Enforcement of Lower-Level Offenses in the United States: Findings from the Research Network on Misdemeanor Justice, Part I

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract

The current panel will extend prior work from the Misdemeanor Justice Project (MJP) in New York City with presentations from the Research Network on Misdemeanor Justice (RNMJ). The RNMJ is a seven jurisdiction alliance that seeks to document trends in the enforcement of lower-level offenses and better understand the criminal justice system’s response to these trends. This panel will examine trends in lower-level enforcement within three jurisdictions across the country: Louisville, KY; Prince George’s County, MD; and St. Louis, MO. The first paper will examine six different enforcement actions including arrests, citations, and warrants, by demographics, in Louisville, KY. The second paper will explore misdemeanor enforcement trends, rates, and outcomes in Prince George’s County, MD. The third paper will explore various enforcement actions, including misdemeanor arrests, ordinance violations, bench warrants, and citations in the city of St. Louis, MO. Taken together, this panel seeks to highlight how trends in the enforcement of lower-level offenses as well as warrants has varied over time and shed light on similarities and differences across jurisdictions.

Sub Unit

• Area VII. The Criminal Justice System / 38. Police Strategies, Interventions, and Evaluations

Individual Presentations

• Examining High-Volume Enforcement Activities in Louisville, Kentucky: 2009-2016 - Thomas W. Hughes, University of Louisville; Brian Schaefer, Indiana State University; Dan Jude, University of Louisville

• Misdemeanor Arrest Trends, Rates, and Outcomes in Prince George’s County, MD (2006-2015) - Emily Morgan Glazener, University of Maryland; Meghan M. Kozlowski, University of Maryland; James P. Lynch, University of Maryland; Jinney Smith, University of Maryland

• Spatial and Temporal Trends in the Enforcement of Low-Level Offenses in St. Louis City from 2002 – 2017 - Lee Ann Slocum, University of Missouri - St. Louis; Beth M. Huebner, University of Missouri - St. Louis; Claire Greene, University of Missouri - St. Louis; Richard Rosenfeld, University of Missouri - St. Louis

Chair

• Preeti Chauhan, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Discussant

• Jeremy Travis, Laura and John Arnold Foundation