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Papers by Allison Chappell

The Social Science Journal, 2012

Studying attitudes toward capital punishment has been a topic of interest for decades. Indeed, it... more Studying attitudes toward capital punishment has been a topic of interest for decades. Indeed, it is often the subject of Gallup polls, political commentary, and social science research. Research indicates that attitudes vary by demographic factors, educational influences, and neighborhood crime rates. Building on prior research, the current study examined death penalty attitudes among 599 college students and 213 residents from high crime and low crime neighborhoods. In particular, the research investigated differences between how students and residents view the death penalty as no research to date has analyzed this issue. The authors also analyzed how different populations perceived the impact of race on the administration of the death penalty. Results suggested that demographics, especially race, have the strongest impact on death penalty attitudes, but that there are few differences between students and residents and those living in high and low crime neighborhoods.

Sociological Spectrum, 2010

Sociological Spectrum, 2012

Fear of crime has been a major research topic over the past several decades. However, multiple ex... more Fear of crime has been a major research topic over the past several decades. However, multiple explanations have been proposed and no comprehensive theoretical model exists.

Justice Quarterly, 2011

... DOI: 10.1080/07418825.2010.526129 Allison T. Chappell * , Elizabeth Monk‐Turner & Brian K... more ... DOI: 10.1080/07418825.2010.526129 Allison T. Chappell * , Elizabeth Monk‐Turner & Brian K. Payne pages 522-540. ... Michigan Law Review , 97(2): 292–389. [CrossRef] View all references;Sampson & Raudenbush, 199983. Sampson, RJ and Raudenbush, SW 1999. ...

Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 2008

The current study investigated the impact of race and gender on the likelihood of receiving pre-d... more The current study investigated the impact of race and gender on the likelihood of receiving pre-dispositional secure detention, release, or a detention alternative with data from one juvenile court in Virginia. Guided by intersectionality theory, the research also analyzed the joint impact of being nonwhite and female on the pre-dispositional detention outcome. Findings indicate that race was not a significant predictor of the detention decision, but females were treated with more leniency compared to males. The interaction of race and gender was not found to significantly predict the detention decision. Relevant policy implications are discussed as well as limitations and directions for future research.

Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 2010

Even as community policing has emerged as the dominant paradigm, research indicates that police a... more Even as community policing has emerged as the dominant paradigm, research indicates that police agencies continue to be highly militaristic and bureaucratic in structure and culture. This article reports findings from an observational study of recruit training at a police academy that had introduced a new curriculum emphasizing community policing and problem solving. The article explores the socialization that takes place there to see how the tension between traditional and community policing is resolved. The authors found that despite the philosophical emphasis on community policing and its themes of decentralization and flexibility, the most salient lessons learned in police training were those that reinforced the paramilitary structure and culture.

Deviant Behavior, 2004

Although numerous studies have attempted to understand the causes of various forms of police misc... more Although numerous studies have attempted to understand the causes of various forms of police misconduct, there is still no clear theoretical explanation of police misbehavior. Akers' social learning theory posits that peer associations, attitudes, reinforcement, and modeling are predictors of delinquency and crime in general. With this article, we seek to determine if the theory can account for police deviance. Data from a random sample of Philadelphia police officers are used to examine how officer attitudes and perceptions of peer behavior are related to citizen complaints of police misconduct. Findings suggest that social learning theory provides a useful explanation of police misconduct.

Criminal Justice Policy Review, 2009

The past three decades have seen police agencies move toward the adoption of community policing. ... more The past three decades have seen police agencies move toward the adoption of community policing. However, since 9/11, the policing focus has appeared to shift toward homeland security. Whether this represents a shift to a new policing philosophy or a modification to an existing one is unclear. Are community policing and homeland security policing compatible? Or does the move toward

Crime & Delinquency, 2006

A limited amount of research has examined the relationship between characteristics of police orga... more A limited amount of research has examined the relationship between characteristics of police organizations and policing styles. In particular, few studies have examined the link between organizational structures and police officer arrest decisions. pioneering case study of police organizations suggested that individual police behavior is a function of departmental goals that occur within the broader political climate of a community. Wilson suggested that agencies could be classified into three typologies: the watchman style, the legalistic style, and the service style. The present study examines the influence of organizational characteristics associated with these styles on individual officers' arrest rates using nationally representative data from large police agencies. Findings suggest that police officer arrest decisions are partially explained by variations in police organizational structures. The implications of these findings for contemporary organizational explanations of police behavior are discussed.

American Journal of Criminal Justice, 2011

Fear of crime has long been considered a significant social problem, spurring decades of academic... more Fear of crime has long been considered a significant social problem, spurring decades of academic research and leading to a variety of policy initiatives. Building on prior research, this study investigated the direct and indirect effects of demographic characteristics, social and physical disorder, and prior victimization on fear of crime. Further, it assessed the direct and indirect effects of perceived risk on fear. Finally, the research examined the extent to which social capital mediated the impact of these variables on fear. Using data from a survey of residents in a southeastern city, analyses reveal that victimization and disorder significantly predict fear of crime, and that risk perception and social capital mediate the relationship between disorder and victimization on fear. Further, structural equation models show a number of interesting indirect effects. Policy implications and directions for future research are discussed.

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 2007

Since crack cocaine first appeared on the streets of the United States, the criminal justice syst... more Since crack cocaine first appeared on the streets of the United States, the criminal justice system has been overwhelmed with poor, minority drug offenders. This situation can be attributed in part to the existence of mandatory minimum sentences that treat violations associated with crack cocaine more harshly than those associated with powder cocaine. Using data from New York City, the present study uses Black's theory of law to help understand discrepancies in crack and cocaine dispositions. Results show mixed support for Black's propositions. Racial minorities are more likely to be charged with a felony and receive longer prison sentences compared to Whites. Implications of the study and directions for future research are discussed.