By Dr. Jade Pumphrey
After someone is convicted of a crime, his or her sentence can be influenced by many factors including age, gender, and criminal history. However, there may be hidden biases that influence the severity of sentencing. Learn why more research is needed to understand the bias and disparity that influences sentencing practices.
The field of corrections faces many impending changes as national leaders assess the country’s criminal justice system. To address such changes and their impact on correctional officers and administrators, In Public Safety has created an online magazine. This online publication addresses everything from dealing with mentally ill inmates to identifying human trafficking networks behind prison walls.
By Michael Pittaro
There are more seriously and persistently mentally ill individuals imprisoned in correctional institutions today than in all U.S. state hospitals combined. Such a reality requires a major shift in thinking, practice and policy for correctional facilities.
The majority of individuals in the nation’s criminal justice system have substance abuse issues. Suffice it to say, knowledge of drugs and their effects is very important to anyone working in the criminal justice system, especially those working in probation or parole.
To help officers determine if someone is under the influence of drugs, a group of officers in California developed a program called the drug abuse recognition (DAR) course. The DAR program was developed to help identify individuals currently under the influence of drugs, which makes it ideal for use by probation and parole officers, correctional officers, private industry, and school officials. AMU criminal justice student Keith Graves writes about the benefits of this unique program.
President Obama delivered a nearly hour-long address during the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) annual conference in an effort to gain support from law enforcement for his efforts to reform the criminal justice system and implement stricter gun-control laws. To build support from this skeptical audience, Obama delivered a speech that addressed many of the challenges police face and offered measures such as increasing budgets so agencies can hire more officers to focus on enhancing community relationships. Learn more about what Obama proposed to help police agencies across the nation.
Victim assistance programs (VAPs) are a critical component of any law enforcement agency. These services protect and promote the interests of victims, witnesses, families, and the community and provide support during and after an incident. Learn how agencies can institute robust victim services by working closely with community organizations and local volunteers.
With more than 2 million individuals incarcerated in federal and state prisons—the largest correctional population in the world—correctional facilities can play a large role in protecting the environment and sustaining natural resources for current and future generations. AMU criminal justice professor, Michael Pittaro, writes about the benefits of correctional facilities adopting environmentally sustainable “green” practices that can also save a considerable amount of money. Learn more about how correctional facilities can adopt green technologies.
Preparing a correctional agency for technological changes is extremely challenging. AMU’s Dr. Ron Wallace shares eight key steps involved in conducting a business process reengineering (BPR) assessment prior to correctional agencies implementing a new automation system. Learn more about how a BPR assessment can save time and money down the road by identifying unanticipated issues early in the project.
Are you considering changing careers? AMU criminal justice professor, Dr. Ron Wallace, shares the different phases of his career and how he went from being a parole/probation officer to finding his next passion, which was providing technology solutions for correctional facilities. After a downturn in the economy, he decided to go back to school and the rest is history. What lessons can you learn from Dr. Wallace’s experience changing careers?