lethal violence
My first line of research focuses on urban violence, with specific attention to macrostructural forces that contribute to variation in rates of homicide and violence across time and space. With substantial fluctuations in crime rates over the past few decades, much of my focus thus far has been on temporal trends in overall and disaggregated homicide rates.
Forthcoming book:
Parker, Karen F., Richard Stansfield, and Ashley Mancik (eds.). (2024). Taking Stock of Homicide: Trends, Emerging Themes, and Research Challenges. Temple, PA: Temple University Press.
Selected manuscripts and research in progress related to lethal violence:
published articles
HOMICIDE TRENDS & GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION
Semenza, D.C., Stansfield, R., Steidley, T., & Mancik, A.M. (2023). Firearm Availability, Homicide, and the Context of Structural Disadvantage. Homicide Studies, 27(2), 208-228. https://doi.org/10.1177/10887679211043806
Boyle, K.M., Jones, P.*, & Mancik, A.M. (2022). Racialized Backlash: A State-Level Analysis of Black Women's Homicide Victimization by Black Men, White Men, and Police. Crime & Delinquency, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00111287221134922
Mancik, A.M., Hawk, S.R., Jarvis, J.P., & Regoeczi, W.C. (2021). Evaluating Fluctuations in Homicide: Crowdsourcing Trends and Assessing Sentiments of Change. Journal of Crime and Justice, 44(5), 553-578. https://doi.org/10.1080/0735648X.2020.1842790
Lin, K. and Mancik, A.M. (2020). National Culture on the Cross-National Variation of Homicide: An Empirical Application of the Inglehart–Welzel Cultural Map. Sociological Forum, 35(4), 1114-1134. https://doi.org/10.1111/socf.12640
Mancik, A.M., Parker, K.F., & Ousey, G.C. (2019). Assessing Prominent Explanations for U.S. Homicide Trends: A Meta-Analysis. American Sociological Association Conference Paper. PDF
Parker, K.F., Mancik, A.M., & Stansfield, R. (2017). American Crime Drops: Investigating the Breaks, Dips, and Drops in Temporal Homicide. Social Science Research, 64, 154-170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2016.09.029
DOMESTIC & MASS VIOLENCE
Schweit, K.W., & Mancik, A.M. (Forth). "Mass Shootings." In Handbook of Gun Violence, edited by N. Thomson. Elsevier.
Stansfield, R., Mancik, A.M., Parker, K.F., & Delacruz, M.* (2021). County Variation in Female Intimate Partner Homicide: A Comparison of Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Victims. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36 (17-18), NP9819-NP9838. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260519861657
Mancik, A.M., Stansfield, R., & Kinard, S.M.* (2020). Intimate Partner Femicide in Context: An Examination of Firearm Type Across the Rural/Urban Divide. International Journal of Rural Criminology, 5(2), 276-299.
https://doi.org/10.18061/1811/92027
VIOLENCE PREVENTION
Schweit, K.W., & Mancik, A.M. (2017, May). How School Resource Officers Can Help Prevent School Violence - Best Practices from Experienced Voices: Part II - Proven Strategies. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 14-20. https://leb.fbi.gov/articles/featured-articles/school-resource-officers-and-violence-prevention-best-practices-part-two
Schweit, K.W., & Mancik, A.M. (2017, April). How School Resource Officers Can Help Prevent School Violence - Best Practices from Experienced Voices: Part I - Getting Started. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. https://leb.fbi.gov/articles/featured-articles/school-resource-officers-and-violence-prevention-best-practices-part-one
research in progress
Nelan, M., & Mancik, A.M. The Argument for Differentiating Ideologically Motivated Mass Shootings (IMMS): A Disaster Science Approach. (R&R, Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management).
Spencer, M. D., & Mancik, A.M. A Systematic Review Aided by Machine Learning to Understand How We Measure the Spatial Variability of Crime. (Manuscript under review).
Mancik, A.M., & Lin, K. Disparities in Intimate Partner Violence against Women across the Rural-Urban Divide: The Impact of Community Structure and Culture on Resources, Help-Seeking Behavior, and Violence Escalation. (Grant proposal in preparation).
Mancik, A.M., & Spradley, R.R.* Comparing Apples to Oranges: An Examination of How Definitional Criteria and Data Sources Shape our Understanding of Mass Shootings. (Manuscript in preparation).
Mancik, A.M., Lin, K., & Holder, E.* Major Political Change and Anomie: A Longitudinal Examination of U.S. Homicide and Suicide Trends, 1960-2020. (Manuscript in preparation).
crime clearance
A second line of research focuses on police response to violent crimes, particularly in the form of clearance (i.e., arrest) for crimes. With currently less than two-thirds of homicides cleared by arrest (and much less for other crime types), and serious implications of low clearance rates for families and loved ones, communities, law enforcement, and the potential for criminal deterrence, this is an important, yet understudied, area of research and much of my work has focused on this topic. While I am engaged in multiple papers related to this topic, I aim to contribute a macro-approach to this body of research, as well.
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Selected manuscripts and research in progress related to crime clearance and investigations:
published articles
Cook, P.J., & Mancik, A.M. (2024). The 60-Year Trajectory of Homicide Clearance Rates: Toward a Better Understanding of the Great Decline. Annual Review of Criminology, 7, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-criminol-022422-122744
Schnell, C., Spencer, M.D.*, Mancik, A.M., Porter, L., Ready, J., & Alpert, G. (2022). Expanding Research on Investigations of Officer-Involved Shootings: An Experimental Evaluation of Question Timing on Police Officers' Memory Recall. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 49(7), 1031-1049. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548211035824
Regoeczi, W.C., Jarvis, J.P., & Mancik, A.M. (2020). Homicide Investigations in Context: Exploring Explanations for the Divergent Impacts of Victim Race, Gender, Elderly Victims, and Firearms on Homicide Clearances. Homicide Studies, 24(1), 25-44.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1088767918802885
Mancik, A.M., & Parker, K.F. (2019). Homicide Clearances During Pre- and Post-U.S. Crime Drop Eras: The Role of Structural Predictors and Demographic Shifts, 1976-2015. Journal of Crime and Justice, 42(3), 237-256. https://doi.org/10.1080/0735648X.2018.1526101
Mancik, A.M., Parker, K.F., & Williams, K.R. (2018). Neighborhood Context and Homicide Clearance: Estimating the Effects of Collective Efficacy. Homicide Studies, 22(2), 188-213. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088767918755419
Jarvis, J.P., Mancik, A.M., & Regoeczi, W.C. (2017). Police Responses to Violent Crime: Reconsidering the Mobilization of Law. Criminal Justice Review, 42(1), 5-25. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734016816684198
*winner of the James L. Maddex, Jr. Paper of the Year Award, 2017
research in progress
Mancik, A.M., Wellen, M.*, Jarvis, J.P., & Regoeczi, W.R. "Reconceptualizing Homicide Clearance: Measuring the Gap Between Homicides Committed and Homicides Cleared." (Manuscript in preparation).
Mancik, A.M. "Race, Investigative Effort, and Arrest Clearances: Leveraging Two National Data Sources to Understand Racial Disparities in Clearance by Arrest." (Manuscript in preparation).
Mancik, A.M., Becker, P., & Martin, T. "Leveraging Two National Data Sources to Establish a Baseline Clearance by Arrest Model." (Manuscript in preparation).
Mancik, A.M., & Becker, P. "Beyond the Usual Suspects: A Comparison of NIBRS and NCVS Sexual Assault Arrest Clearances." (Manuscript in preparation).