The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which workplace efforts and rewards are associated with probation officer stress, overcommitment, health, and productivity. This research uses the effort-reward imbalance model, which is an indicator of job stress, on a group of criminal justice probation officers. The probation officers completed questionnaires regarding their perceptions of health, perceived reward, perceived effort, perceptions of overcommitment, and perceived productivity. Afterward, the responses were collected, and analyses were conducted using correlation and multiple regression to determine the extent to which perceptions of effort, reward, and overcommitment effect probation officer productivity and health. A sample of 207 probation officers from Central Florida selected probation agencies are used in the study, with an individual response rate of approximately 90%. The results suggest that perceptions of reward have a limited effect on perceived productivity. Furthermore, the study found a significant relationship between effort-reward imbalance and perceptions of overcommitment. The study also found a significant relationship between perceptions of overcommitment and perceptions of reduced health. Finally, the study found that the interaction of effort-reward imbalance and overcommitment are correlated with negative perceptions of health. The results of the study demonstrate the ubiquity of perceptions among probation officers that they are overworked and under compensated. The results also suggest the need for improvements in organizational practice, so that efficiency and effectiveness of probation officers can be maximized.

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The quality of probation officer-client therapeutic alliance (TA) can result in improvements in supervision success including reduced rearrest and non-compliance. However, less is known about how clients' perceptions of procedural justice during interactions with their probation officer (PO) influence the quality of the PO-client TA and impact supervision outcomes. While extant research supports the importance of procedural justice for shaping citizen's legitimacy beliefs and compliance to the law within policing, we know little about how and whether these concepts influence the PO-client TA in community supervision and whether they impact compliance. Using self-reported survey data collected from a sample of adult individuals on county-level probation (N = 172), this study examined the influence of client perceptions of procedural justice, legitimacy, and legal cynicism in predicting the PO-client TA. Multivariate regression analyses examined the collective effect of these interpersonal relationship factors on clients' odds of receiving a technical violation and receiving a positive drug test. Results indicated that clients' perceptions of procedural justice were positively associated with the PO-client TA. Clients who viewed their PO treated them fairly and with respect were more likely to report a higher quality relationship. However, perceptions of procedural justice, legitimacy, and the TA were unrelated to compliance outcome. Risk level was the strongest predictor for receiving a technical violating and positive drug test. These findings suggest that while procedural justice was associated with a stronger TA, procedural justice alone may be insufficient to elicit supervision compliance. This study suggests the need to expand future research to consider procedural justice in the context of other supervision outcomes, including client satisfaction. Though the current study found procedural justice did not impact technical violations and positive drug tests, it may improve clients' satisfaction of the supervision process, which could result in greater client success and improved outcomes

Yes

A restorative approach to justice focuses on accountability for healing the harm done to victims and communities as a result of criminal acts. Hate crimes are intended to send a threatening message to a particular group of people. There is enough reliable research on restorative justice principles and practices, and on the causes, meaning and impact of hate crimes, to bring together a representative selection of available literature for a critical review. This thesis critically reviews the literature of restorative justice principles and practices, and the literature of hate crime causes, definitions, laws, and typologies of offenders, using as a model Comstock's seven-step Critical Research Method. Findings suggest that congruencies between the two fields of study are primarily found in how activities appropriated to define the fields have increased the ambiguity of the definitions. Further findings suggest that there are important underlying issues of class and power distribution in need of attention in both fields of research. These findings are discussed and suggestions are made for future areas of research.

An estimated 200,000 juveniles are tried as adults yearly and receive punitive sentences intended to deter juvenile crime and increase public safety. Few qualitative studies on juveniles sentenced as adults and contradictory results indicate a need for further research. This study used a qualitative, phenomenological interpretive design, with the conceptual frameworks of general and specific deterrence and rational choice theories. In-depth interviews took place with 12 incarcerated adults serving sentences (24--540 months) for juvenile crimes. The research questions explored their knowledge of transfer laws and adult sentencing and perceptions of deterrence from future criminal activity. Coding of transcripts and audio files was distilled into meaning units following the hermeneutical tradition, and triangulation was used to identify overarching themes and patterns. Findings revealed that no participants understood application of transfer to adult court to them, and 10 (83%) revealed ignorance of juvenile transfer laws. Thus, they did not weigh costs or benefits prior to offending (general deterrence) or exercise rational decision making; however, 11 (92%) would have reconsidered offending if they were aware of adult sentences. Half admitted the impacts of incarceration would not deter them from future offending (no specific deterrence), and half believed negative factors would prevent recidivism. Study results can prompt further research in juvenile offenders' knowledge and decisions regarding adult sentencing. Implications for social change include dissemination of findings to deter adolescents from criminal behavior. Findings may also aid policymakers' reevaluation and revision of sentencing policies for juvenile offenders to help prevent juvenile crime and recidivism and increase public safety.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 199-203).

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1992.