Criminal Justice & Political Science

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Research from the Department of Criminal Justice & Political Science. The department website may be found at https://www.ndsu.edu/cjps/

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Assessment and Policy Recommendations for Domestic Illegal Firearms Trafficking
(North Dakota State University, 2012) Heley, Frank Anton
This report examined the nature of domestic illegal firearms trafficking, including key features and predictors of firearms trafficking, and rationalizes the defining of domestic illegal firearms trafficking into three levels that are indicative of the seriousness and features inherent to the particular level of trafficking. This report also examined the scope of the trafficking situations at their respective levels, the means already being utilized to address firearms trafficking problems, and their effectiveness. Finally, this report recognizes that the differing levels of trafficking may require varied and differing efforts be used in combating firearms trafficking and policy recommendations involving both legislative and enforcement efforts are detailed at the respective levels of trafficking.
A Big Deal: Examining Routine Activities Variables Related to Sexual Victimization on the College Campus
(North Dakota State University, 2015) Wood, McKenzie Ann
The sexual assault and sexual coercion of women on college campuses is a pervasive and ongoing problem. It is estimated that over 15% of women attending college experience some type of sexual assault or coercion each year (Fisher, Cullen, & Turner, 2000). While sexual victimization ranging from mild, verbal, sexual coercion, to rape has been studied, more recently a newer form of sexual victimization has been researched: Stalking. The current study uses results from 873 surveys at a Midwestern university to examine the prevalence of sexual victimization and stalking on a college campus. Cohen and Felson’s (1979) routine activities theory is used to explain why sexual victimization and stalking are common on university campuses, and what variables might contribute to their occurrence.
Blessings and Curses: The Impact of the North Dakota Oil Boom on Offender Reentry and Reintegration into the Community
(North Dakota State University, 2016) Buchholz, Maria Mae
Education, employment, housing, and substance abuse pose significant problems to the successful reentry of individuals released from prison. The current research project utilized a natural experiment, an oil boom in a Midwestern state, to examine changes in offender reentry and recidivism outcomes overtime. The first part of the study compared a sample of offenders released from prison prior to the oil boom to a sample of offenders released from prison during the highest peak of the oil boom. Comparisons were made on variables known in the literature to be predictive of recidivism during the reentry process; these include risk, education, employment, housing, substance abuse, and treatment. Recidivism was measured as a new conviction, technical violation, and re-incarceration. The follow-up period for both samples was two years. The second part of the study incorporated the perspectives of probation and parole officers. All officers in the Midwestern state were surveyed on their perception of offender reentry and how it may have changed as a result of oil boom influences. Officer attitudes, philosophies, and supervision strategies were analyzed in relation to their perceptions on offender reentry and the oil boom.
Chasing the Dragon: The Social Construction of the U.S. Opioid Epidemic
(North Dakota State University, 2019) Vondal, Jennafer
Utilizing a social construction perspective, this study uses a mixed method approach to examine the opioid epidemic. The study begins by identifying the numerous claims-making groups along with conducting a content analysis of the rhetoric and symbols used to legitimize the claims about the opioid epidemic. The data for the content analysis was obtained through a search of the websites, newsrooms, and pressrooms of claims-making groups. Additionally, the study examines and assesses the volume of money that is generated and allocated towards opioid research and prevention in an effort to determine who has more power to influence the policy initiatives. Findings show that the frequency of rhetoric and the number of claims-making groups releasing information about the opioid epidemic increased from 2010-2016. Most of the rhetoric consists of groups proposing resolution strategies and formulating new policies. Only a few claims-makers are making financial contributions towards opioid prevention initiatives and in most cases, it is a very small amount of money.
Citizens’ Perception of Police Services in an Oil Boomtown
(North Dakota State University, 2018) Huynh, Carol
Past research indicates that various factors influence citizens’ perception of police services, including citizen characteristics, prior criminal victimization, personal safety, and fear of crime. However, less is known about the influence that these variables have on citizens’ perceptions in a community experiencing rapid population growth as a result of increased energy production. Thus, the focus of the current research was to examine how such variables impact citizens’ perception of crime control by police officers in a town experiencing rapid changes. This study also examined the role of residential longevity by testing for perceptual differences among long-time and boom residents. Finally, this research considers the influence of neighborhood social cohesion/trust on citizens’ perception of police services. Data for this study was gathered from surveys completed by a random sample of residents living in Williston, North Dakota during the fall of 2015 (N=301). Overall, results suggest a number of factors related to citizens’ characteristics, prior criminal victimization, and personal safety impact residents’ perception of police services. Second, long-time residents were more likely than boom residents to agree that the police were doing a good job delivering services to their community. Lastly, neighborhood trust (but not neighborhood reliability) influenced residents’ perception of police services. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Effectiveness of Restorative Justice Programs in the Prevention of Juvenile Crime
(North Dakota State University, 2014) Buchholz, Maria Mae
This study examined how restorative justice programs impact the probability of recidivism among juvenile offenders. It compared juveniles who completed restorative justice programs versus juveniles who were released with warning from the courts. Both groups were compared to determine if restorative justice juveniles outcomes differed based on recidivism. Logistic regression showed that restorative justice programs had statistically significant increased odds of recidivating when compared to juveniles released with a warning. However, when the groups of restorative justice were disaggregated, only the adjudicated juveniles were statistically significant. Survival time analysis showed that restorative justice juveniles have longer survival times of recidivism when compared to juveniles released with a warning. Suggestions for further research and analysis are discussed with respect to the current results.
The Effects of the DUI 24/7 Program in Cass County, North Dakota
(North Dakota State University, 2019) Berge, Christine Marie
This study presents the results of an evaluation of the 24/7 Sobriety Program in Cass County, North Dakota, looking specifically at participants’ likelihood of receiving a conviction of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) both during and after exiting the program. Data was collected of participants who have been enrolled in the program from the start of the program in 2010 through 2018 and matched to public criminal records searches of each participant. Several analyses were run to determine whether substance choice (alcohol vs. drugs), gender (male vs. female), and duration in program influence a participant’s likelihood to recidivate. Findings for each measure are presented including potential changes that could be made, as well as, limitations of the study.
Is Justice Delayed Justice Denied? : Examining the Timeliness of Completing Police Misconduct Investigations
(North Dakota State University, 2018) Mrozla, Thomas John
This study aims to examine how patrol officer and complaint characteristics influence the timeliness of completing police misconduct investigations. Further, it analyzes how the timeliness of the investigation influences the disposition and discipline of complaint investigations while controlling for relevant police officer and complaint characteristics. Data were collected from a Midwestern municipal police agency for all complaints filed against patrol officers from 2006-2015. The analyses in this study demonstrate that the nature of the complaint and number of police officers present influences the length of the investigation. This study also finds that police officer and complaint characteristics are relevant predictors of the disposition and discipline outcomes of complaint investigations. Policy implications are discussed.
Juvenile Perceptions of the Police and Police Services
(North Dakota State University, 2011) Sanden, Michael Brian
This study examined the impact of four categories of variables (demographics, neighborhood context variables, contact with the police, and vicarious influence variables) on juvenile perceptions of the police and police services. Data analyzed in this study were collected as part of a larger research evaluation that examined the impact of law enforcement efforts in relation to violent crime. Students from one middle school were surveyed. Statistical analysis consisted of a series of One-Way ANOVA tests and several ordinary least squares regression (OLS) models. The study found significant results for both dependent variables within all four categories of independent variables. Policy implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.
No Time for Stolen Yard Gnomes: Changing Styles of Policing during an Oil Boom
(North Dakota State University, 2016) Dahle, Thorvald
Western North Dakota law enforcement agencies have experienced dramatic changes in the policing landscape as a result of an oil boom. These agencies were forced to deal with a rapidly growing population that brought different cultural expectations and a substantial rise in crime. Using Klinger’s (1997) framework of formal and informal policing behaviors, the current study explores how policing styles have changed in these agencies. Researchers interviewed 101 officers from eight agencies to determine how the oil boom impacted the way they conduct their work, interact with citizens, and handle calls for service.
Officers on Patrol: A Qualitative Examination of Patrol Officer Behavior and Decision Making
(North Dakota State University, 2018) Heley, Frank Anton
The understanding of what patrol officers do, and why, suffers from a lack of perspective presented from the officers themselves. To develop this understanding, a qualitative methodology was employed in the current study which entailed ride-alongs and semi-structured interviews with 59 patrol officers of the Fargo, ND police department. Research inquires focused on how officers viewed patrol work, how they conducted it, and how they viewed, and utilized different forms of intelligence that might assist them in their patrol duties. In the context of patrol work, officers discussed the purposes of patrol and how they serve them, their personal goals, and feelings, obstacles, beat coverage, dispatch, prioritization of duties, techniques, patrol focuses and departmental expectations. Officers also discussed the utility and value of departmental and officer derived intelligence and the nature and quality of communication between both officers and the department. Results revealed the importance officers place on the act of patrolling, the patrol obstacles generated through short staffing, high call volume, and what officers referred to as nuisance calls. Also revealed was a set of officers’ informal working rules that constituted a beat management philosophy known as beat integrity. Results also uncovered the importance that officers place on communication with both the public and the department, the problem natured focus of their patrol activities, their self-reliance on officer generated intelligence, and the negative views they held regarding the quality of departmental intelligence. Results suggest how this deeper understanding of officer behavior and decision-making can improve officer development, officer satisfaction by addressing their focuses and concerns, and the dissemination and quality of intelligence.
Predictors of Drug Court Success in a Small City Drug Court
(North Dakota State University, 2013) Fangman, Melinda Sue
This study examines the factors related to completion outcomes of the East Central Judicial District Drug Court (ECJDDC). The ECJDDC has a 71% graduation rate which far exceeds the national average of approximately 40-45%. The dataset included information on 250 participants who entered the drug court from 2003-2011. Factors included in the analysis include those related to living situation, family situation, socioeconomic status, veteran status, current offense, and prior criminal history in addition to sex, race, and age. Logistic regression determined that the strongest predictors of graduation relate to education, income, employment, and living situation. Policy implications, practice, and future research are discussed with respect to the current results.
Pretrial Services: Exploring What Works and Policy Implications
(North Dakota State University, 2022) Waller, Vanessa
As the view on mass incarceration around the United States is further explored, there has been a need for alternatives to jail. Specifically, pretrial services programs are an opportunity for recently charged defendants to be released from jail while being supervised in the community. Pretrial services programs find eligible defendants in local jails and collect information regarding the case to determine an appropriate release plan. Once the individual is released from jail, their risk assessment score is utilized to create a supervision plan along with the conditions imposed by the court during the bail hearing. This policy paper discusses previous literature regarding the effectiveness of pretrial services programs. Multiple policy recommendations are suggested, including assessing clients’ risks and needs as well as utilizing assessment tools to determine supervision. Finally, a proposed program evaluation design is presented.
Residential Mobility and Substance Use among Area Youth: The Mediating Effects of Social Capital
(North Dakota State University, 2017) Rapp, Andrea Mae
This study examined self-reported substance use in relation to social capital and residential mobility by administering a survey to high school students attending three Midwestern schools. The results of this study provide partial support for social capital theory. Pearson’s correlations indicate a relationship between residential mobility and two social capital variables, community involvement and community support. Results from binary logistic regression and linear regression find that students with higher levels of family and school social capital report lower levels of substance use, and higher levels of peer support are related to higher levels of reported substance use. Further exploration of interactions between social capital measures and residential mobility finds that peer support suppresses the other social capital variables in relation to substance use. Although little support was found for residential mobility, other variables found to be significant with social capital and substance use include immigration status and grade.
A Revalidation of the Level of Service Inventory–Revised (LSI-R)
(North Dakota State University, 2020) Towers, Crystal Murani
In the United States, the large number of incarcerated individuals presents heavy social and economic burdens. To lessen these strains, many criminal justice agencies utilize risk assessment to determine which individuals are at a higher risk of recidivating and allocate limited intervention resources accordingly. To ensure these interventions are being delivered to those persons most in need, these risk assessment instruments must be tested for predictive validity. The present research seeks to revalidate one such risk assessment tool, the Level of Service Inventory Revised (LSI-R), on an adult offender population of a Midwest state. Additionally, this research expands on previous LSI-R validation studies by assessing the predictive validity of the LSI-R on an understudied population, Native Americans. The analyses utilized in this research include univariate descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation, and Receiver Operator Characteristic/Area Under the Curve analysis. Results are presented. Policy implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Sexual Assault Cases and the Funnel of Justice: An Examination of Police and Prosecutorial Decision-Making
(North Dakota State University, 2014) Wentz, Ericka Ann
In order to improve responses to sexual assaults so that fewer cases drop out of the criminal justice funnel, it is important to understand the decision-making processes of the police and prosecutors in these cases. The focal concerns perspective posits that legal and extralegal variables factor into the police and prosecutors' decisions about how to proceed with sexual assault cases. Although decisions made at the prosecutorial stage are largely reliant on the actions of the police, the prosecutors' charging decisions often differ from how the police classify the incidents. This study examined 11 years of adult sexual assault incidents reported to the police in a Midwestern city to determine the level of congruence in the charging decisions made by the police and prosecutors. Unique from past research, this study used a mixed methods approach to analyze the data from police reports and court documents. Quantitative data examined the extent to which charging decisions were congruent between the police and prosecutors and assessed which factors in sexual assault cases predict the agreement in police and prosecutors' charging decisions. Qualitative data was used to determine which factors were cited most frequently within sexual assault case documents in congruent and incongruent cases. The quantitative analysis revealed that the police and prosecutors' decisions were in agreement in 34% of the cases, and distinct from prior research, the only statistically significant predictors of congruent charges were legally-relevant variables. Findings from the qualitative analysis mirrored those from the quantitative analysis, as legally-relevant characteristics such as the amount of evidence collected and the use of physical force were cited more frequently in congruent cases than incongruent cases. Overall, the results suggest that the focal concerns of the police and prosecutors in this study revolve primarily around the level of evidence available in sexual assault cases. Implications resulting from these findings are discussed.
Unsettling Settlements: Examining Police Misconduct Lawsuits in the City of Chicago
(North Dakota State University, 2020) Robinson, Chloe Nichele
There is limited empirical research related to lawsuits involving the police due in part to limited accessibility to relevant data sources. This study aims to examine the relationship between citizen, situational, and lawsuit factors and police misconduct litigation in the city of Chicago. Data were collected from two separate databases: The Chicago Reporter and The Invisible Institute. The analyses in this study demonstrate that there is a relationship between lawsuit payout amounts, lawsuit misconduct type and various situational factors. Policy implications are discussed.
Use of Force Policy Adequacy in Rural and Urban Agencies
(North Dakota State University, 2021) Seyfried, Benjamin David
Police use of force has become one of the most widely covered topics in the media today. Especially in the past year, police use of force incidents have been heavily scrutinized and reviewed, and it was one of the most prominent topics of discussion in the 2020 presidential election. Previous studies have shown that there are factors which influence an officer’s choice to use force beyond the circumstances of the encounter itself. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the adequacy of a rural law enforcement agency’s use of force policy – the National Park Service – while comparing it to an urban-tailored law enforcement use of force policy – the State of Minnesota – based on previous use of force research findings. It is ultimately recommended that the National Park Service modernize its use of force policy to be more consistent with the Minnesota policy. Recommendations for future research are also discussed.
The Veracity of Self-Reported Criminal Records among NDSU Students
(North Dakota State University, 2013) Keimig, Kelsey Anne
Campus safety and security are important concerns for colleges and universities. One way security is addressed is through utilization of self-report questions about criminal backgrounds during the admissions process. The current study evaluates this admissions policy by using a systematic random sample of 1,400 students to compare self-reported criminal backgrounds with criminal records listed in four online databases. Results indicate that two individuals within the sample failed to report their criminal backgrounds which included simple assault, burglary, theft, possession of controlled substance, and drug paraphernalia. While the failed reporting rate appears low, caution should be taken interpreting the results. A number of policy implications and directions for future research are discussed.

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