This paper shows that criminality causes a significant decrease in the earning potential of individuals. In addition, there is evidence to support that criminality has the same negative effect on earnings regardless of type of sentencing, whether probation or incarceration. Previous studies indicate that ex-convicts do not benefit from in-prison based programs. The purpose of this paper is to identify the short-term earning differentials between offenders and their law-abiding counter parts and offer insight as to how this can affect recidivism. Research shows that recidivists suffer the largest wage differentials, which significantly lowers their employment utility. This reduction of labor market outcomes may conversely promote the utility an individual receives from a life of crime.

During planetary entry, a vehicle uses drag generated from flight through the planetary atmosphere to decelerate from hyperbolic or orbital velocity. To date, all guided entry systems have utilized lift-modulation trajectory control. Deployable aerodynamic devices enable drag-modulation trajectory control, where a vehicle controls its energy and range during entry by varying drag area. Implementation of conventional lift-modulation systems is challenging for deployable systems. In contrast, drag-modulation trajectory control may be simpler and lower-cost than current state-of-the-art lift-modulation systems. In this investigation, a survey of analytical methods for computing planetary entry trajectories is presented and the approximate analytical solution to the entry equations of motion originally developed by Allen and Eggers is extended to enable flight performance evaluation of drag-modulation trajectory control systems. Results indicate that significant range control authority is available for vehicles with modestly sized decelerators. The extended Allen-Eggers solution is closed-form and enables rapid evaluation of nonlifting entry trajectories. The solution is utilized to develop analytical relationships for discrete-event drag-modulation systems. These relationships have direct application to onboard guidance and targeting systems. Numerical techniques were used to evaluate drag-modulation trajectory control for precision landing and planetary aerocapture missions, including development of prototype real-time guidance and targeting algorithms. Results show that simple, discrete-event drag-modulation trajectory control systems can provide landed accuracies competitive with the current state of the art and a more benign aerothermal environment during entry for robotic-scale exploration missions. For aerocapture, drag-modulation trajectory control is shown to be feasible for missions to Mars and Titan and the required delta-V for periapsis raise is insensitive to the particular method of drag modulation. Overall, results indicate that drag-modulation trajectory control is feasible for a subset of planetary entry and aerocapture missions. To facilitate intelligent system selection, a method is proposed for comparing lift and drag-modulation trajectory control schemes. This method applies nonlinear variational techniques to closed-form analytical solutions of the equations of motion, generating closed-form expressions for variations of arbitrary order. This comparative method is quantitative, performance-based, addresses robustness, and applicable early in the design process. This method is applied to steep planetary entry trajectories and shows that, in general, lift and drag-modulation systems exhibit similar responses to perturbations in environmental and initial state perturbations. However, significant differences are present for aerodynamic perturbations and results demonstrate that drag systems may be more robust to uncertainty in aerodynamic parameters. Finally, the results of these contributions are combined to build a set of guidelines for selecting lift or drag-modulation for a Mars Science Laboratory-class planetary entry mission.

The purpose of this project was to explore how ex-offenders collectively leverage personal and community assets to transcend passivity and powerlessness in the face of reentry barriers, as well as to identify the personal milestones that signal social and community re-integration, post-incarceration. A qualitative inquiry utilizing interviews and a support group structure modeled on action research was used to generate two distinct products. The first product concerned a peer-group model that could be employed by ex-offenders as a form of community capacity building. The second product sought to identify reentry milestones utilized in the development of effective support programs to aid ex-offenders in the areas of employment and housing. Data collection points included the narratives elicited from participants during the intake and exit interviews, a grounded theory analysis fostered during each support group session with the intent to identify group curriculum, and the life stories revealed in the reflective journals all participants are asked to maintain. Narrative analysis was employed to understand the meaning participants provide to the work of the support group as well as the volunteer work they are asked to do to illustrate their commitment to community building. The participants utilized a grounded theory analysis to examine transcripts of group discussions in an effort to explicate the most important components of a peer-group model. / text

Juvenile delinquency in the nation’s cities, suburbs, and rural communities has been considered a longstanding problem with severe implications for not only youth offenders but their families and communities as well. The source of juvenile delinquency has been attributed to a number of factors including the breakdown of the family, antisocial behavior as a result of the child’s environment, and rapid urbanization of America’s cities. No matter the source, the problem of juvenile delinquency has been addressed by a variety of stakeholders including law enforcement agencies, community organizations, and school systems with the purpose of diminishing the problem. The current climate of juvenile justice reform is shifting toward prevention and intervention, rather than complete suppression by way of detainment. According to the theoretical framework applied to this study, a consideration for understanding forms of deviance relates to social controls and the presumption that conformity is not intrinsically accepted, but is the result of internal and external motivations or factors. This research was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Youth Against Violence (YAV) program, which focused its efforts on reducing juvenile delinquency in the community and assisting youth to meet bond conditions in order to reenroll in traditional public schools. Participants were referred to the YAV program by court order, school referral, or parent/self referral for participation in an 8-week intervention and prevention program to help rehabilitate offenders for the purpose of successful re-entry into the community and completion of their education in public schools. To determine program effectiveness, this study utilized several independent variables including parental involvement, participant demographics, gang membership/affiliation, program curriculum, frequency of contact with law enforcement, family history with law enforcement, and extended family support. These variables were selected to measure participants’ perception of YAV program effectiveness. This mixed method analysis utilized participant surveys, focus groups with former participants, parents of former participants, and interviews with YAV personnel. The research concludes by identifying the significant relationships between the dependent and independent variables revealed in descriptive and correlative statistics. The research also discusses the emergent themes related to program effectiveness that were identified in qualitative analysis. Finally, the research provides recommendations for program practice, juvenile justice policy, and future rehabilitative and reentry research based on the research findings to assist practitioners with the development of prevention and intervention programs that can effectively deter youth from engaging in delinquency.

Higher rates of HIV are seen within correctional systems across the United States. Georgia has one of the largest correctional populations in the country and HIV rates among prisoners are elevated when compared to the state as a whole. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the Pre-Release Planning Program of the Georgia Department of Corrections and to identify reentry needs unique to persons living with HIV. This evaluation was informed by the post-release experiences of participants who described their own reentry journeys through semi-structured qualitative interviews. A convenience sample of 45 program participants was recruited to complete a qualitative interview following their release in 2009-2010. All 45 persons recruited consented to be contacted for an interview. A research interviewer successfully located 25 members of the original sample and they all agreed to participate. In addition a structure and process evaluation of the program was conducted. Recommendations for improvement were developed from the program evaluation and qualitative analysis of participants’ reentry experiences. For former program participants three central needs were identified: housing, health and income. Stigma and risk behaviors negatively impacted stability of housing, health and income. Strengths of the program included linkage to a Ryan White Clinic, provision of prison medical records, referrals to general social service agencies and its acceptability. The structural and individual challenges faced by persons living with HIV leaving the prison system demand comprehensive integrated services to assure access to HIV care and avoid recidivism. Minimally, housing, health and income must be addressed.

Willis and Grace (2008, 2009) developed a protocol for measuring quality of planning for community reintegration by sexual offenders, and showed that poor planning was a risk factor for sexual recidivism. The present study evaluated the reliability and predictive validity of Willis and Grace’s protocol with a large, representative sample of child molesters who completed a prison-based treatment programme between 1993 and 2000. Overall, the quality of reintegration planning was good for the sample as a whole, with an average equal to 61.7% of the maximum possible score. Results supported the reliability and predictive validity of the protocol in assessing reintegration quality. Reintegration scores were negatively correlated sexual recidivism and with measures of pre-treatment static and dynamic risk, particularly the Criminality and Treatment Responsivity factors of the Violence Risk Scale: Sexual Offender Version (VRS: SO; Olver, Wong, Nicholaichuk, & Gordon, 2007). Measures of intelligence and treatment outcome were positively correlated with reintegration quality, particularly the Standard Goal Attainment Scaling for Sex Offenders (SGAS; Hogue, 1994), suggesting that offenders who were successful in achieving treatment goals were also likely to have effective reintegration plans. Survival analyses (Cox regression) showed that reintegration planning contributed additional validity for predicting sexual recidivism when static risk but not dynamic risk was controlled. Overall, results support the utility of Willis and Grace’s protocol for measuring quality of reintegration planning. Future research should examine reintegration planning for other types of sexual and non-sexual offenders.

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Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1988.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1988.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Human Ecology-Personal Financial Planning / Maurice M. MacDonald / Crimes are committed for a vast and varying number of reasons. Many of those who commit crime are found guilty and serve their sentences. In most situations, the offenders will complete their sentences and subsequently be released back into society. The question then arises, is the offender prepared to return to society? There are numerous factors associated with successful reentry, but one that has not yet been addressed is financial behavior after release. This dissertation takes a first step toward understanding potential post-release financial behavior. The purpose of this primary data study was to use the theory of planned behavior as a context to examine how aspects of incarceration history—the type of crime committed (financial and non-financial), total years incarcerated, and total number of convictions—may influence financial attitude, financial subjective norms, perceptions of behavioral control, and post-release financial intentions. Use of the theory of planned behavior in this special, vulnerable population is needed to assist educators and professionals to determine what training offenders may need to succeed once back in society. This study focuses on Georgia Transitional Center participants’ post-release financial intentions. There is not much research regarding men and women who have experienced incarceration and their relationships with financial resources. Understanding the nature of Americans’ financial resources is challenging. Adding incarceration to the equation further complicates the investigation, but it is a worthwhile for a more comprehensive understanding of factors that may later affect success in society. This dissertation is the first study to investigate post-release financial intentions of men and women in a work release program.