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The increase in youth and adult use of pornography has led to increased research on the possible effects and implications of such use. A few prior studies have examined the relationship between age at first exposure to pornography and related problems later in life, including more problematic use of pornography. The current study used a sample of 924 males and females at a university in the Southern United States to examine the relationship between age and type of first pornography exposure to problematic use of pornography in young adulthood. Results indicated significant relationships between age at first exposure, first exposure type, and problematic pornography use in young adulthood. The findings highlight the importance of early intervention around pornography exposure and the causes of intentional pornography use at early ages. [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]

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]

There has been a proliferation of offender reentry programs since the passage of the Second Chance Act in 2008, including an unprecedented expansion of treatment services into underserved rural areas. Review of Second Chance Act programming and observation of unmet mental health and substance abuse needs in justice settings contextualizes description of the Middle Tennessee Rural Reentry Program, a U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance funded intervention. The program targeted 209 adult female and male higher risk offenders that were dually diagnosed with mental health and substance abuse disorders for evidence based cognitive behavioral change oriented therapeutic treatment. While offender outcome indicators (recidivism and relapse) suggested program impact, barriers to implementing, delivering, and evaluating reentry programming in rural areas were also identified and orient discussion around evidence based demonstration and replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Of the more than two million persons incarcerated in U.S. prisons, the majority are also parents to children under the age of 18. A growing body of research has explored the impact of parental incarceration on these children and has consistently found a link between this experience and negative life outcomes. Fewer studies, however, examined the longitudinal impact of parental incarceration on offspring. This analysis attempts to address this shortcoming by exploring the relationship between parental incarceration during childhood and adult outcomes later in life. More specifically, we examine the associations between paternal incarceration during childhood and health, educational, and economic outcomes in young adulthood. Using data from the Add Health, we utilize a series of regression analyses to examine these relationships. Results suggest that parental incarceration is significantly related to a number of outcomes in early adulthood, including educational attainment, physical and mental health, and receipt of public assistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

False imputations of homosexuality have long been considered by courts to be defamatory per se, but many jurisdictions are beginning to revisit the issues surrounding homosexuality and defamation in the wake of a national debate over gay rights. This article examines whether courts should abandon false imputations of homosexuality as per se defamation and concludes that, at a minimum such statements should no longer be defamatory per se and further provides courts with a framework to go a step further and hold that such statements hold no defamatory meaning. [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]

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]

Online surveying has gained attention in recent years for its applicability to human dimensions research as an efficient and inexpensive data-collection method; however, online surveying is not a panacea. In this article, we provide some guidelines for alleviating or avoiding the criticisms and pitfalls suggested of online survey methods and explore two case studies demonstrating different approaches to online surveying. The first was a mixed-mode study of visitors to 52 participating National Wildlife Refuges. The response rate was 72%, with over half of respondents completing the survey online, resulting in cost-savings and efficiencies that would not have otherwise been realized. The second highlighted an online-only approach targeting specialized users of satellite imagery. Through branching and skipping, the online mode allowed flexibilities in administration impractical in a mail survey. The response rate of 53% was higher than typical for online surveys. Both case studies provide examples of appropriate uses of online surveying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the Sixth Amendment of the constitution guarantees assistance of counsel to indigent criminal defendants, questions exist about the quality of this representation. Critics assert that ‘you get what you pay for’ and that public defenders are less effective than privately retained counsel regarding criminal justice outcomes. Some research, however, reveals that public defenders are as effective as privately retained counsel because of their working relationships with prosecutors and judges, the so-called courtroom workgroup. The current study tested the assertion that ‘you get what you pay for’ by examining the effect of type of counsel (public defenders versus private attorneys) on four different case processing outcomes for a large mid-western jurisdiction. Results generally show that type of counsel has no significant direct effect. Tests for interaction, however, suggest that for some defendants, type of counsel interacts with other key variables to influence certain outcomes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Several states have passed civil commitment laws that allow the precautionary detention of sex offenders who have completed their criminal sentences. Over 2,500 sex offenders have been committed across states with such statutes and several thousand more sex offenders have been evaluated. Most statutes call for an evaluation of risk by a mental health professional and, although each state statute is worded differently, three main elements common to sexually violent predator evaluations are used to guide evaluators: mental abnormality, volitional capacity, and likelihood or future sexual violence. The current article presents empirical evidence for the main tenants of these forensic evaluations, provides recommendations for evaluators in light of current limitations of evidence, and offers suggestions for future research in this area of forensic assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted to identify, value perceptions of primary care physicians and Professional Clinical Counselors on integrative health care. Surveys were collected from 54 primary care physicians and 33 Professional Clinical Counselors in Central Ohio. Quantitative and qualitative results indicate favorable perceptions and opportunities for professional collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides historical information on the Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW) in the United States. Group work is about building a sense of community among the members of the group. ASGW is about building a community for group leaders, a place for sharing, learning, growing, and working together to advance the practice and profession of group work. ASGW's commitment to providing this sense of community is evidenced throughout its history. Commitment to advancing the profession is demonstrated by things such as the development of the Journal for Specialists in Group Work, ethical guidelines, training standards, and standards of best practice. The association's commitments to sharing, personal and professional growth, and learning from each other are demonstrated in the interactions of members and the leadership, such as offering research grants to professionals and students alike.