I am an associate professor of Political Science and the Director of the Research Center in Political Science.
My research covers three subareas in Political Science: public policy (deterrence theory, particularly, the policy effects of and on law enforcement and juvenile delinquency); political behavior (determinants of citizen trust in political institutions across countries and how trust shapes people’s attitudes and actions); public administration (accountability, as well as performance measurement and management, particularly the effects of organizational culture and bureaucratic autonomy on public performance).
You can find some of my work in journals such as the British Journal of Political Science, Policy Studies Journal, Electoral Studies, European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, Criminal Justice Policy Review, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Public Money and Management.
I am currently involved in two research projects. One has to do with legitimacy and trust in the police and the sentiment of fear, and the other had to do with juvenil delinquency and youth justice. I also head up the Portuguese team of the international research network International Self-Reported Delinquency (ISRD) within the European Society of Criminology since 2006.
public policy
criminal policy
policy evaluation
political trust
performance and accountability in public administration
Selected publications
Soares, M., Barbosa, M., Matos, R., & Mendes, S. M. (2018). Public protest and police violence: Moral disengagement and its role in police repression of public demonstrations in Portugal. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 24(1), 27–35. DOI
Anderson, C. J., & Mendes, S. M. (2006). Learning to lose: Election outcomes, democratic experience and political protest potential. British Journal of Political Science, 36(1), 91–111. DOI
McDonald, M. D., Mendes, S. M., & Budge, I. (2004). What Are Elections for? Conferring the Median Mandate. British Journal of Political Science, 34(1), 1–26. DOI
Mendes, S. M., & McDonald, M. D. (2001). Putting Severity of Punishment Back in the Deterrence Package. Policy Studies Journal, 29(4), 588–610. DOI
Other publications
Martins, P. C., Oliveira, V. H., Mendes, S. M., & Fernández-Pacheco, G. (2020). After-school time use of urban adolescents: Effects on achievement, problem behaviors, and happiness. Journal of Leisure Research, 1–21. DOI
Camões, P. J., & Mendes, S. M. (2019). Do Citizens Trust the Civil Service Differently? Comparing the Determinants of Confidence in Political-Administrative Institutions. International Journal of Public Administration, 42(14), 1234–1244. DOI
Martins, P. C., Mendes, S. M., Fernández-Pacheco, G., & Tendais, I. (2019). Juvenile Victimization in Portugal through the Lens of the ISRD-3: Lifetime Prevalence, Predictors, and Implications. European Journal of Criminal Policy Research, 25(3), 317–43. DOI
Martins, P. C., Mendes, S. M., Fernández-Pacheco, G., & Tendais, I. (2018). Juvenile Victimization in Portugal through the Lens of ISRD-3: Lifetime Prevalence, Predictors, and Implications. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research. DOI
Pacheco, G. A. F., Torres, M., Mendes, S. M., & Martins, P. (2018). “Son los jóvenes de origen migrante más propensos a la delincuencia que los jóvenes portugueses? Una aproximación dinámica con datos del ISRD-3 en Portugal. Revista Electrónica De Ciencia Penal y Criminología, 20(26), 1–18. DOI
Soares, M., Barbosa, M., Matos, R., & Mendes, S. M. (2018). Public protest and police violence: Moral disengagement and its role in police repression of public demonstrations in Portugal. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 24(1), 27–35. DOI
Gomes, P., & Camões, S. (2017). Impact of PMS on organizational performance and moderating effects of context. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 66(4), 517–538. DOI
Gomes, P., Camões, S. M., & Carvalho, J. (2016). Determinants of the design and use of PMS in Portuguese government agencies: A complementary theoretical approach. In I. G. I. Global (Ed.), Global Perspectives on Risk Management and Accounting in the Public Sector (pp. 320–345). IGI-Global. DOI
Gomes, P., & Mendes, S. M. (2013). Performance measurement and management in Portuguese law enforcement. Public Money and Management, 33(1), 31–38. DOI
Mendes, S. M. (2012). Teorias, Hipóteses e a Revisão de Literatura. In H. C. Silvestre & J. F. de Araújo (Eds.), Metodologia para a Investigação Social (1st ed., pp. 79–101). Lisboa: Escolar Editora. DOI
Mendes, S. M., & Camões, P. J. (2011). Medição: Propriedades e Problemas. In H. C. Silvestre & J. F. de Araújo (Eds.), Metodologia Para a Investigação Social (1st ed., pp. 121–140). Lisboa: Escolar Editora. DOI
Mendes, S. M., Gomes, P., & Araújo, J. F. (2011). Portugal. In K. Verhoest, S. van Thiel, G. Bouckaert, & P. Lagreid (Eds.), Government Agencies: Practices and Lessons from 30 countries (pp. 133–144). Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan. DOI
Gomes, P. S., Mendes, S. M., & Carvalho, J. B. (2010). O Balanced Scorecard como Instrumento de Medida de Desempenho das Forças Policiais. Economia Global e Gestão, 15(2), 91–114. DOI
Mendes, S. M. (2010). Testimony of Portuguese Researcher in PA. In G. Bouckaert & W. V. de Donk (Eds.), The European Group For Public Administration (1975-2010): Perspectives for the Future (p. 209). Brussels: Bruylant. DOI
Mendes, S. M., & Carvalho, S. (2010). Portugal. In J. Junger-Tas, I. H. Marshall, D. Enzmann, M. Killias, M. Steketee, & B. Gruszczynska (Eds.), DJuvenile Delinquency in Europe and Beyond (Vol. XVI, pp. 203–213). Springer. DOI
Mendes, S., & Camões, P. (2010). Portuguese PA and PA in Portuguese. In G. Bouckaert & W. van de Donk (Eds.), The European Group for Public Administration (1975-2010): Perspectives for the Future (pp. 217–219). Brussels: Bruylant. DOI
Gomes, P. S., Carvalho, J. B., & Mendes, S. M. (2009). O Papel do Balanced Scorecard na Gestão das Organizações do Sector Público. Jornal De Contabilidade, (384), 88–98. DOI
Camões, P. J., & Mendes, S. M. (2008). Party Politics and Local Government Coalition Formation in Portugal. In D. Gianneti & K. Benoit (Eds.), Intra-Party Politics and Coalition Governments (pp. 69–85). London: Routledge. DOI
Gomes, P. S., Mendes, S. M., & Carvalho, J. B. (2008). Use of Performance Measurement in the Public Sector: The Case of the Police Service. In S. Jorge (Ed.), Implementing Reforms in Public Sector Accounting (pp. 407–426). Coimbra: Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra. DOI
Tavares, A. F., Mendes, S. M., & Costa, C. S. (2008). The impact of deterrence policies on reckless driving: The case of Portugal. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 14(4), 417–429. DOI
McDonald, M. D., Mendes, S. M., & Kim, M. (2007). Cross-temporal and cross-national comparisons of party left-right positions. Electoral Studies, 26(1), 62–75. DOI
Anderson, C. J., & Mendes, S. M. (2006). Learning to lose: Election outcomes, democratic experience and political protest potential. British Journal of Political Science, 36(1), 91–111. DOI
Mendes, S. M. (2006). Políticas Criminais dos Últimos 25 Anos e o Desequilíbrio do Sistema de Justiça em Portugal. In A. F. Tavares (Ed.), Estudo e Ensino da Administração Pública em Portugal (pp. 117–130). Lisboa: Escolar Editora. DOI
Anderson, C. J., Mendes, S. M., & Tverdova, Y. V. (2004). Endogenous economic voting: Evidence from the 1997 British election. Electoral Studies, 23(4), 683–708. DOI
Camões, S. M. (2004). Certainty, severity, and their relative deterrent effects: Questioning the implications of the role of risk in criminal deterrence policy. Policy Studies Journal, 32(1), 59–74. DOI
McDonald, M. D., Mendes, S. M., & Budge, I. (2004). What Are Elections for? Conferring the Median Mandate. British Journal of Political Science, 34(1), 1–26. DOI
Mendes, S. M., Camões, P. J., & McDonald, M. D. (2002). Declining Portuguese Voter Turnout: Political Apathy or Methodological Artifact. Revista Portuguesa De Administração e Políticas Públicas, 3(1-2), 8–17. DOI
McDonald, M. D., & Mendes, S. M. (2001). Checking the Party Policy Estimates: Convergent Validity. In I. Budge, H.-D. Klingemann, A. Volkens, J. Bara, & E. Tanenbaum (Eds.), Mapping Policy Preferences Estimates for Parties, Electors, and Governments 1945-1998 (pp. 127–141). Oxford: Oxford University Press. DOI
McDonald, M. D., & Mendes, S. M. (2001). The Policy Space of Party Manifestos. In M. Laver (Ed.), Estimating the Policy Positions of Political Actors (pp. 90–114). London: Routledge. DOI
Mendes, S. M., & McDonald, M. D. (2001). Putting Severity of Punishment Back in the Deterrence Package. Policy Studies Journal, 29(4), 588–610. DOI
Camões, S. M. (2000). Property Crime and Drug Enforcement in Portugal. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 11(3), 195–216. DOI
McDonald, M. D., & Mendes, S. M. (2000). Der Politikraum von Parteipositionen. In J. van Deth & T. König (Eds.), Europäische Politikwissenschaft: Ein Blick in die Werkstatt (pp. 22–52). Frankfurt/NY: Campus Fachbuch. DOI
Rocha, J. O., & Camões, S. M. (1996). Gestão da Qualidade: Conceitos, Enquadramento Teórico e Aplicação à Administração Autárquica. Revista De Administração Local, (153), 259–281. DOI
