Mass incarceration has led to an increased interest in prison experiences and, specifically, their effects on inmate behavior. Drawing on prior scholarship, this study examines whether the distance inmates are placed from their home communities influences their likelihood of committing in-prison misconduct. This study tests three hypotheses. The first hypothesis anticipates that distally placed inmates will engage in more in-prison misconduct. The second hypothesis expects that the effect of distance on misconduct will be greater for younger inmates. Finally, the third hypothesis predicts that social ties, measured by visitation, will mediate the relationship between distance and misconduct. These hypotheses are tested using negative binomial regression modeling and data from the Florida Department of Corrections. The models indicate a curvilinear relationship between prison distance and in-prison misconduct. That is, the individuals incarcerated close to or far from their home communities are the least likely to commit infractions. In addition, visitation only moderately diminishes this effect. Finally, the effect of prison distance on misconduct is greater for younger inmates. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Summer Semester, 2014. / June 25, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references. / Daniel P. Mears, Professor Directing Thesis; Brian J. Stults, Committee Member; William D. Bales, Committee Member.

Platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity levels have been connected to a wide variety of antisocial behavioral outcomes. Most notably, platelet MAO has been associated with alcohol dependence, aggression, impulsive/risky behavior, and psychopathy. However, no one has sought to synthesize the extant literature to ascertain the current standing of the relationship. These analyses seek to address this deficit within the literature by examining the relationship between platelet MAO and the aforementioned antisocial outcomes. By estimating these subsets within the published literature an overall view of the relationship, as it currently stands, is formed. It was initially hypothesize that low platelet MAO activity levels would consistently predict antisocial behaviors. However, one empirically examined, and while accounting for possible unpublished studies, the relationship appears less predictive and stable then initially believed. The results of these analyses are preliminary and further research should be conducted to determine the true nature of the relationship. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Summer Semester, 2009. / June 12, 2009. / Monoamine Oxidase, Antisocial Behavior / Includes bibliographical references. / Kevin M. Beaver, Professor Directing Thesis; Eric Stewart, Committee Member; Sarah Bacon, Committee Member.

Reciprocal irresponsibility theory explains the paradoxical behavior of ordinary, non-sadistic individuals operating within organizations that pursue injurious, malevolent, and/or criminal ends. This empirically grounded criminological theory was developed through use of a case analysis methodology focused on actors involved in perpetrating and facilitating the 'Final Solution'. Individual-level explanations concerned with psychopathy or fundamental immorality are commonly forwarded as explanations of injurious historical calamities. However, the breadth of participation in malevolent mass social movements, exemplified by the Holocaust, renders these types of individual-level explanations causally implausible. In response, reciprocal irresponsibility theory explains the contributory behavior of low-level, working-class individuals on an organizational rather than an individual-level. Reciprocal irresponsibility theory is concerned with the relationships among individuals working within hierarchical organizations, and is explained as follows. Relationships exist within every organization between those considered 'superiors', those in intermediary positions, and those considered 'subordinates'. Within a hierarchical chain of command, 'superiors' are relieved of a sense of responsibility for crimes committed and harms inflicted when they forward orders to subordinates, and thus are not personally involved in the implementation. Individuals in subordinate roles are also relieved of a sense of responsibility because they are merely 'following orders'. An extended network of intermediaries only serves to exacerbate the resultant isolation of all actors from feelings of personal responsibility towards malevolent group ends. Thus, the compartmentalized nature of hierarchical organizations works to shield individuals on all levels from a sense of responsibility concerning their contributions towards criminal and injurious organizational outcomes. This is the consequence of an elementary social dynamic, reciprocal irresponsibility, that insulates both 'superiors', 'intermediaries', and 'subordinates' from engaging in actions that can be considered to emanate from the imposition of their free will. Thus, the organization is free to pursue malevolent ends all-the-while those within it retain conventional social ties. Importantly, this explanation is not contingent upon the existence of individual-level pathologies, insulating it from the explanatory implausibility that plagues theories at that level, given the breadth of participation in these types of socially injurious events. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2010. / April 30, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references. / Dan Maier-Katkin, Professor Directing Dissertation; Sumner Twiss, University Representative; Bruce Bullington, Committee Member; Cecil Greek, Committee Member.

The impact of jobs on working American youth has not been examined thoroughly and the mechanism between employment and delinquency is not fully understood. Many prior studies that addressed the issue of youth employment and crime emphasized one variable, work intensity, and left plenty of unknown pieces in this puzzle. This study introduces the concept of 'ladder jobs' that arguably deter job holders from committing delinquent and criminal behaviors. In this dissertation, 'ladder jobs' are those with significant upward-moving occupational positions on a status ladder, and, to adolescents, these jobs encompass potential to be the start of an attractive career. Three promising mediating factors, job income, job stability, and parental control, are also examined. Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 97 and structural equation modeling are used to test hypotheses. Results indicate that 'ladder jobs' demonstrated a significant crime-decreasing effect, while employment exhibited a crime-increasing effect. In addition, the magnitude rate of 'ladder jobs' versus employment increased as youth aged; that is, the advantages of 'ladder jobs' gradually outweigh the disadvantages of employment in the sense of crime prevention. Furthermore, job income partially mediates the crime-increasing effect of employment on delinquency, and job stability partially mediates the crime-decreasing effect of 'ladder jobs' on delinquency. However, parental control, which is measured as direct supervision, does not play a mediating role between employment and delinquency. In sum, from a crime-prevention standpoint, a job that pays little now, but improves the chances of a long-term career appears to better than a dead-end job that pays comparatively well in the short-term. The findings also imply that the discussions of employment and of internships among youth should address the importance of future-oriented feature of occupations, and not just the immediate monetary gains from the employment. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2010. / July 2, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references. / Gary Kleck, Professor Directing Dissertation; Bruce Benson, University Representative; William Bales, Committee Member.

Social threat theory is a commonly used framework to explain the positive relationship between minority group size and discriminatory attitudes by members of the dominant group. A contrasting theory put forth in Allport's (1954) contact hypothesis suggests the opposite relationship; that growth in minority group size will decrease racial tension by increasing interracial contact, which works to dispel negative racial stereotypes. Using Germany as a case study, this paper assesses first the separate and then the simultaneous influences of perceived threat and intergroup contact on the relationship between minority group size and discriminatory attitudes, with a secondary focus as to how citizen age conditions these and other predicting factors of discrimination. Findings from this study reveal that both intergroup contact and dominant group perceptions of threat may mediate the relationship between minority group size and discrimination, when measures of actual and citizen-perceived minority population percentages are taken into account. Additionally, this paper presents evidence of stark generational differences in levels of discrimination among German citizens, and provides support for the idea that citizen age partly conditions what is significant in predicting discriminatory attitudes. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2010. / March 3, 2010. / Social Threat, Threat Studies, Immigration, Racial Attitudes, Intergroup Contact, Germany, Discrimination / Includes bibliographical references. / Eric Baumer, Professor Directing Thesis; Dan Mears, Committee Member; Brian Stults, Committee Member.

Theory and research suggests that criminal courts operate as organized communities, where both bureaucratic influences and court actor action systems play an important role in case processing (Eisenstein & Jacob, 1977; Eisenstein, Flemming, & Nardulli, 1988; Flemming, Nardulli, & Eisenstein, 1992; Nardulli, Eisenstein, & Flemming, 1988; Ulmer, 1997). Specifically, these factors are expected to impact operational certainty within the courthouse and the efficient management of cases (Heumann, 1981; Pollitz Worden, 1990; Skolnick, 1967; Thompson, 197). While a significant amount of research focuses on the external and internal organizational influences placed on criminal courts, less attention has been devoted to the effect of workgroup interaction and influence (Hoskins Haynes, Ruback, & Cusick, 2010; Nardulli et al., 1988; Pollitz Worden, 1995). In order to address this issue, the current study uses a sample of felony plea and trial cases from a courthouse in the Southeast to assess the impact of courtroom actors on certainty and efficiency in case processing, operationalized as the decision to plea and time from arrest to case disposition. The study (1) determines the extent to which familiarity, similarity, and influence among the judge, prosecutor, and defense attorney impact certainty and efficiency, (2) assesses whether there is variation in certainty and efficiency of case processing across actors, and (3) evaluates the impact of individual court actor characteristics on variation in case processing. Attending to the limitations of prior research, the study quantifies court actor interaction and influence, focuses on an earlier phase of case processing, links court actors to their respective cases, and determines the contribution of court actors to the guilty plea system. The findings indicate that court actor familiarity and experience have important effects on certainty and efficiency in case processing. Additionally, variation in the decision to plea and time to disposition is detected across judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys, and court actor influence is able to explain some of this variation. Contrary to expectations, the findings reveal that familiarity and influence of defense attorneys can hinder certain and efficient case processing. The implications of these findings and potential avenues for future research are discussed. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2014. / April 28, 2014. / Court communities, Courtroom workgroup, Organization theory, Plea / Includes bibliographical references. / Marc G. Gertz, Professor Directing Dissertation; James S. Bowman, University Representative; Ted Chiricos, Committee Member; Carter Hay, Committee Member.

As the incarceration rate expanded in the late 20th century, social threat theory was increasingly utilized to explain this growing punishment trend. While primarily finding support, this research has gone only so far as to examine the incarceration decision and sentencing severity. It is a common practice throughout the United States to employ what is known as gaintime in order to reduce an offender's actual time served. As a result, sentence length frequently does not reflect the true punishment experienced. This study seeks to assess the role of racial, ethnic, and economic threat in terms of the previously unutilized measure of the punishment experienced, rather than the punishment prescribed. By means of HLM analysis, dynamic measures of percent black, percent Hispanic, and percent unemployed within Florida's 67 counties were assessed in terms of their relationship to individual level outcomes of sentence length, time served, and percent of sentence served for all Florida inmates admitted to prison between 1990 and 2010. While there were significant threat effects found for the primary outcomes of interest, they were in an unexpected negative direction. These results necessitate further exploration of both the processes by which growth in threat groups affects punishment outcomes, and also the aspect of actual time served in prison as a separate form of social control in the threat relationship. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Summer Semester, 2014. / July 8, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references. / William Bales, Professor Directing Thesis; Ted Chiricos, Committee Member; Brian Stults, Committee Member.

Criminological research has often overlooked an important segment of offenders' lives - incarceration. Furthermore, the existing research on inmate behavior has focused primarily on male inmates. This dissertation adds to corrections literature by using a sample of female inmates to examine relationships between personality disorders and prison adjustment. The results of the analyses indicate that personality disorders are widespread among female inmates and are somewhat associated with adjustment. Certain Cluster B personality disorders - antisocial, histrionic, and narcissistic - were associated with decreased adjustment. Dependent personality disorder, on the other hand, was associated with increased adjustment, since these inmates self-reported less misconduct than other inmates did. The remaining personality disorders did not have any significant relationships with the measures of adjustment. Other factors, such as age, sentence length, time served, and security classification, had a more consistent association with adjustment than personality disorders. When female inmates with personality disorders were examined separately, unique patterns of adjustment were found. Age was associated with an increased number of infractions that the inmate was reported by prison staff to have committed and increased self-reported misconduct. Age, however, was not significantly related to violent infractions. For female inmates with personality disorders, race was not significantly related to adjustment. On the other hand, being a parent was associated with an increased number of violent infractions reported. Limitations to this dissertation and policy implications for corrections and criminology are discussed. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2011. / October 3, 2011. / Disciplinary Infractions, Inmates, Mental Illness, Personality Disorders, Prison Adjustment / Includes bibliographical references. / Kevin Beaver, Professor Directing Dissertation; Joyce Carbonell, University Representative; Daniel Mears, Committee Member.

Judicial decision-making has been a long-standing subject of criminological inquiry. It has been the explicit focus of theory (e.g. Steffensmeier, Ulmer, & Kramer, 1998; Albonetti, 1991; Farrell & Holmes, 1991) and is implicit in discussions of unwarranted sentencing disparity, determinate sentencing, and extra-legal offender attributes such as race. Central to each of these topics is the judge's sentencing decision and the differences in sentences that flow from the use of discretion. However, few studies have actually directly examined variation in judges' sentencing behavior and how this variation corresponds to judge and offender attributes. This dissertation fills that void by using data from Florida Circuit Courts to examine how judges' indelible attributes and experiences influence their use of imprisonment. Results demonstrate that judges are far from homogenous in their sentencing behavior and, in spite of sentencing guidelines, extra-legal offender attributes continue to matter but in nuanced ways. Findings include statistically significant effects for the judges' political party affiliation, age, time on bench, sex, race, and Hispanic ethnicity; several of these effects are conditioned by offender attributes. These effects are modest in magnitude but when considered cumulatively, they result in consequential differences in the probability that an offender is imprisoned. Judges also show considerable variation in their propensity to imprison even after controlling for differences in their traits. While judge attributes like race and sex matter, they do not adequately capture the bulk of inter-judge variation in the use of imprisonment. In short, criminal sentencing remains a highly individualized activity. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2012. / October 17, 2012. / decision-making, extralegal attributes, judicial attributes, logistic regression, multi-level models, sentencing / Includes bibliographical references. / Theodore Chiricos, Professor Directing Dissertation; Marc Gertz, Committee Member; William Bales, Committee Member.

The empirical relationship between inmates with and without tattoos upon post-release recidivism has been virtually ignored in modern criminological research. Only one published study has directly examined the relationship between inmate tattoos and recidivism (Putnins, 2002). This study tracked 898 released Australian juvenile offenders for a brief period and found support for a link between tattoos and violent recidivism. The purpose of the current study is to provide a rigorous empirical assessment of the consequence of inmate tattoos on the likelihood of recidivism among a large cohort of offenders released from prison. The study examines a cohort of 79,749 released inmates from Florida prisons from 1995 through 2001 and tracks them over a three year follow-up to assess the impact of several tattoo variables on recidivism. Findings reveal that released inmates with tattoos, particularly numerous and highly visible ones, are more likely to be reconvicted during the follow-up period. Further, the findings indicate that there are two distinct inmate profiles namely the younger novice to the corrections system and the older, longer-term prisoner that are distinguishable by the numbers of tattoo possessed that increase the odds of recidivism. The implications of the findings are discussed in terms of policy, theory, and future research. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2012. / April 2, 2012. / inmate, prisoner, recidivism, tattoo / Includes bibliographical references. / Thomas G. Blomberg, Professor Directing Dissertation; Joyce L. Carbonell, University Representative; William D. Bales, Committee Member.