Replicating Results to Avoid a Crisis: Milwaukee's Crime, Punishment, and Stake in Conformity

• In Event: Dealing with Domestic Violence. Responses and Interventions

Abstract

Recently, psychology, medicine, and other science disciplines have voiced concerns regarding results in failed replications when compared to their original studies. This worry has grown and become known as a ‘replication crisis’ across the disciplines. It has since echoed into criminology, which has created interest in replicating research within this field. Findings from the Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment (Sherman & Berk, 1984) and five subsequent replication sites have been instrumental in informing arrest policies and practices in domestic violence cases. These studies have also influenced criminological ideas such as, labeling theory, control theories, and deterrence theory. From Milwaukee, one of the five replication sites, Sherman and colleagues (1992) considered deterrence theory, labeling theory, and stake in conformity when examining recidivism for domestic violence offenders. The current study attempts to replicate those findings, while also taking steps to improve upon the original work by enhancing measures for stake in conformity. This replication also aims to help avert the replication crisis before it disturbs criminology.

Authors

• Nicole Wilkes, University of Cincinnati

• Amanda Graham, University of Cincinnati