological insights challenge conventional approaches to criminal justice, emphasizing the importance of context- specific interventions and culturally sensitive practices. This article identifies five key themes that emerge from the literature review: cultural relativism, legal pluralism, the social construction of crime, indigenous justice systems, and the impact of globalization on legal norms. These themes offer valuable lessons for policymakers, legal practitioners, and criminal justice professionals seeking to develop more effective and culturally responsive approaches to crime prevention, law enforcement, and criminal adjudication. By bridging the gap between anthropology and criminal law, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the complexities of crime and justice in diverse cultural contexts.
 
 

Collaboration between Criminal Justice and Child Protection in Cases of Child Sexual Abuse: Unveiling Inhibiting and Facilitating Factors

AbstractVictims of child sexual abuse (CSA) in criminal proceedings face a range of stress factors. In response to this, collaboration between criminal justice and child protection professionals has been established both legally and informally, such as in the newly established Childhood Houses in Germany, which follow the model of the Scandinavian Barnahus to reduce stress and prevent revictimisation. This study intends to identify facilitating and inhibiting factors in the collaboration between the child protection and criminal justice systems in cases of CSA in Germany. Twenty‐eight qualitative interviews with experts from child protection, like counselling centre employees (n = 5), psychosocial court supporters (n = 5) and youth welfare office workers (n = 5), and the criminal justice system, like prosecutors (n = 5), police officers (n = 5) and attorneys (n = 3). The interviews are structured by a questionnaire and analysed using Kuckartz's method of qualitative content analysis (QCA). Findings show that key factors like information flow, assessments of collaboration partners, uncertainties about laws and actors' perspectives on reporting and networking determine the success or failure of interagency collaboration.

Digital vulnerability: People-in-prison, videoconferencing and the digital criminal justice system

Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced prisons into extended lockdowns, people-in-prison have been increasingly reliant on remote access technologies such as videoconferencing to interact with the outside world from their carceral context. During the pandemic, both corrective services and criminal courts found that these communication technologies could adequately facilitate court appearances, legal conferencing, health services and visitations. Now, despite the lessening panic regarding COVID-19, there are suggestions that authorities are keen to continue, if not increase, the usage of video links meaning that people-in-prison will experience decreasing human contact. The argument is that COVID-19 “successes” are being used as an excuse to cement remote hearings and visits. This points to a future of absolute confinement uninterrupted by “inconvenient” physical court attendance or human visitors. This article will focus on the “digital vulnerability” of people-in-prison, that is, the intersection between the vulnerabilities of incarcerated people with the use of remote communication technologies such as videoconferencing or video links, and the digital inequalities that may be provoked or solved. The article will draw on qualitative research – fieldwork interviews with judicial officers, lawyers and associated criminal justice professionals – that reveal critical perspectives on the impacts of digital transformation on vulnerable people-in-prison. For instance, when asked about the vulnerabilities of people-in-prison, one defence lawyer (DL1) expressed the view that “no one cares about defendants” or their vulnerabilities, nor their abilities to engage with video links, comprehend or play any role in their own remote legal matters. We analyse our source materials through a framework of vulnerability theory and the developing concept of digital vulnerability. In this way, we seek to offer new knowledge regarding prison digital transformation, specifically the relationship between digital technologies in correctional environments and the vulnerable incarcerated population.

The protective effects of prior military service on burnout in criminal justice professions: A multiagency comparison.

The protective effects of prior military service on burnout in criminal justice professions: A multiagency comparison.

Women and Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Contributors to Treatment Success From the Perspectives of Women in Recovery, Women With Past Attempts in Drug Treatment, and Health and Criminal Justice Professionals.

The disproportionate incidence of opioid use disorder (OUD) and the alarming increases in opioid-related overdose deaths among women highlight a clear need for the expansion of effective harm reduction and treatment practices. Research supports medications for opioid use disorders (MOUD) as an effective intervention; however, with low rates of utilization of such, there is a need to identify factors that facilitate MOUD treatment uptake and retention for women. Thus, the current study examines contributors to treatment success through the triangulation of perspectives from affected women as well as health and criminal justice professionals. Interviews (N = 42) were conducted from May to July 2022 with women in recovery who previously used or currently use MOUD (N = 10), women who currently use opioids who terminated a MOUD program previously (N = 10), SUD treatment professionals (N = 12), and criminal justice professionals who work with women who use opioids (N = 10). Interviews for all participants centered around their backgrounds, perceived barriers and facilitators to MOUD treatment, and issues specific to women in treatment for substance use disorder. We used a thematic qualitative data analysis process to analyze transcripts. Participants highlighted contributors to treatment success from 3 domains: (1) internal processes (including promoting self-efficacy and setting realistic goals), (2) access to resources (including material resources, such as food and shelter, educational resources and social support), and (3) treatment structure (such as treatment type and protocol). Internal processes, access to resources, and treatment structure contribute to MOUD treatment success for women with OUD. Structured support where experiences are shared, and realistic goals are set, may promote feelings of acceptance and empowerment, thereby bolstering chances of treatment success. Additionally, the court system can promote evidence-based and trauma-informed substance use treatment and provide accessible educational resources related to substance use to extend these benefits to more women.

Pregnancy- and parenting-related barriers to receiving medication for opioid use disorder: A multi-paneled qualitative study of women in treatment, women who terminated treatment, and the professionals who serve them.

Women face unique barriers when seeking treatment for substance use disorders, often related to pregnancy and parenting. This study adds to the extant literature by elucidating the pregnancy- and parenting-related barriers women face when initiating or continuing medication for opioid use disorder, specifically. This study is based on qualitative semi-structured interviews. Three subgroups participated in semi-structured interviews regarding their experiences (N = 42): women with current or past opioid use disorders who have used or were presently using medication for opioid use disorder, professionals working in substance use disorder treatment programs, and criminal justice professionals. Three parenting-related subthemes were identified: (1) insufficient access to childcare to navigate appointments and meetings, (2) fear of losing custody of, or access to, one's children, and (3) prioritizing one's children's needs before one's own. Three subthemes were identified with regard to pregnancy as a barrier: (1) hesitancy among physicians to prescribe medication for opioid use disorder for pregnant patients, (2) limited access to resources in rural areas, and (3) difficulty navigating a complex, decentralized health system. Systemic changes are needed to reduce pregnant and parenting women's barriers to seeking medication for opioid use disorder. These include improved childcare support at both in-patient and outpatient treatment programs, which would assuage women's barriers related to childcare, as well as their fears of losing access to their children if they spend time away from their children for treatment. An additional systemic improvement that may reduce barriers for these women is access to comprehensive, integrated care for their prenatal care, postpartum care, pediatric appointments, and appropriate substance use disorder treatment.

Modification of drug crimes in cyberspace as a threat to the nation’s spiritual health

The purpose of this study is to identify the main problems of drug cybercrime, as well as to justify the detrimental impact of the contactless distribution of narcotic drugs on the spiritual health of the nation. The illegal sale of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is one of the topical issues of modern society. The methodological basis of this study was comparative legal, formal logical, and statistical methods, as well as methods of logical deduction and induction. Today, cyberspace is increasingly being used for the trafficking of synthetic drugs. The problem of drug cybercrime is one of the main components of the public and information security of the Russian Federation. The use of cyberspace and cryptocurrencies for illicit drug trafficking poses serious challenges for criminal justice professionals, especially for law enforcement agencies. The analysis indicates the objective need for further elaboration of proposals in the disclosure of crimes related to drug trafficking committed remotely. It is argued that it is the anonymity of users of shady sites of the Global Network that complicates the work of law enforcement agencies to counter the «virtual drug business». A comprehensive analysis of the identified trends in the modification of drug crime using information technologies of the Internet was carried out. Certain problems of an organizational and legal nature when investigating drug crimes in a virtual environment are highlighted, and possible options for their solution are presented.

On (Measuring) Recidivism, Penal Populism and the Future of Recidivism Research

It is common criminological knowledge that recidivism – relapse into criminal behaviour – is a major predictor of future criminal behaviour, one could say a ‘hard-core’ criminogenic factor, esp. when displayed at a young age. Yet, despite its prominence and importance in both criminology and the discipline and practice of criminal law, there is an ongoing confusion about the concept and social construction of recidivism, its basic terminology, approaches to its measurement (methodology), and finally about the best ways to deal with it. In the paper at hand, we aim to unravel at least some of the grand mysteries surrounding recidivism and its research, targeting particularly domestic criminal justice professionals and researchers, since we have found a certain lack of relevant and up-to-date Croatian publications on this topic. Instead of simply presenting or arguing for any of the competing perspectives, such as the criminological, normative or penological, or a more practical instead of a scientific perspective (to name but a few), we critically analyse each of these perspectives, highlighting their pros and cons, while leaving it to the readers to choose any or all of them – depending on their own perspectives and purposes. Thus, key findings from recidivism research are discussed in the context of steadily growing penal populism, which is characterised by broadening the scope of criminalisation and increasing sentencing frameworks as well as harsher punishment practices, targeting in particular recidivists. All this occurs in the context of populist public and media discourse about crime and criminals, which effectively undermines any notion of evidence-based crime policy. But times are changing and the future of recidivism research, spearheaded by neuropenology, might very well provide us with a new kind of knowledge and understanding needed to put a check on penal populism.

Who Do We Call “Creepy?”: Sex Workers’ Relationships as Targets of Intimate Intervention

Like other forms of problem-solving justice, prostitution diversion programs (PDPs) are designed to (re)shape thinking and behaviors. The authority to surveil and punish stems from criminalization of sex work, itself an act of control over women and their bodies. The court cues normative behaviors through rewards and punishments based on information gleaned through ongoing surveillance in and out of court. Using a critical feminist lens, we draw on ethnographic and interview data from studies of two court-affiliated PDPs to examine the regulation of women's bodies and intimate relationships. We found that criminal justice professionals explicitly viewed constant discussion and surveillance of all facets of PDP participants’ lives as a tool to cause participants to internalize particular understandings of normative relationships. Such normative understandings involve assumptions about which men are “creepy” that do not always reflect women's lived experiences and decontextualize relationships in ways that are incompatible with women's own assessments of these relationships. This analysis contributes to feminist social work by revealing the social control functions of such programs, which employ “creepy” intrusion to police the boundaries between unacceptable and normative behavior while simultaneously disregarding the systemic forces that shape women's choices and constructions of normativity.

Intermediaries in the criminal justice system: professional work, jurisdictions, and boundary work

AbstractIntermediaries are communication experts who facilitate communication between individuals with communication needs and the criminal justice system. In executing the role, intermediaries interact with police, lawyers, judges and other criminal justice professionals. But is the intermediary a professional in its own right? This article argues that a more useful question to ask is whether intermediaries engage in what Andrew Abbott terms ‘professional work’. It reveals how the role tussles for legitimate control over its work tasks through the staking of ‘jurisdictional claims’. Intermediaries do so through the performance of ‘boundary work’ which involves the construction and negotiating of boundaries that mediate interaction. This article presents findings from thirty-one in-depth, semi-structured interviews with intermediaries and judges in England and Wales and Northern Ireland. It concludes that the future of the intermediary role and its work depends largely on the type of ‘jurisdictional settlement’ which its practitioners seek to carve out.

Antecedents of legal cynicism unpacked: The impact of parental incarceration, race, and ACEs on its development

PurposeThe recent rise in homicide has led to ongoing debate on the role of law enforcement due to research that suggests cynicism in the legal system can be criminogenic and lead to violence. Understanding how and why legal cynicism develops is important to improve police-community relationships and to lower crime. MethodsThe current study uses a national data set and structural equation modeling to understand how familial factors such as parental incarceration, experiencing adverse childhood experiences, and youth race are predictive of legal cynicism and how this might be mediated through experiencing police stops. ResultsFindings suggest race, parental incarceration, and ACEs are all directly predictive of police stops and indirectly predictive of legal cynicism. Only race and parental incarceration directly predict legal cynicism. ConclusionsGiven the current concerns over rising violent crime rates in urban cities and the quality and nature of police-citizen interactions, our results provide a timely analysis of risk factors contributing to the development of legal cynicism. Findings suggest that, not only must we be concerned with the well-documented impact of police contact, we should expand our view to include experiences with parental incarceration. Implications for practitioners and criminal justice professionals are discussed.

How to overcome the cost of a criminal record for getting hired

AbstractMany theories emphasize how employment is protective against criminal recidivism, yet a criminal record is a major barrier for getting hired. We asked 591 managers to make hypothetical hiring decisions between two applicants whose key difference was the presence or absence of a criminal conviction. In addition, we randomly manipulated the education, references, wage, or experience of the applicant with the criminal record to identify which manipulations can offset the cost of the record on an applicant's probability of being selected. We found that, when credentials were the same, the applicant with a criminal record was unlikely to be hired. That applicant, however, could become likely to be hired (i.e., the likelihood crossed 50 percent) by having at least 1 year of relevant experience, a GED or a college degree, or references from a former employer or a professor. Incomplete degrees, references from criminal justice professionals, or wage discounts did not make the applicant with the record likely to be hired. Findings confirm that a criminal record carries a high employability cost but also indicate that this cost can be superseded by specific credentials that signal an applicant's reliability, which can be provided by existing programs and institutions.