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

本论文将探讨文化框架，国家政策制定者使用时，倡导改变法律，社会福利和刑事司法：罪犯和福利受助人被描绘成理性的行为者，作为受害者，或作为道德缺陷？ 刑法是否被描述为旨在改造、威慑、惩罚或使人丧失能力？ 种族问题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，社论和其他宣传提案的文本，以改变四个州（新泽西，明尼苏达州，印第安纳州和加州）中的八项法律，这些法律在福利慷慨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、立法成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.