Articles tagged with: Criminology & Criminal Justice
Inside Interrogation: The Lie, The Bluff, and False Confessions
Abstract Using a less deceptive variant of the false evidence ploy, interrogators often use the bluff tactic, whereby they pretend
to have evidence to be tested without further claiming that it necessarily implicates the suspect. Three experiments were
conducted to assess the impact of the bluff on confession rates. Using the Kassin and Kiechel (Psychol Sci 7:125–128, 1996) computer crash paradigm, Experiment 1 indicated that bluffing increases false confessions comparable to the effect produced
by the presentation of false evid [...]
Abstract Using a less deceptive variant of the false evidence ploy, interrogators often use the bluff tactic, whereby they pretend
to have evidence to be tested without further claiming that it necessarily implicates the suspect. Three experiments were
conducted to assess the impact of the bluff on confession rates. Using the Kassin and Kiechel (Psychol Sci 7:125–128, 1996) computer crash paradigm, Experiment 1 indicated that bluffing increases false confessions comparable to the effect produced
by the presentation of false evid [...]
Are Secondary Variants of Juvenile Psychopathy More Reactively Violent and Less Psychosocially Mature Than Primary Variants?
Abstract There is growing support for the disaggregation of psychopathy into primary and secondary variants. This study examines whether
variants of psychopathy can be identified in a subsample (n = 116) of juvenile offenders with high scores on the Youth Version of the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL:YV). Model-based cluster
analysis of offenders’ scores on the PCL:YV and a measure of anxiety suggested a two-group solution. The derived clusters
manifested expected differences across theoretically relevant constructs of abu [...]
Abstract There is growing support for the disaggregation of psychopathy into primary and secondary variants. This study examines whether
variants of psychopathy can be identified in a subsample (n = 116) of juvenile offenders with high scores on the Youth Version of the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL:YV). Model-based cluster
analysis of offenders’ scores on the PCL:YV and a measure of anxiety suggested a two-group solution. The derived clusters
manifested expected differences across theoretically relevant constructs of abu [...]
A National Survey of Mental Health Services Available to Offenders with Mental Illness: Who Is Doing What?
Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the national practices of psychotherapy services for male offenders with mental illness
(OMI) in state correctional facilities. Participants consisted of 230 correctional mental health service providers from 165
state correctional facilities. Results indicated that mental health professionals provided a variety of services to OMI that
can be conceptualized by six goals considered important in their work: mental illness recovery, emotions management, institutional
functioning, re-e [...]
Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the national practices of psychotherapy services for male offenders with mental illness
(OMI) in state correctional facilities. Participants consisted of 230 correctional mental health service providers from 165
state correctional facilities. Results indicated that mental health professionals provided a variety of services to OMI that
can be conceptualized by six goals considered important in their work: mental illness recovery, emotions management, institutional
functioning, re-e [...]
Gender Harassment: Broadening Our Understanding of Sex-Based Harassment at Work
Abstract This study challenges the common legal and organizational practice of privileging sexual advance forms of sex-based harassment,
while neglecting gender harassment. Survey data came from women working in two male-dominated contexts: the military and the
legal profession. Their responses to the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire (SEQ) revealed five typical profiles of harassment:
low victimization, gender harassment, gender harassment with unwanted sexual attention, moderate victimization, and high victimization.
The vast ma [...]
Abstract This study challenges the common legal and organizational practice of privileging sexual advance forms of sex-based harassment,
while neglecting gender harassment. Survey data came from women working in two male-dominated contexts: the military and the
legal profession. Their responses to the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire (SEQ) revealed five typical profiles of harassment:
low victimization, gender harassment, gender harassment with unwanted sexual attention, moderate victimization, and high victimization.
The vast ma [...]
Estimating Juror Accuracy, Juror Ability, and the Relationship Between Them
Abstract This article advances a method based on standard test theories and measurement models to determine correct verdicts for jury
trials, and to estimate juror accuracy, juror ability, and trial difficulty (and the relationships among them). With five
vignette cases and 1,318 juror eligible adults as the subjects, the model consistently identified verdicts that accorded with
the judge’s instructions on the law as correct. With the correct verdicts, the strength of the relationship between juror
accuracy and juror ability wa [...]
Abstract This article advances a method based on standard test theories and measurement models to determine correct verdicts for jury
trials, and to estimate juror accuracy, juror ability, and trial difficulty (and the relationships among them). With five
vignette cases and 1,318 juror eligible adults as the subjects, the model consistently identified verdicts that accorded with
the judge’s instructions on the law as correct. With the correct verdicts, the strength of the relationship between juror
accuracy and juror ability wa [...]
Treatment-Related Changes in Behavioral Outcomes of Psychopathy Facets in Adolescent Offenders
Abstract This study examines the association between the facets of psychopathy embedded in the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version
(PCL:YV; Forth et al., Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version, 2003), and changes in institutional behavior and post-treatment
violent and general offending in a sample of juvenile delinquent males treated in the Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center (MJTC),
an intensive treatment program. Affective, Interpersonal, Behavioral and Antisocial facet scale scores were calculated from
items of the Psychopathy C [...]
Abstract This study examines the association between the facets of psychopathy embedded in the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version
(PCL:YV; Forth et al., Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version, 2003), and changes in institutional behavior and post-treatment
violent and general offending in a sample of juvenile delinquent males treated in the Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center (MJTC),
an intensive treatment program. Affective, Interpersonal, Behavioral and Antisocial facet scale scores were calculated from
items of the Psychopathy C [...]
Sequential Lineup Laps and Eyewitness Accuracy
Abstract Police practice of double-blind sequential lineups prompts a question about the efficacy of repeated viewings (laps) of the sequential lineup. Two laboratory experiments confirmed the presence of a sequential lap effect: an increase in witness lineup picks from first to second lap, when the culprit was a stranger. The second lap produced more
errors than correct identifications. In Experiment 2, lineup diagnosticity was significantly higher for sequential lineup
procedures that employed a single versus double laps. Witness [...]
Abstract Police practice of double-blind sequential lineups prompts a question about the efficacy of repeated viewings (laps) of the sequential lineup. Two laboratory experiments confirmed the presence of a sequential lap effect: an increase in witness lineup picks from first to second lap, when the culprit was a stranger. The second lap produced more
errors than correct identifications. In Experiment 2, lineup diagnosticity was significantly higher for sequential lineup
procedures that employed a single versus double laps. Witness [...]
The Importance of Coping, Threat Appraisal, and Beliefs in Understanding and Responding to Fear of Victimization: Applications to a Male Prisoner Sample
Abstract The current study explores conceptualizations of victimization by men, focusing on threat appraisal, coping appraisal, and
beliefs, and seeking to apply protection motivation theory, the applied fear response model, and social cognition. Five hundred
and sixty-six male prisoners, comprising adults and adolescents, completed a measure of victimization and perpetration (DIPC-SCALED)
and of fear, appraisal, and beliefs (TAB). It was predicted that increased threat appraisal and ineffective coping appraisal
would predict inc [...]
Abstract The current study explores conceptualizations of victimization by men, focusing on threat appraisal, coping appraisal, and
beliefs, and seeking to apply protection motivation theory, the applied fear response model, and social cognition. Five hundred
and sixty-six male prisoners, comprising adults and adolescents, completed a measure of victimization and perpetration (DIPC-SCALED)
and of fear, appraisal, and beliefs (TAB). It was predicted that increased threat appraisal and ineffective coping appraisal
would predict inc [...]
Individual Confidence Intervals Do Not Inform Decision-Makers About the Accuracy of Risk Assessment Evaluations
Abstract Some recent articles have proposed that the confidence interval for the predicted outcome of a single case can be used to
describe the predictive accuracy of risk assessments (Hart et al. Br J Psychiat 190:60–65, 2007b; Cooke and Michie, Law Hum Behav 2009). Given that the confidence intervals for an individual prediction are very large, Cooke and colleagues have questioned the
wisdom of applying recidivism rates estimated from group data to single cases. In this article, we argue that the confidence
intervals for the r [...]
Abstract Some recent articles have proposed that the confidence interval for the predicted outcome of a single case can be used to
describe the predictive accuracy of risk assessments (Hart et al. Br J Psychiat 190:60–65, 2007b; Cooke and Michie, Law Hum Behav 2009). Given that the confidence intervals for an individual prediction are very large, Cooke and colleagues have questioned the
wisdom of applying recidivism rates estimated from group data to single cases. In this article, we argue that the confidence
intervals for the r [...]
Simply Criminal: Predicting Burglars’ Occupancy Decisions with a Simple Heuristic
Abstract Rational choice theories of criminal decision making assume that offenders weight and integrate multiple cues when making
decisions (i.e., are compensatory). We tested this assumption by comparing how well a compensatory strategy called Franklin’s
Rule captured burglars’ decision policies regarding residence occupancy compared to a non-compensatory strategy (i.e., Matching
Heuristic). Forty burglars each decided on the occupancy of 20 randomly selected photographs of residences (for which actual
occupancy was known w [...]
Abstract Rational choice theories of criminal decision making assume that offenders weight and integrate multiple cues when making
decisions (i.e., are compensatory). We tested this assumption by comparing how well a compensatory strategy called Franklin’s
Rule captured burglars’ decision policies regarding residence occupancy compared to a non-compensatory strategy (i.e., Matching
Heuristic). Forty burglars each decided on the occupancy of 20 randomly selected photographs of residences (for which actual
occupancy was known w [...] 
