Criminology & Public Policy最新文献

{"title":"AI, body-worn cameras, and a potential civilizing effect for officers: Evidence from the Arizona Truleo study","authors":"Michael D. White,&nbsp;Seth Watts,&nbsp;Aili Malm","doi":"10.1111/1745-9133.70018","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1745-9133.70018","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Research Summary</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Over time, the evidence on the impact of police body-worn cameras (BWCs) has become increasingly mixed. Though there are numerous contributors to the inconsistent findings (e.g., context, policy, training, culture), one pressing issue involves the failure of law enforcement agencies to review any more than a fraction of the BWC footage generated by their officers. This footage review problem violates a central precondition for the hypothesized civilizing effect of BWCs on officers: their belief that footage will be reviewed. AI-driven BWC analytics has emerged as a solution that may overcome the footage review problem, but there has been virtually no research on such AI-based platforms. The current study fills this gap through an evaluation of Truleo in the Apache Junction and Casa Grande Police Departments (AJPD, CGPD). Officers were randomized to Treatment (Truleo) and Control (non-Truleo) conditions for a 6-month period, and we compared study groups across a range of measures including Truleo-generated professionalism, use of force, complaints, stops, arrests, and citations. Treatment officers in both departments were more likely to generate High Professionalism ratings, but group differences fell short of statistical significance. Use of force decreased significantly in AJPD and in some of the pooled models, though the pooled models were sensitive to multiple-comparisons corrections. The Bayesian probabilities paradigm offers an additional lens for considering the mixed effects with High Professionalism and use of force.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Policy Implications</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Taken together, results suggest Truleo may hold promise for promoting positive behavior change among officers consistent with a civilizing effect. Law enforcement agencies should explore whether AI-driven BWC analytics can enhance their BWC program, expand their review of footage, and positively shape their officers’ behavior. Additional research is needed in other settings to test the durability of these findings and the value of AI-generated metrics of police performance (e.g., professionalism). Researchers should consider the significance of research findings from a broader lens that accounts for practitioner perspectives on the meaningful impact of an innovation. Lastly, the results presented here inform the ongoing dialogue over the role of AI in policing.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47902,"journal":{"name":"Criminology & Public Policy","volume":"25 3","pages":"439-462"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147744053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Do late-night closure ordinances reshape crime risk around adult entertainment venues?","authors":"John L. Worrall,&nbsp;Robert H. Geibler","doi":"10.1111/1745-9133.70030","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1745-9133.70030","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Research Summary</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We evaluated a Dallas ordinance mandating that sexually oriented businesses (SOBs) close between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., with a focus on arrests, calls for service, and offenses within 500 feet of 27 establishments. Using difference-in-differences models comparing restricted hours (2:00–6:00 a.m.) to unrestricted hours (6:00–10:00 p.m.) before and after enforcement, we found arrests increased 0.061 per establishment weekly (<i>p </i>= 0.024), whereas calls decreased by 0.108 weekly (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05, a 42.7% reduction) and offenses declined by 0.062 weekly (<i>p </i>= 0.054). Effects concentrated at moderate- and high-activity establishments. Heterogeneity analyses further revealed that call reductions were concentrated among cabarets, whereas adult retailers showed no detectable change, and that arrest increases were similarly concentrated among alcohol-serving venues. The arrest increase likely reflected enhanced enforcement rather than increased crime, as calls and offenses both decreased.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Policy Implications</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Hours-of-operation restrictions can reduce secondary effects around SOBs while preserving First Amendment protections. However, such ordinances impose enforcement costs alongside crime reduction benefits, and effects appear concentrated among cabarets and alcohol-serving establishments, raising questions about whether the compliance burden on lower-risk venues such as adult retailers is proportionate to the public safety return. Our findings suggest targeted regulations focusing on high-activity establishments may prove more efficient than blanket policies affecting all venues uniformly.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47902,"journal":{"name":"Criminology & Public Policy","volume":"25 3","pages":"577-604"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148475974","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A national examination of firearm injuries described as “suicide by cop” among injurious shootings by police","authors":"Rebecca L. Fix, Julie A. Ward, Paul S. Nestadt","doi":"10.1111/1745-9133.70031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.70031","url":null,"abstract":"Research Summary “Suicide by cop” (SbC) incidents—police‐involved shootings wherein an individual experiencing a mental health crisis engages in life‐threatening behavior with an aim of eliciting a lethal response from police—represent a critical intersection of policy and practice, mental health, and public safety in the United States. This study analyzes police‐involved shootings described as “SbC” compared with other police shootings involving people with mental and behavioral health conditions. Data were from the Augmented Gun Violence Archive. Over 6 years (2015–2020), 382 cases of “SbC” shootings accounted for 3.6% of all police shootings ( <jats:italic>N</jats:italic> = 10,615) and 15.5% of shootings involving mental and behavioral health conditions ( <jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 2,458). Most cases involved individuals with suicidal or self‐harming behaviors, but a subset ( <jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 46) were labeled “SbC” without other suicidal indicators and some followed standoff situations. Among all mental and behavioral health‐involved injurious shootings by police, those described as “SbC” were significantly more likely to occur in public or commercial locations (vs. residential). “SbC” shootings were also more likely to be associated with police responses to domestic disturbances, trespassing, threats, weapons complaints, investigation activities, or arrest attempts compared with encounters that began as crises. Policy Implications The basis for a “SbC” designation remains unclear, and reliance on criminal legal data systems may inhibit accurate understanding of and responses to this issue, impacting resource allocation. Observed patterns challenge current “SbC” diagnostic practices and highlight the risks inherent in relying on police as first responders to mental health crises. Findings underscore systemic failures in mental health care and contribute to ongoing policy debates on crisis response, police training, and the need to shift crisis intervention response to public health professionals. Funding should prioritize shifting resources to community mental health infrastructure.","PeriodicalId":47902,"journal":{"name":"Criminology & Public Policy","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148623907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Developing a new typology of risky facilities to improve situational crime prevention strategies","authors":"M. Dylan Spencer, Cory Schnell","doi":"10.1111/1745-9133.70033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.70033","url":null,"abstract":"Research Summary The risky facilities framework posits that a small subset of locations accounts for a disproportionate share of crime compared to similar places. Although influential in crime science, the measurement of risky facilities does not account for the spatial context surrounding these facilities. We analyze 227,447 crime incidents in Atlanta from 2021 to 2024 to classify variation among facilities by integrating relative crime volume with contextual measures of local crime patterns. We examine three common facility types: gas stations, convenience stores, and restaurants. These places are analyzed within a hierarchical spatial framework that nests facilities within their surrounding street segments. By combining within‐facility crime rankings with segment‐level crime shares, we develop a dual‐axis typology that distinguishes between intrinsic facility risk and contextual representation of crime patterns. Results reveal substantial heterogeneity in crime patterns across facilities. Some low‐volume facilities still account for all recorded crime on otherwise low‐activity street segments. Only a small minority of high‐crime facilities function as isolated risky facilities, accounting for most of the crime in their surrounding segments. Most high‐risk facilities are embedded within broader criminogenic environments where crime is more evenly distributed across multiple locations. Policy Implications Risky facilities should not be uniform targets for crime control interventions. The most efficient prevention strategies should consider diagnosing the degree to which crime is driven by facility‐specific management issues or broader ecological conditions. Isolated risky facilities are best suited for situational crime prevention, emphasizing place management and on‐site guardianship. Conversely, embedded risky facilities require intervention techniques targeting shared environmental conditions. By incorporating contextual diagnostics into the risky facilities framework, this study provides a more precise problem analysis foundation to help efficiently allocate resources for place‐based crime prevention strategies.","PeriodicalId":47902,"journal":{"name":"Criminology & Public Policy","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148623913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An empirical test of the EVIL DONE framework for understanding terrorist incidents in Iran","authors":"Amirhossein Mazaheri, Rob T. Guerette, Auzeen Shariati","doi":"10.1111/1745-9133.70032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.70032","url":null,"abstract":"Research Summary In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Clarke and Newman extended environmental criminology ideas with the EVIL DONE framework to better explain terrorist target selection and vulnerability. Though widely cited, the framework has limited empirical validation. This study examines its utility using a unique data set of terrorist incidents in Iran. Using data primarily from the Global Terrorism Database (1979–2020) and supplemented with cases from the Iranian Perspective and News on Terrorism (Habilian) for 2021–2025, a total of 539 incidents were coded for EVIL DONE attributes. Environment categories displayed distinct EVIL DONE profiles across settings, and higher scores were strongly associated with both the likelihood of a fatal attack and the overall number of casualties. Policy Implications The findings provide empirical support for using EVIL DONE attributes to assess terrorist risk across places and targets and highlight the framework's value for prioritizing prevention efforts. Incorporating EVIL DONE measures into geographic risk assessments may improve the allocation of counterterrorism resources and enhance proactive prevention strategies by identifying locations and targets with elevated risk of terrorist attacks. Although terrorists are systematically shaped by opportunity structures and target vulnerabilities, situational counterterrorism strategies can harden vital infrastructure, increase guardianship around crowded or fragile targets, and reduce ease of access in exposed public settings.","PeriodicalId":47902,"journal":{"name":"Criminology & Public Policy","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148522717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prosecutorial power in probation: Discretion, violations, and the pathway to incarceration","authors":"Beth M. Huebner,&nbsp;Kathryn Tapp","doi":"10.1111/1745-9133.70025","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1745-9133.70025","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Research Summary</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Prosecutorial discretion plays a central role in shaping criminal case outcomes, yet its influence in the context of probation, particularly during violation proceedings, remains underexplored. This paper explores how prosecutorial discretion functions within the courtroom workgroup to shape probation, from plea bargaining to responses to violations, in the context of mass supervision today. Using qualitative data from 23 in-depth interviews with prosecutors, judges, and defense attorneys in a midsize U.S. jurisdiction, we analyze how institutional norms, organizational pressures, and competing logics of punishment, rehabilitation, and efficiency shape decision making. Prosecutors influence who is offered probation, what conditions are imposed, and how compliance is interpreted, often anchoring decision making through informal case “valuation” practices that reflect victim-centered, fiscal, and efficiency-oriented logics. Within the workgroup, their recommendations carry significant weight, shaping outcomes even as they are formally subject to judicial approval and adversarial negotiation.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Policy Implications</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Probation is among the most common criminal legal sanctions, and evidence suggests that violations are increasing, which can have negative implications for individuals and systems. Research has attributed increases in probation violations to the growing complexity of supervision conditions, which make compliance more challenging. The findings identify prosecutors as central, yet largely overlooked, policy actors in shaping probation outcomes at both sentencing and revocation. As such, the research underscores the need for policy changes that ‘right size’ the conditions of probation and address the organizational norms and decision-making practices of the courtroom workgroup.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47902,"journal":{"name":"Criminology & Public Policy","volume":"25 2","pages":"379-402"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148286567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The prosecutor's cut: Body-worn camera evidence and criminal case dispositions","authors":"Kevin Petersen,&nbsp;Miranda A. Galvin,&nbsp;Brian D. Johnson,&nbsp;Allison D. Redlich","doi":"10.1111/1745-9133.70021","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1745-9133.70021","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Research summary</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In recent years, a growing form of evidence tied to criminal cases has been police body-worn camera (BWC) footage. In many jurisdictions, the majority of cases include BWC evidence, though limited research examines how this evidence impacts prosecutorial decision-making and case outcomes. In this study, we examine this issue using 7 years (2016–2022) of prosecution data (<i>N </i>= 29,923) from a large urban jurisdiction in Maryland. We use covariate balancing propensity score weighting to equate treatment (BWC) and control (non-BWC) cases on baseline characteristics, and assess the impact of BWC evidence on a variety of downstream outcomes. Our results indicate that BWC evidence impacts the likelihood of nolle pros decisions and guilty pleas, reduces case-processing time, and alters incarceration sentences following guilty pleas, though the effects are conditioned by crime type and are strongest for cases initiated by “on-view” arrests.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Policy implications</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The rapid adoption of BWCs has strained the resources of local prosecutor's offices. Empirical knowledge establishing whether, and under what conditions, BWC footage provides useful evidence during prosecution is critical to informing decisions about the costs and benefits of BWC adoption and the development of evidence-based practices for the use of BWC footage during the court process. Our findings show that BWC evidence has significant impacts on case processing outcomes, but these effects depend on the characteristics of the offense in question. Our results help to inform decisions concerning the implementation and scope of BWC programs, as well as strategies outlining the use of BWC footage during prosecution.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47902,"journal":{"name":"Criminology & Public Policy","volume":"25 2","pages":"265-295"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1745-9133.70021","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148286647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Progressive prosecution in context: Examining the impact of prosecutorial administration change on case-processing patterns and racial disparities","authors":"Rachel Bowman,&nbsp;Belén Lowrey-Kinberg,&nbsp;Jon B. Gould","doi":"10.1111/1745-9133.70029","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1745-9133.70029","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Research Summary</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Using administrative case-processing records and interviews with prosecutors, we examine how a change in prosecutorial administration impacts charging and plea-bargaining practices and racial and ethnic disparities in two jurisdictions led by progressive prosecutors who replaced more traditional administrations. We find that, under the progressive administrations, prosecutors handled cases in ways that resulted in less severe charging and plea-bargaining outcomes for White, Black, and Hispanic defendants, but the magnitudes of those changes differed notably between the two offices. Drawing on qualitative interviews with line prosecutors, supervising prosecutors, and lead prosecutors, we consider how differences in organizational context, leadership style, and the role of supervisors in translating reform priorities might explain this variation. Together, the findings illustrate how progressive prosecution unfolds in highly localized ways and how organizational dynamics shape the implementation of reform.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Policy Implications</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Prosecutors have the power to shift established charging and plea-bargaining norms, but the extent of change depends on organizational context. Office size, leadership style, and the alignment of supervisors with reform priorities shape how effectively reform is implemented. Although the progressive administrations tended to reduce the severity of punishment across racial and ethnic groups, prosecutors inherit racial and ethnic disparities in caseloads due, in part, to structural racial inequality. Thus, “race-neutral” reforms may be insufficient to meaningfully address inequality. Progressive prosecutors seeking to promote racial justice may need to pair general reductions in punitiveness with more proactive, race-conscious strategies to correct for injustices they inherit in their caseload and monitor how reform priorities are being communicated and implemented within their office.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47902,"journal":{"name":"Criminology & Public Policy","volume":"25 2","pages":"171-212"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1745-9133.70029","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148286566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A longitudinal examination of the effects of drug policy shifts on PCS charging practices in Oregon","authors":"Kelsey S. Henderson,&nbsp;Christopher M. Campbell,&nbsp;Brian Renauer","doi":"10.1111/1745-9133.70024","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1745-9133.70024","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Research Summary</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To estimate the effects of successive drug policy shifts on prosecutorial decisions, we employ a retrospective, longitudinal analysis of statewide aggregated charging trends (2008–2024). Focused on the changing landscape around possession of controlled substances (PCS), we examined the impact of three Oregon policies—Justice Reinvestment (2013), PCS drug defelonization (2017), and PCS drug decriminalization (2021)—on initial charge filings, charge bargaining, and charge dismissals and convictions. Across intervention periods, prosecutors filed a high percentage of PCS charges referred by law enforcement (average of 78.9%). Defelonization was associated with a significant drop in felony PCS charges, coupled with a significant increase in misdemeanor PCS charges. Following defelonization, the number of possession-related dispositions began to steadily decline, with a lower conviction rate. Decriminalization was associated with an immediate decline in both misdemeanor and felony PCS charges and fewer overall dispositions, which coincided with an increase in dismissals, whereas conviction rates remained relatively stable. Across intervention periods, PCS charges, if not dismissed, were likely to remain consistent through dispositions (&gt;92.5%), demonstrating little charge bargaining/variation. Despite fluctuations in the number of PCS charges filed, of those not dismissed, there appears to be a concerted effort on prosecuting those charges.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Policy Implications</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>With the advent of drug courts, diversion programs, defelonization, and Oregon's most recent period of decriminalization, states are experimenting with shifting drug policies. Defelonization and decriminalization impacted prosecutorial charging practices, more so than Justice Reinvestment. Policy makers should note that defelonization had the expected impact on PCS charges, and prosecutors seamlessly adopted the new law by switching their focus to misdemeanor PCS charges. Decriminalization contributed to a shrinking of actions related to prosecutorial charging; the majority of PCS offenses were no longer criminal, resulting in significantly fewer PCS arrest referrals, thereby forcing a dearth of prosecutorial charges.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47902,"journal":{"name":"Criminology & Public Policy","volume":"25 2","pages":"323-352"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148286650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating performances pretrial: The role of defendant performances in prosecutors’ plea bargaining decisions","authors":"Chiara Clio Packard","doi":"10.1111/1745-9133.70026","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1745-9133.70026","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Research Summary</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Existing research on plea bargaining focuses primarily on how fixed case and defendant characteristics, such as the strength of the evidence or the race of the accused, impact plea offers. Less is known about how prosecutors consider a defendant's behavior while their case is pending throughout the plea bargaining process. Drawing on an ethnographic study in two midwestern District Attorney's (DA) offices, this paper reveals how prosecutors evaluate defendants’ performances pretrial as they decide their plea offers. First, I identify four types of pretrial performances that prosecutors consider: abiding by the rules of the court, addressing the harm of the crime, engaging with social services, and demonstrating positive attitude and demeanor. Then, I demonstrate how the process through which performances shape plea offers is dynamic and interactional, as defense attorneys develop assumptions about which performances prosecutors consider and support their clients in meeting those expectations.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Policy Implications</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Defendants with fewer financial resources may face challenges in meeting pretrial performance expectations, leading to inequalities in defendants’ ability to obtain more favorable plea offers. DA's offices should consider only making specific performance demands for services that are readily available to low-income defendants, such as programs offered for free. Alternatively, prosecutors could decline to prosecute low-level cases that stem from substance use or mental health issues and encourage law enforcement to make direct referrals to social service agencies instead. Otherwise, this practice risks exacerbating inequalities as more privileged defendants have greater resources to meet the performance demands compared to disadvantaged defendants. More broadly, these findings call for policies that address the underlying inequalities in access to health-care and social services, which would reduce inequality in defendants’ ability to meet performance demands.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47902,"journal":{"name":"Criminology & Public Policy","volume":"25 2","pages":"241-263"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1745-9133.70026","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148286571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}