Applied Criminology

• Applied criminology utilizes criminological knowledge, theories, and research methods.
• It addresses practical problems and policy issues related to crime and criminal justice.
• Evidence-based approaches are central for crime prevention, improving interventions, and enhancing public safety.
• Applied criminologists are employed across government, law enforcement, nonprofits, and research institutions.

Core Principles

• Using scientific evidence and evaluations is key to evidence-based practice in guiding decisions and programs.
• A problem-oriented approach focuses on root causes and patterns of specific crime issues.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration involves professionals from fields like sociology, psychology, public health, and urban planning.
• Ethical standards are adhered to in research and practice, protecting human subjects and ensuring responsible knowledge use.

Key Areas

• Crime prevention includes strategies and interventions to reduce crime occurrence.
• Risk assessment evaluates the likelihood of future offending.
• This informs decisions regarding intervention and supervision.
• Offender rehabilitation consists of programs that change behavior and reduce recidivism.
• Criminal justice policy involves developing and evaluating policies for law enforcement, courts, and corrections.
• Victim services provide support and assistance to crime victims.

Crime Prevention Strategies

• Situational crime prevention reduces crime opportunities by modifying environments and increasing risks of offending.
  • Target hardening increases security measures (e.g., cameras, lighting) to make crime more difficult.
  • Access control limits access to targets using gated communities or identification requirements.
  • Deflecting offenders diverts potential offenders from targets by creating pedestrian zones or closing streets.
• Social crime prevention addresses social and economic factors contributing to crime.
  • Early intervention programs offer resources to at-risk children/families (e.g., Head Start, early childhood education).
  • Community development improves conditions in high-crime areas via jobs and affordable housing.
  • Mentoring programs pair at-risk youth with positive adult role models.
• Developmental crime prevention intervenes early in life to prevent criminal behavior development.
  • Prenatal and early childhood interventions provide resources to pregnant women and young children.
  • School-based programs teach social/emotional skills and provide academic support to children.
  • Family interventions help parents develop effective parenting skills.

Risk Assessment

• Risk assessment evaluates an individual's likelihood of future criminal behavior in criminal justice settings.
• Such settings include pretrial release, sentencing, probation, and parole.
• Risk assessment includes static and dynamic risk factors.
  • Static risk factors are historical and unchangeable (e.g., criminal history, age at first arrest).
  • Dynamic risk factors can change (e.g., substance abuse, employment status).
• Types of Risk Assessment Instruments:
  • Actuarial instruments use statistical algorithms to predict risk based on combined risk factors.
  • Clinical instruments rely on professional judgment via interviews and observations.
  • Structured professional judgment (SPJ) instruments combine actuarial and clinical methods.
  • SPJ provides a framework for assessing risk.
• Goals of Risk Assessment:
  • Risk assessment informs decision-making.
  • It supports criminal justice professionals in making informed decisions about interventions and supervision.
  • It improves public safety through managing high-risk offenders and reducing recidivism.
  • It promotes fairness by basing decisions on objective criteria instead of bias.

Offender Rehabilitation

• Offender rehabilitation programs help offenders change behavior and reduce recidivism.
• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
  • CBT changes offenders' thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors.
  • It posits that criminal behavior is learned and unlearned using cognitive/behavioral techniques.
  • CBT programs identify and challenge dysfunctional thoughts, developing problem-solving skills and practicing new behaviors.
• Substance Abuse Treatment:
  • Substance abuse contributes as a common risk factor for criminal behavior.
  • Substance abuse treatment programs help offenders overcome addiction and reduce relapse likelihood.
  • Treatment approaches offered include detoxification, individual/group therapy, and medication-assisted treatment.
• Educational and Vocational Programs:
  • Limited education/employment opportunities can contribute to criminal behavior.
  • These programs help offenders develop skills to find and keep jobs.
  • These programs may include GED preparation, vocational training, and job placement assistance.
• Reentry Programs:
  • Reentry programs help offenders transition back into the community after release.
  • These programs may assist with housing, employment, and basic needs.
  • Reentry programs help reduce recidivism and improve public safety.

Criminal Justice Policy

• Criminal justice policy includes the laws, regulations, and practices governing the criminal justice system.
• Policy Development:
  • The initial step is identifying a problem requiring change within the criminal justice system.
  • Following this, research occurs to understand the problem and its causes.
  • Policy proposals are developed and evaluated for potential solutions.
  • The policy is then implemented into practice.
  • Finally, the policy's effectiveness is evaluated, and adjustments are made as needed.
• Evidence-Based Policy:
  • Evidence-based policy utilizes scientific evidence to inform policy decisions.
  • Rigorous evaluation is crucial to determine if policies achieve the intended outcomes.
  • Evidence-based policies are more likely to be effective and cost-efficient.
• Examples of Criminal Justice Policies:
  • Sentencing guidelines standardize sentencing to reduce disparities and ensure consistency.
  • Drug courts provide treatment and supervision to drug offenders instead of incarceration.
  • Police body-worn cameras increase transparency and accountability in law enforcement.

Victim Services

• Victim services provide support and assistance to crime victims.
• Types of Victim Services:
  • Crisis intervention provides immediate assistance to victims after a crime.
  • Counseling helps victims cope with emotional and psychological effects of crime.
  • Advocacy represents the interests of victims within the criminal justice system.
  • Restitution seeks financial compensation for victims from offenders.
• Importance of Victim Services:
  • Victim services reduce the trauma of crime and help victims heal from emotional effects.
  • They improve victim satisfaction within the criminal justice system.
  • Victim services ensure victims are treated with respect and dignity.
  • They also increase victim participation within the criminal justice system.
  • This encourages crime reporting and cooperation with law enforcement.

Research Methods

• Applied criminology uses research methods to study crime and criminal justice issues.
• Quantitative Methods:
  • Surveys collect data using questionnaires from a sample of individuals.
  • Experiments test the effects of an intervention on a specific outcome.
  • Statistical analysis uses techniques to analyze data and identify patterns.
• Qualitative Methods:
  • Interviews involve in-depth conversations with individuals to gather detailed information.
  • Focus groups facilitate discussions to explore perspectives on a topic.
  • Ethnography involves immersing oneself in a culture to observe and understand behavior.
• Evaluation Research:
  • Evaluation research assesses the effectiveness of programs and policies.
  • Process evaluation examines how a program is implemented and whether it is delivered as intended.
  • Outcome evaluation measures a program's impact on specific outcomes (e.g., recidivism rates, crime rates).
  • Cost-benefit analysis compares a program's costs to its benefits.
• Common Research Designs Used in Applied Criminology:
  • Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are considered the "gold standard" for evaluating intervention effectiveness.
  • Quasi-experimental designs are used when random assignment to treatment and control groups isn't possible.
  • Longitudinal studies collect data from the same individuals over time to examine changes in behavior.

Challenges

• Ethical Dilemmas: Applied criminologists face ethical dilemmas regarding confidentiality, informed consent, and potential harm from research.
• Limited Resources: Applied criminology faces limitations in funding, staffing, and data access.
• Political Constraints: Criminal justice policy is influenced by political considerations. This hinders the implementation of evidence-based practices.
• Complexity of Crime: Crime has many contributing factors, making effective interventions difficult to develop.
• Translation of Research into Practice: Bridging the gap between research findings and real-world practice is challenging.

Future Directions

• Increased Use of Technology: Technology is increasingly important for crime mapping, data analysis, and risk assessment.
• Greater Emphasis on Prevention: Prevention strategies are recognized to reduce crime and improve public safety.
• Focus on Community-Based Solutions: Community-based approaches to crime prevention/intervention are gaining popularity.
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Applied criminology is becoming more interdisciplinary through collaborations.
• Use of Data Analytics: Big data and data analytics are used to identify crime patterns and inform crime prevention strategies.