Rombach Institute researches crime prevention

Michael Gottfredson, vice president for undergraduate education, presented these findings at a symposium on crime prevention Jan. 18.

That symposium was part of the dedication ceremonies for the Rombach Institute on Crime, Delinquency and Corrections housed in the University of Arizona's College of Business and Public Administration.

"Perhaps no issue is more urgent to citizens and policy makers alike than crime. Yet, policy is often created irrespective of research," according to the institute's mission statement.

The institute will bridge that gap by conducting policy research into the viability of criminal justice proposals, said Michael Polakowski, associate professor of public administration and policy.

Polakowski is leading the institute's first effort, which is already underway - a "drug court." The program will be a means of intervention prior to a person ending up in criminal court on drug charges, he said.

People who agree to participate in the program will be enrolled in a yearlong drug-rehabilitation program and given job training, Polakowski said.

"The idea is to keep these people involved for an extensive period of time to make sure they don't get involved with drugs again," he said.

While the "drug court" is the only program in progress, several proposals for research are being considered. Proposals include:

• Studying the costs of prevention-based strategies, which emphasize long-term solutions to crime and violence. In addition, the media, politicians and religious groups will be asked to emphasize crime prevention in early childhood.

• Strengthening family and early child-rearing to prevent criminal activity.

• Establishing financial support and evaluation for parenting education programs during pregnancy for individuals considered at high risk.

All research will be conducted at the institute by teams of researchers that will include undergraduate and graduate students, primarily those majoring in criminal justice.

The institute was endowed by UA alumnus Lionel "Lee" Rombach, who worked locally as a social worker and corrections officer after receiving his bachelor's degree in public administration in 1947.

Rombach gave the UA an initial gift of more than $100,000 to start the institute, and he said he plans to contribute another $10,000 per year until his death. He has also set up a $600,000 endowment for the institute to be paid to the UA upon his death, according to a proposal approved by the Arizona Board of Regents Jan. 15.