Sometimes, You Gotta Roll the Dice: An Examination of the Effects of Risk Perceptions on Technical Violations

SESSION INFO

Tuesday, January 28, 2025
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Session Type: Workshop

A major aspect of probation is using punishment to change behavior. Probationers know they are being monitored and know they will be punished for non-compliance, so why do people violate knowing they will get caught? Important theoretical developments in rational choice theory and offender decision-making improve our understanding of offender decision-making. One such development in rational choice theory is the significant of perceptions (Apel, 2022). This presentation examines findings from a recent study on a large sample of probationers who completed a series of surveys regarding their thoughts, feelings, and attitudes towards probation and the risk for violating conditions of probation. Findings suggest that risk taxonomy is associated with probationer risk perceptions and the type of punishment imposed may influence future choices to engage in technical violation behaviors. This study further expands the criminological literature and challenges practitioners to investigate how probationers update their decision-making in response to sanctions.

SESSION PRESENTERS

Carley Shelton
Doctoral Candidate , The University of Texas at Dallas


Carley Shelton is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Texas at Dallas and a practitioner of community supervision for 16 years. Her research interests include adult community supervision and corrections, actuarial risk assessments, and gender-responsive programming. She is currently an Operations Manager with the Tarrant County Community Supervision Department located in Tarrant County, Texas.