Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 51(4)

Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, July 2014: Volume 51, Issue 4

Note from the Editor
Mike Maxfield

The First 50 Years of the Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency : An Essay
Todd R. Clear and Aaron Ho

From its first publication in 1964–2014, 890 articles have been published by The Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency (JRCD). During that period, the criminal justice field has experienced major transformations in its policies, theories, and practices. This article identifies major periods in the development of criminal justice policy; which are Prepolitical Era (1964–1972), Tough on Crime Era (1972–1980), National Consensus on Crime Policy Era (1980–1996), and Retrenchment Era (1996–2012). It then traces changes in the subject matter of JRCD over those periods. The articles published by the JRCD over the past half century reflect the changes in eras.

Public Opinion Regarding Crime, Criminal Justice, and Related Topics: A Retrospect
Hans Toch and Kathleen Maguire

Forty years ago, Michael J. Hindelang delineated some ways in which public opinion surveys have explored issues related to crime and criminal justice, and pointed out how trends over time could be of interest, and differences in responses among demographic subgroups could be revealing. In this article, we update some of the trends Hindelang alluded to, and revisit some of the response differences he enumerated. In particular, we add support to Hindelang’s hypothesis that the opinions of non-White respondents can reflect consistent awareness of bias in the operation of the system (such as in the application of the death penalty and with respect to interceptions of citizens by police). Age differences in opinions concerning deviant behavior also show attitudinal consistency, particularly in the permissive stance of the youngest age group and the relatively extreme conservatism of “50+” respondents. Finally, with respect to the prospect of victimization, there is a consistent and substantial disparity in the perspectives of men and women. Demographic differences of this kind retain their salience where overall public opinion evolves (as it does with respect to the legalization of marijuana) and where there is negligible change over time (as there is with regard to the death penalty). However, new differences can emerge along the way, as they have in recent polarization along political and ideological lines.

Looking Back to Move Forward: Some Thoughts on Measuring Crime and Delinquency over the Past 50 Years
Christopher J. Sullivan and Jean Marie McGloin

When Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency was first published, criminology was in the midst of an important research stream on the measurement of offending. This never solidified into a strong subdiscipline akin to psychometrics, however. After briefly discussing the goals of measurement and how they correspond to the explanation of criminal events and behavior, the authors consider how the prevailing methodological paradigm, which relies heavily on analysis of a limited number of data sets via variable-based regression techniques, may constrain measurement progress on the whole. In doing so, they highlight the imbalance between the growing sophistication of analytic models and the relative stagnation of the employed data sets and measures. The article then provides some examples of exceptions to this broad trend—both in terms of data collection and measurement techniques. Finally, the authors consider basic lessons drawn from these innovative approaches to measurement.

Using Developmental Science to Reorient Our Thinking About Criminal Offending in Adolescence
Edward P. Mulvey

The concept of adolescent development has become a relevant consideration for researchers interested in juvenile delinquency. However, the integration of constructs from developmental psychology into delinquency research is still in its early stages. This article argues that it is time to move beyond description of adolescent antisocial activities and to integrate developmental activities into delinquency research as mediators or moderators. Relevant examples of such an approach are presented.

Explaining High-Risk Concentrations of Crime in the City: Social Disorganization, Crime Opportunities, and Important Next Steps
Anthony A. Braga and Ronald V. Clarke

The empirical observation that a small number of micro places generate the bulk of urban crime problems has become a criminological axiom. Explanations for the persistence of high-crime places have traditionally drawn upon opportunity theories of crime. In a new book, Weisburd, Groff, and Yang suggest that social disorganization could also be a powerful explanation for the uneven distribution of crime within neighborhoods. In this article, we explain briefly why their empirical work considerably sharpens knowledge about crime concentrations in the city. We then offer a critique of their conclusions concerning the relative contributions of social and situational variables in explaining crime hot spots and the preventive implications they draw from these findings. Finally, we suggest new research that could invigorate the debate on the formation and persistence of high-crime places and could support interventions that seek to change the situational precipitators and facilitators of crime.

The Importance of Both Opportunity and Social Disorganization Theory in a Future Research Agenda to Advance Criminological Theory and Crime Prevention at Places
David Weisburd, Elizabeth R. Groff, and Sue-Ming Yang

Strengthening Theoretical Testing in Criminology Using Agent-based Modeling
Shane D. Johnson and Elizabeth R. Groff

Objectives: The Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency (JRCD) has published important contributions to both criminological theory and associated empirical tests. In this article, we consider some of the challenges associated with traditional approaches to social science research, and discuss a complementary approach that is gaining popularity—agent-based computational modeling—that may offer new opportunities to strengthen theories of crime and develop insights into phenomena of interest. Method: Two literature reviews are completed. The aim of the first is to identify those articles published in JRCD that have been the most influential and to classify the theoretical perspectives taken. The second is intended to identify those studies that have used an agent-based model (ABM) to examine criminological theories and to identify which theories have been explored. Results: Ecological theories of crime pattern formation have received the most attention from researchers using ABMs, but many other criminological theories are amenable to testing using such methods. Conclusion: Traditional methods of theory development and testing suffer from a number of potential issues that a more systematic use of ABMs—not without its own issues—may help to overcome. ABMs should become another method in the criminologists toolbox to aid theory testing and falsification.

Comparing Official and Self-report Records of Offending across Gender and Race/Ethnicity in a Longitudinal Study of Serious Youthful Offenders
Alex R. Piquero, Carol A. Schubert, and Robert Brame

Objectives: Researchers have used both self-reports and official records to measure the prevalence and frequency of crime and delinquency. Few studies have compared longitudinally the validity of these two measures across gender and race/ethnicity in order to assess concordance. Methods: Using data from the Pathways to Desistance, a longitudinal study of 1,354 serious youthful offenders, we compare official records of arrest and self-reports of arrest over seven years. Results: Findings show moderate agreement between self-reports and official arrests, which is fairly stable over time and quite similar across both gender and race/ethnicity. We do not find any race differences in the prevalence of official arrests, but do observe a gender difference in official arrests that is not accounted for by self-reported arrests. Conclusions: Further work on issues on the validity and reliability of different forms of offending data across demographic groups is needed.