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Road crime is one of the most prevalent types of crime, which is why more and more frequent offenders and repeat offenders enter prison convicted of serious crimes. The present study aimed to determine the clinical and sociodemographic profile of road offenders, trying to establish differences and relationships with other types of crime and with community drivers. The study involved 513 drivers, classified into four groups: inmates with crimes against road safety (CTRO); inmates with crimes against road safety and with another type of criminal history (CTRO&OO); prisoners convicted of other criminal offences (COO); community drivers with no criminal record (DWCR). All were given a battery of instruments that assessed personality traits, sensation-seeking, psychiatric symptomatology, alcohol dependence, aspects related to driving and sociodemographic data. The results reveal similar profiles, between the CTRO&OO groups and the COO, in personality, search for emotions and psychopathological symptoms and important differences between the groups of road offenders (CTRO AND CTRO&OO) and of these with the DWCR. The classification and regression tree identified as relevant predictors, the number of fines and traffic accidents, alcohol dependence and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. These data can be useful for the prevention and rehabilitation of offenders against road safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of organized crime has dynamically evolved, with researchers contending that it is a social construct or an umbrella concept encompassing different empirical manifestations. Scholars have often suggested classifying organized crime groups into those involved in "racketeering" or "governing" and those engaged in "transit crime" or "trading." However, these propositions were never assessed at the level of individual criminal careers. We address two primary objectives: first, we test differences in the criminal careers of organized crime offenders between organized crime contexts that are historically different—comparing Italy, which is primarily known for racketeering organized crime, to the Netherlands, which is characterized more by transit crime. Second, we explore differences between criminal careers of organized crime offenders born in different decades; doing so allows us to measure differences in offending patterns in shifting organized crime contexts due to broader social changes while considering more country-specific changes in law enforcement and organized crime policies. The study relies on the criminal careers of 4480 organized crime offenders in Italy (n = 3360) and the Netherlands (n = 1120). We analyze the distributions of criminal career parameters, crime categories, age-crime curves, and offending trajectories. Offenders in Italy exhibit higher offending, earlier violence, earlier onset, and decline; offenders in the Netherlands display later onset, slower decline, and a greater involvement in drug and property offenses. Also, both samples show generalist offending patterns, long-lasting careers, and involvement in organized crime in adulthood. We also find substantial variation across decades of birth, with younger offenders in both countries reporting higher frequencies. We attribute this to the interplay of increased offending among younger individuals, the implicit selection bias in the sampling, and greater law enforcement pressure due to stricter anti-organized crime policies since the 1980s and 1990s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preventive detention for highly dangerous habitual offenders has been in force in Germany for 90 years. The necessity of this measure is hotly debated from a legal perspective. However, the assignment of preventive detention is largely determined by the opinion of medical experts. This article discusses the role of medical experts and the issues they face in evaluating the dangerousness of habitual offenders using the case of the marriage swindler Helmut Hoinka, prosecuted several times in the Federal Republic of Germany in the 1960s. Methods: Helmut Hoinka's case was chosen for analysis because of the rare opportunity to access detailed materials that allowed us to follow in detail the reasoning of the medical experts who evaluated Hoinka: medical reports stored in the Gerd Huber Archive at the University of Ulm, and Hoinka's court case from the State Archive of North Rhine-Westphalia. To examine these sources, we implemented the historical-critical method. Results: The medical experts who evaluated Hoinka were aware of the defendant's criminal record prior to the evaluation, which was a source of bias. In addition, the criteria for classifying the offender as a dangerous habitual offender were open to a wide range of interpretations. Hoinka's high level of intelligence was negatively emphasized. Some test results were considered unreliable because it was assumed that Hoinka had manipulated his answers. Personal value judgments were allowed in assessing Hoinka's personality. Hoinka's criminal behavior was considered a medical symptom of psychopathy because it violated general moral and social norms. The medical reports of both experts showed that the psychiatrists believed in the genetic nature of psychopathy and criminal behavior. Their criminological prognosis was fully supported by the court in imposing the sentence. Conclusion: Challenges to Hoinka's criminological prognosis were the experts' personal biases, their belief in the theory of genetic predisposition to crime, the lack of clear criteria for antisocial personality disorder, and the absence of forensic recommendations for "psychopathic" criminals. The experts' opinion on Hoinka's criminal predisposition was crucial to the imposition of the sentence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the interplay between victim and perpetrator identities in the construction of successful criminal personas. Through detailed interviews with individuals who transitioned from victims to perpetrators within criminal contexts, the research identifies three critical themes: “Influence, Charisma, and Respect,” “Adaptive Leadership and Strategic Management,” and “Morality and Power-Driven Relativism.” The findings reveal that victim identity significantly contributes to the development of traits essential for criminal success, such as resilience and empathy, which enhance leadership and authority. Furthermore, the strategic manipulation of these identities allows criminals to navigate complex social dynamics and maintain control. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding the duality of victim and perpetrator identities in the broader discourse on criminal self-conception, highlighting the nuanced psychological and relational aspects that underpin successful criminal careers. This research extends existing theories on criminal success by incorporating the dynamics of victim identity, offering a more comprehensive framework for analyzing criminal behavior and identity formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of the study was to assess the role of negative affectivity, a dynamic factor, in predicting criminogenic thinking styles after considering the roles of stable personal factors, individual and family history of crime, and cognitive functioning. A secondary objective was to assess whether first-time vs. repeat Pakistani incarcerated offenders differ on criminogenic cognitions. A sample of 205 offenders incarcerated in Pakistani prisons completed self-report measures of negative affectivity, cognitive functioning, and criminogenic cognitions. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were calculated to test the study hypotheses. Findings revealed that negative affectivity factors, particularly fear, were more important for understanding criminogenic cognitive patterns as they explained a significantly larger variance over and above the individual variables, history factors, and cognitive functioning in criminogenic thinking. Further findings showed that repeat offenders scored consistently higher on criminogenic cognitions compared to first-time offenders. The findings highlight the importance of developing prevention programs incorporating cognitive behavior therapeutic strategies targeting negative affectivity and criminogenic cognitions among incarcerated offenders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have studied criminal specialisation at the offenders’ level to understand criminal careers. Despite criminal careers comprising events in which offenders co-offend with others, we know less about the extent of co-offending groups showing signs of becoming specialists. To start addressing this gap, in this study we report a method through which we identified 1,796 co-offending groups in a network containing information about adult offenders (n = 76,697) connected to criminal investigations (m = 35,604) between 2010 and 2018. During this timeframe, one in five co-offending groups remained unchanged in their composition and re-offended. Of those re-offending, 54% became specialists in crimes such as those affecting private property. The other 46% that re-offended were generalists. Simulation analyses showed that the proportion of highly specialised groups was not observed by chance. These results suggest that criminal specialisation is a characteristic also shared by co-offending groups. Criminologists and practitioners might find helpful the method employed here to identify co-offending groups and assess their level of specialisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This pilot study examines whether the Young Adult Habitual Offender Program (YAHOP), an intensive and outpatient program, is related to a reduction in the general risk of recidivism, common forensic symptomology as well as cognitive distortions. The program integrity (PI) was assessed, with the intent to explore the relationship between the level of PI and any changes in several outcome variables. Additionally, the study examines whether participants with a migration background benefitted equally from YAHOP compared to participants with a native Dutch background. The sample comprised n = 90 high‐risk young adult offenders. Results show a decrease in general risk of recidivism. The dynamic risk factors delinquent social network, insufficient impulse control, and dysfunctional problem‐solving skills also show a decrease, as well as the forensic symptoms of aggression and anger. Effect sizes are small, except for anger, which has a medium effect size. We found no change in cognitive distortions and problematic substance use. YAHOP shows to be responsive and culturally sensitive, as the participants with a migration background show a significant decrease in general risk of recidivism. No moderator analysis was conducted due to an overall low level of program integrity. After improving program integrity, full‐scale quantitative research is needed as YAHOP has the potential as a promising desistance program for high‐risk offenders, as in this study the 56 non‐completers were also included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comparative examination of different groups of sexual homicide offenders (SHOs) is currently limited. To expand our understanding of Chinese sexual homicides, this study aimed to distinguish between the modus operandi (MO) characteristics of repeat (i.e., with previous arrest and/or conviction) and nonrepeat (i.e., without previous arrest and/or conviction) offenders. Data were gathered from police arrest records, court documents, and published case reports in mainland China, covering a 31‐year period (1988–2018). A sample of 86 male SHOs (31 repeat and 55 nonrepeat offenders) was identified and the offenders' MO characteristics were examined. Compared with nonrepeat offenders, repeat offenders were significantly more likely to commit sexual murder in outdoor locations, approach their victims initially using a non‐surprise approach, engage in nonvaginal penetration of their victims, use a personal weapon to kill their victims, and move their victims' bodies away from the crime scene. However, repeat offenders were less likely to be arrested immediately after committing the murder. The findings have practical implications for police investigative strategies, such as suspect prioritization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Established in Vancouver in 2008, British Columbia’s Downtown Community Court (DCC) is Canada’s first community court. Set up specifically to address offences stemming from mental illness, substance use and poverty, the court brings together justice, health and social services, offering a tailored response to the cycle of reoffending and public safety concerns in the city’s core. Focusing on the perspectives of legal actors, we examine the court as an unexpected site of health intervention. This qualitative interview-based study explores how judges, crown counsels and defence lawyers perceive their role and that of the court in relation to the health and wellbeing of court clients. Our findings show that legal personnel typically see health as a central part of the court’s intervention and similarly view client health as a critical part of their own jobs. Respondents describe the court’s ability to engage with those facing complex health and legal issues as unique, attributing it to its legal professionals’ holistic view of their roles, the court’s strategic community location and its unusual structure, which facilitates information sharing and attracts personnel invested in its mandate. The article identifies three primary needs: 1) enhanced education on client health for legal professionals, 2) nuanced metrics to evaluate the court’s health impacts and, 3) longitudinal client-centred research to measure the DCC’s long-term effects on health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing numbers of social media users report being blackmailed on social media following their sharing of sensitive and personal information. However, little is known about this emerging crime and its victims. Using a survey of adult WhatsApp users in Oman (n = 1452) and interviews (n = 18) with victims and Omani criminal justice professionals, this study addresses this gap by examining the prevalence of blackmail among adult WhatsApp users arising from their voluntary self-disclosures, as well as the characteristics and vulnerabilities of those who fall victim to this activity. New insights are also offered into the factors influencing victim's decisions to report their experiences to criminal justice professionals, as well as the challenges associated with investigating and prosecuting this activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the role of a sociologist/criminologist as a mitigation expert in a case of double murder is examined. The defendant was a young black male defendant. The victims were his 8-month pregnant girlfriend and their unborn child. The defendant was born into terrible social circumstances; including five generations of violence; sexual abuse; incarcerated; and neglect. The circumstances of his tragic life leading up to the murder is presented as mitigation. The author of this paper has worked as a sociologist/ mitigation expert for almost 30 years in over 300 sentencing hearings/penalty phases most of which were capital murder but have also included manslaughter, habitual offenders, Miller cases; and other cases of violent crimes where the sentence is plastic. The utility of sociology in criminal cases in general is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Mass incarceration and high rates of recidivism in the United States have long been discussed in the scientific literature. A punitive culture has fostered harsh punishments and incarceration without considerable effects on recidivism rates. At the same time, research has indicated that rehabilitative measures and treatment programs for offenders have positive effects on their reintegration into society and help to reduce recidivism rates. In the present study, the discourse surrounding recidivism in the New York Times and the New York Post is investigated with a corpus of 666,290 words. The analyses indicate that the New York Times encourages a discussion of rehabilitative measures and adopts a view of recidivism that highlights recidivists' potential for change. The New York Post, on the other hand, takes a more conservative approach and adopts a more dire view of recidivists, considering recidivism as a character trait rather than an indicator for the relative success of rehabilitation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on assisted desistance has not considered the influence of criminal-involvement factors on the receptivity to assistance. Although most crimes committed are motivated by the prospect of gain, current knowledge on desistance from lucrative offending is still rudimentary. The purpose of this study was to examine the assistance in the desistance process of 27 individuals having committed profit-driven crimes. First, based on life story narratives, the acknowledgment of assistance was explored. Then, how and when this assistance arose in participants' lives was studied. Results demonstrate the value of the assisted desistance framework in understanding desistance. Other findings include the fact that assistance may take many forms and may arise at various phases in the process of desistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overloading of heavy vehicles reduces pavement life and increases pavement life cycle costs. As part of Namibia's strategy to control heavy vehicle overloading on the road network, weighbridge facilities have been constructed at strategic locations on primary routes (trunk roads). The study analysed the extent of heavy vehicle overloading on Namibian trunk roads, as well as the effectiveness of existing overloading mitigation measures. The dataset comprised heavy vehicle loading information from the year 2015 to 2019, from ten static weighbridge facilities. The parameters investigated include overloading magnitude, the effect of overloading on road pavement life, and the effectiveness of current overload mitigation measures. The results showed that 13.3% of the vehicles weighed were overloaded, with a compounded decrease in overloading of approximately 0.5% per annum. Despite the overloading decrease, the study found that the estimated road service life was reduced by as much as nine years over the study period. High levels of weighbridge avoidance and poor stakeholder coordination in mitigating overloading were identified. The study recommends deploying high-speed weighin-motion systems, an increase in fines charged for overloading offenses, and developing a demerit point-based system for habitual offenders to strengthen mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-known that experiences of out-of-home care (OHC; foster-family care and residential care) are linked to criminal behavior. Less is known how criminal activity in the OHC population develops over the life course and to what extent such development is characterized by desistance or persistence. Using population-based longitudinal register data for more than 740,000 Swedish men and women, of which around 2.5% have experience of OHC, followed until age 40, results from group-based trajectory modelling and multinomial regression suggest that OHC-experienced individuals with various timing and duration of placement, especially men first placed as teenagers, have substantially elevated likelihood for persistent offending compared to peers without OHC experience. However, most OHC-experienced followed pathways characterized by desistance. Our findings have implications for understanding the dynamics of offending in OHC populations and underscores the necessity for interventions that can prevent the onset of criminal careers, as well as disrupt or modify the ongoing paths of offending within this disadvantaged group of individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research, using data from the Community Criminal Courts where a majority of elderly offenders are tried and sentenced, investigates the socio-economic profile of elderly offenders and the factors influencing their criminal motivation in Singapore. It revisits conceptualizations of offending in older age which until now has received scant attention even in Asian societies where ties to conventional institutions are thought to be "protective." The majority of elderly offenders in this study were "revolving door prisoners" and were never in possession of any efficacious social capital that would have prevented them from committing a crime or enabled their re-entry process, a problem compounded by the study's findings that almost 70% of the sampled offenders had experienced mental health issues. This would have spelled adverse consequences for their desistance and, conversely, their recidivist behavior, a finding that was consistent with many other studies that had examined the association between psychosis and crime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the concern about the demand for medical criminal liability of health professionals, judging by the numerous scientific publications on the subject, has experienced a boom in contemporary societies. This article systematizes the essential assumptions of punishable medical imprudence and analyzes Resolution 458/2019 of the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba (Minsap), which established the procedure for the creation and performance of the commissions of medical liability in its function of preparing the expert opinion in the criminal process followed for alleged imprudence resulting in death or injury in this field. The methodology used follows a descriptive-analytical type of research and is based on the analytical-synthetic, inductive-deductive and exegetical methods, supported by the research technique of bibliographic review. The main results reveal the problems associated with the conception, composition, functioning and attributions of these commissions and, in addition, lege ferenda proposals are formulated for their solution. The main conclusion is the need to modify these regulations for a better evaluation of the responsibility of the health professional involved in a criminal proceeding for alleged malpractice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence against women in intimate partner relationships (IPVAW) and intimate partner homicide against women (IPHAW) are events of great relevance, and first-order in the media. Through a comprehensive review of 171 cases of IPHAW and 201 cases of IPVAW, the aim of this study is to explore those characteristics that differentiate and resemble the non-lethal aggressors' group from the femicides' group. Age differences were found in variables related to criminal career, drug use, and others, such as being in a separation process or suicidal behaviour related variables. Our results indicate that, although the perpetrators of these criminal typologies share common characteristics, there are also many others that differentiate them. This shows the need for individualized treatments for the different perpetrators and offers the possibility of refining tools for predicting the risk of intimate partner femicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis that the literature shows that most of the serial murders are committed by men and with sexual motivation, the research is a preliminary approach which aims to approach the cultural influence on the sexual motivation of serial killers. Eighty-six cases of serial murders with male perpetrators from different countries have been analyzed, committed between 1900 and 2020. The variables evaluated are related to the serial offender, victimology, modus operandi, sexual motivation typology and the actions related to such classification. In indulgence countries, pre mortem sexual acts (44.20%), interference with the victim's body (36.0%) and mutilation (27.90%) are the most common; the same occurs in restrictive countries, although in a lower percentage, with mutilation 7.0% being the only statistically significant variable (X² = 0.034). Direct-sadistic motivation is the most present, being 52.30% in indulgence countries and 18.60% in restrictive countries, there being a significant relationship (X² = 0.026). There is a partial influence of culture on modus operandi and sexual motivation according to the higher or lesser presence of social norms and how they influence the individual's decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: To examine the associations between Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds (vs non-Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) and in-hospital death due to self-harm, repeat self-harm and mental health service use after self-harm. Method: A retrospective study of 42,127 self-harm hospital inpatients aged 15+ years in Victoria, Australia, from July 2008 to June 2019. Linked hospital and mental health service data were used to assess in-hospital death, repeat self-harm and mental health service use in the 12 months following index self-harm hospital admission. Logistic regression and zero-inflated negative binomial regression models were used to estimate associations between cultural background and outcomes. Results: Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people accounted for 13.3% of self-harm hospital inpatients. In-hospital death (0.8% of all patients) was negatively associated with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse background. Within 12 months, 12.9% of patients had self-harm readmission and 20.1% presented to emergency department with self-harm. Logistic regression components of zero-inflated negative binomial regression models showed no differences in the odds of (hospital-treated) self-harm reoccurrence between Culturally and Linguistically Diverse and non- Culturally and Linguistically Diverse self-harm inpatients. However, count components of models show that among those with repeat self-harm, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people (e.g. born in Southern and Central Asia) made fewer additional hospital revisits than non-Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people. Clinical mental health service contacts following self-harm were made in 63.6% of patients, with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people (Asian backgrounds 43.7%) less likely to make contact than the non-Culturally and Linguistically Diverse group (65.1%). Conclusions: Culturally and Linguistically Diverse and non-Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people did not differ in the likelihood of hospital-treated repeat self-harm, but among those with self-harm repetition Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people had fewer recurrences than non-Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people and utilised mental health services less following self-harm admissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study examines the role of law enforcement procedures for environmental offenses. We test whether reaching the statute of limitations is associated with the recidivism of offenses against the flora in Brazil. Methods: We analyze the universe of infractions issued by Brazil's Federal Environmental Agency from 2000 to 2010 using survival analysis and reweighting methods. Results: Findings indicate that reaching the statute of limitations in administrative procedures increases the risk of recidivism for individuals by 188% and firms by 34%. Conclusion: Ineffective sentencing practices stimulate repeated offenses against the environment and have significant consequences for environmental degradation in Brazil, a country that is central for actions to mitigate global environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to educate criminal justice professionals about best practices to cross-examine complainants of child sexual abuse is widely acknowledged. Yet, a dearth of empirical information about their perceptions has hindered development of targeted professional education programmes. The present study compared perceptions of the quality of cross-examination of a child and an adolescent complainant between judges, prosecutors, defence lawyers, police officers and witness support staff. Questioning type (appropriate/inappropriate) and judicial intervention (present/absent) were varied. Results of two-parameter Item Response Theory modelling showed that defence lawyers perceived significantly less unfairness to the complainant than the other professional groups. Judges' views of unfairness were driven by the potential for confusion more than the age-inappropriate questioning. Police officers and witness support staff more likely rated the cross-examination as deleterious to the credibility and reliability of the complainant. Topics to include in professional development programmes around eliciting best evidence from vulnerable witnesses are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the literature on white-collar crime that combines the perspectives of criminology and management sciences research. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a systematic review of white-collar crime recidivism, this paper defines crime and the white-collar criminal from a different perspective. The literature review was conducted using a multidisciplinary approach. Findings: This paper offers an insightful discussion of white-collar recidivism. In particular, it highlights the interesting use of "Post Conviction Risk Assessment," a tool used in criminology literature, and aims to show that the probability of recidivism in white-collar crime can be effectively measured and evaluated. This tool is commonly used by American professionals in combatting criminal recidivism. Originality/value: This study provides interesting insights into white-collar crime recidivism. It has a number of implications for probation officers and criminologists evaluating the recidivism risk of white-collar criminals for reintegration purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use a comprehensive longitudinal dataset on criminal acts over 6 years in a European country to study specialization in criminal careers. We present a method to cluster crime categories by their relative co-occurrence within criminal careers, deriving a natural, data-based taxonomy of criminal specialization. Defining specialists as active criminals who stay within one category of offending behavior, we study their socio-demographic attributes, geographic range, and positions in their collaboration networks relative to their generalist counterparts. Compared to generalists, specialists tend to be older, are more likely to be women, operate within a smaller geographic range, and collaborate in smaller, more tightly-knit local networks. We observe that specialists are more intensely embedded in criminal networks, suggesting a potential source of self-reinforcing dynamics in criminal careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retractions of peer-reviewed biomedical journal articles with Indian authorship have been on the rise for many years. Our study aimed to investigate the reason behind these retractions, namely plagiarism, falsification, fabrication, duplicate publication, author conflicts, ethical issues, fake peer-reviews, and data-related issues, besides providing year-wise trends regarding retraction, authorship, impact factor, and citations. We retrieved retracted publications with Indian affiliations indexed in MEDLINE between 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2021. During this period a total of 619 papers from 372 different journals with median values (interquartile range) pertaining to impact factor [3.2 (1.5, 5.2)], retraction time [24 (10, 51)] months, pre-retraction citations [4 (1, 12)], and post-retraction citations [4 (2, 12)] were retracted. While retractions still account for a small fraction of all publications (0.1%), the overall rate of retractions, that is, the number of retractions relative to the number of newly published journal articles in a given year, has been increasing. The reasons for retractions included plagiarism (27%), falsification and fabrication (26%), duplicate publication (21%), erroneous data (12%), authorship issues (4%), fake-peer reviews (3%), and ethical and funding issues (2%). We have analysed these reasons separately and compared them with each other. Besides a spurt in retraction due to plagiarism, instances of falsification have been escalating over the past decade. Half of the papers retracted on grounds of falsification were published by repeat offender authors in high-impact journals. Furthermore, 82% of retracted papers continued to accumulate citations even after the release of the journal retraction notices. The increase in retractions raises concerns over research quality as well as the wastage of scientific resources, which is especially pressing considering the present environment of scarce funding. The problem of retractions due to reasons such as plagiarism, duplicate publication, authorship issues, and, ethical issues as well as post-retraction citations can be mitigated by educating and raising awareness on publication ethics and responsible research conduct of researchers and journal publishers. Retractions due to fabrication, falsification, and fake peer reviews are more challenging to difficult to address and require further research for the identification of effective solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Juvenile Military Court (JMC), established in 2009 in the West Bank, handles offenses perpetrated by Palestinian minors, consisting mostly of security-related violations. With the establishment of the JMC, and a subsequent three-stage legal reform in handling juvenile offenders, Palestinian minor suspects and defendants have been accorded various procedural rights. This study addresses the impact of these rights on the criminal careers of Palestinian minors appearing in the JMC. It first reviews the demographic profile of 8,301 minors handled by the JMC between 2000 and 2018, describes their offenses, and offense transition between their initial and second arrest. Using trend analysis, the study compares minors' reoffending level in the years before and after the reform. The findings suggest significant differences in minors' reoffending level between the years preceding and following the legal reform. Possible explanations for the findings are offered, and the article concludes with policy implications and directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though the 2011 'riots' attracted a huge amount of political, media and academic attention, the state's punitive reaction to the unrest received far less analysis, despite being characterised by exceptionally harsh practices at every stage from arrest to sentencing. Drawing on interviews with criminal justice professionals who were at the heart of this response, and focusing in particular on the Crown Prosecution Service's unusually punitive approach, this article examines the imaginations, assumptions and claims that allowed professionals to variously justify and problematise this vindictive backlash. The article shows how an imagination of the disturbances as an apolitical and unprecedented outbreak of violence was central to many professionals' accounts. Yet this imagination, I contend, requires significant erasure and elision. Forgetting England's long history of unrest, and ignoring or dismissing the police killing of Mark Duggan that immediately precipitated the disturbances, were vitally important in allowing professionals to ignore the vital connections between the unrest and entrenched structural racism that has consistently underpinned post-war urban unrest – and to position the harsh law and order response as reasonable, proportionate, necessary and adequate. In doing so, the article makes a significant contribution to scholarship on the unrest, and on the importance of amnesia and ignorance - conceived as active, collective and inherently political processes - in normalising punitive and discriminatory state practices, both in the wake of the riots and in their longer aftermath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pervasiveness of law enforcement schemes that prescribe harsher penalties for repeat offenders continues to challenge scholars who seek an economic explanation for criminal justice policies. The current paper formalizes an explanation suggested by Dana, D. (2001. Rethinking the puzzle of escalating penalties for repeat offenders. Yale Law J. 110: 733–783), which is based on the role of the law in educating people about wrongful behavior—the so-called "expressive function" of law. The analysis shows that an escalating structure that imposes a lenient sanction on all first-timers and a harsh sanction on repeaters represents a compromise solution that is (second best) optimal if the fraction of unknowing offenders in the population of potential offenders (as opposed to rational calculators) is sufficiently large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demerit points systems (DPS) have been used in many countries as a means for improving road safety, by monitoring traffic law violations of drivers and applying corrective measures to repeat offenders, while knowledge on their safety impacts is yet incomplete. This study examined the DPS impacts on committing traffic offenses and accident involvement of drivers, in Israel, based on files of the national Licensing Authority and complementary accident files. Models were developed to evaluate changes in violation and accident rates of drivers, who underwent the DPS corrective measures, in after the treatment related to the before period, and accounting for changes observed in the matched comparison-groups. The findings showed that during the three-year period after the measures' implementation, the decrease in committing violations was of 70%, and simultaneously, there was a decrease in drivers' accident involvement, on average, of 1% in severe accidents and of 11% in total injury accidents. The effects were consistent across various groups of drivers by the corrective measures applied and the type of license. The study results support the continued use of the DPS, to improve drivers' behaviors and road safety. To increase its impacts at the national level, the DPS implementation should be supported by stable police enforcement and publicity efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the recidivism rate at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology – National Capital Region (BJMP-NCR), Philippines, from 2020 to 2022 based on predictive variables and antecedents of recidivism. The results revealed that young individuals; males; married; Person Deprived of Liberty (PDL) with drug cases, leading to death or intending to cause death, and acts involving fraud and deception; and those having shorter stays in prison tend to recidivate more. Likewise, the pattern of recidivism in the Metro Manila District Jail (MMDJ) from 2020 to 2022 was affected by the existence of the COVID-19 pandemic. In conclusion, both predictive variables and antecedents of recidivism show no significant association with the pattern of recidivism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing evidence about heterogeneous pathways leading individuals into organized crime, there is limited knowledge about the differences in the criminal career between individuals who entered criminal organizations in their youth and those who joined at an older age. This study assesses the differences between early and late recruits in the Italian mafias through logistic regressions considering several criminal career parameters computed on the period prior to recruitment. Results show that recruitment in the mafias is far from a homogenous process. Early recruits report an early criminal onset, lower educational attainment, more serious offenses within a shorter time-span, and more frequent violent co-offending; late recruits show a later onset, more prolific and versatile—but less serious—offending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crime is a social phenomenon in almost every country. The increasing of crime incidents now and then could instigate the recurrence of crimes. The integration of prison inmates into society after release is a challenging phase to start with a new life outside the prison. Therefore, this study aims to explore recidivism perspectives on the Human Rehabilitation Program (PPI) toward career goals and recidivism factors. The design of this study is a narrative design using a qualitative approach where a semi-structured interview protocol was used to facilitate the data collection processes. A total of five recidivists from a prison in the southern zone were selected as study participants. The interview data obtained from a one-to-one interview session were analysed using thematic analysis. The results of this study found that four factors might influence the repetitive entrance of recidivists to prison namely, difficulty in finding a job, unwillingness to change, family and community stigma, and the relaxation of conditions for participating in the PPI programs. In conclusion, apart from these difficulties, securing employment is another reason which has caused recidivism to occur. Therefore, this study suggests that an intervention should be made to the PPI programs provided by the prison to ensure its relevance in line with the needs of recidivists in terms of physical, personality, skills, and societal integrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to illustrate by means of a case study how HKT-R Spider reference profiles of recidivists and non-recidivists may be supportive in leave decisions. Design/methodology/approach: The authors describe what is known for recidivists and non-recidivists about changes in risk factors during treatment. The HKT-R Spider is introduced. By comparing a case study to group profiles, the authors illustrate how discussions about leave may be rationalised. From a study among 278 patients to explore the profiles, the authors report the inter agreement, and differences between recidivists and non-recidivists of the clinical HKT-R factors. Intra correlation coefficients, Wilcoxon signed ranks test and independent and paired t-tests are applied. To explore which combination of factors are discriminating between both groups, the authors also performed logistic regression analyses at six treatment stages. Findings: The inter agreement reliability and internal consistency of the clinical HKT-R scale were acceptable to good in all six stages studied. The HKT-R Spider and profiles can be used to assist in evidence-informed decision-making about leave. Practical implications: Globally recidivists had somewhat higher levels of clinical risk factors at all six decision moments, but the interpretation of HKT-R Spiders profiles should always be adapted to the individual's context. Originality/value: Applying the HKT-R Spider reference profiles on individual cases may structure and rationalize discussions lead to decisions based on clinical facts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent to which firms can be deterred from offending has received significant attention. Despite this, the evidence for such deterrence remains inconclusive. This article suggests that instead of focusing on the deterrence aimed at companies, we should instead begin with a less contentious observation; that companies are frequently recidivists, and that an emphasis on the factors associated with company recidivism would be a useful starting point for thinking about offending by firms. The article explores this through an investigation of companies pursued by the UK's Environment Agency in England between 2000 and 2016. The logistic regression analysis suggests that being a utilities company, a large enterprise or a new company were all predictive of repeat offending. Conversely, whether a company was fined after its initial offense was not predictive of whether it would re-offend. The implications of these findings for regulatory work and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survivors of sexual abuse and their families seek help from criminal law enforcement agencies and health professionals to obtain justice and health care. Many communities have implemented multi-professional collaborative models so that the victim's well-being is assured and the truth is established. However, there is a general lack of evidence on how to best articulate these teams with the healthcare professionals caring for the survivors. Therefore, this Scoping Review was conducted in order to analyze and to map the barriers and facilitators of the relationship between health professionals and the criminal investigation team in the care of survivors of sexual abuse. The methodology proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute for Scoping Reviews was used, and the Bronstein five dimension model of interprofessional collaboration served as the basis for the analysis of barriers and facilitators. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed studies, primary and secondary sources, text and opinion documents were included. Content analysis was performed on the main findings of the collected studies. Twelve articles were identified and analyzed. Collaboration, communication, hierarchy, skills, confidentiality, and leadership emerged as key themes. Multidisciplinary Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) and Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs) were implemented to coordinate care, but conflicting goals and values among professionals posed challenges. Communication failures and inadequate information sharing hindered collaboration. Neutral leaders who coordinate teams, minimize groupthink, and improve decision-making were found to be valuable. Engaging across disciplinary boundaries and addressing power dynamics were challenging but could be addressed through facilitation and conflict resolution. This review highlights the importance of effective collaboration and interaction within teams and with other professionals in the care of sexual abuse survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many theories emphasize how employment is protective against criminal recidivism, yet a criminal record is a major barrier for getting hired. We asked 591 managers to make hypothetical hiring decisions between two applicants whose key difference was the presence or absence of a criminal conviction. In addition, we randomly manipulated the education, references, wage, or experience of the applicant with the criminal record to identify which manipulations can offset the cost of the record on an applicant's probability of being selected. We found that, when credentials were the same, the applicant with a criminal record was unlikely to be hired. That applicant, however, could become likely to be hired (i.e., the likelihood crossed 50 percent) by having at least 1 year of relevant experience, a GED or a college degree, or references from a former employer or a professor. Incomplete degrees, references from criminal justice professionals, or wage discounts did not make the applicant with the record likely to be hired. Findings confirm that a criminal record carries a high employability cost but also indicate that this cost can be superseded by specific credentials that signal an applicant's reliability, which can be provided by existing programs and institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low empathy is an important psychological construct for understanding persistent criminal and antisocial behavior. In this study the affective empathy (the capacity to experience the emotions of others) and cognitive empathy (the capacity to understand the emotions of others) of 100 young male offenders (aged 16-17) in Buenos Aires was assessed using the Basic Empathy Scale. The level of empathy of young offenders who were repeat offenders (N=49) was then compared to one-time offenders (N=51). In addition, data on family criminality, school achievement and socioeconomic status was also obtained for both groups. The results showed that repeat offenders had significantly lower affective and cognitive empathy, and that these relationships held independently of the other related factors. These findings suggest that low empathy may be an important explanatory factor for repeat offending of juveniles in Argentina, and therefore may be a useful target for interventions designed to reduce repeat offending [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study reports offender, victim and offence characteristics of the entire population of known serial homicide offenders identified in Italy between 1848 and 2019 (59 offenders, 244 victims, of whom 50.4% were men, and 21.7% were sex workers). We found that most of the offenders (72.4%) had a personality disorder. The offenders' age during their series was 35.1 (SD = 11.3) years, on average. Sexual elements were found in 28.4% of the crime scenes. The median time interval between homicides was 2.8 months. Also, we investigated the consistency of the offence characteristics over the series and found significant correlations between the offence characteristics between a previous and the subsequent homicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]