Targeted Deterrence & Mechanisms of Change: Evaluating Chicago’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Offender Notification Meetings

• In Event: Understanding and Advancing Legitimacy Theory

Abstract

Although targeted deterrence programs have been shown to be effective in reducing criminal behavior, few studies have examined the psychological mechanisms of change underlying these programs. This study addresses this gap within the context of Chicago’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Offender Notification Meetings. These meetings were designed under the premise that attendance would improve parolees’ views of the legitimacy of the law, increase their perceptions of risk associated with further offending (i.e., deterrence), and strengthen their commitment to community behavioral norms. To examine if this was the case, surveys tapping all three mechanisms were given to parolees either immediately before or after meetings. Results showed that parolees who completed surveys after the meetings were more likely to view the law as legitimate and have higher perceptions of risk than parolees who completed the survey before the meetings. However, attendance had no impact on commitment to community norms. Additionally, legitimacy and deterrence had a stronger impact on motivation to stay out of prison for parolees that completed surveys after the forum than those who completed it before, suggesting that the forums are having their hypothesized effect in increasing participants’ felt obligation to refrain from engaging in further crime.

Author

• Rick Trinkner, Arizona State University