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Journal Article 1: Harrington, M. P. (2008). Revisiting the total incarceration variable: Should researchers separate jail from prison sentences in sentencing research? Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 24, 462–478.

Abstract: Recent research has examined the use of the total incarceration variable. The results of these studies have shown that the factors affecting a decision to sentence an offender to jail are different than those influencing a prison sentence. These studies have suggested that disentangling jail and prison sentences will enhance our understanding of how race influences sentence outcomes. Neither of these studies examined the sentence-length portion using the expanded definition of the total incarceration variable. The research presented here examines the validity of using the total incarceration variable and whether the same factors affect the length of a jail sentence as those affecting the length of a prison sentence. The implication for future research is discussed.

Journal Article 2: Lindsey, A. M., Mears, D. P., & Cochran, J. C. (2016). The privatization debate: A conceptual framework for improving (public and private) corrections. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 32, 308–327.

Abstract: Although the privatization of corrections has a long history in America, debates about its merits have intensified in recent decades. The goals of this article are (a) to argue that privatized corrections is more prevalent than recognized and yet little is known about how it compares with public corrections, and (b) to provide a conceptual framework for advancing research and policy on privatized corrections. In so doing, we shed light on a wide range of unanswered questions about both public corrections and private corrections. We conclude by highlighting opportunities for informing the privatization debate and advancing research.