The opportunity structures of the South and non-South are becoming similar because the South is changing with respect to urbanization, industrialization, occupational redistribution, income, education, medical care, and migration. These structural and demographic changes are thought to lead to a convergence of crime rates. Southern homicide rates, however, remain pronounced. It is hypothesized that high homicide rates persist in Southern counties that are remaining relatively unaffected structurally by changes that are transforming the region as a whole. / Multiple regression analysis of data collected from a random sample of 300 Southern counties shows that structural and demographic variables explain less than 10 percent of the variance in county homicide rates in 1960 and 1970. Analysis is discontinued because interaction effects are detected. / It is proposed that the association of certain structural variables and such heretofore unspecified demographic variables as age, sex, and race may account for the failure of structural variables to predict county homicide rates. Structural changes are thought to be producing a relocation of individuals who are demographically prone to commit homicide. It is argued that earlier findings regarding the association of structural variables and state homicide rates may be an artifact of the use of the state as the unit of analysis. The failure of the cultural explanation to specify a learning theory is discussed. Such a theory is tentatively sketched. It is proposed that ecological and behavior approaches may be complementary. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-03, Section: A, page: 1224. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 40-09, Section: A, page: 5197. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1979.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 40-10, Section: A, page: 5605. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1979.

As a result of the prevailing empirical emphasis of criminological research, there is a paucity of research on the historical development of the criminal justice system. This is unfortunate for a more thorough understanding of the historical development of various components of the criminal justice system would enable criminologists and administrators to more fully appreciate the problems confronting contemporary agencies of social control. / This study addresses this problem by providing a case study of the development, operation, and impact of the New York House of Refuge from 1857 until 1935. The alleged theory of the New York House of Refuge, as specified by administrators and other supporters of the institution, is outlined by examining the institution's annual reports, the daily journals of the superintendent and matron, case histories, reports of various committees, and other data sources in the voluminous collection. Rationalizations for the programs of contract labor, classification, religion, education, discipline, indenture, and later industrial education, military drill, and parole are outlined. / The alleged theory of the New York House of Refuge is contrasted with its actual practice by examining the reports of a number of investigative committees, the reports of former inmates and disgruntled employees, articles appearing in newspapers, and the commentaries of visitors to the institution. The scope of the study is expanded by drawing parallels between the stated theory and actual practice of the New York institution with the rhetoric and reality of other reformatories across the country. / Overall, the findings indicate that the stated purpose concerning the development, operation, and impact of the New York House of Refuge was not consistent with its actual practice. The programs of contract labor, classification, religion, education, discipline, indenture, industrial education, military drill, and parole generally did not fulfill their objectives, and the impact of the institution on the children was not as benevolent as the administrators alleged. Moreover, an examination of the practice of other reformatories suggests that they too failed in their child-saving mission. An explanation of the study's findings is focused upon the general organizational characteristics of the institution and the relationship of the refuge to the broader social structure. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-01, Section: A, page: 0413. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1979.

The hypothesis which is scrutinized and tested is that refined carbohydrate consumption is a significant contributor to maladaptive behaviors. Much recent inquiry into this subject has rendered a great deal of description and theoretical analyses. Strong indicators of this relationship exist a / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-01, Section: A, page: 0399. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

The corruption of public employees poses a significant problem to the administration of justice in the United States. The literature on corruption in criminal justice has focused almost exclusively on law enforcement agencies. The present study departs from this tradition by conducting an exploratory examination of the phenomenon of corruption within the field of corrections. The setting for this research was a state correctional agency responsible for the care and custody of adult felons. / The research design consisted of three complementary components: an assessment of contemporary accounts of correctional corruption reported in government documents, the academic literature and the public media; a content analysis of the official records of the Internal Affairs Unit of a state correctional agency; and a self report questionnaire designed to supplement the records analysis administered to a random sample of correctional officers. / The assessment of the contemporary literature revealed that corrupt practices appeared to be endemic in the field of corrections, and permeated all phases of adult corrections; no staff level appeared to be immune to charges of corruption. The opportunities and incentives for corruption appear to be great. Contributing factors are the intense inmate demand for illicit goods and privileges, the generally poor quality of staff employed in line positions in correctional agencies and the widespread use of low visibility discretion in matters dealing with the control of inmates. / The primary objective of the records analysis of the Internal Affairs Unit was to identify and describe the characteristics and patterns of corruption experienced by a specific correctional agency. / Five general offense types were identified: theft, trafficking with inmates, embezzlement, misuse of authority for personal material gain and a residual category. In addition, a descriptive profile of corruption was formulated, based on an analysis of the actors involved, initiator of the offense, organization, location, source of the complaint, and validity of the allegation. / To supplement the records analysis, which was necessarily limited to official reports of corruption, a self report questionnaire was administered to a random sample of correctional officers. In general the results obtained fom the self report instrument tended to support the findings of the records analysis. / Generally the research suggested that corruption serves two primary functions in a correctional setting. First, involvement in corrupt practices appears to be a technique used by certain employees to maximize their own personal gain through the exploitation of the authority vested in their position. Second, the corruption of public employees represents one method available to certain inmates to neutralize or at least minimize the rigorous deprivations associated with confinement. / There are several implications for controlling and managing staff corruption that emerged from this research. First, the widespread use of low visibility discretion can be reduced by formulating written and public guidelines with regard to the use of discretionary decisions in the operation of the prison; the inmate demand for illicit goods and services could be addressed by attempting to normalize, as much as possible, the conditions of confinement; the quality of staff could be improved by upgrading screening procedures, salary and promotion structures; and creating opportunities for advancement on the basis of merit. Finally, combatting corruption requires a commitment to accountability in corrections. The establishment of an independent Internal Affairs Unit and the use of routine and special audits increases the threat of detection and provides some measure of accountability to correctional agencies which has generally been lacking in the past. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-01, Section: A, page: 0400. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

The study proposed to evaluate the consequences of adopting alternative approaches to the reform of the Florida juvenile justice system as mandated by the Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 1978. The purpose of the study was to make recommendations regarding the reforms for juvenile justice admini / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-01, Section: A, page: 0399. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

This is an exploratory survey study of the determination of work-related stress of state criminal trial court judges. A multi-disciplinary review of research and theory concerning work-related stress, especially for professionals, and concerning the trial judicial role was the basis for the statement of hypotheses concerning forty-six variables predicted to operate as stressor, stress moderator, or determinant of vulnerability to being stressed. / A questionnaire, utilizing generally one-item measurement of variables, was developed through a four-stage draft-pretest process. Two single-item subjective ratings of work-related stress and a modified fourteen-item scale indicating physiological symptoms of stress were the dependent variable measures. / Questionnaires, with letters of endorsement by the major United States judge-training institution and a senior trial judge, were mailed to a random sample of 500 state criminal trial court judges above the traffic court level. An adjusted response rate of 40% was achieved. / After tests using oneway analysis of variance and stepwise multiple regression for hypothesized nonlinearity of relationship, hierarchical-entry, theory-determined group stepwise multiple regression was conducted with the three different measures of stress as dependent variables. The same procedure was conducted using a combination of all usable sample responses and 96 usable responses by students attending courses at the National Judicial College. / Conclusions regarding outcome of hypothesis tests were based primarily on semi-partial correlation coefficients obtained from the hierarchical entry multiple regression and secondarily on zero-order correlations, oneway analysis of variance results, and listings by respondents of stressful factors concerning the role and function relating to criminal cases and reasons for preferring other work. / Conclusions are stated concerning the apparent extent to which state criminal trial court judges experience work-related stress and concerning the relative importance of specific variables and types of variables. Possible implications of findings for judges' health, court organization, judicial decisionmaking, and future research are discussed. The broad, exploratory design and resulting limitations regarding generalization is emphasized. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-10, Section: A, page: 4595. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the applicability of a multidisciplinary model to the study of criminality. The limited success of the sociological approach to criminology has suggested consideration of promising new models and methodologies drawn from an integration of the academic disciplines. The model adapted to the study of criminality is Professor Vernon Reynolds' "biology of human action", presented in his 1976 book by the same name. The aim of Reynolds' work was to explore and establish the true nature of the links between biological functioning and social phenomena. Consideration of the applicability of this broad theory of human behavior to the more narrow range of behavior termed criminal or antisocial was the goal of this dissertation. / The distillation of bridging or linking propositions from Reynolds' theoretical model was followed by an examination of each proposition in light of research and empirical evidence relating to criminal and antisocial behavior. The investigation did not propose to bring together all of the relevant knowledge which related to each proposition, but rather, contemporary evidence which was empirically tested or testable was sought. In four chapters, five basic propositions regarding "human action" were applied to the criminological science area. Beginning with an examination of biologically deterministic theories, the relative contribution of genetic input to criminality and antisociality was assessed based upon recent empirical data. The next section considered whether criminals are different from noncriminals, and if criminals could be characterized reliably. Based on the considerable anthropological evidence that man, in general, is not innately aggressive (although many would consider this to be be basically a theoretical argument), the issue of innate aggression in criminals was explored. The physiological links which mediate an individuals' biology and his/her observable functioning are discussed next, within the context of a learning model. This section was organized by three major systems: the central nervous, the autonomic nervous and the endocrine. / The literature dealing with the impact of an adverse family environment, and in particular, of parental deprivation, neglect and abuse was reviwed and related to later criminal or antisocial behavior. A discussion of socialization and social organization concludes the application of the propositions drawn from Reynolds to criminology. Finally, a framework or model for interdisciplinary investigation in the criminological science area, based on those propositions which were supported (or not refuted) was developed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-09, Section: A, page: 4170. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

Recognizing that stress is a significant problem in law enforcement and following the pattern set by other researchers in analyzing general stress, this research developed a Critical Professional Life Events Scale for law enforcement. As a result of an open-ended questionnaire distributed to selected law enforcement officers, and following review by a panel of academic and law enforcement personnel, 144 events were identified as stressful in the professional life of a police officer. Many of these were commonly experienced, including court appearances, "writing a routine report," "making a routine traffic stop," "making a routine arrest," "work on a holiday," and "changing work shifts." Less common events identified as stressful included "violent death of a partner in the line of duty," "dismissal," "murder committed by a police officer," "taking a life in the line of duty," and "suicide of an officer who is a close friend." Many of the events, particularly those concerned with violence and with personnel and administrative issues, were suggested as stressful by a considerable number of preliminary questionnaire respondents. / Ordered through the use of a table of random numbers and placed in questionnaire format, these 144 events were evaluated on a scale of 1 to 100 by 378 law enforcement officers attending the FBI National Academy. The overall geometric mean of the individual estimations of the magnitude of each event determined the ultimate ranking and value assigned the event on the Law Enforcement Critical Life Events Scale. Final scale values ran from a high of 88 for the most stressful event, "Violent death of a partner in the line of duty," to a low of 13 for the least stressful, "Completion of a routine report." / The twenty-five events reflecting the highest level of stress, and consequently requiring the greatest amount of readjustment, were related to violence, personnal issues, and ethical concerns. The twenty-five least stressful, i.e., those requiring the least amount of readjustment after the event, were predominantly concerned with community relations, legal/judicial, administrative, and operational issues, many of which are routine events experienced on a regular basis by a majority of law enforcement officers. / The value of the study lies in its practical and research implications. On a practical level, it can allow for better analysis, prediction, and control of stress within police agencies and can foster improved preparatory training for coping with job-related stress. On a research level, the study can act as a springboard for more in-depth analysis of differing individual responses to the unique stressors of law enforcement and, with increased sophistication, can increase the understanding of the problem of police stress. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-12, Section: A, page: 5251. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.