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The few existing typology studies on women who have sexually offended (WWSO) have largely been limited by small sample sizes, have not included scale scores from risk assessments, or used recidivism within their typology (instead of using typologies to predict recidivism). In our sample of 241 WWSO, we conducted a latent profile analysis and observed four, distinct profiles: "low-risk WWSO," characterized by fewer criminal history incidents and lower risk-assessment scores; "problem-endorsing WWSO," with higher probability of endorsing various life problems such as educational/employment and emotional/personal issues; "antisocial WWSO" with more criminal history incidents, alcohol/drug problems, and higher scores on psychopathy; and "combined WWSO" with characteristics of both the problem-endorsing and antisocial profiles. This last profile showed elevations in general and/or violent recidivism risk, but relatively low recidivism. There were no cases of sexual recidivism in our sample following an average 30-month follow-up period. Membership in the antisocial profile predicted general and/or violent recidivism and suggests that WWSO typologies may be useful in predicting non-sexual recidivism for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although most risk assessment research has examined tools in the prediction of recidivism, there is a growing body of literature that investigates risk assessment in the prediction of successful community supervision. The Texas Risk Assessment System–Community Supervision Tool (TRAS-CST) was developed from the Ohio Risk Assessment System–Community Supervision Tool (ORAS-CST) but has not been examined to predict recidivism or probation compliance. The current study investigates the predictive validity of the TRAS screener and full versions when examining supervision compliance and recidivism among a sample of 462 individuals on probation. Findings support predictive validity of incarceration due to rule violations and new offenses during supervision using the TRAS versions, along with the domains of the TRAS-CST version, although the effect sizes were small to moderate. Results also indicate that the domain scores on the full TRAS may provide important intervention focus for officers supervising individuals on community supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on pornography use and sexual coercion has provided inconsistent results. One explanation for this is the lack of a valid, reliable, and comprehensive measure of pornography use. This study seeks to address this need by developing a comprehensive pornography use instrument consisting of four domains identified in research: type of pornography used, sexual scripts, habits, and compulsivity. A sample of 324 college men was used. Results of the study yielded factor structures for these domains and evidence of reliability and validity. Findings present the initial development of a pornography use instrument that could improve research in this area and aid practitioners in treatment and supervision decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study explores the relationship between psychopathy, cognitive distortions that could promote sexual coercion, i.e., rape myth acceptance (RMA) and misperception of sexual intent (MPSI), and one's level of sexual arousal on the intentions to use sexual coercion. Using a sample of 218 college men (aged 18–69) and a hypothetical vignette design, we examine potential direct and indirect effects of psychopathy on coercion intentions. Psychopathy directly related to coercion intentions and also operated indirectly through RMA. Furthermore, RMA was related to coercion intentions through MPSI. Implications for understanding sexual coercion pathways and prevention efforts are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decades of research have examined the association between pornography use and sexual coercion, with the most significant relationships found between more deviant genres of pornography use and sexual violence. However, researchers have yet to provide a comparable body of research examining the theoretical mechanism of this association. One theory that has shown promise in explaining the association between certain variables of pornography use and sexual coercion is the sexual script theory. In this theory, scripts can best be understood as a mechanism through which society defines and disseminates what is acceptable, desirable, and pleasurable sexual conduct. Studies examining the application of the sexual script theory to the association between pornography use and sexual coercion have found that pornography use has a significant indirect effect on sexual coercion and correlates of sexual coercion through sexual scripts. The current study sought to extend this line of inquiry by examining the relationship between pornography use, sexual scripts, and sexual coercion. A structural equation model examining direct and indirect effects of sexual scripts and pornography use on sexually coercive behaviors was run using a sample of 390 college-aged males. Results of the study indicated there were significant direct and indirect effects in the model. Specifically, pornography use, while not directly related to sexually coercive behaviors, had a significant indirect effect on sexual coercion through sexual scripts. These results further support the use of the sexual scripts theory to help explain the relationship between pornography use and sexual coercion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to identify factors predictive of recidivism among individuals who have offended is integral to properly targeting supervision and treatment focus. Instruments such as the Level of Service Inventory–Revised (LSI-R) show promise with general justice-involved females, but no study to our knowledge has assessed it with women who have sexually offended. The purpose of this study is to examine the utility of the LSI-R in a sample of 243 women from the State of Texas who have sexually offended. Results indicate that the total score was significantly related to criminal recidivism (Harrell's C =.67) and any recidivism (Harrell's C =.65). Analyses of the subscales indicated that criminal history and alcohol/drug subscales were significantly related to all forms of recidivism, while the education/employment and financial scales were significantly related to criminal recidivism and any recidivism. These results provide insight into risk assessment and treatment for women who have sexually offended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals who sexually offend are commonly misunderstood as being high risk. According to the risk–need–responsivity (RNR) principles, treatment and supervision levels should be determined by actuarial risk for the best outcomes. To date, no studies have examined these principles with individuals on supervision for a sexual offense. This study applies the RNR principles to a sample of 133 men and women serving probated sentences for a sexual offense and mandated to specialized treatment. Results indicate low-risk individuals convicted of a sexual offense were more likely to be compliant with probation and treatment than moderate-risk individuals. An analysis of risk level and supervision overrides (N = 75) provides support for the prediction that low-risk individuals supervised at high levels may be more likely to have compliance problems. Results suggest similar outcomes when violating the risk principle for individuals who have sexually offended to the findings among general justice-involved people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many instruments have been validated to assess risk of sexual recidivism among men, no similar tool exists for women who have sexually offended. As a result, some jurisdictions use male-based instruments to assess women despite the lack of validation research examining the predictive utility for this subgroup. This study examined the utility of the Static-99R in predicting sexual recidivism among women. Based on a sample of 739 women convicted of sexual offenses in Texas, findings show that the total score was not significantly associated with sexual recidivism. When looking at individual items, other than a history of prior sexual offenses and noncontact sexual offenses, no item of the Static-99R was significantly associated with sexual recidivism among women. Furthermore, only three items (female victims/solo offender, 4+ sentencing dates, and having not lived with a romantic other for 2+ years) were significantly associated with nonsexual recidivism. These findings indicate that the Static-99R is not suitable to assess risk of recidivism among women convicted of sexual offenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased accessibility and use of pornography in Western society highlights the emergent need to understand the relationship between its use and sexual coercion. Decades of research have demonstrated a consistent relationship between pornography use and engaging in sexually aggressive behavior, although what drives this relationship remains largely unexplained. Researchers have recently presented potential explanations for these relationships, such as the use of violent pornography types, the development of aberrant sexual scripts, and the frequency of pornography use. This study seeks to contribute to the explanation by examining the potential mediating effects of sexual arousal on the relationship between pornography use frequency and willingness to engage in verbal and illegal sexual coercive behaviors by examining a sample of male and female college adults. This population reports some of the highest rates of pornography use. The sample of 745 college students were exposed to either an exotic video presentation or a criminal justice lecture, and provided a dating scenario and sexual arousal assessments. Results indicated those young adults that consume pornography more frequently were more likely to experience higher levels of sexual arousal to the erotic video than those who reported little or no use. However, after controlling for several variables significantly related to sexual coercion, arousal did not mediate willingness to engage in verbal or illegal sexual coercive behaviors. Other significant results and implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has consistently shown a relationship between pornography use and sexually coercive behaviors, but this inquiry has yet to fully examine the theoretical mechanisms through which this relationship works. The current study will use a theory that has gained support and attention as a way to understand the relationship pornography use has with general sexual behaviors, but has not been widely used to explain its relationship with sexually coercive behaviors: the sexual script theory. In this theory, scripts are attitudes and ideas about what behavior is acceptable, desirable, and pleasurable, which exist at the societal, personal, and interpersonal levels. Using items that assess all three levels of sexual scripts, a path analysis was used to examine whether sexual scripts mediate the relationship between pornography use and sexual coercion likelihood in a sample of 463 college males. Results of the study provide further support for the theory as a way to explain the relationship between pornography use and sexual behavior, and, in particular, sexually coercive behavior. Findings from the analysis also indicate that the various levels of scripts interact with each other and work together to influence likelihood of sexual coercion, providing further insight into how sexual scripts are manifested in behavior. Finally, the results suggest that pornography use is a multidimensional construct comprised of variables extending beyond frequency of use, such as number of modalities used to view pornography. Future research should continue this line of inquiry, expanding on the operationalization of sexual scripts and pornography use, to strengthen these findings and better illuminate the theoretical understanding of the relationship between pornography use and sexual coercion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to recent statistics, as many as one in five female college students are victims of sexual assault during their college career. To combat what has been called the "Campus Rape Crisis," researchers have attempted to understand what variables are associated with sexually coercive behaviors in college males. Although investigators have found support for the relationship between pornography consumption and sexually coercive behavior, researchers typically operationalize pornography use in terms of frequency of use. Furthermore, frequency of use has been assessed vaguely and inconsistently. The current study offered a more concrete assessment of frequency of use and an additional variable not yet included for pornography use: number of modalities. Beyond examining the relationship between pornography use and sexual coercion likelihood, the current study was the first to use pornography variables in a threshold analysis to test whether there is a cut point that is predictive of sexual coercion likelihood. Analyses were conducted with a sample of 463 college males. Results indicated that both pornography use variables were significantly related to a higher likelihood of sexually coercive behaviors. When both frequency of use and number of modalities were included in the model, modalities were significant and frequency was not. In addition, significant thresholds for both pornography variables that predicted sexual coercion likelihood were identified. These results imply that factors other than frequency of use, such as number of modalities, may be more important for the prediction of sexual coercive behaviors. Furthermore, threshold analyses revealed the most significant increase in risk occurred between one modality and two, indicating that it is not pornography use in general that is related to sexual coercion likelihood, but rather, specific aspects of pornography use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the smaller proportion of female sex offenders (2%-12% of all sexual offenses) compared with male sex offenders, we know much less about these women to aid in the assessment, treatment, and prevention of their offending behavior compared with men. One promising distinction in female sex offender typology is solo-offending females versus females who offend with a male co-offender. The current study uses a sample of 225 incarcerated female sex offenders to compare solo and co-offending women on variables of psychopathology, criminal history, victim and offender information, and recidivism rates. Results indicate that solo offenders are more likely to have male, unrelated victims, score higher on dominance and aggression, and are more likely to generally recidivate. Solo versus co-offending status was not a significant predictor for sexual recidivism. Implications for assessment and treatment are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Widespread implementation of offender reentry programming has increased justice program evaluations but few have featured research designs sufficiently rigorous to optimally inform policy. Program evaluations typically neglect program fidelity concerns to focus on outcome analysis that seldom feature optimal spuriousness reduction. The current study, the second component of a mixed-method design evidencing fidelity, presents the methods and outcome findings for the Delaware County Transition (DCT) Program, an Ohio jail-based crimesolutions.gov endorsed treatment intervention for dually diagnosed offenders. Review of the reentry and dual-diagnosis literature provides a background for description of the DCT program and methods employed to observe programming effects. Findings indicated DCT participation was associated with overall recidivism reductions and time to recidivism and orient discussion around related rehabilitative modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on justice-involved women has provided evidence for the importance of using gender-specific information in the assessment, treatment, and understanding of criminal pathways and risk of recidivism in women who have committed offenses. Although research on women who have sexually offended suggests there are differences between men and women who sexually offend, no studies have compared gender-specific and gender-neutral factors to predict recidivism with this group. The current study provided an examination of gender-specific and gender-neutral recidivism risk factors in a sample of 225 women who had sexually offended and were subsequently released from custody with an average follow-up time of about 5 years. Results of the study indicate gender-specific factors, such as mental illness symptoms and victimization history, are demonstrative of risk of reoffense in women who sexually offend. These findings provide implications for future research regarding risk assessment and more effective application of treatment for this understudied population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following an initial act of self-control, human performance on subsequent tasks that also require self-control exertion is impaired. This phenomenon, termed ego depletion, is constrained by beliefs and perceptions in humans. Interestingly, this effect has also been observed in dogs, which arguably do not share similar belief systems. This observation suggests that a common biological mechanism might underlie the phenomenon for both species. It also suggests that we can learn something about human self-control by conducting research with dogs. In this article, we relate findings on the depletion effect in dogs to the different mechanisms that are proposed to explain the effect in humans. Finally, we elaborate on practical implications for working dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research in the last few years has begun to examine the prevalence of female sexual offending as well as attempting to understand the predictors of sexually coercive behavior among women. Although women engage in sexual coercion significantly less often than men, more research on female sexual coercion is warranted. The current study provides an exploratory examination of the relationship between several attitudinal, experiential, and situational factors, and the use of various sexual coercion tactics among a sample of 582 sexually active, female undergraduate students, as well as proposing an explanatory model of female sexual coercion. Results indicate that several variables that are significant predictors of sexual aggression for men are also predictive for women. However, these variables seem to work differently in predicting sexually coercive behavior for women. Implications for theory and further study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offender reentry programs have proliferated since the passage of the Second Chance Act in 2008. This study examines the effectiveness of one such jail-based reentry program for male inmates diagnosed with substance dependency and who have minor children, the Delaware County (OH) Jail Substance Abuse Treatment program. This program served 34 offenders and their families over 2 years and was based on the Community Reinforcement and Family Training model, a treatment modality for substance abuse involving both operant conditioning and family-based therapy for behavioral modification. Results from a quasi-experimental design indicate that program participants were significantly less likely to be rearrested within 1 year after release relative to a comparison group of similarly situated offenders and more likely to comply with child support orders following release. Findings also revealed the treatment group had significantly more days to failure for those who did recidivate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of research has identified a negative relationship between generational status and criminological outcomes such that foreign-born Latinos are significantly less likely to report offending, victimization, and drug use compared to their native-born counterparts. What has been explored to a lesser degree is the extent to which generational status impacts the experiences of Latino youth within the juvenile justice system. Using the Add Health data set, this article explores the prevalence of juvenile court involvement among foreign (i.e., first generation) and native-born (i.e., second generation or higher) Latino youth as well as the types of offenses for which they were adjudicated delinquent. Results suggest that significant differences exist between the foreign and native-born both in terms of juvenile court involvement and offense types. These findings are discussed relative to the extant literature and juvenile justice policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between protective strengths and risk, as assessed by the Inventory of Offender Risk, Needs, and Strengths, was examined with respect to the recidivism rate and type of reoffense in a sample of 110 adult males incarcerated for sexual offenses. The sample included offenders who were completing a prison-based sexual offense treatment program during the last 18 months of their incarceration. Approximately 40% of the sample recidivated in some way, including 6% sexually, within the 6-year follow-up time. Self-perceived protective strengths were significantly valid predictors for sexual, violent, and general recidivism. In regression analyses, protective strengths accounted for a unique portion of the variance in sexual recidivism while controlling for overall risk. Consistent with research on the importance of protective strengths with other offender types, the continued study and inclusion of protective strengths in the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Sexual coercion is a significant problem on college campuses despite numerous attempts to better understand and prevent it. Some criminological research has examined the role of sexual arousal in decisions to use coercion and force, while psychologists have studied how overperception of sexual interest relates to coercive behaviors. The current study combines these two lines of research to examine whether sexual arousal increases the perception of sexual interest in a hypothetical coercion scenario. A sample of 387 college males were randomly placed into arousal and control conditions and asked to watch either erotic material or a lecture and complete questions regarding a common social dating scenario. Bivariate and multivariate results indicated significant relationships between sexual arousal and overperception of sexual intent with the decision to engage in sexually coercive behaviors, as well as a mediation effect. The implications for theory and sexual assault prevention are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The consumption of glucose can enhance executive control by increasing blood glucose and providing energy for brain processes. However, a glucose mouth rinse also positively affects executive control in the absence of an effect on blood glucose. This observation suggests that glucose can enhance executive control via another mechanism, perhaps by increasing cortical activation in motivational reward pathways. This hypothesis was examined in the current study by having participants consume fructose, glucose or a placebo 10 minutes before solving word anagrams. Fructose was used because it does not affect blood glucose levels, inhibits cortical responding, and cannot entrain a taste preference post-ingestion. The latter evidences that fructose differs from glucose in its ability to elicit activation in motivational reward pathways. It was observed that consuming fructose and glucose resulted in the resolution of more anagrams than the placebo. These results suggest that at least some of the effects of glucose and fructose on problem solving operate through a common peripheral mechanism that is independent of motivational reward pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Parental incarceration has been linked to a wide range of negative intergenerational consequences, including involvement in the criminal justice system. Prior research indicates that those who experience episodes of parental incarceration during childhood are significantly more likely to report contact with the police, arrest, conviction, and incarceration. There remains, however, considerable debate as to whether these relationships are causal or merely correlational. Although many theoretical frameworks offer guidance in understanding these associations (e.g., social learning, strain, labeling), less work has focused on genetic risk factors. Using data from a nationally representative sample of American youth, we conduct a series of analyses to assess whether genetic risk factors, measured by three dopamine polymorphisms (DAT1, DRD2, and DRD4) confound the association between paternal incarceration and child’s arrest and incarceration. Results suggest that genetic risk may confound the relationship between father’s incarceration and child’s arrest but not incarceration. These findings are discussed relative to theoretical development and existing empirical evidence. Directions for future research in this vein are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Despite being created and validated in the 1970s and 1980s, and widely adopted by many agencies in the United States, including Texas, the Wisconsin Risk Need Assessment Instrument has yet to be examined with a contemporaneous Texas probationer sample. Due to the majority of previous research reporting poor utility, the instrument’s authors proposed a new scoring system for the risk portion of the instrument in 2009 in an attempt to increase the predictive utility. This study examines the original instrument and is the first to examine the proposed reweighted risk scale’s relationship to recidivism with an independent sample of 194 male probationers. Findings revealed that the original risk/need sections and proposed reweighted risk items failed to explain significant variance in recidivism with very few items relating to reoffense. The current results provide further evidence that the Wisconsin Risk Need Assessment should be replaced by other empirically validated risk/need instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although evaluation has become a common component of substance abuse treatment programs in correctional settings, few evaluation designs use a mixed-methodological approach and even fewer incorporate participant interviews in the data collection process. This oversight is problematic for a number of reasons, one of which is the uniquely disadvantaged position of the subjects under study (i.e., prisoners). Using data from an evaluation of an in-prison alcohol treatment program, this article illustrates the utility of the qualitative interview in correctional research. Findings suggest that interviews are capable of providing information otherwise inaccessible through quantitative designs and identifying process and management barriers to optimal program operation. Discussion centers on implications for policy and practice enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Research on Hispanic crime and victimization in the United States has lagged behind the demographic changes of the last four decades. Very little is known about the etiology of Hispanic offending and few studies have examined the correlation between crime and victimization within this group. This study attempts to remedy this gap in the literature by examining the factors associated with both crime and victimization among a homogenous sample of Hispanic adolescents. Negative binomial and logistic regression are utilized to assess the relationship between generational status, self-control, delinquent peers, parental supervision, and demographic variables on the incidence and frequency of delinquency and victimization. Results suggest that generational status, delinquent peers, gender, and age are the most consistent predictors of delinquency and victimization for Hispanic youth. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Previous qualitative research has suggested that Hispanic gang membership is linked to the process of acculturation. Specifically, studies have indicated that those who are less assimilated into mainstream American or “Anglo” society are at greater risk for joining gangs. Building on these observations, this study examines the relationship between acculturation and gang membership within a theoretically and empirically informed multivariate framework. Based on a sample of Hispanic adolescents residing in the American Southwest, results largely supported previous qualitative studies that have suggested that a number of factors, including acculturation, are necessary to an understanding of gang membership within this demographic. Findings from logistic regression analyses indicated that respondents’ grade in school, neighborhood drug availability, level of ethnic marginalization, and level of acculturation were all significantly associated with self-reported gang membership. Results also suggested that marginalization may partially mediate the effects of acculturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-control constitutes a fundamental aspect of human nature. Yet there is reason to believe that human and nonhuman self-control processes rely on the same biological mechanism—the availability of glucose in the bloodstream. Two experiments tested this hypothesis by examining the effect of available blood glucose on the ability of dogs to exert self-control. Experiment 1 showed that dogs that were required to exert self-control on an initial task persisted for a shorter time on a subsequent unsolvable task than did dogs that were not previously required to exert self-control. Experiment 2 demonstrated that providing dogs with a boost of glucose eliminated the negative effects of prior exertion of self-control on persistence; this finding parallels a similar effect in humans. These findings provide the first evidence that self-control relies on the same limited energy resource among humans and nonhumans. Our results have broad implications for the study of self-control processes in human and nonhuman species. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Since first appearing in the late 1980s, drug courts have quickly become one of the leading intervention strategies for offenders exhibiting problems with drug abuse. Popular with policy makers for their innovative approach to breaking the drugs-crime nexus, drug courts are now considered one of the hallmarks of both the adult and juvenile justice systems of corrections. Empirical research has indicated that drug courts are one of the most promising contemporary correctional strategies in reducing recidivism among substance abusing offenders. This study examined a juvenile drug court in an effort to answer some recent research questions that have been proffered by empiricists. Results suggested that clients with a history of mental health problems had greater odds of being admitted to the drug court. No client characteristics, however, were predictive of client success in the drug court. Policy implications are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although male sex offenders have been the focus of numerous empirical investigations, there exists little data examining the characteristics of female sex offenders. This study examined personality profiles of incarcerated male and female sex offenders by utilizing Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to categorize offenders based on their responses on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). Building on previous research (see Turner, Miller, Henderson, 2008), the current sample of male and female sex offenders is best described using a 4-class model: Moderate Defensiveness, Elevated Alcohol and Drug Use, Moderate Psychopathology, and Elevated Psychopathology. Analyzing covariates and group membership, results indicated that male sex offenders were more likely to be included in the Elevated Drug and Alcohol group, whereas the female sex offenders were more likely to be included in the Moderate or Elevated Psychopathology group. Additional results of psychopathology and gender difference, as well as treatment implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines characteristics of 90 female sexual offenders based on offense and personality traits. The study uses latent profile analysis to identify groups of female sex offenders who are similar to one another and different from participants in other groups. Results using the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) indicate that there were three classes of offenders that differed with respect to the severity of their psychopathology. Upon analysis of predictors such as demographic information, offense characteristics, selected Trauma Symptom Inventory scores, Static-99 scores, abuse history, and PAI supplemental scales, several factors predicted group membership. These included marital status, sexual abuse in adulthood, and interpersonal relationship styles. Implications for assessment and treatment of female sex offenders are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study reexamines the relationship between acculturation and illicit drug use among a sample of Mexican-American adolescents in South Texas (n=3,186). Logistic regression was used to test the relationship between marijuana and cocaine use and two acculturation scales while controlling for structural properties and social dynamics characterizing use environment. Findings suggest that acculturation correlates with increased use of both substances when operationalized by language but not when measurement is based in social interaction. Gang membership was found to be a more explanative indicator of drug use than acculturation, suggesting that Mexican-American drug use is better understood through utilization of models factoring delinquent peer effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the cross-cultural efficacy of social learning theory as it relates to substance use among Puerto Rican adolescents. Using data from a self-report survey of high school students attending private and public schools in San Juan, Puerto Rico, we compare the relative effects of personal and peer definitions (differential association) on substance use. Results indicate that statistical differences exist between public and private school respondents on all three outcomes (cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use) and the two aspects of social learning theory, definitions and differential association. After controlling for demographic factors, peer definitions are shown to have the greatest effect on likelihood of substance use. Students who perceive greater peer approval of substance use are far more likely to report lifetime cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use regardless of their own personal definitions of such behavior. Sex differences are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on suspect and defendant demeanor in the juvenile and criminal justice systems has concentrated on arrest and the severity of sanctioning outcomes. This article examines demeanor at an earlier juncture in the system: juvenile drug court admission. Regression analysis of 76 juvenile drug court case files suggests that program admittance (i.e.. potential system leniency through diversion) is largely a function of projected attitude and behavior. Those exhibiting favorable demeanor during intake and assessment are significantly more likely to be accepted into drug court as are those with a dual diagnosis. Implications of the findings are considered for continued system involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study surveyed a random sample of Texas law enforcement officers (N = 109) about their training in detecting deception. Texas officers reported that their training entailed the equivalent of a 2-day, lecture-style workshop in the kinesic interview technique or Reid technique, two popular police training modules, with subsequent training more often the exception than the rule. The authors examine these results in light of previous social science research regarding officers' accuracy in detecting deception and make suggestions for future training programs for police officers in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the validity of the Miller Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST), a brief measure of malingering, in an inpatient psychiatric sample of 70. Among those patients who also completed the Personality Assessment Inventory (N=44), Total M-FAST score was related in the expected directions to the Personality Assessment Inventory validity scales and indexes, providing evidence for concurrent validity of the M-FAST. With the PAI malingering index used as a criterion, we examined the diagnostic efficiency of the M-FAST and found a cut score of 8 represented the best balance of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive power, and negative predictive power. Based on this cut-score of 8, 16% of the population was classified as malingering. The M-FAST appears to be an excellent rapid screen for symptom exaggeration in this population and setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

General "hypo-emotionality" has now become a broadly accepted concept as one of the conspicuous psychological characteristics of repetitive, violent offenders. Numerous psychophysiological studies have verified this premise. The current study sought to examine the applicability of the Emotional Recognition Test (ERT) in a sample of 85 Korean inmates in a maximum-security prison. Two additional criterion groups were included for comparison: normal controls and schizophrenic inpatients. Because the ERT consists of problem-solving items, it is relatively free from response biases and is more efficient than measuring physiological responses. Results indicated that all criterion groups scored significantly differently on the ERT total and subscale scores. Additionally, similar to the physiological emotion-specific findings, emotion-specific subscales of the ERT indicated that offenders had significantly more difficulty in recognizing negative emotional stimuli, particularly sadness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]