Analyzes the major proposals for drug legalization and discusses the possible consequences of these efforts if successful. Argues that the legalization of drugs would be an extremely complex undertaking and that most calls for such action do not offer specific proposals. Points out research that supports arguments against legalization of drugs.…

Drug courts routinely rely on the threat of legal sanction to motivate drug-using criminal offenders to enter and complete community-based treatment programs. In light of the high failure rates among drug court participants, what is the effect of the threat of legal sanction on program retention and completion? A quasiexperimental research design…

There are several definitional problems inherent in the concept of "recidivism," some of which can be illustrated by comparing use of the term in the professional literature with students' definitions of the term. Thirty professional sources were reviewed to study the definitions of recidivism. Some sources provided more than one…

This hearing provided a forum for witnesses testifying about the Anti-Fraudulent Adoption Practices Act of 1984 (S. 2299) and the issues the bill was designed to address. Testimony focuses on the nature and incidence of fraudulent adoption scams; the need for Federal legislation to address the problem; the experiences of victimized families;…

Scholars have called for an integration of knowledge of the jury trial process, and in response, this paper argues that the contingency rules theory of communication can integrate and advance understanding of the trial. Four common approaches to the study of the trial are outlined briefly and criticized: the jury characteristic approach, the jury…

This booklet introduces secondary grade students to the criminal laws of West Virginia. It can easily be adapted and used by educators in other states. The authors believe that young people must recognize and understand these laws and the mechanisms which society uses to implement and enforce them if they are to function as an integral, important,…

Fourteen programs that provide civil rights and criminal justice information to non-English speakers are described. The services provided by each program are summarized and a contact address is provided. The programs are located in Albany, New York; Chester County, Pennsylvania; Rockville, Maryland; Dade County, Florida; Lansing, Michigan; Laredo,…

What is the legal liability of parole board members and staff for acts committed by persons on community supervision? The answer is affected largely by whether the particular official involved enjoys absolute, rather than qualified, immunity, but again, the matter remains unsettled. These issues and others should be resolved promptly. (Author)

Preoccupation with due process has tended to obscure the substantive issues of probation administration. Restraint is an important goal of probation; it can be realized by setting specific, enforceable probation conditions to limit the probationer's opportunity for further crime and revoking probation if the probationer cannot abide by reasonable…

Recounts an incident in which a mountaineer cut the rope on which his partner's life depended in order to save himself from being pulled to almost certain death. Interprets relevant English law with regard to the definition of murder and possible defenses in a case such as this. (SV)

This paper offers a profile of the "typical" individual with intellectual disability accused of criminal behavior in Australia, discusses custodial versus noncustodial sentences for clients with intellectual disability, and describes features of a program designed to reduce recidivism rates for intellectually disabled offenders. (JDD)

In this study, the authors examined how overreporting of psychopathology indices on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; L. C. Morey, 1991) performed as screening measures for malingering in a sample of 166 defendants undergoing pretrial court-ordered evaluations in the federal criminal justice system. Using results from the Structured…

Tennesseans were surveyed concerning criminal justice issues. The survey contained questions concerning punishment of criminals, fear of crime, effectiveness of the criminal justice system, history as a victim of crime, and public attitudes on several criminal justice issues, juvenile issues, and child abuse issues. The sample was randomly…

For most people, law and the courts are veiled in mystery. Even though the law is made by legislators elected by the public and interpreted by judges chosen directly or indirectly by the public, and even though great strides have been made in making the law and its special language more understandable to people, the general public is still often…

The goals and standards for pretrial release and diversion are designed to provide guidance and direction to individuals working in the criminal justice system. The materials in this collection deal with the following areas of concern: (1) enrollment diversion guidelines for eligibility; (2) services for participants; (3) dismissal policies; (4)…