Parole officers are an integral part of parolees' reentry process and success. Few studies, however, have examined whether the quality of the relationship between parolees and their parole officer influences outcomes such as recidivism. This study assesses how recidivism is affected by the quality of the relationship that parolees have with their parole officers. Using the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) dataset, we use parolees' perceptions of their relationship with their parole officer to determine whether they have established a positive or negative relationship, and whether these types of relationships differentially affect recidivism. Results show that parolees who have a negative relationship with their parole officer have higher rates of recidivism, while a positive relationship lowers parolees' likelihood of recidivating. An implication of this study emphasizes parole officer training that develops positive, high-quality relationships with parolees. Further implications are discussed below.

Formerly incarcerated people have a difficult time finding employment upon release. Research has suggested the effectiveness in utilizing one’s social capital and social networks, particularly through family, as a means of securing stable employment post-prison. However, the social connections necessary—maintained via prison visitation—are often weakened due to long-term incarceration and multiple prison stints. Data from the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) are used to investigate whether individuals were able to find employment within 3 months after release. Results suggest that individuals who have committed serious crimes likely have more strained family relationships; making family members’ willingness to vouch for employment on their behalf, less likely. Implications regarding policy and practice for corrections and reentry are discussed.

Although the media gives considerable attention to prison privatization, there have been few assessments of how newspapers portray the debate about it and how that portrayal aligns with what is known empirically about private prisons. This study addresses this gap in the literature by undertaking a content analysis of newspaper articles ( N = 131) about private prisons and private Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities, respectively. The results show that few news stories discuss the broad range of factors that scholars highlight as important aspects of the privatization debate. It is also uncommon for news reports, especially those that discuss private immigration facilities, to refer to empirical research or its importance. The implications of this limited portrayal of private facilities are discussed.

Since Gottfredson and Hirschi proposed the general theory of crime, the direct link between self-control and delinquency has gained strong empirical support. The indirect link, however, remains understudied. Meanwhile, although Gottfredson and Hirschi argued that self-control theory can be applied in all cultural contexts, its generalizability needs to be tested under different circumstances. This study addressed these gaps by assessing the relationship between self-control and delinquency in China and introducing thoughtfully reflective decision making (TRDM) as the mediator of this relationship. Using self-reported data from the city of Changzhi, China, this study finds that (a) self-control is closely related to TRDM, (b) low self-control is significantly related to general and property delinquency for those with low morality, and (c) TRDM mediates the relationship between low self-control and delinquency for those with low morality. We discuss these findings and their implications for theory, research, and policy.