scholarly journals The marketisation of rehabilitation: Some economic considerations

2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Albertson ◽  
Chris Fox
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Social Norms ◽  
Current System ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Criminal Justice Policy ◽  
Public Welfare ◽  
State Sector ◽  
Incentive Structures ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Economic Considerations

This paper considers criminal justice policy in England and Wales since the Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) agenda implemented in 2013. TR rested on the proposition that probation services are best provided in a market context. Motivated by profit and extrinsic rewards, private sector consortia, and their employees, theoretically act efficiently to deter and rehabilitate offenders from crime. However, there is evidence that marketisation itself undermines the prospects of efficient social policy. Over-reliance on markets may undermine pro-social norms through emphasising individualism and extrinsic returns. Outsourcing is also associated with increasing inequality, which may also undermine pro-social norms. Further, the emphasis placed on self-interest in framing market-based incentive structures is associated with declining public welfare support for the economically marginalised and increased use of relatively expensive incarceration. In application, TR proved unsustainable. The innovation involves increasing reliance on the para-state sector, in which private profits rely on public payment. However, the profits expected under TR fell short of expectations, in part due to changes in wider society. The early cancellation of TR contracts highlights the inflexible nature of such public sector procurement. On the basis of theory and practice, we suggest a reconsideration of the government’s position on probation and set out reasonable steps to address shortcomings in the current system.

Cognitive adaptations to criminal justice lead to “paranoid” norm obedience

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr M. Patrzyk ◽  
Martin Takáč
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Social Norms ◽  
Moral Motivation ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Agent Based Model ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Other Regarding ◽  
Other Regarding Preferences

People often cooperate and obey norms in situations where it is clear they cannot be caught and punished. Such behavior does not serve their self-interest, as they are foregoing opportunities to exploit others without any negative consequences. Hence, it is not clear how this behavior could have evolved. Some previous explanations invoked the existence of other-regarding preferences, moral motivation, or intrinsic concern for social norms. In this study, we develop an agent-based model illustrating that none of these is necessary for the emergence of norm-abiding behavior. Our model suggests evolutionary pressure against norm violators may lead to the emergence of a bias, causing agents to be extremely sensitive to the probability of being caught. Because of this, they often incorrectly classify anonymous situations as non-anonymous ones and obey social norms due to the fear of being punished. In our simulations, we show that cooperation is promoted by (1) the number of interactions actually observed, (2) the strength of punishments against norm violators, and most importantly, (3) the uncertainty in agent classifications.

scholarly journals The Effect of Message Frames on Public Attitudes Toward Criminal Justice Reform for Nonviolent Offenses

2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 636-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron Gottlieb
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Criminal Justice Policy ◽  
Amazon Mechanical Turk ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Criminal Justice Reform ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Message Frames

In recent years, the rhetoric surrounding criminal justice policy has increasingly emphasized reform, rather than being “tough on crime.” Although this change in rhetoric is aimed at building public support for reform, little is known about its efficacy. To test the efficacy of reform rhetoric, I conducted an Internet experiment using Amazon Mechanical Turk. Respondents were randomly assigned to one of six message conditions or to a control condition (no message) and then asked their views about eliminating the use of incarceration for select nonviolent offenses. Results from ordinal logistic regression models suggest that message frames that appeal to a respondent’s self-interest or emphasize the unfairness of the punishment (not who is punished) tend to be most effective.

The Importance of Context in Thinking About Crime‐Preventing Neurointerventions

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt Matravers
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Social Practice ◽  
Moral Values ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Justice Theory ◽  
Argument Proceeds ◽  
Current Practices

This chapter argues that neurointerventions, whether in criminal justice or in any other social practice, need to be understood, and can only be evaluated, in light of the context provided by the relevant practice. In the case of criminal justice, the meaning and nature of the practice is contested and so the evaluation of proposed neurointerventions must be preceded by substantive argument about its justification. The chapter considers the retributive context of much criminal justice theory and practice before noting the continued existence—and indeed renaissance—of rehabilitative features of that practice. The argument proceeds by showing that neither retributive considerations, such as proportionality, nor an appeal to independent moral values, such as dignity, can in themselves guide us in deciding on the justification of neurointerventions. It also raises the question of whether, in evaluating alternatives to current practices, we should take as our baseline what we currently do or what we would ideally do in ideal circumstances.

Religion and the Military

2018 ◽  
pp. 535-552
Author(s):  
Leana A. Bouffard ◽  
Haerim Jin
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Criminal Justice Policy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Period Effects ◽  
Offending Patterns ◽  
Role Of Religion ◽  
The Military ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter provides an overview of the literature examining the role of religion and military service in the desistance process. It also identifies outstanding issues and directions for future research. It first presents an overview of research examining the role of religion in desistance and highlights measurement issues, potential intervening mechanisms, and a consideration of faith-based programs as criminal justice policy. Next, this chapter covers the relationship between military service and offending patterns, including period effects that explain variation in the relationship, selection effects, and the incorporation of military factors in criminal justice policy and programming. The chapter concludes by highlighting general conclusions from these two bodies of research and questions to be considered in future research.

scholarly journals Exploring criminal justice policy transfer models and mobilities using a case study of violence reduction

2021 ◽  
pp. 174889582199160
Author(s):  
William Graham ◽  
Annette Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Empirical Research ◽  
Policy Transfer ◽  
Social Constructionist ◽  
Criminal Justice Policy ◽  
Gang Violence ◽  
Single Model ◽  
Violence Reduction ◽  
Transfer Models

Although there is growing interest in criminal justice policy transfer, a dearth of empirical research in this area has been acknowledged. This article addresses this gap by presenting the results of research conducted on a case of policy transfer of a criminal justice programme, focused on group/gang violence reduction, from America to Scotland. Policy transfer models were used to develop, frame and conduct the analysis of what was considered a ‘successful’ programme transfer; however, it was found that no single model could fully account conceptually for a key finding of the research, namely a policy transfer ‘backflow’. This article details the key processes, mechanisms and outcomes of the policy transfer and in doing so reflects on the usefulness of orthodox and non-orthodox/social-constructionist policy transfer approaches in understanding the outcomes of this case of criminal justice programme transfer.

Evaluation and Criminal Justice Policy

1982 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 138
Author(s):  
Robert F. Coulam ◽  
Ronald Roesch ◽  
Raymond R. Corrado
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Criminal Justice Policy

Concluding Thoughts and Challenges

2011 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 569-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Palenchar
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Strategic Communication ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Issues Management ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Organizational Rhetoric ◽  
Management Communication ◽  
Stakeholder Interests ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Socially Relevant

This special issue of Management Communication Quarterly mines the rhetorical heritage to explore the challenges facing those who engage in and critique external organizational rhetoric, setting its sights on helping organizations make society a better place to live. Toward this end, rhetoric focuses on strategic communication influences that at their best result from or foster collaborative decisions and cocreated meaning that align stakeholder interests. This special issue demonstrates the eclectic and complex theories, applied contexts, and ongoing arguments needed to weave the fabric of external organizational communication. Over the years, Robert Heath and others have been advocates for drawing judiciously on the rhetorical heritage as guiding foundation for issues management and public relations activities. Rather than merely acknowledge the pragmatic or utilitarian role of discourse, this analysis also aspires to understand and champion its application to socially relevant ends. In that quest, several themes stand out: (a) In theory and practice external organizational rhetoric weighs self-interest against others’ enlightened interests and choices; (b) organizations as modern rhetors engage in discourse that is context relevant and judged by the quality of engagement and the ends achieved thereby; and (c) in theory and practice external organizational rhetoric weighs relationship between language that is never neutral and the power advanced for narrow or shared interests.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document