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In recent years, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for image and video-based crime detection has gained significant attention from law enforcement agencies and security experts. Indeed, deep learning (DL) models can learn complex patterns from data and help law enforcement agencies save time and resources by automatically identifying and tracking potential criminals. This contributes to make deep investigations and better steer their targets’ searches. Among others, handheld firearms and bladed weapons are the most frequent objects encountered at crime scenes. In this paper, we propose a DL-based surveillance system that can detect the presence of tracked objects, such as handheld firearms and bladed weapons, as well as may proceed to alert authorities regarding eventual threats before an incident occurs. After making a comparison of different DL-based object detection techniques, such as you only look once (YOLO), single shot multibox detector (SSD), or faster region-based convolutional neural networks (R-CNN), YOLO achieves the optimal balance of mean average precision (mAP) and inference speed for real-time prediction. Thus, we retain YOLOv5 for the implementation of our solution.

Resumen En este artículo se analiza uno de los discursos discriminatorios que recientemente ha adquirido especial relevancia en el contexto nacional peruano: el ciberterruqueo. El objetivo es realizar -desde los enfoques político-ideológico, así como étnico, racial y cultural- un análisis descriptivo sobre el fenómeno, y estudiar, en el marco del ciberespacio, las representaciones hegemónicas que se crean discursivamente respecto a determinados sectores de la población. Metodológicamente, el estudio es de enfoque cualitativo de nivel exploratorio. El análisis de estas representaciones se ha basado en la ocurrencia de este fenómeno en el marco de la red social de Twitter y los datos para la investigación se recopilaron de la misma. Entre los resultados se encontró que el ciberterruqueo funge como una herramienta de aniquilación social y estigmatización que se sostiene sobre representaciones negativas a fin de conseguir la invalidación o deslegitimación de ciertos sectores de la población y de sus reclamos y necesidades, en favor de la perpetuación y dominación de un sector hegemónico o establishment y su agenda. El artículo concluye, a su vez, que el espacio virtual y las interacciones sociales que comprende son el reflejo de la realidad, y que este permite la producción, reproducción y socialización de determinadas representaciones hegemónicas configuradas en el discurso. Abstract This article analyzes one of the discriminatory discourses that has recently acquired special relevance in the Peruvian national context: cyberterruqueo. The aim is to carry out a descriptive analysis of the phenomenon -from the political-ideological and ethnic, racial and cultural perspectives-, and to study, in the context of cyberspace, the hegemonic representations that are discursively created with respect to certain sectors of the population. Methodologically, the study has an exploratory qualitative approach. The study of these representations was based on the occurrence of this phenomenon within the framework of the Twitter social network, and the data for the analysis were collected from Twitter. Among the results, it was found that cyberterruqueo functions as a tool of social annihilation and stigmatization that is based on negative representations in order to achieve the invalidation or delegitimization of certain sectors of the population and their demands and needs, in favor of the perpetuation and domination of a hegemonic sector or establishment and its agenda. The article concludes, in turn, that virtual space and the social interactions it comprises are a reflection of reality, and that it allows for the production, reproduction and socialization of certain hegemonic representations configured in the discourse. Resumo Este artigo analisa um dos discursos discriminatórios que adquiriu recentemente especial relevância no contexto nacional peruano: o ciberterruqueo. O objectivo é realizar uma análise descritiva do fenómeno -a partir de uma perspectiva político-ideológica, bem como étnica, racial e cultural-, e estudar, no contexto do ciberespaço, as representações hegemónicas criadas discursivamente em relação a determinados sectores da população. Metodologicamente, o estudo tem uma abordagem qualitativa exploratória. O estudo destas representações foi baseado na ocorrência deste fenómeno no âmbito da rede social Twitter, e os dados para a análise foram recolhidos do Twitter. Entre os resultados, verificou-se que o ciberterruqueo funciona como um instrumento de aniquilação e estigmatização social que se baseia em representações negativas a fim de conseguir a invalidação ou a deslegitimação de certos sectores da população e das suas exigências e necessidades, a favor da perpetuação e dominação de um sector ou establishment hegemónico e da sua agenda. O artigo conclui, por sua vez, que o espaço virtual e as interacções sociais que ele compreende são um reflexo da realidade, e que ele permite a produção, reprodução e socialização de certas representações hegemónicas configuradas no discurso.

Extracting and analyzing crime patterns in big cities is a challenging spatiotemporal problem. The hardness of the problem is linked to two main factors, the sparse nature of the crime activity and its spread in large spatial areas. Sparseness hampers most time series (crime time series) comparison methods from working properly, while the handling of large urban areas tends to render the computational costs of such methods impractical. Visualizing different patterns hidden in crime time series data is another issue in this context, mainly due to the number of patterns that can show up in the time series analysis. In this article, we present a new methodology to deal with the issues above, enabling the analysis of spatiotemporal crime patterns in a street-level of detail. Our approach is made up of two main components designed to handle the spatial sparsity and spreading of crimes in large areas of the city. The first component relies on a stochastic mechanism from which one can visually analyze probable×intensive crime hotspots. Such analysis reveals important patterns that can not be observed in the typical intensity-based hotspot visualization. The second component builds upon a deep learning mechanism to embed crime time series in Cartesian space. From the embedding, one can identify spatial locations where the crime time series have similar behavior. The two components have been integrated into a web-based analytical tool called CriPAV (Crime Pattern Analysis and Visualization), which enables global as well as a street-level view of crime patterns. Developed in close collaboration with domain experts, CriPAV has been validated through a set of case studies with real crime data in São Paulo - Brazil. The provided experiments and case studies reveal the effectiveness of CriPAV in identifying patterns such as locations where crimes are not intense but highly probable to occur as well as locations that are far apart from each other but bear similar crime patterns.

How can we improve the effectiveness of criminal justice reform efforts? Effective reform hinges on shared understandings of what the problem is and shared visions of what success looks like. But consensus is hard to come by, and there has long been a distinction between "policy talk" or how problems are defined and solutions are promoted, and "policy action" or the design and adoption of certain policies. In this essay, we seek to promote productive thinking and talking about, as well as designing of, effective and sustainable criminal justice reforms. To this end, we offer reflections on underlying conceptual and practical considerations relevant for both criminal justice policy talk and action.

Background: There is evidence that prisoners have the highest rate of problem gambling in any population, but little is known about the nature of in-prison gambling, the motives for it or how it relates to prior gambling behaviour. Aims: To investigate the prevalence and type of gambling prior to prison and the prevalence, type, and reasons for gambling in prison. Methods: Two hundred and eighty-two male volunteers in a Category B male prison in England completed a questionnaire which included the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Results: One hundred and twenty-six (45%) reported gambling in prison, with eighty-one (30%) of participants reporting that gambling was a normal part of prison life. Pre-prison behaviour, whether type of index offence or prior gambling, had little relationship to in-prison gambling. Frequency of gambling in prison increased with increasing PGSI risk category. The most common types of gambling in prison were card/dice games, sports and ball games, while the most common motives were entertainment, excitement or sense of challenge and to win prizes, with significant differences in motive between PGSI risk categories. Prison canteen items formed the most common currency gambled. People within the higher PGSI risk category were more likely to have borrowed items from other prisoners. Conclusions: Our research has added to existing literature by identifying high rates of gambling in prison and showing that prisoners' perceptions of gambling are as a normal part of prison life. Findings suggest that screening and support should be available to manage gambling in prison, including support to reduce gambling-related debt, particularly given associations between debt and violence in prison. Relief from boredom and need for excitement were among the most common reasons for gambling in prison, indicating that there is a need to provide a more appropriately stimulating prison environment.

Michigan was one of the first states to feel the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This exploratory, mixed-methods study describes 20 county jails' responses to the pandemic across Michigan and presents a case study of one rural jail to examine changes in booking trends and behavioral health needs and services. Qualitatively, jails decreased their population at the outset of the pandemic via early releases, reconsideration of bond, and reductions in arrests. Quantitatively, the greatest prevalence of serious mental illness was found during the spring (initial shutdown period), which had the lowest weekly booking rates. Significant differences were found when comparing charge severity and charge type between study periods. Bookings occurring during the spring were significantly related to felony charges and drug/alcohol charges while individuals were less frequently booked because of violations. Past year recidivism significantly decreased from the winter to summer phase. Policy should mandate that jails screen for behavioral health problems and provide access to behavioral health services, while also expanding diversion opportunities during and after a pandemic. Innovations in continuity of care are critical for both behavioral and public health needs given the high risk for suicide, overdose, and viral spread after release from jail. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

International audience; We develop a two-period overlapping generations model in which both the structure of the family and the decision to commit crime are endogenous and the dynamics of moral norms of good conduct (honesty trait) is transmitted intergenerationally by families and peers. Having a father at home might be crucial to prevent susceptible boys from becoming criminals, as this facilitates the transmission of the honesty trait against criminal behavior. By "destroying" biparental families and putting fathers in prison, we show that more intense crime repression can backfire at the local level because it increases the possibility that criminals' sons become criminals themselves. Consistent with sociological disorganization theories of crime, the model also explains the emergence and persistence of urban ghettos characterized by a large proportion of broken families, high crime rates, and high levels of peer socialization, which reinforce criminal activities. Finally, we discuss the efficiency of segregation, family and education policies in terms of long-term crime rates.

Despite enhanced forensic collaborations between law enforcement agencies and universities, crime scene management remains a domain seen more as technical than scientific, largely carried out by sworn police officers qualified as scene of crime officers (SOCOs), confining forensic graduates to specialized expertise fields. Under such circumstances, we must ask ourselves why and how do we provide a generalised dedicated course to academic pupils who are not primarily intended to join such teams, excepting sometimes to assist them on a specialized field (explosion, arson, etc.)? Currently in Quebec, forensic graduates cannot join crime scene units attached to police forces, mainly because of unions, which argue about the need to be an experienced police officer before qualifying for a crime scene course. Based on the operational experience of the author, who created the foundational graduate forensic programme in Quebec, Canada, this paper will explain why such an academic course is still of high importance, its rationale within an academic curriculum, its goal and its implementation. Challenges are still to be considered, but selected feedback from students who understood that the aim of this course is distinct from their formal support disciplines, encourage such an approach.

This study analyses the connection between crime and the structural characteristics of mu-nicipalities. The first part compares the concentration of different crime types in the municipali-ties ranked by their population size across eight countries worldwide. The second part anal-yses the relationships between crime rates, urban scale and urban hierarchy among the Italian municipalities. The analysis suggests that both urban scale and hierarchy are relevant for un-derstanding crime rates.

In 1998, a Wyoming cyclist noticed what he initially thought was a scarecrow was actually a person. When he took the time to investigate, he found Matthew Shepherd bound to a fence, beaten and left for dead, attacked for being gay. This heinous act of hatred represented a shift in how the United States treats hate crimes, leveeing severe ramifications for the motivations themselves. Although progress has been made, many in medicine who identify in as LGBTQI+ choose to conceal their truths out of fear. With available evidence suggesting a worsening shortage of surgeons in the country, populations of interested people cannot be excluded. Data on representation is severely lacking but is key to attract candidates; inclusivity, modern vocabularies, and the demonstration of engagement are important. Surgical organizations must understand the importance of being a welcoming, mentoring, and allying environment for interested LGBTQI+ candidates, serving as beacons for their interest, or we will simply remain complicit in seeing only scarecrows.

In postmortem examinations, the drug analysis of hair is effective for revealing drug-use history. Additionally, a method to estimate the day of death using hair was previously developed by analyzing a single hair strand segmented at 0.4-mm intervals (micro-segmental hair analysis). However, for drowned bodies, drugs in the hair may be washed out due to soaking in water for extended periods. To evaluate the possibility of measuring drug distribution in the hair of drowned bodies, drug stability in hair samples soaked in various aqueous solutions was examined. First, reference hair strands of drug users containing specific drugs consistently along the hair shaft were prepared. The participants ingested 4 hay-fever medicines (fexofenadine, epinastine, cetirizine, and loratadine) every day for approximately 4 months before hair collection. Each reference strand was divided into regions, and each region was soaked in different solutions containing various solutes for extended periods up to approximately 2 months. In solutions without divalent ions (Ca

Juvenile delinquency is a social problem faced by each country. Depending on the effectiveness of prevention work, citizens’ levels, and social sense of security in each country differ. Juvenile prevention units are just beginning their practical activities in a new legal direction. The article aims to characterize the organization of the work of juvenile prevention units of the National Police of Ukraine. The object of the study is public relations in juvenile prevention. The subject of the research is the organization of work of juvenile prevention units of the National Police of Ukraine. The methodological basis of the study is general scientific and unique methods. Thus, dialectical, descriptive, system-structural, and comparative-legal methods and methods of induction and deduction were used. It is emphasized that the organization of the work of juvenile prevention units of the National Police of Ukraine is due to several factors. First, the system of juvenile prevention in general. Secondly, the legislative sources determine the general principles of juvenile prevention and its specific measures. Third, the structure of juvenile prevention units at the national and local levels. Fourth, the normative definition of the main tasks of juvenile prevention units. Злочинність серед неповнолітніх–це соціальна проблема, з якою стикається кожна країна, і в залежності від ефективності ведення профілактичної роботи її рівень та соціальне почуття безпеки громадян у кожній країні різняться. Підрозділи ювенальної превенції, тільки починають практичну діяльність у новому правовому руслі. Враховуючи значущість завдання з протидії злочинності неповнолітніх, вжиття ефективних і дієвим заходам підрозділів ювенальної превенції Національної поліції України є важливим та нагальним. Саме тому, метою статті є характеристика організації роботи підрозділів ювенальної превенції Національної поліції України. Об’єктом дослідження є суспільні відносини у сфері діяльності підрозділів ювенальної превенції. Предметом дослідження є організації роботи підрозділів ювенальної превенції Національної поліції України. Методологічною основою дослідження є загальнонаукові та спеціальні методи. Так, було використано діалектичний, описовий, системно-структурний та порівняльно-правовий методи, а також методи індукції та дедукції. Наголошено, що організація роботи підрозділів ювенальної превенції Національної поліції України обумовлена кількома факторами. По-перше, системою ювенальної превенції в цілому. По-друге, законодавчими джерелами, які визначають загальні засади реалізації ювенальної превенції та її конкретні заходи. По-третє, структурою підрозділів ювенальної превенції на загальнодержавному та локальному рівні. По-четверте, нормативним визначенням основних завдань підрозділів ювенальної превенції.

To evaluate the impact of a multi-component, Aboriginal-led strategy to reduce alcohol-related criminal incidents for Aboriginal people in four rural/remote communities in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.A retrospective multiple baseline design (MBD), using interrupted time series analysis of routinely collected crime data.A statistically significant reduction in alcohol-related criminal incidents was observed in one community for both victims of crime (parameter estimate -0.195; p≤0.01) and persons of interest (parameter estimate -0.282; p≤0.001). None of the analyses show level shifts, meaning there were no measurable changes immediately post the introduction of the Breaking the Cycle (BTC) programs.It is not possible to conclude that the program was effective independently of any other community factors, because the statistically significant result was not observed across multiple communities. The statistically significant result in one community has clear practical benefits in that community: a sustained impact over two years would reduce Aboriginal victims of alcohol-related crime from an estimated 56 incidents per annum to 36, and reduce Aboriginal persons of interest in alcohol-related crime from an estimated 68 alcohol-related person of interest (POI) per annum to 40.The statistically and practically meaningful result in Community 1 highlights the potential of multi-component, Aboriginal-led strategies to reduce alcohol-related criminal incidents. Earlier engagement with researchers, to identify best-evidence strategies to reduce alcohol harms and to facilitate the use of prospective evaluation designs, would help translate the positive outcome in one community across multiple communities.

The family is the most basic institution in any society. The existence of a healthy society is related to the existence of a strong family institution. It is accepted that the problems experienced by the individual are affected by the family and socialization process. In recent studies, it is stated that some negative behaviours that are not accepted by the society are related to the family structure. The problems experienced by the individual in the family environment during childhood can negatively affect his/her behaviour and lead him/her to turn to crime.Crime and punishment are twins. From past to present, social punishment practices have been regulated according to the changing social structure. Traditional penal systems generally practice confinement by choosing to isolate offenders from society. However, incarceration did not succeed in re-committing the crime. This situation is better understood with the increase in the number of prisons and the overcrowding of the prison population. In recent years, some changes have been made in traditional penal systems. The probation system, as a part of these changes, aims to control the perpetrator within the society. Thus, it is tried to ensure that the perpetrator of the crime is approved by the society.The aim of this study is to examine the effect of the family on the delinquency of young people subject to probation within the scope of sociological crime theories, social learning and social control theories, and to evaluate the adequacy of probation, which has an effective importance and value in our country, although it is not very long. In the field research, in which the qualitative research method was applied, in-depth interviews were conducted with 60 people between the ages of 18-30 who were subject to inspection at the "Istanbul Anatolian Probation Directorate". According to the results obtained, it was concluded that there is a significant relationship between young people committing crimes and family structures. Again, in line with the data obtained from the young people who were subjected to inspection, it was revealed that the system needed to be developed., Aile her toplumda en temel kurumdur. Toplumun sağlıklı bir şekilde varlığını sürdürebilmesi, güçlü bir aile kurumunun varlığı ile ilgilidir. Bireyin yaşadığı sorunların aile ve sosyalizasyon sürecinden etkilendiği kabul edilmektedir. Son yıllarda yapılan araştırmalarda, toplum tarafından kabul görmeyen bazı olumsuz davranışların aile yapısı ile bağlantılı olduğu belirtilmektedir. Bireyin çocukluk döneminde aile ortamında yaşadığı sorunlar onun davranışlarını olumsuz etkileyerek suça yönelmesini sağlayabilir.Suç ve ceza birbirinin ikizidir. Geçmişten günümüze toplumsal cezalandırma uygulamalarında, değişen toplumsal yapıya göre düzenlemeler yapılmıştır. Geleneksel ceza sistemleri genel olarak suçluları toplumdan soyutlamayı seçerek kapatma uygular. Ancak hapsetmek suçun yeniden işlenmesi konusunda başarılı olamamıştır. Bu durum cezaevlerinin sayısının artmasıyla ve cezaevlerinin nüfusunun kalabalıklaşmasıyla daha iyi anlaşılmaktadır. Son yıllarda geleneksel ceza sistemlerinde bir takım değişimler yapılmaktadır. Denetimli serbestlik sistemi de bu değişimlerin bir parçası olarak suç işleyeni toplum içinde kontrol etmeyi hedefler. Böylece suç işleyenin toplum içinde onanması sağlanmaya çalışılır.Bu çalışmanın amacı, denetimli serbestliğe tabi tutulan gençlerin suç işlemelerinde ailenin etkisini sosyolojik suç teorilerinden sosyal öğrenme ve sosyal kontrol teorileri kapsamında incelemek ve ülkemizde, çok uzun olmasa da, etkin bir öneme ve değere sahip olan denetimli serbestliğin genç suçluluğunu önlemede yeterliliğini değerlendirmektir. Niteliksel araştırma yönteminin uygulandığı saha araştırmasında, “İstanbul Anadolu Denetimli Serbestlik Müdürlüğü’nde” denetime tabi tutulan 18-30 yaş arası 60 kişiyle derinlemesine görüşme yapılmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlara göre, gençlerin suç işlemeleri ile aile yapıları arasında anlamlı bir ilişkinin bulunduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Yine denetime tabi tutulan gençlerden elde edilen veriler doğrultusunda, sistemin geliştirilmesine ihtiyaç duyulduğu hususu ortaya çıkmıştır.

Contemporary criminal investigations are based on the statements made by the victim and the eyewitnesses. They also rely on the physical evidences found in the crime scene. These evidences, and more particularly biological ones, have a great judicial value in the courtroom. They are usually used to revoke the suspect's allegations and confirm or refute the statements made by the victim and the witnesses. Stains of body fluids are biological evidences highly sought by forensic investigators. In many criminal cases, the success of the investigation relies on the correct identification and classification of these stains. Therefore, the adoption of reliable and accurate forensic analytical methods seems to be of vital importance to attain this objective. Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) is a modern and universal analytical technique capable of fingerprint recognition of the analyte using minimal amount of the test sample. The current systematic review aims to through light on the fundamentals of this technique and to illustrate its wide range of applications in forensic investigations. ATR-FTIR is a nondestructive technique which has demonstrated an exceptional efficiency in detecting, identifying and discriminating between stains of various types of body fluids usually encountered in crime scenes. The ATR-FTIR spectral data generated from bloodstains can be used to deduce a wealth of information related to the donor species, age, gender, and race. These data can also be exploited to discriminate between stains of different types of bloods including menstrual and peripheral bloods. In addition, ATR-FTIR has a great utility in the postmortem investigations. More particularly, in estimating the postmortem interval and diagnosing death caused by extreme weather conditions. It is also useful in diagnosing some ambiguous death causes such as fatal anaphylactic shock and diabetic ketoacidosis.

Currently in the UK, if a person is arrested or charged with a recordable offence, they can have prints of their footwear taken whilst in custody. The tread pattern recorded in these prints can be searched for using the National Footwear Database to find out if the same footwear pattern has been recovered at previous crime scenes, generating forensic intelligence. TreadMatch is a digitised system for collecting footwear prints seized from detainees in custody for this purpose. Whilst its use for generating intelligence is accepted, validation experiments have not been conducted to understand its level of performance in assisting in forensic comparison purposes for identification, because in the absence of an incorporated scale, it is not known how well TreadMatch reproduces the pattern size of a tread, threatening the validity of the comparison. If it can be determined that the measurements of TreadMatch scans are consistent with the more commonly used aluminium powder test marks, this could save Police time and resources if the digital scans could be used for preliminary assessment prior to the footwear being physically submitted for evidential comparison. Therefore, this study set out to compare three different types of TreadMatch scans ('dynamic', 'zoomed' and 'rolled') for thirty different pieces of footwear, with test marks of the same footwear using the traditional method (fingerprint powder). Length and width measurements were obtained from each tread pattern using GNU Image Manipulation Program software. The resulting data were analysed to assess for agreement between TreadMatch scans and test marks using 95% Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) and 95% Bland-Altman plots of Limits of Agreement (LOA). Additionally, an intra-sample study using fifteen repeated measurements of the same piece of footwear for different TreadMatch scanning methods was carried out to support the larger validity study. 95% ICCsub3,1/subresulted in coefficients ranging from 0.99 to 1.00 across all measurements. 95% LOA displayed close agreement. There was less agreement and more variation displayed between the test marks and the TreadMatch rolled scans for both length and width measurements. This variation for hand-rolled prints must be taken into consideration and a standard approach developed. The study suggests TreadMatch can be used for preliminary assessments in assisting forensic comparisons, particularly for dynamic and zoomed prints.

Objectives Longitudinal studies of the relationship between neighborhood change and changes in crime typically focus exclusively on the net level of change in key socio-demographic characteristics. Methods We instead propose a demographic accounting strategy that captures the composition of neighborhood change: our measures capture which types of people are more likely to leave, stay, or enter the neighborhood. We use data for 3,325 tracts in the Southern California region over nearly two decades of 2000–2010 and 2010–2017 and construct flow measures based on race/ethnicity; the length of residence of owners and renters; the age structure. Results These flow measures improve the predictive power of the models—implying important theoretical insights. Neighborhoods with higher percentages of middle-aged residents who recently entered the neighborhood exhibit larger increases in violent and property crime. The relative stability of those in the highest crime-prone ages (aged 15–29) is associated with the largest increases in violent and property crime. The greater loss of Black and Asian residents decreased crime while moderate outflows of Latinos increased crime. The mobility of long- and short-term renters was related to crime changes. Conclusions This new technique will likely encourage further theoretical innovation for the neighborhoods and crime literature.

The comorbid relationship between schizophrenia and crime may prove difficult to accept by some researchers, practitioners, and the public alike. However, over the last 50 years, accumulating evidence from several follow-up studies and retrospective studies of birth cohorts, patients, and incarcerated populations globally, have established the schizophrenia and crime link. This chapter reviews the growing empirical evidence to date on the risk-factors and cures associated with schizophrenia, crime, and for both of these conditions. By understanding the etiology of this comorbid relationship, we can reduce the stigma that is associated with these disabling conditions and importantly, begin to direct more resources into developing preventive interventions for individuals at-risk for developing these disabling conditions.

I study local governments under fiscal stress and local elections of partisan politicians. In the first chapter, I explore municipal pensions. Most U.S. cities have defined-benefit pensions for their public workers, creating an obligation that exposes sponsoring cities to shortfall risk. Large funding gaps in recent years have required increased pension payments and generated fiscal stress for cities. To analyze the effect of “pension pressure”, I assembled a novel dataset which captures the universe of cities and their pensions in California from 2003 to 2016. I focus on the changes in city unfunded liability contributions, which are plausibly exogenous to cities’ year-to-year spending needs. Using a first-differenced empirical specification, I find that cities primarily target reductions in non-current expenses, specifically capital investment. I also show that cities cut payrolls and employment. Police employment declines have accompanying increases and decreases in crime and arrest rates, respectively. These estimates imply that pension pressure impairs local public service provision. The second chapter, coauthored with Brett Fischer, considers elected district attorneys (DAs), who have wide discretion in criminal prosecution; yet, the extent to which DAs' politics shape their decision-making remains unclear. We evaluate the causal impact of DA partisan affiliation on prosecution rates, sentencing outcomes, and recidivism. Using quasi-random variation in DA partisanship stemming from close elections, we find that the marginal Democratic DA is 25 percent more likely to dismiss criminal cases than Republican counterparts, and 16 percent less likely to incarcerate defendants. Strikingly, defendants in jurisdictions with Democratic DAs are no more likely to reappear in a future criminal case, which is consistent with the notion that criminal prosecutions have limited deterrence or scarring effects. We find similar patterns using an alternative matching specification, suggesting our results capture the average effect of prosecutor partisanship. Our findings underscore the extent to which the punitiveness of the court system depends on the partisanship of local district attorneys. In the third chapter, I examine the role of state oversight and interventions into local finances. I look at two cases, California and Ohio, which have different systems and contexts that allow for different empirical methodologies. Although some previous research suggests that there are economically large and statistically significant impacts on budgetary outcomes for local governments, my own analysis indicates that there is not enough evidence to reach definitive conclusions.

Drawing on a study of the range and magnitude of harms that alcohol caused to specific others in Australia, and on social and health agency statistics for collective costs, this article produces an analysis of the economic cost of alcohol's harm to others (AHTO) in Australia.This study used a general population survey and routinely collected social response agencies' data to quantify different costs of AHTO, using methods consistent with International Guidelines for Estimating the Costs of Substance Abuse. This approach estimates costs for health care and social services, crime costs, costs of productivity loss, quality of life-year loss and other expenses, including both tangible costs (direct and indirect) and intangible costs of loss of quality of life (respondents' self-reported loss of health-related quality of life).The cost of AHTO in Australia was AUD$19.81 billion (95% CI [11.99, 28.34]), with tangible costs accounting for 58% of total costs ($11.45 billion, which is 0.68% of gross domestic product in 2016) and intangible costs of $8.36 billion. The costs to private individuals or households ($18.1 billion and 89% of total costs of AHTO) are greater than the costs to the government or society because of others' drinking in Australia.This study presents an estimation of the economic cost of harm from others' drinking. The economic costs from others' drinking are large and of much the same magnitude as the costs that drinkers impose on themselves, as found in previous studies. Preventing harm to others from drinking is important as a public health goal for both economic and humane reasons.

The historical moment in which we live is strongly characterized by violence, and the ways and the forms through which it manifests itself are more and more ambiguous, so in many cases recognizing it becomes really difficult. In recent years more than in the past, we have witnessed the spread of a series of murders that took place in familiar circumstances. In a contemporary society, the child is protected and defended by legal regulations, but still, the phenomenon of filicide remains one of the crimes that raise an alarm in public opinion. This article aims to inform the interested professionals of mental health about the consequences of filicide by introducing a broad overview of the topic, including its history, definitions, classifications, and the recent findings around filicide.Filicide is an expression of mental illness, it is mainly associated with postpartum depression and is, perhaps, the most dramatic manifestation of this pathology. It is important to know that filicide is a crime that may occur in all cultures either in isolation or as a systematic practice with specific interpretation to each community. There are anthropological, psychoanalytic, and psychiatric explanations that currently try to address this phenomenon. This literature review will analyze the legal and psychopathological factors associated with filicide in order to examine the motivations of what push these mothers to commit such a cruel act to their children. This review has the dual purpose of presenting all this information to the interested parties as well as raise awareness about the importance of prevention and identification of factors leading to such a crime by both the psychological and legal professionals. Keywords: Murders, Filicide, Crime, Women. Introduction The family is not always that place of security and love that we imagine; sometimes that's the scenery of heinous crimes, not necessarily attributable to subjects with psychiatric disorders. Pregnancy and motherhood are complex and delicate events, but of the utmost importance. Desired or not, the child is fulfilled and grows up in a body that may or may not be suited to his own development. Some women experience this process as something shocking, a foreign body that takes possession of their body, grows inside her and modifies her body. This can determine fear, anguish or obsessive fantasies. Sometimes the trauma of pregnancy is so strong that the woman does not accept the child (Lewis & Bunce, 2003). In a society like the present one, where the child is protected and defended by legal norms, the phenomenon of filicide remains one of the crimes that arouse alarm in public opinion social increasingly strong, both because these actions violence occur in a background such as that familiar, and for the extreme brutality with which he often homicidal conduct occurs. The perpetrating of these conducts, which are implemented internally of the household, highlights so dramatic as the consideration of the familiar place which is based on bonds of solidarity and love and which is intended to protect its members, and at the same time to allow it to develop, socialize and fulfill itself. There are certain factors and situations where the risk of violence is potentially high, for this reason it is very important to aim at preventing it (Abdullah et al., 2022). From a historical and anthropological perspective, in the past and even nowadays, in many civilizations killing own children was and is not only tolerated but also permitted and encouraged by social and cultural values. When events of this type occur, public opinion immediately turns to the idea of one undoubtedly "crazy" mother, who killed as a result of her infirmity. Yet, these behaviors do not always arise in a climate of mental illness, but there are cases in which the family environment and its dynamics are pathological (Mugavin, 2008). In these conditions yes they can verify abuses, psychic and physical violence and, in the most serious cases, homicide. As difficult as it is to accept, there are cases in which mothers kill their own child having consciousness and awareness of what they are doing. In the course of the work done, after having treated the historical-juridical aspects of filicide, will be examined the psychological, psychopathological aspects, the socio-cultural situations and personal motivations that push these mothers to commit such an act cruel to their children. This excursus has the dual purpose of giving life to a classification of the reasons they can lead to the crime, and to try to explain an event that inthe eyes of public opinion is incomprehensible, especially when you take the bond into consideration in detail that unites the subjects in question. Literature review 2.1 Historical background The theme of the murder of the son is an event that occurs in several religions, and if one makes an excursus of history and anthropology you can have one confirmation of this. The legal protection of the life of children, especially if not yet adults, is guaranteed by law in relatively recent times. It is well known that during the period of the Roman Empire, the pater familias boasted the right of life and death. In ancient Rome, from the very first moments of upon birth, the child was subjected to the will of the father, who was the only one who could dispose of the fate of the son. The mother, on the other hand, watched everything with a passive attitude and had no right to be able to intervene. In 16th and 17th centuries, child murder was viewed differently in Europe. Some countries such as France and then England established laws that approached to filicide as a criminal behavior punished by death. Both countries also presumed that the mother who was guilty of committing the crime, should be considered as such until proven innocent.Another change was implemented after the establishment of the Infanticide Acts of 1922 and 1938 in England (Giacchetti et al., 2023; West, 2007). These laws considered the ‘adverse’ effect that birthing and caring for an infant may have on mother's mental health for up to 12 months after the event which may lead the mother toward mental health problems such as postpartum depression and anxiety (Koenen & Thompson, 2008). Anthropological studies show how the sacrifice of children is present in the history of Greece and Egypt, and in most cultures. In India and Africa there are cases where, according to the custom, the killing of an infant is not considered as a crime, since the newborn just came into the world and cannot be considered a complete human being, with his own rights and duties (Sedumedi & Winter, 2022). Anthropologist Mary Douglas made a few observations concerning the fact that in some tribes of Africa, when twins are born, one comes killed, as in their culture this event is considered a social anomaly (Douglas, 1990). It is controversial the fact that two human beings can come into the world by a single person, the mother, in the same time and place. In the Amazon, in the tribe of the Venezuela Yanomani, the practice of infanticide in comparisons of females is a habit at times performed following a precise ritual, and it comes justified by stating that this is intended to control population growth. In practice, if the newborn is deformed the mother must kill him; in the case of twin birth, the older child is suppressed and weak, or the female if it is twins of different sex. One explanation could be that yes ensures the survival of the species: the child misshapen would be a burden to the group. 2.2 What are the reasons of committing filicide? Filicide, the murder of a child by a parent, is a multifaceted phenomenon with various causes and characteristics (Bourget et al., 2007). The murder of the own child is known as filicide (Putkonen et al., 2006). The context in which the homicide occurs can be very variable, being able to appear from puerperal psychoses to the presence of domestic violence or the use of the minor as an object to harm the other member of the couple. As for the victims, although filicide does not refer to the age of the victim, as a general rule, children younger than six months have a higher risk of experiencing lethal violence from their parents. As far as gender is concerned, no differences have been found in Western society in this regard. It is difficult to determine the reasons that push a person to actively cause the death of one or more of their children. However, some authors such as Resnick (1969) or Putkonen (2016) have tried to make a general classification of the reasons that have arisen in different cases. The search reflects the following categories or types of filicide: Altruistic filicide This type of filicide usually occurs when the child has some type of medical condition that makes or is considered to make you suffer for life or suffers from some type of terminal illness. It is about causing the death of the son or daughter as a method of avoiding suffering. Another subtype of filicide considered altruistic by the person performing it is one that is directly related to the suicide of the abuser himself. The father or mother intends to commit suicide and believes their children will not be able to live or that it would be unfair to abandon them, preferring to kill them before making them face the situation. Generated by psychosis or mental illness While the assumption that the people who perform this type of act are people with mental disorders is unrealistic, the truth is that in some cases filicides are administered in the context of mental illness. An example is during a certain type of psychotic epidemic, in the context of hallucinations or delusions in which the child is confused with a possible enemy, persecutor, assassin, alien or demon. Unwanted child This type of filicide is motivated by the fact that the child was not wanted by the parents or one of them, or by not being able to take care of the child. Technically some authors consider abortion as such, although filicide is usually reserved for children already born. A less debatable and controversial example is the one that occurs for neglecting the child's needs or abandoning him. Accidental filicide He is considered as such the filicide who was not intended to cause the death of the child, but ends up leading him to it. It is frequent in the context of intra-family abuse or indirect violence to break the will of the couple in cases of gender-based violence. It can also happen in the context of a fight. Revengeful or utilitarian filicide The child's death is used as an instrument of torture and revenge, usually to harm the couple for some kind of harm or rejection. It is a type of indirect violence directed not so much towards the minor himself (his death is for the aggressor less), but with the cause of harm to another person. 2.3 The filicide: general characteristics The killing of a child is not a very frequently committed crime. However, there are some circumstances and characteristics that can facilitate the commitment of this type of act (Frederique et al., 2023). Among these, it has been observed that many cases of filicide occur in persons with reduced capacity for maternity or paternity. In some cases, there was a deprivation of affection in the parent's own childhood, experiencing the parent-child relationship as something negative in which there was no love and perhaps some kind of abuse (Frederick et al., 2022). Other possible risk factors are found in young mothers and fathers, whose first child appears before the age of 19 and with few economic and social resources (Barone, et al., 2014). Finally, another distinct profile includes the presence of sadistic and psychopathic characteristics, lack of emotional attachment to the child and use of this as a tool to manipulate, control or attack the other. There are many cases of filicide that are passed off as completely random episodes, but which in reality hide a well-developed homicidal project. As regards the profile of the filicidal mother, it should be noted that the average age identified by the various studies on the subject ranges from 25 to 30 years (Frederique et al., 2023). A good part has a low IQ, probably also influenced by the lower level of education (Farr, 2022; McKee & Bramante, 2010). As regards marital status, the majority of these women were married or in a relationship at the time of their child's death. Usually these are women living in a delicate socio-economic situation, characterized by financial difficulties and often with a history of abuse and maltreatment behind them. Even the mother's behavior after committing the crime is different depending on the case, as there are many factors that condition it the woman's relationship with her family of origin, the presence and type of mental illness, the ability of introspection and acceptance of murder, the type and quality of life in the prison context, the acceptance of psychotherapeutic and pharmacological treatments (Debowska et al., 2015; & McKee & Bramante, 2010). The psychological dynamics that can follow filicide are therefore different and it is extremely important to understand them as soon as possible, both for ascertaining the truth in court, and for setting up a therapeutic intervention aimed at preventing suicide attempts, very frequent in these women, as well as to avoid the recurrence of the crime and, obviously, to guarantee the person's rehabilitation (McKee & Bramante, 2010; & Mugavin, 2005). In some cases, the mothers who have killed their own child tend to make a complete and truthful confession as soon as the crime is committed, in others, however, the mothers continue to maintain, even for long periods, their extraneousness (Valença et al., 2011). An example of the first group can be that of the mother who "survived" a project of extended suicide who, after having killed her son, recounts the crime she committed with great suffering and minute detail. An example of the second group is that of a mother who kills her child because she is unwanted, or that of a mother who tends to forcefully deny her responsibility to the point of attributing it to another person because she is unable, or simply does not want to admit to herself that she had committed such a horrible crime. At the basis of these psychological processes there is often the attempt by the perpetrator of the crime to transform, for psychological defense and in an unconscious way, his own image and that of the victim. Conclusions Being a mother brings with it, alongside joy, many anxieties, fears, difficulties, anger, intolerance, which women alone cannot always face, especially when these feelings become insurmountable, overwhelming them. Because these women are often left alone in their fears, despite the fact that in most cases they are surrounded by relatives or husbands, who are not actually present emotionally, even though they are there. In addition to mental pathology, other important risk factors have also been mentioned in the literature, such as excessive dependence on others and conflicts within the family unit. The risk factors for filicide, compared to those for neonaticide, offer greater possibilities for prevention, not only through the antenatal clinic, but also with postpartum follow-ups that allow high-risk cases to be followed up. Several interventions are possible when anxiety and mood symptoms occur after childbirth. Certainly, a set of prevention and intervention programs aimed at elevating or moderating the psychological symptoms of mothers can be implemented for the benefit of both maternal and child wellbeing. For example, mothers including fathers as well can be provided with cognitive-behavioral therapies. There are still pre- and post-natal group therapies, which help mothers find reassurance in sharing the same difficulties with other women, as well as home visits, which have been particularly successful in cases of neglect and abuse. More research is needed to be conducted to further explore and identify the factors that lead to cases of high risk, as well as adequate professional training is necessary for professionals who are more in direct contact with mothers, from pediatricians to general practitioners, so that they can immediately address the cases and send them to specialservices. References Abdullah, A., Cudjoe, E., Frederico, M., Jordan, L. P., Chiu, M. Y., Asamoah, E., & Emery, C. R. (2022). Filicide as a cultural practice in Ghana: the qualitative understanding of a family tragedy and its implications for child protection practice.Child Abuse & Neglect,127, 105580. Barone, L., Bramante, A., Lionetti, F., & Pastore, M. (2014). Mothers who murdered their child: An attachment-based study on filicide.Child Abuse & Neglect,38(9), 1468-1477. Bourget, D., Grace, J., & Whitehurst, L. (2007). A review of maternal and paternal filicide.Journal-American Academy of Psychiatry and The Law,35(1), 74. Debowska, A., Boduszek, D., & Dhingra, K. (2015). Victim, perpetrator, and offense characteristics in filicide and filicide–suicide.Aggression and violent behavior,21, 113-124. Douglas, M. (1990). Risk as a forensic resource.Daedalus, 1-16. Figlicidio materno, Associazione Italiana di Psicologia Giuridica (2010/2011) from:https://aipgitalia.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/TesinaAIPG11_Melchiorri.pdf Uccidere i propri figli, Claudia Simula, from: https://www.area-c54.it/public/la%20tragedia%20di%20medea%20%20uccidere%20i%20propri%20figli%20-%20tesi.pdf Farr, K. (2022). Maternal filicide: risk factors for a death penalty outcome.Criminal Justice Studies,35(4), 385-402. Filicide: Mental Illness in Those Who Kill Their Children, Sandra M. Flynn, Jenny Shaw. Kathryn M. Abel, from : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236207492_Filicide_Mental_Illness_in_Those_Who_Kill_Their_Children Frederick, J., Devaney, J., & Alisic, E. (2022). Adverse childhood experiences and potential pathways to filicide perpetration: A systematic search and review.Child abuse review,31(3), e2743. Frederique, A., Stolberg, R., Estrellado, J., & Kellum, C. (2023). Maternal Filicide: A Review of Psychological and External Demographic Risk Factors.Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma,32(1-2), 34-52. Giacchetti, N., Lattanzi, G. M., Aceti, F., Vanac

Various studies have shown that fathers and children show similarities in criminal behaviour, but little is known about the nature of this relationship. By using a family-based research design, this study controls for familial confounders and gives a better estimate of the extent to which paternal crime has a direct effect on offspring offending.To test the extent of any relationship between paternal offending during the childhood of offspring and adolescent offending by those offspring and to examine the effect of potential confounders of this relationship.Data were from records held by Statistics Netherlands for 1,155,771 individuals born in the Netherlands between 1996 and 2001. Police data were used to measure paternal offending during the childhood (age 0-11) of this cohort and their adolescent offending (age 12-18). Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the bivariate relationship between paternal and offspring offending, as well as this relationship after controlling for various demographic and socio-economic variables. Conditional logistic regression analyses were used to compare children of discordant brothers (N = 9232). By comparing within families rather than between unrelated individuals, all unmeasured familial factors that are shared between these cousins were controlled for.Offending during adolescence was about three times as likely among offspring whose fathers had offended while they were 11 years old or younger than among adolescents with no such paternal problem (OR: 3.21, CI 3.17-3.26). This relationship was attenuated after controlling for measured confounders (OR: 1.78, CI 1.75-1.81) and for unmeasured familial confounders (OR: 1.47, CI 1.36-1.59), but remained significant.Paternal offending has an association with offspring offending, but this is small after controlling for measured socio-economic and unmeasured familial confounders. Previous studies that did not control for unmeasured familial confounders seem likely to have overestimated the effect of paternal crime on their offspring's offending. This has implications for interventions for the offspring. If confined to mitigating the negative consequences of paternal offending, they are likely to have limited effectiveness.

The occurrence of crime has always been the main problem affecting urban public security and social security environment. Therefore, the prevention and control of crime is the focus of public security work. The traditional police strategy has poor timeliness and cannot respond and adjust in real time with the occurrence of criminal activities, and its deterrence and control of criminal activities are limited. To address the problem of low accuracy of existing crime distribution prediction models, an improved transition probability matrix for crime distribution prediction is proposed in this paper. Based on a large number of trajectory data of criminals, this paper quantitatively describes the temporal and spatial characteristics of crowd movement in different areas of the city by using the temporal and spatial transfer probability. Then, combining Markov chain and Bayes’ theorem, the probability model of spatio-temporal transfer of criminal groups in regions is constructed. Finally, the model predicts the number of crimes in urban grid areas.

People are on the move in unprecedented numbers within and between countries. How does demographic change affect local intergroup dynamics? Complementing accounts that emphasize stereotypical features of groups as determinants of their treatment, we propose the group reference dependence hypothesis: violence and negative attitudes towards each minoritized group will depend on the number and size of other minoritized groups in a community. Specifically, as groups increase or decrease in rank in terms of their size (for example, to the largest minority within a community), discriminatory behaviour and attitudes towards them should change accordingly. We test this hypothesis for hate crimes in US counties between 1990 and 2010 and attitudes in the United States and United Kingdom over the past two decades. Consistent with this prediction, we find that as Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian and Arab populations increase in rank relative to one another, they become more likely to be targeted with hate crimes and more negative attitudes. The rank effect holds above and beyond group size/proportion, growth rate and many other alternative explanations. This framework makes predictions about how demographic shifts may affect coalitional structures in the coming years and helps explain previous findings in the literature. Our results also indicate that attitudes and behaviours towards social categories are not intransigent or driven only by features associated with those groups, such as stereotypes.

Resumen Dentro del ámbito de la narcoliteratura latinoamericana, la mujer ha sido comúnmente representada como una sobreviviente ante los contextos narco y de pobreza, siendo además relegada a un segundo plano y retratada, en su mayoría, por autores hombres En el presente artículo se busca analizar la representación afectiva en la novela Perra Brava (2010) de la escritora mexicana Orfa Alarcón, específicamente en lo que concierne a los hechos de violencia llevados a cabo por la protagonista, los cuales dan cuenta de un proceso de transformación y son motivados por los afectos que la acometen. Resulta relevante dilucidar la dimensión afectiva predominante en la novela ya que esta apunta hacia a una nueva forma de representar la violencia y los crímenes en la narcoliteratura, la que hasta la fecha no ha sido estudiada de forma acabada dentro de las investigaciones vinculadas al fenómeno de lo narco. Abstract Within the field of Latin American narco-literature, women have been commonly portrayed as survivors of both narco and poverty environments, while simultaneously being left out of the main narrative and depicted mostly by male authors. This paper aims to analyze affective representation in the novel Perra Brava (2010), written by the Mexican author Orfa Alarcón, emphasizing the acts of violence carried out by the protagonist, which emerge after a process of personal transformation and are motivated by affections that overwhelm her. It is worth shedding light on the predominant affective dimension present in the novel since it points out a new way of representing violence and crimes in narco-literature, which has not been fully studied in the research related to the narco phenomenon so far. Resumo Na esfera da narcoliteratura latinoamericana, as mulheres têm sido geralmente representadas como sobreviventes nos contextos da narco e da pobreza, tendo sido também relegadas para segundo plano e retratadas sobretudo por autores do sexo masculino. Este artigo procura analisar a representação afetiva no romance Perra Brava (2010) da escritora mexicana Orfa Alarcón, especificamente em relação aos actos de violência perpetrados pela protagonista, que emergem após um processo de transformação e são motivados pelos afetos que a atacam. É relevante para elucidar a dimensão afetiva predominante no romance, uma vez que aponta para uma nova forma de representar a violência e os crimes na narcoliteratura, que até à data não tem sido estudada de forma completa no âmbito das investigações ligadas ao fenómeno da narco.

How do tweets reflect the long-standing disparities between the northern and southern regions of Nigeria? This study presents a qualitative analysis of Twitter users' responses (n = 101,518) to the tweets of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding the production and prosecution of cybercrime. The article uses postcolonial perspectives to shed light on the legacies of British colonial efforts in Nigeria, such as the amalgamation of the northern and southern protectorates in 1914. The results revealed significant discrepancies between Nigeria's northern and southern regions regarding cybercriminal arrest, conviction, and sentencing. Specifically, the results showed that the EFCC's criminalization of Southerners differs substantially from that of Northerners. The contemporary manifestation of inequalities concerning the production and prosecution of cybercrime on Twitter reflects long-standing contestations (e.g., economic, political, cultural, geological) between the northern and southern parts of Nigerian society. Therefore, since the North-South divide in present-day Nigeria originated from British colonization, colonialism is the base that shaped the superstructure comprising political, religious, historical, geological (e.g., crude oil), and economic factors. In turn, the article spotlights that regional differences in educational attainment, originating from differing experiences of Christianization and colonization, interact with regional disparities in the production of cybercrime. More research is required to better understand how these contextual disparities in society interact with the production and prosecution of cybercrime, given that Nigerian cybercriminals defraud victims all over the world.

Food insecurity has myriad associations with poor health, and low-income communities have higher than average prevalence of food insecurity. Living in a supportive neighborhood social environment may protect against food insecurity, while adverse neighborhood social conditions, such as crime, may increase the likelihood of food insecurity. To examine associations between food insecurity and neighborhood social factors among families with young children, we administered a cross-sectional survey to 300 mothers and female caregivers of Medicaid-enrolled two- to four-year-old children in Philadelphia. We used multivariable regression to examine associations between food insecurity and perceived neighborhood safety, social cohesion, informal social control, and crime, adjusted for demographics, socioeconomic status, and neighborhood characteristics. Lower food insecurity prevalence was associated with higher perceived neighborhood safety and social cohesion, and lower police-recorded violent crime rates. Future work to increase food security among low-income households may benefit from targeting the neighborhood social environment.

Th e paper presents the most common toxic substances used in mali-cious poisoning of dogs and cats in the territory of the Republic of Serbia, mechanisms of their action, symptoms that occur in poisoned animals, an-tidote therapy and in the case of death, pathomorphological changes. Th e understanding of the mechanisms of toxic action of the most common sub-stances used and the clinical symptoms in poisoned dogs and cats contrib-ute to a faster diagnosis and the prompt suitable therapy application. Th e participation of forensic veterinarians in offi cial procedures prior to crimi-nal proceedings is necessary, considering its importance in the recognition and prosecution of acts defi ned in Article 269 of the Criminal Code (Of-fi cial Gazette of RS, No. 85/2005, 88/2005 - amended, 107/2005 - amended, 72/2009, 111/2009, 121/2012, 104/2013, 108/2014, 94/2016 and 35/2019).

After twenty years of national and international measures to combat financing of terrorism and money laundering, global terrorism has encountered greater restrictions to access the volume of economic resources it needs which has justified its collaboration with criminal organisations or conversion into criminal-terrorist organisations. This study seeks to analyse crime-terror relations by looking at the influence of the fight against terrorist financing in the evolution of global terrorist organisations, which have developed structures to establish a new range of relationships with transnational organised crime with unprecedented intensity. This article highlights some of the features that differentiate global terrorism from other types of terrorism, especially in terms of its objectives, organisational structures and funding possibilities, as well as pointing out a possible effect of the fight against terrorist financing in the relationship between terrorism and crime. Finally, it offers the different contexts where economic, political and social circumstances have created new cooperation models with organised crime groups., Tras veinte años de desarrollo de medidas nacionales e internacionales encaminadas a combatir la financiación del terrorismo y el blanqueo de capitales, el terrorismo global ha encontrado grandes restricciones para acceder al volumen de recursos económicos que necesita. Este estudio aborda la influencia de la lucha contra la financiación del terrorismo en la evolución de las organizaciones terroristas globales y en el cambio de la naturaleza y alcance de las relaciones entre el crimen organizado y el terrorismo. Así mismo examina los diferentes contextos en los que las circunstancias económicas, políticas y sociales han propiciado la creación de nuevos modelos de cooperación de las organizaciones terroristas con los grupos criminales organizados., Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación del Gobierno de España Ref. PID2020-116646RB-I00

The Screening Scale of Pedophilic Crime Scene Behavior (SSPC) is a seven-item structured rating scale assessing pedophilic sexual arousal. In the current study, we cross-validated the scale’s convergent validity using multiple measures of sexual interest in children (clinical diagnosis of pedophilia, the high fixation/low social competence type of the MTC:CM4, and phallometric assessment of sexual interests toward children) in two independent samples (USA and Canada). In both samples and in relation to all three criteria, the SSPC showed acceptable (phallometry) to excellent (clinical assessment) diagnostic accuracy. Furthermore, the SSPC showed incremental validity in relation to the Screening Scale for Pedophilic Interest and at times outperformed it in convergent validity analyses. The current study also provides psychometric information that can help users choose an appropriate SSPC cutoff score.

Purpose of Review The study aims to examine the relationship between crime rates among drug-addicted adolescents and personal, social, and familial factors as well as street and school factors. The participants included 713 male drug-addicted adolescents who had received residential treatment at a psychiatry clinic between 2013 and 2020. The "Patient Medical History Form" created by the experts of the clinic was used as a data collection tool. The binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine significant predictive variables increasing the probability of drug-addicted adolescents to be included in the categories of living on the street, committing crimes, school dropout, suicide attempt, and self-harm behavior. Recent Findings The findings showed that age, father-adolescent relationship, school dropout, and having an employment history significantly predicted the factor of living on the street; age, school dropout, street life history, drug use in the extended family, and having a criminal history in the extended family significantly predicted the factor of committing crimes; and having an employment history, drug use in the extended family, and having a criminal history significantly predicted the school dropout factor. Besides, suicidal ideation and self-harm behavior significantly predicted the factor of attempting suicide; similarly, age, street life, and having a prison history significantly predicted the possibility of self-harm behavior of the adolescents. Summary The results showed that personal, social, and familial factors, as well as street and school factors, and crime rates were associated with addictive behavior among drug-addicted adolescents.

At the moment, the sociology of law is one of the interdisciplinary sciences involving the study of law as a social institution. Nevertheless, despite attempts by social scientists to consolidate legal and sociological ideas, law and sociology remain split up. This study examines the current situation with the sociology of law, existing problems within theoretical discourse, and the opportunities for extending its theoretical and methodological feature set to criminal and administrative law. Given the ongoing debate about the disciplinary affiliation of sociology of law, science continues to face problems of terminological uncertainty, the need for a clearer definition of the scope of the study, prioritized from the perspective of the science development logic. This makes it difficult to apply the resources of sociology of law not only to criminal and administrative law but also to other branches of jurisprudence.

The objects of this research are: First, to explore some of the issues relating to drug trafficking in South Africa. Second, to highlight the devasting consequences of drug abuse on citizens, our brothers, and sisters whose lives have been destroyed and cut short. Third, to explore, government policies, police efforts, and citizens to combat the social menace of illicit drug trafficking plaguing us. The researcher investigated the following problems: drug trafficking and its impact on individuals or citizens and society, barriers faced by law enforcement to stop the illicit borderless organized crime. The main results of the research are: first, drug trafficking is a lucrative global phenomenon that is very difficult to stop over the years. Second, is the identification of varieties of drugs found in South African markets, their origins, transit, and final destinations. Third, reporting the extent of drug seizures in South Africa explains why the trade has continued unabated over the years. Fourth, highlights the need for a collective and suggestive way to consign drug trafficking to history. The area of practical use of the research is for all citizens, law enforcement officers affected by the illicit trade, communities, countries, research students, social workers, and staff members of social welfare and criminal justice departments

Rationale Witnesses who discuss a crime together may report details that they did not see themselves but heard about from their co-witness. Co-witness information may have beneficial and harmful effects on memory accuracy depending on whether the information was correct or incorrect. Objectives Given the prevalence of intoxicated witnesses, it is imperative to understand how alcohol influences this effect. Methods The present study asked pubgoers (n = 67) at varying levels of intoxication to recall a mock crime video after having also watched a video witness statement containing both correct and false information. Results Increased intoxication was associated with decreased confidence, completeness and accuracy, but no increased tendency to report false information. Exposure to incorrect post-event information (PEI) can lead to the incorporation of incorrect information, whereas exposure to correct PEI increased accuracy, regardless of individuals’ alcohol intoxication status. Conclusions Thus, whilst discussion and intoxication can negatively impact eyewitness memory, discussion may also have benefits for both sober and intoxicated witnesses.

Understanding and enhancing community resilience is a global priority as societies encounter a rising number of extreme weather events. Given that these events are typically both sudden and unexpected, community resilience is typically examined after the disaster so there can be no before and after comparisons. As such, the extent to which existing community capacities buffer the effects of a traumatic event remains largely unexamined and untested in the literature. Drawing on a longitudinal study of 148 Brisbane suburbs, we examine the key community processes associated with community resilience to the crime before and after the 2011 Brisbane floods. We introduce a novel disaster severity index to simultaneously capture the direct and indirect impacts of the flood and embed this measure within our modeling framework. Results from the models provide important insights for predisaster preparedness and postdisaster rebuilding and recovery.

Although fear of crime is an important issue for international students in a host country, this issue has not been explored in Turkey. The current study aims to fill this gap with data from a sample of 377 international students from a large urban university in Istanbul. The current study applies the incivilities thesis to fear of crime by including individual-level variables, perceived safety, and the perceived crime problem in Istanbul. The structural equation model (SEM) results show that social and physical incivilities do not mediate the relationship between international students’ demographic characteristics and fear of crime. The findings indicate that gender is one of the important variables shaping internationals students’ fear of crime and the perceived crime problem in Istanbul. By highlighting the importance of investigating international students’ fear of crime, the study has important implications for stakeholders in host societies.

This article uses machine-learning techniques to examine people's use of verbal expressions of confidence. Across the field of academic psychology, it is often assumed that such statements reflect the same underlying information as numeric confidence ratings. We show that verbal confidence is not redundant with numeric confidence but instead contributes unique diagnostic value in predicting the accuracy of a response. We use eyewitness confidence in a lineup identification as our model paradigm. There is potentially great applied value in developing a machine-learning algorithm that can predict eyewitness identification accuracy, such as by reducing false convictions. To this end, we applied a machine-learning methodology to investigate the natural language of accurate and inaccurate eyewitnesses. This method revealed that verbal confidence statements provide rich diagnostic information about the likely accuracy of eyewitness identifications. Moreover, verbal confidence statements provide unique diagnostic information that traditional indicators of identification accuracy such as numeric confidence ratings and response times do not provide. However, the diagnostic value of an eyewitness confidence statement depends in part on the face recognition ability of the eyewitness: The natural language of strong face recognizers is more diagnostic than the natural language of weak face recognizers. These results are theoretically interesting but, from an applied perspective, this machine-learning methodology may prove useful to those in the criminal justice system who must evaluate eyewitnesses' verbal confidence statements. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Retail alcohol outlets appear to open in neighborhoods with low land and structure rents near sources of demand; they may 'agglomerate', open near to one another or 'churn', replace one another, over time. We used the turnover in numbers of outlets over time to measure agglomeration and churning and the impacts of openings and closings of outlets on neighborhood crime.Interrupted quasi-experiments using spatial panel population data from 3768 synthetic block areas over 6 years.City of Oakland, CA, USA.City population.Census-based socio-demographic estimates and counts of openings and closings of bars/pubs, restaurants and off-premises outlets related to assault, burglary and robbery crime incidents across synthetic Census blocks. Bayesian space-time models were used to assess agglomeration and churning and measure impacts of openings/closings on crime.Churning was substantial; openings followed closings for all outlets [bars/pubs, relative risk (RR) = 50.9, 95% credible interval (CI) = 3.0-449.9; restaurants, RR = 3.1, CI = 1.5-6.1; off-premises, RR = 23.5, CI = 2.0-129.8]. Bars/pub and restaurant openings agglomerated with other outlets (e.g., RR = 1.02, CI = 1.00-1.03 and RR = 1.01, CI = 1.00-1.01), but off-premises outlets did not. Covarying out effects related to outlet densities, bar/pub openings were related to a 3.5% increase in assaults (RR = 1.04, CI = 1.01-1.06) and 6.9% increase in robberies (RR = 1.07, CI = 1.03-1.11). Restaurant openings were related to a 5.3% increase in burglaries (RR = 1.05, CI = 1.04-1.06). Openings and closings of off-premises outlets were unrelated to all three crime types.Retail alcohol outlets appear to follow a pattern of opening near to one another and replacing each other over time. Bar, pub and restaurant openings appear to be related to increases in neighborhood crime.

Cosmetic smears are a form of trace evidence that can link the crime scene, suspects, and victims. Foundation and lipstick are the most common sources of cosmetics that can easily smear, with most current research focused on the evidential analysis of lipsticks. This research aims to create a database of cosmetic foundations on different materials and to access the robustness of using Near-infrared with chemometrics as a non-destructive technique to identify unknown samples collected from a crime scene. Small amounts of six shades of three brands of foundations were smeared on clothing materials, which were then analysed with a combination of Near-infrared with chemometric analysis. Principle component analysis (PCA) was used to reduce data dimensionality and explore potential patterns in sample separation and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) was utilised to assign unknown samples to one of the established classes. The selected techniques proved to be promising for database construction and as a preliminary method of analysis, with 93% of the spectra being correctly classified. Notably, darker foundation shades were less likely to be correctly classified (90% classified correctly) compared to lighter ones (96.7% classified correctly). This could not be improved with Standard Normal Variate (SNV) data pre-treatment or selecting specific NIR regions. This finding is of particular importance; according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales (year ending March 2020) police recorded sexual offences demonstrated that those in Mixed and Black or Black British ethnic groups were significantly more likely to be a victim of sexual assault compared to White, Asian or Other ethnic groups. It is, therefore, crucial to add a wide range of foundation shades, particularly of darker tones, to the future database.

Data from mobile phones are regularly used in the investigation of crime and court proceedings. Previously published research has primarily addressed technical issues or provided operational manuals for using forensic science evidence, rather than analysing human factors and the implementation of forensic tools in investigation settings. Moreover, previous research has focused almost entirely on western countries, and there is a dearth of research into the uses of forensic evidence in China. In this study, a review was carried out of court sentencing documents referring to mobile phone evidence in China over the period 2013-2018. Automated content analysis was used to identify the specific evidence types utilised and the sentencing outcome for each case. Results show that mobile phone evidence was used in 3.3% of criminal proceedings. Among various data types mentioned in criminal proceedings, call records sustained as the most frequently used type of data. After which, instant messaging tools (e.g. WeChat) are an increasing proportion of all mobile phone evidence, from 1% in 2015 to 25% in 2018. For cases that utilised mobile phone data, the analysis of instant messaging and online transaction tools is routine, with little variation in the use of each application (WeChat, Alipay, QQ) for investigations of different types of crime. However, in the majority of criminal cases, mobile phone data function as subsidiary evidence and posed limited impacts on verdict reached. The current findings indicate that a large amount of mobile phone evidence was transformed into other evidence formats or filtered out directly before court proceedings.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine drug-related arrest rates in California from 2005 to 2017 with a focus on the measurement of presumptive excess arrests across areas proximate to the U.S.–Mexico border. METHOD: Arrest data come from the Monthly Arrest and Citation Register (MACR) by the California Department of Justice. U.S. Census demographic population information, and alcohol outlet data from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, were aggregated at the level of 499 Law Enforcement Reporting Areas (LERA) that contributed to the MACR report. Multivariable analyses were conducted using hierarchical Bayesian Poisson space-time models. RESULTS: Multivariable results showed that felony and misdemeanor arrests increased with distance from the U.S.–Mexico border (felony relative rate [RR] = 1.007, 95% CI [1.003, 1.010]; misdemeanor RR = 1.013, 95% CI [1.010, 1.016]) and were greater in areas with greater outlet concentrations (felony RR = 1.008, 95% CI [1.008, 1.008]; misdemeanor RR = 1.007, 95% CI [1.007, 1.007]) and a greater percentage of bars and pubs (felony RR = 1.031, 95% CI [1.030, 1.032]; misdemeanor RR = 1.052, 95% CI [1.051, 1.053]). Areas with greater Black populations had greater felony and fewer misdemeanor arrests (felony RR = 1.078, 95% CI [1.076, 1.079]; misdemeanor RR = 0.865, 95% CI [0.864, 0.867]). Areas with greater Hispanic populations had greater misdemeanor arrests (RR = 1.008, 95% CI [1.006, 1.009]). The percentage of off-premise outlets was inversely associated with misdemeanor arrest rates (RR = 0.995, 95% CI [0.994, 0.995]). CONCLUSIONS: Although arrest rates were substantively related to the racial composition of areas across California, there was no evidence of excess drug-related arrests along border areas.

Compassion has the capacity to change how we think and feel about people who offend, enabling us to understand individual and systemic causes of criminality and whether, and in what circumstances, desistance is possible. Across two experiments, our research examined whether a more compassionate sentencing delivery, firstly, in written sentencing remarks and, secondly, in videoed sentencing remarks, stimulated more concern for sentenced offenders amongst members of the Australian public. Our results suggest that it is possible to alter the features of a written or orally-delivered sentence, so that it is recognisably more compassionate. Further, engagement with compassion-enhanced sentencing remarks altered criminal justice spending preferences, reducing the proportion of the criminal justice budget that the public believed should be spent on imprisonment and increasing that to be spent on rehabilitation.

High-quality video and audio recordings of violent crimes, captured using now ubiquitous digital technologies, play an increasingly important role in the administration of justice. However, the effects of exposure to gruesome material presented in this form on criminal justice professionals who analyze, evaluate, and use this potentially traumatic content in the context of their work, are largely unknown. Using long interviews and constructivist grounded theory, this qualitative study sought to explore experiences of exposure to video evidence of violent crime among Canadian criminal justice professionals. Sixteen individuals including police, lawyers, judges, psychiatrists, law clerks, and court reporters volunteered to participate in qualitative long interviews asking about workplace exposures to violent videos. Themes identified address the ubiquity of video evidence of violent crime; proximity to violence through video; being blindsided through lack of preparedness for violent content; repeated exposures through multiple and protracted viewings; insufficient customary methods for self-protection; and the enduring impact of exposure to videoed violence. We determine that criminal justice professionals are increasingly and repeatedly presented with deeply disturbing imagery that was once imperceptible or unknowable and thus previously held at a greater distance. Elements of what is newly visible and audible in video evidence of violent crime create a new emotional proximity to violence that potentially increases the risks of secondary trauma and underscores the need for improved safety measures.

After a decades-long decline, criminal gun violence has increased dramatically in many parts of the USA. Most victims survive their gunshot wounds; however, research and data collection focus primarily on fatal events. In fact, there is no official national definition of a nonfatal shooting incident, nor a repository of these data. This definitional oversight inhibits data-informed policy and practice. The current study involves two data sources: fatal and nonfatal shooting incidents recorded in an internal metropolitan police database and official Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) violent crime data. Shooting incidents in the police database were matched to incidents in the UCR data to determine how they were officially categorized and reported to the FBI. The majority (82.0%) of nonfatal shooting incidents in the UCR data were recorded as Aggravated Assault—Gun, while 16.5% were classified as a violent crime other than an Aggravated Assault—Gun. The UCR data were missing 1.5% of the nonfatal shooting incidents documented by the police database. Almost four-fifths (79.7%) of all Aggravated Assault—Gun incidents in the UCR data did not meet the suggested definition of a nonfatal shooting incident. Overall, official crime statistics are not a good data source for nonfatal shooting incidents. A holistic response to criminal gun violence requires comprehensive, valid, and reliable data collection on all shooting incidents, especially those incidents in which a person is injured by gunfire. Establishing a national definition for a nonfatal shooting incident is the first important step toward effective gun violence prevention and reduction.

We examine the impact of immigrant-serving organizations on neighborhood crime in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area, while accounting for other community correlates of crime as well as potential endogeneity. We estimate longitudinal negative binomial regression models that test for the main, mediating, and moderating effects of immigrant-serving organizations. We found that immigrant-serving organizations generally have crime-reducing effects for all types of crime. We also find that high immigrant concentration is associated with lower levels of crime in general, and this effect is moderated by the number of organizations, which underlines the importance of accounting for these organizations when studying the nexus of immigrant concentration and neighborhood crime.

Familial hypercholesterolemia is a high cardiovascular risk disorder. We will review the role of lipoprotein(a) in cardiovascular risk and in aortic valve stenosis in familial hypercholesterolemia, as well as its association with their phenotype, and strategies to identify this high-risk population.Patients with familial hypercholesterolemia have higher lipoprotein(a) levels mainly due to an increased frequency of LPA variants, and the cardiovascular risk is increased twofolds when both conditions coexist. Also, an increased risk for aortic valve stenosis and valve replacement has been observed with high lipoprotein(a) levels. Assessment of lipoprotein(a) during the cascade screening for familial hypercholesterolemia is a good opportunity to identify this high-risk population. High cardiovascular risk in familial hypercholesterolemia is increased even more when lipoprotein(a) is also elevated. Measurement of lipoprotein(a) in these patients is crucial to identify those subjects who need to intensify LDL-cholesterol reduction pending availability of lipoprotein(a)-specific treatments.

The digital sphere has become a space in which misogyny-laden discourses are constantly presented. In fact, in Mexico persists a rape culture that justifies violent acts against women and blames the victims of the crimes through social opinions. The present study proposed an approach based on the Theory of Social Representations. In this sense, this study aimed to analyze the discourses that emerge in the digital sphere when users give their opinion on five types of crimes against women: femicide, rape, enforced disappearance, abuse, and sexual harassment. The results revealed that there are four types of discourse (representations) framed within rape culture: disbelief of rape, blaming the victim, revictimization, and disempowering women. It is concluded that Mexican society maintains a representation that stereotypes and devalues the image of women, which allows us to understand the aggressions that women suffer in their daily lives.

Various psychotropic prescription drugs are known to have potential for misuse. Among teenagers, non-medical use of prescription drugs may predate illicit drug use or occur concomitantly.Our aim was to examine prescriptions of psychotropic medications among drug crime offenders and non-criminal controls in a psychiatric inpatient cohort of 13-17-year-olds. Our research question was: were prescribed psychotropic and potentially addictive drugs associated with later drug crime offending.Our sample was of all 60 adolescents who had been convicted of a drug crime by young adulthood with a twice-sized control group, matched for gender, age and family-type, from a cohort of 508 adolescents consecutively admitted to a psychiatric inpatient care in Finland between April 2001 and March 2006. Adolescence-related information on substance use and psychiatric disorders was obtained by semi-structured interviews. Follow-up information on crimes and medication purchases was obtained from Finnish nationwide registers. The association of studied factors to drug crime offending was examined using stepwise binary logistic regression analysis.75% of drug crime offenders and 47% of non-criminal controls had used addictive psychotropic medications during the follow-up period (p 0.001). 74% of all drug crime offenders' purchases of prescribed addictive drugs occurred within the year preceding drug crimes. Of addictive drugs, the use of clonazepam and gabapentinoids was most likely to associate with drug crime offending (AOR 7.77, p 0.001). Conduct and substance use disorders diagnosed in adolescence (AOR 3.49, p = 0.010; AOR 2.34, p = 0.050) were predictors for drug crime offending.Our findings suggest that, when treating young adults with conduct disorder and a history of substance use, physicians should prescribe addictive medications with caution, favouring instead non-addictive medications complemented by psychosocial interventions.