K-9 Demonstration at Lander a Success!

Lander University held its first major criminal justice themed event on-campus November 6th when it invited the Greenville County Sheriff's K-9 Services Unit to visit the University. Thank you to Sgt. Osborne and Sgt. Wannemacher for making the event such a success. Between 200-300 students, faculty, and staff witnessed the K-9 Services Unit display how their dogs can locate illegal narcotics as well as help with locating people and lost items. Master Deputy Jim Leathers and "Hondo" were definitely the stars of the show as their chemistry and partnership were on full display at the event. This event was held to celebrate Lander University's new B.S. in Criminology program. Lander University is the only public university in South Carolina to offer such a degree. Special thanks go to Chief Eddie Briggs of the Lander University Police Department for all of their help in organizing the event. Read more about the event at GWDToday's website.

New Labeling Theory Research

New Labeling Theory Research 

Kroska, A., Lee, J. D., & Carr, N. T. (2017). Juvenile delinquency and self‐sentiments: Exploring a labeling theory proposition. Social Science Quarterly, 98(1), 73-88.

Lee, J. (2017). Contextualizing Informal Labeling Effect on Adolescent Recidivism in South Korea. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 0306624X17722785.

Crank, B. R. (2016). Accepting deviant identities: the impact of self-labeling on intentions to desist from crime. Journal of Crime and Justice, 1-18.

Lee, J. S., Tajima, E. A., Herrenkohl, T. I., & Hong, S. (2017). Effects of Formal and Informal Deviant Labels in Adolescence on Crime in Adulthood. Social Work Research, 41(2), 97-110. 

Besemer, S., Farrington, D. P., & Bijleveld, C. C. (2017). Labeling and intergenerational transmission of crime: The interaction between criminal justice intervention and a convicted parent. PloS one, 12(3), e0172419.

Chavez, J. M., & Rocheleau, G. C. (2017). Formal Labeling, Deviant Peers, and Race/Ethnicity: An Examination of Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Process of Secondary Deviance. Race and Justice, 2153368717727122.
 

Kavish, D. R. (2017). Book Review of "Labeling theory: empirical tests." Contemporary Justice Review, 20(3), 395-397.

Kavish, D. R. (2017). Policy Implications of Contemporary Labeling Theory Research. Critical Issues in Justice and Politics, 10(1), p. 45-54.

Caudill, J. W., Diamond, B., Karas, S., & DeLisi, M. (2017). Decoupling the Labeling Tradition: Exploring Gang Affiliation and the Application of Law. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 15(4), 343-358.
 

Andress, M. B. (2017). The Impact of Court Ordered Sobriety: A Test of Labeling Theory. Honors Research Projects. 503.

Mesters, G., van der Geest, V., & Bijleveld, C. (2016). Crime, employment and social welfare: an individual-level study on disadvantaged males. Journal of quantitative criminology, 32(2), 159-190.

Cellphones, Internet, and the Classroom

I was one of seven experts recently asked to provide advice on how to balance time spent online and offline. I think this is important topic because many students are unable to even put their phones away for the entirety of a one hour class. Cell phones have increasingly become a distraction in my classrooms. For students that do not read as diligently as they are supposed to, the lecture might be the only chance they get to absorb material or have readings reinforced in another manner. However, if students are online while I am lecturing, then they will not adequately absorb and process the material being taught. Anyways, click the following link so you can read the 7 tips for balancing time spent online and offline.

• Thank you to the Safe Smart Social Team for publishing the original tips and story, Do Your Students Know How to Balance Time Spent Online & Offline, on April 6, 2017 in the Social Media Safety Blog.

 

Criminology Graduate Programs

Criminology Graduate Programs

Since the bulk of my readers appear to be from Illinois and Upstate South Carolina. This post will outline some options criminology students may consider when thinking about applying for graduate school. One thing to remember, you don't just want to be accepted into a program, you want the program to offer you an assistantship. I will make another post at a later date outlining the steps and tips for applying to graduate programs. This post will focus on simply highlighting the graduate school options for criminology students in the aforementioned regions. Below is a list of colleges I strongly suggest graduating criminology and criminal justice undergraduates from Illinois and South Carolina should consider. I have also listed a few top-tier programs that you may also want to consider. That being said, receiving funding from a more local university may be more beneficial than attending a "top-tier" program. Furthermore, many of these programs are growing. Southern Illinois University and UMSL, for example, have great faculty and smaller cohorts. This allows for more one-on-one attention between faculty advisors and graduate students. Myself, I strongly recommend the MA/PhD Criminology and Criminal Justice programs at  Southern Illinois University.

Upstate South Carolina & Surrounding Areas

University of North Georgia (MS in Criminal Justice)

University of South Carolina (MA/PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice)

Clemson University (M.S. Applied Sociology)

Winthrop University (Master of Social Work)

Charleston Southern University (MS in Criminal Justice)

The Citadel (MA in Social Science)

The Citadel (MA in Intelligence and Security Studies)

North Carolina Central University (MS in Criminal Justice) 

Illinois

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale (M.A./Ph.D. Criminology & Criminal Justice)

University of Missouri - St. Louis (MA/PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice) 

Northern Illinois University (MA in Sociology w/ criminology specialization)

University of Illinois at Chicago (MA/PhD in Criminology, Law and Justice)

Chicago State University (MS in Criminal Justice) 

Illinois State University (MA/MS in Criminal Justice Sciences) 

Top Tier Graduate Programs

Florida State University (MA/MS/PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice)

Arizona State University (MA in Criminal Justice; MS/PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice)

Michigan State University (MS/PhD in Criminal Justice; MS/PhD in Forensic Science)

The Importance of Attending Professional Conferences

The Importance of Attending Professional Conferences

There are many types of professional conferences in the fields of criminology and criminal justice. These conferences are sponsored by professional organizations. Two of the biggest organizations are the American Society of Criminology (ASC) and the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS). These are both international conferences with members from all over the world. ACJS is further organized into five different regions: Midwestern Criminal Justice Association, Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences, Southern Criminal Justice Association, Southwestern Association of Criminal Justice, and the Western Association of Criminal Justice. These regional organizations also host smaller regional conferences. ASC does not have regional conferences, but they do have interest-specific divisions within the organization that helps students and faculty members better network with other scholars that share similar research interests. Other organizations that host professional conferences for students and faculty to attend are the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice, Alpha Phi Sigma (The National Criminal Justice Honor Society), and the Western Society of Criminology.

These conferences provide many opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. The most obvious advantage these conferences provide for students are the networking opportunities they provide. Conferences provide opportunities for students to interview for jobs or graduate school. I strongly encourage students to attend regional conferences to present their research papers, especially if they have conducted original research. I have noticed that students are often hesitant to attend or present at these conferences. This intimidation possibly stems from their own expectations of who will be at theses conferences, their perceptions of the high quality of work that others will be presenting at the conferences (students can be their own worst enemies), and sometimes simply because of their fear of public speaking. However, these are all perfect reasons why students should attend professional conferences. In my experience, especially at regional conferences, faculty and practitioners are largely supportive of student presenters and do their best to support and motivate students. I have personally attended some spectacular student presentations at ASC, MCJA, and the Southern Sociological Society (SSS). I was extremely nervous at my first presentation as a graduate student, and it was far from perfect, but I learned a great deal from that experience and it greatly boosted my confidence for future presentations. I firmly believe that students will quickly overcome their fears of public speaking after a student presents for the first time.

Professional conferences also look great on a CV for students about to enter the job market or for undergraduates thinking about applying for graduate school. Graduate schools consider many things when evaluating applicants for their programs. Most students think about GRE scores and their GPA. However, membership with a few of the aforementioned professional organizations, a record of presenting at professional conferences, or a scholarly publication will make you significantly stand out among other applicants because these things show professional engagement and highlight that you are capable of independent original research. If you start presenting at conferences early, then your CV will be stronger than many of your peers when you enter the job market (Yes, graduate school does eventually end, believe it or not). These professional memberships can even allow you to stand out among other applicants when applying for positions immediately after completing your undergraduate studies.

I strongly suggest looking into attending or presenting at a regional conference because these are often located within driving distance of the colleges students attend and are more financially feasible for students living on a typical graduate student budget. Many universities will even provide funding for students to present original research. I am proud to say that the Political and Social Sciences Department at Lander University has provided exceptional undergraduate students with opportunities to present their original research at various regional research symposiums and conferences sponsored by SSS. The great news is that we are not alone. Check with your dean, department chair, or faculty advisor to inquire about any potential funding opportunities that may exist for students to present or attend these conferences. In conclusion, students, push past your fears and go attend a conference near you. You will not regret it, and you will likely have a lot of fun. What can be more fun than a gathering of deviants that all study deviance?

Intergenerational Transmission of Crime

A few days ago in class we discussed the intergenerational transmission of crime. I was not able to get into as much detail as I would have liked due to time restrictions and our use of a textbook, but I wanted to provide additional reading materials for those interested in this topic. These could be useful sources if you need to write a research paper on this topic or just have a genuine interest in the topic.

• Labeling and Intergenerational Transmission of Crime: The Interaction Between Criminal Justice Intervention and a Convicted Parent (Besemer, Farrington, & Bijleveld, 2017)

• Family factors in the intergenerational transmission of offending (Farrington, Coid, & Murray, 2009)

• Parental criminality, family violence and intergenerational transmission of crime within a birth cohort (Junger, Greene, Schipper, Hesper, & Estourgie, 2013)

• Intergenerational transmission of criminal behaviour: Conviction trajectories of fathers and their children (Besemer & Farrington, 2012)

• Linked Lives: The Intergenerational Transmission of Antisocial Behavior (Thornberry, Freeman-Gallant, Lizotte, Krohn, & Smith, 2003)

Peer-reviewed Open-Access Journals

Peer-reviewed Open-Access Journals

One of the favored outlets for scholarly work among criminologists, whether they are faculty or graduate students, are peer-reviewed journals. Many of them exist, and many of them do not have submission fees in the field of criminology. I will write another post at a later date addressing journal submission fees in more detail. Likewise, I will provide my own perception of journal rankings in a later post too. This entry will specifically talk about open-access journals in the fields of criminology and criminal justice. Open-access journals are journals that make their articles available online to the general public as soon as they are published. While some open-access journals charge extreme submission/publication fees or have questionable review processes, there are others that have prestigious editorial boards, stringent review process, and do not charge extreme submission/publication fees. This post will focus on some interesting criminology and criminal justice journals that make valuable contributions to the discipline. 

Open-access journals became more readily available because journals can now be published in their entirety online, without the need of ink, paper, or printing services. Another thing that makes open-access journals attractive to scholars is that they often fill niche areas of interest. Areas of interest that may not receive the attention they deserve in larger journals might find a home in these types of journals that cater to specific areas or methods of research.

Here is a list, in no particular order, of open-access journals relevant to criminology and criminal justice. Brief descriptions of their value or contribution to the discipline are discussed. If anyone cares to add one I may have missed, do not hesitate to comment, and I will be happy to add it to the list. After all, the internet is a large place and I might have missed something.

• Journal of Qualitative Criminal Justice and Criminology - As the name implies, this journal caters to criminal justice and criminology articles that use qualitative research methods. Arguably, this was desperately needed in the discipline because many journals seem to favor accepting articles that use advanced quantitative methods. I strongly recommend this journal.

• Internet Journal of Criminology - This might be the most interesting journal on the list. It is an intriguing option because it uses an "open" peer review process to review articles. I have yet to see this type of review process with any other criminology or criminal justice journal.

• International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy - This blind peer-reviewed journal is free to download and also does not charge publication fees. It's website boasts that it provides an outlet for critical studies concerning the challenges confronting criminal justice systems all over the world.

• The Journal of Criminology,Criminal Justice, Law & Society - This interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal seeks to publish papers about the causes of crime, crime prevention, crime control, as well as papers about the social institutions and individuals involved in the criminal justice system.

• Critical Issues in Justice and Politics - This peer-reviewed journal that is published once a year bridges the divide between political science, criminal justice, and criminology.

• Crime Science - Crime Science is an interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal that publishes research articles, theoretical articles, systematic reviews, and even short contributions about current policy issues, crime trends, and justice practices. I stumbled across this journal because they have many articles that have been examining the crime decline nationally and internationally.

• Health & Justice - As the name implies, this interdisciplinary journal bridges the gap between criminal justice research and health studies. It also publishes shorter scholarly contributions as well as meta analyses, as well as original research.

• Journal of Prison Education and Reentry - This peer-reviewed journal focuses on prisoner education and reentry.

• Law, Crime & History - This might be one of the most interesting journals I have stumbled across because of how it seeks to bridge the gap between history, law, and criminal justice studies.