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Journal Article #1: Van Ginneken, E., & Hayes, D. (2016). “Just” punishment? Offenders’ views on the meaning and severity of punishment. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 17(1), 62-78. doi:10.1177/1748895816654204.

Abstract: In England and Wales, “punishment” is a central element of criminal justice. What punishment entails exactly, however, and how it relates to the other aims of sentencing (crime reduction, rehabilitation, public protection and reparation), remains contested. This article outlines different conceptualizations of punishment and explores to what extent offenders subscribe to these perspectives. The analysis is supported by findings from two empirical studies on the subjective experiences of imprisonment and probation, respectively. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 male and 15 female prisoners and seven male and two female probationers. Two primary conceptualizations of punishment were identified: “punishment as deprivation of liberty” and “punishment as hard treatment.” The comparative subjective severity of different sentences and the collateral (unintended) consequences of punishment are also discussed. It is shown that there are large individual differences in the interpretation and subjective experience of punishment, which has implications for the concept of retributive proportionality, as well as the function of punishment more generally.

Journal Article #2: Gordon, J., & Baker, T. (2017). Examining correctional officer’ fear of victimization by inmates: The influence of fear facilitators and fear inhibiters. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 28(5), 462-487. doi:10.1177/0887403415589630

Abstract: Perceptions of fear in the correctional literature typically seek to predict factors such as procedural justice, turnover, and satisfaction rather than identify the antecedents to fear. In addition, studies on perceptions of safety consistently uncover female officers reporting higher levels of fear. The current study applies the concepts of fear facilitators and inhibitors, found in the general fear of crime literature, as a mechanism to explain perceptions of emotional and cognitive fear among correctional officers with a focus on differences between males and females. The study examines 40 institutions and 901 correctional officers to investigate theoretical, institutional, and individual predictors of correctional officer perceptions of inmate fear. Results show the predictors of fear differ between males and females and also demonstrate the importance of fear facilitators, individual characteristics, and institutional factors for determining emotional and cognitive fear.