Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
1.1
0.8
Journals
Religions
Special Issues
Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice
share announcement

Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2018) | Viewed by 169210

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Kent R. Kerley

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
Interests: religion and crime; religion in prison; faith-based programs; religiosity; drug abuse; Evangelical Protestantism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues:

I am writing to invite your participation in a special issue of Religions, which is called Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice. As you may be aware, Religions (ISSN 2077-1444) is a relatively new international journal devoted to the scientific study of religion, and is published by MDPI. In just a few years the journal has achieved an impact factor over .50. Their website may be found at: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/religions/

Below is a summary of this special issue:

The scientific study of religion is a rather recent development in colleges and universities in the United States and in other nations. Beginning in the 1960s, researchers from many social science backgrounds began conducting data-driven studies of the extent to which religiosity is related to crime, deviance, and delinquency. Since the 1980s, social scientists have also studied the nature, extent, practice, and impact of faith and faith-based programs in prisons and other correctional contexts. This volume will contain the most contemporary and cutting-edge research on religion and crime, which includes data-driven (quantitative and qualitative), conceptual, review, and policy-oriented papers.

Studies of all major faith traditions and from all nations are encouraged. All manuscripts will be sent for peer review.

The manuscript submission deadline is March 15, 2018. Papers should be submitted via MDPI’s online submission site. You may go to https://www.mdpi.com/user/register/ to register and to complete the submission process. Because you have been invited to participate, the submission fee will be waived.

Please let me know if you are interested in participating or if you have any questions. If you would like to send me a brief description or abstract of a paper that you have in mind, that would be particularly helpful. I look forward to hearing from you and to receiving your submission.

Prof. Dr. Kent R. Kerley
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • religion and crime
  • religion in prison
  • faith-based programs
  • religion and crime control
  • religion and drug abuse
  • religiosity

Published Papers (17 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Editorial

Jump to: Research

1 pages, 128 KiB  
Editorial
Editor’s Introduction: Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice
by Kent R. Kerley
Religions 2018, 9(9), 260; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9090260 - 30 Aug 2018
Viewed by 2857
Abstract
The scientific study of religion is a relatively recent development in colleges and universities
around the world[...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

15 pages, 1427 KiB  
Article
Religious Liberty in Prisons under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act following Holt v Hobbs: An Empirical Analysis
by Lewis M. Wasserman, John P. Connolly and Kent R. Kerley
Religions 2018, 9(7), 210; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9070210 - 07 Jul 2018
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4992
Abstract
Religion in the United States remains a consistent source of conflict not only because of the breadth and depth of personal religious commitment, but also because of guarantees from the United States Constitution. The First Amendment protects religious Free Exercise but also constrains [...] Read more.
Religion in the United States remains a consistent source of conflict not only because of the breadth and depth of personal religious commitment, but also because of guarantees from the United States Constitution. The First Amendment protects religious Free Exercise but also constrains federal, state, and local governments from establishing official government religions, endorsing religions or religion itself. Despite the risk of potential conflicts with the constitution’s text, Congress has supported laws that expand religious liberty. One such example is the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (2000), which significantly enhanced prisoners’ right to religious exercise above the minimum provided by the First Amendment. In the 2015 case of Holt v. Hobbs, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Muslim prisoner who had been denied his request for religious accommodations under RLUIPA because the prison failed to satisfy the act’s strict scrutiny standard before it denied accommodations to a prisoner to practice his faith. Via an analysis of case law since Holt v. Hobbs was decided in January 2015 until March 2018, we investigate the extent to which Holt has affected judicial voting in RLUIPA cases and how such voting may have been influenced by judges’ ideological dispositions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 491 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Provincial and Individual Religiosity on Deviance in China: A Multilevel Modeling Test of the Moral Community Thesis
by Xiuhua Wang and Sung Joon Jang
Religions 2018, 9(7), 202; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9070202 - 27 Jun 2018
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3900
Abstract
This paper examines the moral community thesis in the secular context of China. Using multilevel logistic regression, we test (1) whether both individual- (measured by affiliation with Islam, Buddhism and Christianity) and aggregate-level religiosity (measured by the number of mosques, Buddhist temples, and [...] Read more.
This paper examines the moral community thesis in the secular context of China. Using multilevel logistic regression, we test (1) whether both individual- (measured by affiliation with Islam, Buddhism and Christianity) and aggregate-level religiosity (measured by the number of mosques, Buddhist temples, and churches per 10,000 people in province) are inversely related to law and rule violations at the individual level and (2) whether province-level religiosity enhances the inverse relationship between individual religiosity and deviant behaviors. Results from the 2010 China General Social Survey and the Spatial Explorer of Religions provide some support for the moral community proposition that contextual religiosity affects deviance at the individual level. Specifically, we find provincial as well as individual level of Islam to be inversely related with the violation of the law and rules. However, we find that neither the provincial level of Christianity and Buddhism nor cross-level interaction is related to deviance. The only exception, cross-level interaction involving the individual and provincial level of Islam, is in the opposite direction (i.e., positive, not negative). The implications of our findings are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 235 KiB  
Article
Faith-Based Mentoring of Ex-Felons in Higher Education: Colson Scholars Reflect on Their Transitions
by Judith A. Leary
Religions 2018, 9(6), 197; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9060197 - 20 Jun 2018
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4119
Abstract
This qualitative study employs the framework of Schlossberg’s Transition Theory to offer readers an introduction into recently-conducted research on ex-felons transitioning into, through, and out of higher education within the context of the Colson Scholarship program at Wheaton College1, in Wheaton, [...] Read more.
This qualitative study employs the framework of Schlossberg’s Transition Theory to offer readers an introduction into recently-conducted research on ex-felons transitioning into, through, and out of higher education within the context of the Colson Scholarship program at Wheaton College1, in Wheaton, Illinois. Through the material gathered from personal interviews of six completed Colson Scholars, faith-based mentors were consistently seen as significant sources of support in each stage of the college-going transition. Faith-based mentors played an important role in the outcomes of, specifically, faith-worldview development and emotional development. This article seeks to illuminate the problem of the lack of supportive mentors for ex-offender populations in our communities, and to illustrate how those mentors might be found in faith-based organizations, institutions, and houses of worship, as Johnson (Johnson 2011) asserted and also what gains could result from the involvement of faith-based mentors in the lives of correctional populations post-release. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
15 pages, 215 KiB  
Article
Religion and Crime Studies: Assessing What Has Been Learned
by Melvina Sumter, Frank Wood, Ingrid Whitaker and Dianne Berger-Hill
Religions 2018, 9(6), 193; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9060193 - 18 Jun 2018
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 15530
Abstract
This paper provides a review of the literature that assesses the relationship between religion and crime. Research on the relationship between religion and crime indicates that certain aspects of religion reduces participation in criminal activity. A review of the literature indicates religion reduces [...] Read more.
This paper provides a review of the literature that assesses the relationship between religion and crime. Research on the relationship between religion and crime indicates that certain aspects of religion reduces participation in criminal activity. A review of the literature indicates religion reduces participation in criminal activity in two broad ways. First, religion seems to operate at a micro level. Studies have pointed to how religious beliefs are associated with self-control. Second, researches have examined the social control aspects of religion. In particular, how factors such as level of participation and social support from such participation reduces criminal activity. Likewise, findings suggest that although there has been a sizable number of studies and diverse interests of researchers examining the religion/crime nexus, the research has not identified which aspects of religion have the strongest influence on crime reduction. In addition, the specific ways in which these factors are associated with crime reduction have not been comprehensively identified. Similarly, more than 40 years of empirical scholarship suggests that religion suppresses criminal behavior. Nevertheless, these findings remain controversial as the literature neither accentuates the mechanisms of religion responsible for suppressing criminal behavior, nor does the literature reject the spuriousness of the religion-crime association relative to mediating effects of self-control and social control. Finally, our review suggests that methodological constraints infringe on the capacity for sociological and criminological to accurately ascertain the validity of the religion-crime nexus, often generating mixed or inconclusive findings on the religion-crime association. Our paper concludes with recommendations for future empirical scholarship that examines the religion-crime nexus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
13 pages, 881 KiB  
Article
God and Guns: Examining Religious Influences on Gun Control Attitudes in the United States
by Stephen M. Merino
Religions 2018, 9(6), 189; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9060189 - 14 Jun 2018
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 25759
Abstract
Mass shootings in the United States have generated significant media coverage and public concern, invigorating debates over gun control. Media coverage and academic research on gun control attitudes and reactions to mass shootings have paid little attention to the role of religion. Recent [...] Read more.
Mass shootings in the United States have generated significant media coverage and public concern, invigorating debates over gun control. Media coverage and academic research on gun control attitudes and reactions to mass shootings have paid little attention to the role of religion. Recent research sheds light on the complex relationship between religion and guns, including higher rates of gun ownership and stronger opposition to gun control among white evangelical Protestants. Using nationally representative survey data, this study examines the relationship between religious identity, gun ownership, and support for a range of gun control policies, including proposed remedies for preventing mass shootings. Compared with individuals from other religious traditions, evangelical Protestants are most opposed to stricter gun control laws and enforcement, even with statistical controls for gun ownership and demographic characteristics. Rather, they favor individualistic solutions and putting more emphasis on religious values in their social surroundings. I discuss how these findings reflect the cultural tools evangelical Protestants use to construct their understandings of social problems, including gun violence, and the broader implications for gun policy in the United States. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
19 pages, 279 KiB  
Article
Existential and Virtuous Effects of Religiosity on Mental Health and Aggressiveness among Offenders
by Sung Joon Jang, Byron R. Johnson, Joshua Hays, Michael Hallett and Grant Duwe
Religions 2018, 9(6), 182; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9060182 - 06 Jun 2018
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5053
Abstract
Although prior research tends to show that religion has a salutary effect on mental health and a preventive effect on crime, studies explaining the religious effect, particularly those on offenders, have been limited. To address the issue, we examine whether religiosity is inversely [...] Read more.
Although prior research tends to show that religion has a salutary effect on mental health and a preventive effect on crime, studies explaining the religious effect, particularly those on offenders, have been limited. To address the issue, we examine whether religiosity is inversely related to negative emotions and aggressiveness among prison inmates. Additionally, we assess whether the relationships are attributable to an inmate’s sense of meaning and purpose in life and/or their virtues. Specifically, we hypothesize that religiosity is inversely related to feelings of depression and anxiety and the intention of engaging in interpersonal aggression. We also hypothesize these relationships to be mediated by existential belief in life’s meaning and purpose and virtues (compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, purpose of God, and gratitude to God). We tested our hypotheses using survey data collected from a random sample of male inmates from three prisons in Texas, applying latent-variable structural equation modeling. We found that the existential belief explained the effect of religiosity on negative emotional states and intended aggression. In addition, forgiveness and gratitude mediated the effect on state anxiety, whereas purpose in God and gratitude to God mediated the effect on state depression. Substantive and practical implications of our findings are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
13 pages, 259 KiB  
Article
Criminal Desistance Narratives of Young People in the West of Scotland: Understanding Spirituality and Criminogenic Constraints
by Chris Holligan and Robert McLean
Religions 2018, 9(6), 177; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9060177 - 28 May 2018
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3223
Abstract
In our qualitative study of urban youth living in the West of Scotland, we argue that religion and spirituality give personal sustenance and hope from which a process of desistance can emerge. Religious worship offers a ‘site’ for undermining reoffending through the availability [...] Read more.
In our qualitative study of urban youth living in the West of Scotland, we argue that religion and spirituality give personal sustenance and hope from which a process of desistance can emerge. Religious worship offers a ‘site’ for undermining reoffending through the availability and adoption of socially supportive bonds. Desistance can occur through the development of different bonds and the recognition of transcendental authority. The results endorse the protective role of spirituality in desistance in relation to disadvantaged young people whose lives have been impacted by crime. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
16 pages, 213 KiB  
Article
Spiritual Occlusion and Systemic Integrity: Legal Evaluations of Due Process Protections and Freedom of Religious Expression and Practices Safeguards
by Jason R. Jolicoeur and Amy Memmer
Religions 2018, 9(6), 173; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9060173 - 26 May 2018
Viewed by 2901
Abstract
As is the case with other constitutionally protected rights, the freedom of religion is not unlimited nor without restriction or constraint. Rather, the courts have long held that the state may have legitimate reasons for placing reasonable restrictions on the otherwise free exercise [...] Read more.
As is the case with other constitutionally protected rights, the freedom of religion is not unlimited nor without restriction or constraint. Rather, the courts have long held that the state may have legitimate reasons for placing reasonable restrictions on the otherwise free exercise of religious practice. The courts have also held that the state cannot restrict religious practice in a capricious or gratuitous manner. However, the courts have also held that individuals have a constitutional right to due process legal protections. In many instances, these two freedoms exist independently of each other. In instances when they intersect, conflict may result from one right seeking hegemony over the other. In instances such as these, the courts may have to resolve conflicts by establishing legal principles and precedents regarding which of these constitutional protections will be granted contextual prominence over the other. Thus far, the legal evaluation of this important question has been confused at best and contradictory at worst. This has resulted in a number of substantive outcomes that pose significant challenges to the practice and application of both rights and an underlying avoidance of broader constitutional questions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
16 pages, 237 KiB  
Article
Women’s Engagement with Humanist, Spiritual and Religious Meaning-Making in Prison: A Longitudinal Study of Its Impact on Recidivism
by Jeff Duncan, Richard Stansfield, Steve Hall and Tom O’Connor
Religions 2018, 9(6), 171; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9060171 - 25 May 2018
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4940
Abstract
This study explores the long-term impact on recidivism of the engagement of over 300 women prisoners with humanist, spiritual and religious ways of making meaning during their incarceration. Prison chaplains and community volunteers in the Oregon Department of Corrections offered a diverse range [...] Read more.
This study explores the long-term impact on recidivism of the engagement of over 300 women prisoners with humanist, spiritual and religious ways of making meaning during their incarceration. Prison chaplains and community volunteers in the Oregon Department of Corrections offered a diverse range of humanist, spiritual and religious (HSR) events to the women, and 95% of them voluntarily engaged at varied levels with an average participation rate of about 3 h per month. The women who attended most often were motivated to do so by intrinsic or meaning-driven reasons and were more likely to have listened to a religious program on radio or TV in the six months before their incarceration. Controlling for ethnicity, risk of recidivism, participation in other programs (education, substance use, cognitive and work), length of time incarcerated, and infractions during incarceration we found an overall significantly positive impact of HSR involvement on recidivism during the first year after release and over a 13-year follow-up period post prison. The impact was concentrated among the 20% of women who attended most frequently (4 or more hours per month) indicating a dosage and consistency of practice effect. Prison chaplains and volunteers make a valuable contribution to the lives of women in prison and to the correctional system; the pro-social support/modeling and diverse help with meaning-making they offer in prison has a positive influence on the women’s journey of desistance in the community after prison. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
19 pages, 3436 KiB  
Article
The Manipulation of Social, Cultural and Religious Values in Socially Mediated Terrorism
by Claire Smith, Rosslyn Von der Borch, Benjamin Isakhan, Sukendar Sukendar, Priyambudi Sulistiyanto, Ian Ravenscrroft, Ida Widianingsih and Cherrie De Leiuen
Religions 2018, 9(5), 168; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9050168 - 22 May 2018
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 12561
Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of how the Islamic State/Da’esh and Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia manipulate conflicting social, cultural and religious values as part of their socially mediated terrorism. It focusses on three case studies: (1) the attacks in Paris, France on 13 November [...] Read more.
This paper presents an analysis of how the Islamic State/Da’esh and Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia manipulate conflicting social, cultural and religious values as part of their socially mediated terrorism. It focusses on three case studies: (1) the attacks in Paris, France on 13 November 2015; (2) the destruction of cultural heritage sites in Iraq and Syria; and (3) the struggle between nationalist values and extreme Islamic values in Indonesia. The case studies were chosen as a basis for identifying global commonalities as well as regional differences in socially mediated terrorism. They are located in Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The integrated analysis of these case studies identifies significant trends and suggests actions that could lessen the impact of strategies deployed by extremist groups such as Da’esh, al-Qaeda and Hizb ut-Tahrir. We discuss the broader implications for understanding various aspects of socially mediated terrorism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 288 KiB  
Article
Religious Identity and Perceptions of Criminal Justice Effectiveness
by Lee Michael Johnson, Todd L. Matthews and Elizabeth K. Ayers
Religions 2018, 9(5), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9050157 - 11 May 2018
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4667
Abstract
Religiosity and attitudes regarding the criminal justice system have remained largely unstudied to date, despite the centrality of religion as an aspect of one’s identity formation. This study tests the hypothesis that perceptions of the effectiveness of police and the courts vary according [...] Read more.
Religiosity and attitudes regarding the criminal justice system have remained largely unstudied to date, despite the centrality of religion as an aspect of one’s identity formation. This study tests the hypothesis that perceptions of the effectiveness of police and the courts vary according to religious identity (affiliation, membership, and self-described religiosity or spirituality). A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 342 undergraduate students in introductory social science courses at a mid-sized university in the Southeastern US. Multiple Ordinary Least Squares regression analyses were performed on predictors of two outcome variables: perceived police effectiveness and perceived court effectiveness. Results offer partial support for a religious identity-based explanation of public perceptions of criminal justice system effectiveness. Membership of a local congregation, in general, was associated with higher ratings of police and court effectiveness. In addition, African Americans rated criminal justice effectiveness lower than non-African Americans. Once interactions between race and religious identity were incorporated, race itself became non-significant for both views on court and police effectiveness. However, these results showed that among African Americans, being a congregation member significantly reduced rather than increased ratings of police effectiveness. Religion thus continues to be complex and even paradoxical in shaping perceptions in the US. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
18 pages, 343 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Religion on the Criminal Behavior of Emerging Adults
by Christopher Salvatore and Gabriel Rubin
Religions 2018, 9(5), 141; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9050141 - 26 Apr 2018
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 34001
Abstract
Recent generations of young adults are experiencing a new life course stage: emerging adulthood. During this ‘new’ stage of the life course, traditional social bonds and turning points may not be present, may be delayed, or may not operate in the same manner [...] Read more.
Recent generations of young adults are experiencing a new life course stage: emerging adulthood. During this ‘new’ stage of the life course, traditional social bonds and turning points may not be present, may be delayed, or may not operate in the same manner as they have for prior generations. One such bond, religion, is examined here. Focusing on the United States, emerging adulthood is investigated as a distinct stage of the life course. The criminality of emerging adults is presented, a theoretical examination of the relationship between religion and crime is provided, the role of religion in emerging adults’ lives is explored, research on the role of religion’s influence on criminal offending is presented, and theoretical and policy implications are offered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
17 pages, 303 KiB  
Article
Faith-Based Intervention: Prison, Prayer, and Perseverance
by Shona Robinson-Edwards and Stephanie Kewley
Religions 2018, 9(4), 130; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9040130 - 16 Apr 2018
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 8785
Abstract
This qualitative article explores the impact of faith-based interventions through the lens of a self-identified practicing Christian: Joanna. For over a decade, Joanna has visited several prisons in the United Kingdom in a faith-based capacity: supporting prisoners, families, and prison chaplaincies. Joanna professes [...] Read more.
This qualitative article explores the impact of faith-based interventions through the lens of a self-identified practicing Christian: Joanna. For over a decade, Joanna has visited several prisons in the United Kingdom in a faith-based capacity: supporting prisoners, families, and prison chaplaincies. Joanna professes the role of faith and religiosity to be a positive and influential component in the lives of those imprisoned. This paper explores Joanna’s journey of supporting individuals within the prison walls, reflecting on the impact of labels, imprisonment, faith-based intervention, and religiosity. Much of the current research pertaining to faith-based interventions are limited; therefore, the experiences of those who volunteer within prisons in a faith-based capacity is often overlooked. Yet, faith-based intervention and religiosity within a criminal justice context provides several benefits which impact on those in prison, their families, and people working within a prison environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
16 pages, 294 KiB  
Article
Religious Contexts and Violence in Emerging and Traditional Immigrant Destinations
by Casey T. Harris, Ben Feldmeyer and Raymond Barranco
Religions 2018, 9(4), 116; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9040116 - 08 Apr 2018
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3448
Abstract
Amidst both a resurgent interest in the impact of religion on social problems like crime, including its contextual effects, as well as scholarship directed toward the immigration-crime intersection, the current study examines how different religious traditions impact known violent offending uniquely in traditional [...] Read more.
Amidst both a resurgent interest in the impact of religion on social problems like crime, including its contextual effects, as well as scholarship directed toward the immigration-crime intersection, the current study examines how different religious traditions impact known violent offending uniquely in traditional versus emerging immigrant destinations. To do so, we employ negative binomial models regressing homicides, robberies, and aggravated assaults on adherence to three major religious traditions (mainline Protestant, evangelical Protestant, and Catholic), as well as immigration and other key macro-structural controls. We disaggregate our analysis for three types of United States counties in 2010: emerging, traditional, and other immigrant destinations. We find that religious traditions vary in their relationship with known violence across destination types: Catholic adherence is protective against crime (net of controls) only in established immigrant destinations, but evangelical Protestant adherence is associated with higher levels of robbery and aggravated assault in the same locales. Religious adherence has no links to violence in emerging immigrant destinations. Broadly, our findings reveal that the religious context is an important part of the evolving story of immigration, though it is multifaceted and context-dependent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
17 pages, 283 KiB  
Article
‘Better as a Buddhist’: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Reflections on the Religious Beliefs of Buddhist Men Serving a Prison Sentence for a Sexual Offence
by Katie Bell, Belinda Winder and Nicholas Blagden
Religions 2018, 9(4), 101; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9040101 - 29 Mar 2018
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5397
Abstract
This paper presents a qualitative analysis of the accounts offered by individuals (n = 7) convicted of a sexual offense who describe themselves as Buddhists. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews within a custodial environment and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). [...] Read more.
This paper presents a qualitative analysis of the accounts offered by individuals (n = 7) convicted of a sexual offense who describe themselves as Buddhists. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews within a custodial environment and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). This paper presents the two superordinate themes that emerged from the data: (i) Better as a Buddhist and (ii) Ebb and Flow. Reflections and analysis from the Buddhist prison chaplain are integrated within the analysis of prisoner-participant data. Implications of the analysis are discussed with reference to interventions that use Buddhist principles, factors that underpin factors that help reduce reoffending and those that fit with the formation of a desistance narrative for religious individuals who have committed sexual offenses Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
13 pages, 219 KiB  
Article
Child Sexual Abuse in Protestant Christian Congregations: A Descriptive Analysis of Offense and Offender Characteristics
by Andrew S. Denney, Kent R. Kerley and Nickolas G. Gross
Religions 2018, 9(1), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9010027 - 18 Jan 2018
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 25453
Abstract
Utilizing data from 326 cases of alleged child sexual abuse that occurred at or through activities provided by Protestant Christian congregations, this study examines demographic and contextual characteristics of alleged child sexual abuse that took place within the most prevalent religious environment in [...] Read more.
Utilizing data from 326 cases of alleged child sexual abuse that occurred at or through activities provided by Protestant Christian congregations, this study examines demographic and contextual characteristics of alleged child sexual abuse that took place within the most prevalent religious environment in the United States. Research questions are addressed in this study. First, what type of child sexual abuse most commonly occurs at or through activities provided by Protestant Christian congregations? Second, where do such offenses physically take place? Third, who are the offenders and what role(s) do they assume in the congregations? We find that the overwhelming majority of offenses were contact offenses that occurred on church premises or at the offender’s home, and that most offenders were white male pastors or youth ministers who were approximately 40 years in age. We conclude with policy implications and recommendations for future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-17
Back to TopTop