Criminal Justice

Mason researcher tackles 'The Politics of Innocence' in new book

Colleen Rich — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 19:38:42 +0000

Mason researcher tackles 'The Politics of Innocence' in new book Colleen Rich Fri, 04/05/2024 - 15:38

Since 1989, more than 3,000 people have been exonerated after being wrongly convicted. In his new book, The Politics of Innocence: How Wrongful Convictions Shape Public Opinion (New York University Press, September 2023), Robert J. Norris, associate professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society, and his coauthors explore the political dynamics that shape the innocence movement.

Robert J. Norris. Photo provided

What inspired you to write this book?

After exploring how wrongful convictions had become such a prominent advocacy issue in the criminal legal system, I was left with lingering questions about how much the public knew about [wrongful convictions] and how they responded to information about them. Around that same time, one of my coauthors and I were having lunch and discussed the first season of the podcast Serial, which was about a likely wrongful conviction. We were talking about how those sorts of stories made people nervous and wondered how common that feeling was. We began designing our first study and now, seven years later, here we are!

Was there anything that surprised you in the research for this book?

Throughout the book, we show that wrongful convictions can change people’s support for the death penalty and their trust in the criminal justice system generally. However, we were a bit surprised to find that we could not change people’s trust in police, even when explicitly telling people about the role of police in wrongful convictions. Those attitudes appear to be more entrenched and resistant to change than others. Another thing that is perhaps not surprising, but definitely heartening, is that while innocence reform is political, people across the ideological spectrum can be persuaded to support changes that would help improve our legal system. We can cut through some of the ideological noise and appeal to a variety of different people.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently working on a variety of things. Some of these projects are still related to innocence, including work on the racial history of wrongful convictions, the post-release experiences of wrongly convicted people, narrative language in wrongful convictions, and the relationship between the innocence movement and the antideath penalty movement. Other work is more generally tied to public opinion, such as the process that leads people to support punitive practices and the effects of the language we use to discuss incarcerated populations. I’m also beginning to explore some broader conceptual ideas about completely unrelated issues, which is really exciting for me.

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American Society for Criminologists awards highlight special bond

Damian Cristodero — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 21:35:35 +0000

American Society for Criminologists awards highlight special bond Damian Cristodero Mon, 11/13/2023 - 16:35

Faye Taxman, a health services criminologist and Distinguished University Professor in ��AV’s Schar School of Policy and Government, has mentored C.J. Appleton, a PhD student in Criminology, Law, and Society, since 2019.

They have worked together at Mason’s Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence (ACE), of which Taxman is the director, building a professional relationship that accelerated Appleton’s evolution as a scholar and provided the center with what Taxman calls “a role model for the field.”

So it is with great pleasure for both that they will be honored at this week’s American Society for Criminologists (ASC) annual meeting in Philadelphia.

Faye Taxman. Photo by Office of University Branding

Taxman, part will receive the August Vollmer Award, given to someone whose scholarship and professional activities have made outstanding contributions to justice and/or the treatment or prevention of criminal or delinquent behavior.

Appleton will receive the Ruth D. Peterson Fellowship for Racial and Ethnic Diversity, which encourages students of color, especially from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in the field, to enter the fields of criminology and criminal justice.

“For me, to be on this journey with her and to have learned from her and to see how talented and incredible she is, it’s an honor and pretty special that we both can receive something at the same time,” Appleton said.

“It’s awesome,” Taxman said. “It makes me very happy.”

Their story began in 2018, when Appleton basically cold-called Taxman in an email to ask about Mason’s PhD programs. Appleton had turned his life around after several years in correctional institutions for an assortment of drug possession and probation violations, and earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology/anthropology at Lewis & Clark College, and a master’s degree in sociology from Portland State University.

They met later at an ASC meeting and quickly learned their visions aligned. In fact, Appleton said, “[Taxman] is the reason I chose Mason.”

C.J. Appleton

“What I see in C.J. is a person who has endured a lot of struggles in his life and benefited from good, quality rehabilitative treatment services and wants to give back to the next generation,” Taxman said. “He embraces the notion that any of us can serve our community. His way is by mentoring and helping people understand that when people in society don’t do well, there are ways to help them so they can pursue a more productive life and be a productive citizen.”

Appleton said Taxman immediately made him feel part of the ACE team instead of what he called “a worker bee doing tasks for other people.”

“I have been put in charge of various aspects and components for the last five years and because of that I have a lot of confidence, not just in my skills but in my ability to figure it out,” Appleton said. “That’s one of the biggest things I’ve gotten in my experience at Mason, just confidence that comes through being put in the fire and being supported.”

Appleton said he is most proud of his research with a team that created a free resource available on ACE’s website that explains best practices and guidelines in administering probation conditions. That led to ongoing work with the state of Massachusetts to revamp its condition-setting practices.

Taxman, as Schar School dean Mark J. Rozell said, “is a powerhouse whose work on criminal justice reform reaches well beyond the academe to inform public discourse and policymaking.”

“I’ve been able to develop models about how to implement improvements in how the criminal legal system can actually help people change and reduce their criminal behavior,” Taxman said. “So this award means that I am recognized, but that my work is recognized in terms of highlighting to the next generation of researchers the different ways people can pursue having an impact on public policy and engage public institutions in change.”

A lesson that helped lead Appleton to success.

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Washington Business Journal: "Viewpoint: The case for an FBI headquarters in Northern Virginia's Springfield"

Jeannine Harvey — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 15:02:36 +0000

Washington Business Journal: "Viewpoint: The case for an FBI headquarters in Northern Virginia's Springfield" Jeannine Harvey Mon, 03/27/2023 - 11:02

��AV's President, Dr. Gregory Washington, recently shared his thoughts in Washington Business Journal, making a case for an FBI headquarters in Northern Virginia.

As Virginia and Maryland officials make their final pitches to be the home of the next FBI headquarters, Springfield is the clear choice. While Maryland has made an excellent case for how the state would benefit from an FBI relocation, Virginia stands alone in its capacity to bring transformational change to the FBI.

^{Without a doubt, the new FBI headquarters would bring great benefit to Northern Virginia. By embedding the FBI in Springfield, it would immerse itself in a majority-minority community where Latinos and Black and African Americans combine to make up the largest cohort. Seventeen languages in addition to English are spoken there, from Spanish to Korean to Arabic to French Creole."}

_{^{Dr. Gregory Washington}}

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Interdisciplinary Team Creating Guidelines for Probation Officers as Change Agents

Mary Cunningham — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 19:23:28 +0000

Interdisciplinary Team Creating Guidelines for Probation Officers as Change Agents Mary Cunningham Tue, 04/19/2022 - 15:23

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Faye S. Taxman

Researchers from the Schar School of Policy and Government’s Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence! and the College of Health and Human Services are translating research into actionable guidelines to help probation officers support their clients to achieve better outcomes.

With probation officers providing services to nearly five million people on community supervision in the United States, they play a critical role in the criminal justice system. Finding proven, effective ways to enhance probation and parole practices is important in keeping people from returning to the correctional system, which will improve lives and reduce costs. Evidenced-based research exists to help probation/parole officers improve their practice; however, the research can be difficult for probation/parole agencies to implement.

University Professor and Director of the Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence (ACE) Faye S. Taxman and Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work JoAnn Lee are collaborating to build on evidence-based research to help make implementing the research easier to digest--after all what good is research if it sits on a shelf?

Faye S. Taxman

Taxman considered this question and got to work. Easier to use research would hopefully strengthen the relationship between officers and their clients, improve their clients' lives and support them to achieve better outcomes, and prevent further involvement in the court system. Together with an interdisciplinary team of graduate students, Taxman and Lee are writing practical guidelines for officers as positive change agents instead of disciplinarians.

Probation/parole can be given as a sentence to people convicted of certain crimes instead of jail time or ordered for a period of time after a person is released from prison. For this project, Taxman, the principal investigator, wanted to partner with Lee, the co-principal investigator, to bring an interdisciplinary approach.

Taxman thought it would be helpful to have a partner who was more grounded in social work principles and had direct service experiences helping others. Taxman knew that having an interdisciplinary team would be the best way to incorporate all angles in the guidelines so they would be as effective as possible.

JoAnn Lee

“Having an interdisciplinary team helps us combine translating the research and clinical practice into actionable items,” said Taxman. "It has improved the project to be able to work with people in many academic fields, as well as people working in various roles within the probation process.”

They are working with experienced probation officers and a team of criminologists, social workers, and psychologists with expertise in substance use treatment, mental health and probation, intimate partner violence, violence, and criminal thinking. Additionally, they have included several criminology and social work students into the project.

“We hope when we disseminate our guidelines to the field, we do it in a way that probation officers and agencies will use them and begin to talk about what do they need to improve their existing practice,” said Taxman, who is professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government. “We’ve taken existing evidence-based research and our own research from the field to create real-world guidelines.”

Creating Easy-to-Use Guidelines

Taxman and Lee began by looking at the existing research and identified where there were gaps that they needed to fill in order to provide complete guidelines. They also surveyed probation officers to get direct input from the field about what practices should be done, under what circumstances, and for whom. Researchers also turned to their interdisciplinary panel of academic experts to help provide missing guidance.

The result will be nearly 20 different actionable statements that are easy for probation/parole agencies and officers to apply in their day-to-day work. The statements include guidelines on how and when each guideline should be used and when it may be harmful. Topics include contacts and monitoring; screening for substance and mental health services and treatment services; electronic monitoring; contacting employers and family members; and fines, fees, and restitution. The project, “Developing Probation Guidelines Using Appropriateness Statements,” is funded by a $500,000 grant from the Arnold Ventures Foundation.

For example, motivational interviewing is a skill that can be used alone or integrated with other approaches that focus on preparing a client for behavior change. Evidence-based research might say “use motivational interviewing for substance misuse," but it does not tell probation officers how to use that skill or when it is most helpful. Taxman and Lee’s statements explain what motivational interviewing is, when to use it, and tips for how to use it.

“This is different because we’re clear about what are evidence-based practices and what are existing practices directly from those in the community supervision field,” says Lee. “Our statements identify when probation officers’ experiences and research agree about an effective technique. The voice of the audience is more integrated into the presentation and we believe this helps officers understand the ‘why’ behind the technique, which may make them more likely to include it into their practice.”

They have been working on this project for about three years and plan to present the guidelines this summer at the American Probation and Parole Association annual training institute. Throughout the process, the team has published several papers (or are in the process of publishing) including in the Handbook of Issues in Criminal Justice Reform in the United States, Aggression and Violent Behavior, Federal Probation, and The Oxford Handbook of Psychology and Law.

The team is also sponsoring a special issue for Federal Probation about working with specific populations such as substance abusers, individuals with mental illness, individuals involved with intimate partner violence, and individuals that are considered violent or violent-prone.

“When we surveyed the field, there was very little attention to working with special populations,” said Lee. The issue will include practices, written by experts in the field, for working with specific populations such as young or violent offenders, those affected by intimate partner violence, and people with mental health challenges.

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National Institute of Justice Adopts New ‘Risk & Needs Assessment’ Guidelines Co-Authored by Faye Taxman

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 17:15:32 +0000

National Institute of Justice Adopts New ‘Risk & Needs Assessment’ Guidelines Co-Authored by Faye Taxman Andrew J Schappert Thu, 08/12/2021 - 13:15

ACE! director Faye Taxman

New guidelines that address the “core function in the criminal justice system” were published this summer by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs and the National Institute of Justice.

The guidelines were created by a team of corrections scholars, including the Schar School of Policy and Government’s Faye Taxman, a University Professor and director of the Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence (ACE!). Kristofer Bret Bucklen of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and Grant Duwe of the Minnesota Departments of Corrections, along with Taxman, drafted the “Guidelines for Post-Sentencing Risk Assessment,” a study that examines the “risk and needs assessment” (RNA) instruments used by those in corrections settings for post-sentencing decision-making.

“Risk and needs assessments serve a core function in the criminal justice system,” said Jennifer Scherer, the acting director of the National Institute of Justice in Washington, D.C. “The principles that are the focus of this paper—fairness, efficiency, effectiveness, and communication—reflect a critical need to develop and implement innovative risk assessments to improve the prediction of risk.

“Guided by these principles, the checklist developed by this expert team will assist criminal justice practitioners in producing data-driven risk and needs assessments.”

The new guidelines are important as the results of RNA examinations affect rehabilitation, probation, sentencing, pretrial detention, presentencing decisions, and supportive and therapeutic treatment for those in incarceration scenarios.

“Once someone has been convicted and sentenced for a crime, corrections agencies use risk and need assessment tools to identify how likely that person is to commit another crime or violate the rules of prison, jail, or community supervision,” said a review of the researchers work published separately by the National Institute of Justice. “Correctional authorities use RNA instruments to guide decisions about programming, support, and restrictions that are intended to enhance public safety and make better use of scarce resources.”

For her part, Taxman did her Rutgers University PhD dissertation on RNA, has been consistently studying RNA, and specializes in the design and implementation of RNA, as well as analyzing data to generate evidence or to examine the effectiveness of new systems and methods to reduce recidivism.

See Taxman’s RNR Simulation Tool at www.gmuace.org/tools to see how to apply RNA to target individuals to appropriate programs and services.

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Schar School News August 2021

J-RIG Offers Rapid Response Research Grants for Studies of Addiction Treatment in Justice-Related Settings

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 17:25:16 +0000

J-RIG Offers Rapid Response Research Grants for Studies of Addiction Treatment in Justice-Related Settings Andrew J Schappert Tue, 04/20/2021 - 13:25

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Faye S. Taxman

You have a great idea for a new study related to the treatment of opioid addiction, but the thought of writing a proposal that might not be funded for months is daunting. Or, you would like to have some seed money to do a pilot study before facing the large grant application. JCOIN’s Rapid Innovation Grant program (J-RIG) is here for just such a dilemma.

J-RIG facilitates and, importantly, accelerates research on policies and practices affecting individuals in the criminal justice system. J-RIG provides researchers with quickly approved, small grants targeting new efforts to address prevention and treatment of addiction in justice, or justice-related, settings. Applicants may request up to $110,000 for a study of 6 months to 2 years.

J-RIG is the latest initiative funded through the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network—JCOIN— a program within the National Institutes of Health’s Helping to End Addiction Long-Term (HEAL) Initiative, a collaborative effort to provide scientific solutions to the opioid crisis.

The goals of J-RIG, said JCOIN director Faye Taxman, “are to fund research that will create quick changes, leading to higher quality care. We see a desperate need to speed up the pace of change while maintaining scientific and academic excellence…We are seeking to support innovation and ideas that are often mired in bureaucracy and paperwork.” Decisions on funding are typically made in 90 days.

Two J-RIG grants have been approved and are underway.

In Vermont, researchers at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine are undertaking a statewide evaluation of how medications are used for opioid use disorder among those in the state’s correctional facilities, as well as studying the effects of COVID-19 on incarcerated populations. Assistant Professor Elias Klemperer at the university’s Vermont Center on Behavior and Health in the Department of Psychiatry is leading that program.
Washington, D.C.-based Rulo Strategies LLC, along with Wayne State University and the National Center for State Courts, is examining the effects of COVID-19 remote treatment teleservices in judicially led diversion programs. The national study will look at how courts use telehealth services. Rulo Strategies is led by Tara Kunkel.

While opioids are a key priority for J-RIG projects, applications may focus more broadly on other substance use issues, particularly substances associated with overdose and overdose mortality. Projects should have direct relevance to individuals who are justice-involved, but need not take place within justice settings. Those applying for grants may come from universities, nonprofit organizations, or private businesses.

J-RIG funding is available three times per year, with the call for proposals available January 5, March 20, and July 1. Typically, one project is funded in each funding cycle. Applications for the March 20 funding cycle are due May 6. Funding is open to those who work in research, policy, and practice settings. These studies will provide opportunities to learn about local initiatives, policy changes, or practice improvement efforts. For more information, contact jcpilot@gmu.edu.

At ��AV, the Coordination and Translation Center for JCOIN is managed by the 10-year-old Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence, ACE!, at Mason’s Schar School of Policy and Government. ACE! is led by Schar School professor Faye Taxman and Danielle Rudes, an associate professor in Mason’s Department of Criminology, Law, and Society.

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Schar School News April 2021

Alumna who sparked hit “Serial” podcast helps others understand the criminal justice system

Damian Cristodero — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 09:30:00 +0000

Alumna who sparked hit “Serial” podcast helps others understand the criminal justice system Damian Cristodero Tue, 06/25/2019 - 05:30

Millions of people were captivated by the murder mystery case involving Adnan Syed and Hae Min Lee, after ��AV law school alumna Rabia Chaudry took the case to NPR and the hit podcast “Serial” was born.

Syed, who was convicted of murdering his high school ex-girlfriend, Lee, was sentenced to life in prison. But Chaudry, a family friend of Syed and attorney who got her start at Mason, has been advocating for his innocence for two decades. In March, she brought the story back to the national stage in HBO’s new documentary series, “The Case Against Adnan Syed,” where Chaudry is an executive producer and appears in the show.

She credits her time at Mason, particularly her first-year constitutional law class, for helping cultivate her strategic thinking.

Rabia Chaudry
Photo by: Ayesha Ahmed

“[My professor] employed the Socratic method, and he taught me to think differently,” said Chaudry, who was originally a pre-med student but switched to law after taking a stab at the LSAT and scoring in one of the highest percentiles.

“When you come from a science background, it’s mostly rote memorization,” Chaudry said. “With the Socratic method, it’s not just an answer you’ve memorized—you have to really think about what’s at the foundation of that answer, [and analyze] how can two people look at the same set of facts and come away with different conclusions?”

The Socratic method, along with in-class assessments, simulations, and field experiences, helps students learn to think like lawyers, analyzing problems so they can present their clients with thoughtful solutions, said Victoria Huber, the Scalia Law School’s associate dean for professional development who also taught Chaudry.

At Mason, graduates receive additional training, such as double the amount of legal research and analysis courses as compared to most other law schools, Huber said. “Those rigorous courses mixed with our tradition of students working in the field over multiple semesters really makes our law graduates ready to distinguish themselves in their fields of choice.”

During Chaudry’s time at Mason, she also took advantage of professional development opportunities in the Washington, D.C., area with an internship at a local immigration firm.

“I worked for the first year on only asylum cases and appeal work, and I loved it,” she said.

After graduating in 2000, Chaudry practiced immigration and civil rights law for more than a decade. Last year, she further helped her local community by doing legal asylum work, and she has been actively involved in interfaith work.

“My work seems really diverse, when people look at it on paper, but it’s not really,” Chaudry said. “Immigration, national security, and criminal justice are all intimately intersectional."

Criminal Justice

Mason researcher tackles 'The Politics of Innocence' in new book

What inspired you to write this book?

Was there anything that surprised you in the research for this book?

What are you working on now?

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Interdisciplinary Team Creating Guidelines for Probation Officers as Change Agents

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Researchers from the Schar School of Policy and Government’s Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence! and the College of Health and Human Services are translating research into actionable guidelines to help probation officers support their clients to achieve better outcomes.

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National Institute of Justice Adopts New ‘Risk & Needs Assessment’ Guidelines Co-Authored by Faye Taxman

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J-RIG Offers Rapid Response Research Grants for Studies of Addiction Treatment in Justice-Related Settings

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Alumna who sparked hit “Serial” podcast helps others understand the criminal justice system

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