Authors publishing articles in Criminal Justice and Behavior (CJB) now include practitioner summaries to bridge the gap between research and practice in forensic and correctional psychology fields across international jurisdictions. Below, we include the practitioner summaries of articles that have been approved for publication in CJB, which may have already appeared in OnLine First or in a printed journal or be scheduled for publication. In this issue of the IACFP Bulletin, included articles address topics related to justice-involved youth, race and ethnicity, intimate-partner violence, and perceptions of police.
Ahmed, W., Liu, C., Suleman, R. M. F., Mahmood, R., & Mahmood, S. (2025). Work, Identity, and Desistance: A Narrative Analysis of Justice-Involved Youth Through Desistance Theory. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251368352
- “This study explores how employment-based rehabilitation programs contribute to desistance among youth involved in the justice system in Pakistan, focusing on identity transformation and cognitive shifts. By examining the narratives of 30 young individuals who participated in an 8-month employment program, the research underscores how structured work environments foster a noncriminal identity. Participants highlighted the role of employment in developing a new sense of self, repairing family relationships, and gaining social validation. This study integrates three desistance theories, cognitive transformation, identity theory, and making good, to offer a comprehensive view of how employment acts as a catalyst for long-term change. The findings emphasize the importance of providing stable employment opportunities to support desistance, particularly in resource-constrained settings. This research contributes to the broader field of corrections by demonstrating how employment-based rehabilitation can help reframe personal identities and reduce recidivism, offering valuable implications for practitioners in the criminal justice and forensic psychology fields.”
Brezina, T., & Chen, F. R. (2025). Moral Disengagement, Lack of Guilt, and Offending-Related Exhilaration. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251393404
- “This study examined the mechanisms that link moral disengagement to youth crime. Based on a sample of justice-involved youth, we observe that moral disengagement contributes to offending, in part, because it reduces guilt/remorse but also because it increases the perceived rewards (kick and thrills) that individuals associate with participation in criminal acts. These findings provide further justification for efforts to foster empathy, reinforce prosocial norms, and ultimately reduce self-serving rationalizations for harmful conduct. They also suggest that there may be a need to supplement such efforts with programs that provide access to stimulating prosocial activities and outlets (e.g., high-adrenaline pastimes and occupations)—activities and outlets that can compete with the sensory stimulation that crime can provide. Wilderness and adventure programs may represent one such possibility. Such programs engage young people in challenging adventures within a therapeutic framework and have shown promise in reducing antisocial behavior.”
Centelles, V., & Powers, R. A. (2025). Exploring Subgroup Differences in Offending among Latine Adults in the United States. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251363511
- “This study examines differences in offending among Latine adults in the United States. We find meaningful differences among subgroups; notably, Puerto Rican individuals showed the highest likelihood of offending. These results challenge the notion that Latine populations are a single, homogenous group, highlighting the importance of within-group diversity in both research and practice. Understanding how colonial histories and lived experiences shape behavior can inform more effective and culturally responsive interventions. For practitioners, this means developing approaches that reflect the unique cultural and historical contexts of different Latine communities. Doing so can promote more equitable programming and improve outcomes among justice-involved individuals. Our findings also call for more nuanced data collection and analysis practices that capture the diversity and complexity of Latine social identities in the criminal legal system.”
Pham, A. T., Nunes, K. L., Hilton, N. Z., Ennis, L., & Jung, S. (2025). The Factor Structure of Intimate Partner Violence Risk. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251357789
- “We investigated what underlying traits or patterns might help explain why some men repeatedly harm their intimate partners. We combined items from three common intimate partner violence (IPV) risk assessment tools and analyzed data from 251 men in Canada who had been charged with violence against a current or former female partner and were followed for up to four years. Our study revealed six major risk areas. Two of these areas predicted reoffence within four years. However, only one area significantly predicted future IPV and other violent offences on its own. This risk area concerned antisocial behaviour and difficulties in day-to-day functioning. This finding suggests that current tools for assessing the risk of repeat partner violence could be improved by increasing their focus on antisociality. Stronger theories about what actually causes repeat offending could help professionals better identify who is at risk and how to intervene effectively.”
Pyo, J., Marteache, N., & Maxfield, M. G. (2025). Examining the Links Between Procedural Justice, Bounded Authority, and Legitimacy in Video-Recorded Police Encounters. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251368977
- “Our study examines how people evaluate police behavior and legitimacy when watching video-recorded police-citizen encounters. Using an experimental design with a simulated routine traffic stop, we found that public viewers are sensitive to whether an officer’s behavior is procedurally just—characterized by respectful, accountable, impartial, and unbiased policing—and within the boundaries of their authority when evaluating police legitimacy. We also found that people’s pre-existing perceptions of police legitimacy shape their evaluations of the video-recorded encounter. Those who generally viewed the police as legitimate were more likely to perceive the officer’s behavior as appropriate and legitimate. These findings highlight that legitimacy in specific encounters is closely tied to broader, everyday perceptions of police formed through a lifelong accumulation of cultural, social, and individual experiences. Accordingly, police agencies should cultivate organizational trust and legitimacy through consistent procedural justice and bounded authority that reflect shared societal expectations of appropriate authority.”
Wingert, A. C., Connolly, E. J., & Azimi, A. M. (2025). Nature, Nurture, or Both? Using Sibling Comparisons to Examine Age of Exposure to Household Member Incarceration and Future Justice System Involvement. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548251370373
- “The current study uses full-sibling comparisons to examine the relationship between the age of household member incarceration (HMI) exposure and subsequent criminal justice system (CJS) involvement. Our findings indicate that earlier exposure to HMI is significantly associated with an increased risk of CJS contact; however, this link is attenuated once familial confounding is controlled for. Furthermore, identifying as male and residing in lower-income households exacerbate siblings’ risk for adulthood CJS involvement. Regarding policy, these results underscore the need for early intervention programs for children experiencing HMI during sensitive developmental periods, as the timing of exposure may be just as consequential as the incarceration experience itself. Sibling dynamics should also be considered when assessing risk. Finally, programs fostering youth’s connections with positive adult role models, providing them with healthy coping resources, and supporting relationships with incarcerated loved ones should be prioritized to minimize the risk of harm and subsequent CJS involvement.”
