Crime Prevention Criminal Justice

FIRST DISCUSSION RESPONSE FROM NOAH C.

Crime Prevention; Medical Focus – Brain Dysfunction

In our text brain dysfunction is defined as “Some disruption or interference with normal brain function.” (Robinson, M., 2013) The brain is split into two different lobes, the frontal lobe and the temporal lobe. Many scientists suggest that our behavior comes directly from the brain. When the two brain lobes are not weighed evenly they can produce aggressive behavior.

There are several causes for reduced and injured development and functioning to the brain. A few of the main things that can produce brain dysfunction are “Exposure to alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs in utero; exposure to environmental toxins such as lead, mercury, PCBs, and pes­ticides; and traumatic brain injuries caused by vehicular accidents, falls, acts of violence, and sports.” (Robinson, M., 2013) To greatly reduce ones risk of brain dysfunction and possibly crime, one should reduce their exposure to the things above. “Reducing exposure to these occurrences thus offers more hope as a means of preventing crime.” (Robinson, M., 2013)

Some brain dysfunctions may be able to be avoided however, some cannot be. Traumatic brain injury or TBI is a dysfunction that cannot be. Some causes of TBI are “When the brain is injured due to a trauma to the head, which can occur when the head smashes into an object or when an object pierces the skull and injures the brain.” (Robinson, M., 2013) Criminal and aggressive behavior can be increased with TBI. The risk of TBI can be reduced by using preventative measures. Preventative measures such using protective gear; seatbelts when in a vehicle and helmets when on a bicycle, motorcycle, etc.

Finally, it is important to support proper brain development and functioning. It is also important to consider avoiding possible brain dysfunctions. To do this one should use preventative measures “Through edu­cational campaigns and proper nutrition and exercise which can be aimed at all people (pri­mary crime prevention) or at those who are at most risk (secondary crime prevention).” (Robinson, M., 2013) If these do not work one could also gain assistance from a medical doctor. “Medicalization of behavior involves regulating brain chemistry through the admission of legally prescribed medicines such as antidepressants and antipsychotics as well as vitamins and minerals such as zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. These substances effectively curb aggression be alleviating symptoms of depression and other mental dis­orders, as well as conditions such as conduct disorder (CD) and attention deficit hyper­activity disorder (ADHD) that have been associated with higher involvement in juvenile delinquency.” (Robinson, M., 2013)

Reference:

Robinson, M., (2013) Crime Prevention San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

SECOND DISCUSSION RESPONSE FROM ALICIA R.

I have chosen to write about the EMPLOYMENT-BASED REENTRY PROGRAMS that crime prevention officials need to think about when they are reentering these criminals back into society when they have been locked up in a prison for lets say 10 years. The society can change a lot in 10 years and they might not be able to handle the change from the time they went in to the time they get out of prison.

United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, and the financial and societal cost associated with the booming prison population has soared in recent years. People who have spent time in prison or have had other involvements with the criminal justice system face many obstacles to finding work, establishing independent lives, and successfully reintegrating into their families and communities. The need for strategies that help former prisoners and juvenile offenders better their lives and stay out of prisons has never been greater. MDRC a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization dedicated to learning what works to improve the lives of disadvantaged populations — has been working to test the effectiveness of programs that aim to help former prisoners and youth offenders overcome barriers to employment and reduce recidivism. Transitional jobs (TJ) programs provide temporary, wage-paying jobs, support services, and job placement help to individuals who have difficulty getting and holding jobs. It is seen as a promising model for former prisoners, under the theory that people are best able to learn to work by working. A large share of MDRC’s criminal justice work involves the examination of TJ programs, along with other employment-based programs.

Center for Employment Opportunities’ (CEO) Transitional Jobs Program in New York City participated in a randomized evaluation between 2004 and 2006. The MDRC evaluation found that the program reduced recidivism, especially among recently released prisoners, and was cost-effective. However, program participation did not have any significant impact on employment outcomes. CEO Replication: In recent years, CEO has made some changes to its TJ program structure, while keeping its core model intact. MDRC is assessing the enhanced CEO model in several upstate New York locations, San Diego, and Tulsa for program fidelity, as compared to the NYC program.

Transitional Jobs Reentry Demonstration (TJRD) used random assignment to evaluate programs for recently released prisoners in four midwestern cities between 2007 and 2010. Despite high rates of participation in subsidized jobs, the programs did not increase regular employment nor did they decrease recidivism. The difference in recidivism results from CEO may be due to differences in time and place and/or differences in the particular types of TJ models used (CEO participants were placed into small crews supervised by a staff member, a model that was not used in any of the TJRD sites).

Enhanced Transitional Jobs Demonstration (ETJD) and Subsidized and Transitional Employment Demonstration (STED): MDRC is leading two large-scale federal research projects ETJD is sponsored by the Dept. of Labor and STED by the Dept. of Health and Human Services — focused on the next generation of TJ programs and other forms of subsidized employment that target former prisoners, among other disadvantaged groups with barriers to employment. These randomized evaluations, of up to seven programs each, will build on the lessons from the CEO and TJRD projects.

The Reintegration of Ex-Offenders (RExO) random assignment evaluation is testing 24 employment programs for former prisoners in 18 states to evaluate their impact on employment outcomes and recidivism. The Department of Labor’s Prisoner Reentry Initiative funds the programs. MDRC is a subcontractor in the evaluation, which is being led by Social Policy Research Associates.

MDRC. (2013, May). mdrc. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from Criminal and Juvenile Justice Programs: http://mdrc.org