Doctoral Dissertation Research: Explaining Changes in Criminal Justice and Social Welfare Policies in the American States, 1965-1985

本文将研究国家政策制定者在倡导社会福利和刑事司法方面的法律变革时所使用的文化框架：罪犯和福利接受者是被描绘成理性行为者、受害者还是道德缺陷者？刑法是否被描述为旨在恢复，威慑，惩罚或丧失行为能力？种族是如何被纳入这些辩论的？这项研究将收集听证会、立法、演讲、专栏、社论和其他倡导提案的文本，这些提案围绕着四个州（新泽西州、明尼苏达州、印第安纳州和加利福尼亚州）的八项法律进行修改，这些法律在福利慷慨程度和刑法方面各不相同。计算机化的内容分析将用于确定主题，并在各州、时间、立法结果和宣传来源之间进行比较。

This dissertation will investigate the cultural frames that state policy makers use when advocating change in laws regarding social welfare and criminal justice: Are criminals and welfare recipients portrayed as rational actors, as victims, or as morally deficient? Is criminal law described as intended to rehabilitate, deter, punish, or incapacitate? How is race included in these debates? The research will collect texts from hearings, legislation, speeches, op-eds, editorials, and other advocacy surrounding proposals to change eight laws in each of four states (New Jersey, Minnesota, Indiana, and California) that vary on their welfare generosity and criminal law. Computerized content analysis will be used to identify themes and compare them across states, time, legislative outcome, and advocacy source.