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Antidoping policy regulates and punishes the use of substances that are listed on a Prohibited List (PL). These substances are colloquially known as 'performance-enhancing substances'. There is very little empirical evidence of enhancement for most of the substances on the PL raising the possibility that the perceived enhancement of performance experienced by an athlete is a placebo effect. A placebo effect is a response to an inert substance that is strongly influenced by psychological and social cues in the surrounding environment. It is our contention that, given the lack of proper empirical testing of the substances on the PL, it is in fact the appearance of a substance on the PL that has the strongest performance-enhancing effect in elite athletes. This disconnect between science and WADA's code raises the question of what we really object to: real performance enhancement achieved using substances on the PL or performance enhancement that occurs because WADA has told us that the substance will enhance performance by placing it on the PL? In this case, antidoping policy would punish those who believe the performance-enhancing myth at the heart of the PL thus leading to a deeply flawed policy that creates its own victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bahamas is a relatively small archipelago challenged by a broad spectrum of diverse, complex, and consequential national security threats that extend to the 'unknown' of a global security threat equation. To address the threat spectrum, Bahamian policymakers incorporated the National Crime Intelligence Agency (NCIA) within the national security architecture. For various reasons, Bahamians are sceptical about, scared of, and uncomfortable with the idea or reality of the NCIA. As such, the NCIA has to pass the legitimacy test as it steps out of the shadows. This article provides a preview into the legitimacy test of The Bahamas' professional secret intelligence service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tested hypotheses from general strain theory regarding the additive and cumulative effects of direct and vicarious victimization on criminal coping among serious adolescent offenders transitioning into adulthood. Focus was placed on dual victimization, as a clustering of direct and vicarious victimization within a designated time period, and repeat dual victimization, an accumulated strain. Negative binomial regression models (NBRM) were conducted to examine the relationship between dual victimization, repeated dual victimization, and delinquency/crime using data from the Pathways to Desistance study. The risk of offending was greater among those who experienced dual victimization (versus no victimization) than those who experienced direct or vicarious victimization only. A cumulative effect of dual victimization on offending was not found, with more recent dual victimization experiences emerging as more consequential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of the evolution of the strengths-based approach in the criminological field in recent decades, various countries in the world operate peer-based programs in prisons and in the community. These programs utilize the personal knowledge and live experience of convicts and addicted people, that is, wounded healers, to promote recovery and rehabilitation processes. Studies point to the many advantages inherent in such peer work, especially for the aid providers. However, little is known about the perceived effects of professional peer work for people with a history of addiction and incarceration, as the current study suggests, the first of its kind in Israel. The respondents were 23 trained men and women with a history of traumas, addiction, and incarceration, all are formally employed in peer worker positions in various therapeutic settings, in prison and/or in the community. The findings indicate that peer work enhances the participants' social capital, and promotes their positive change and recovery process, albeit with some difficulties and challenges. The paper discusses these findings from the emerging Convict Therapy perspective and related approaches of positive criminology and desistance from crime. Specifically, our findings expand the literature on wounded healers in the criminological field and reinforce the culture of 'giving back' embodied in the role of peer supporters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forensic psychiatric care aims to improve mental health and reduce recidivism in mentally disordered offenders, facilitating community reintegration in a secure treatment environment. This study explores the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of individuals undergoing medico-legal psychiatric assessments at Ndera Neuro Psychiatric Hospital in Kigali, Rwanda. Conducted as a descriptive study, data were collected retrospectively from patient files, with analysis revealing that the majority (76%) were males, predominantly aged 18–45 years (median age 31.5 years). A significant proportion (62.9%) was single, and unemployment rates stood at 56.4%. Clinically, 53% had a history of psychiatric illness, with substance abuse (24.2%), bipolar disorder (14.5%), and schizoaffective disorders (6.5%) being the prevalent diagnoses. Notably, 41.9% had comorbidities. The crimes committed included physical assault (46.7%), sexual assault (25.8%), and murder (21.0%). These findings emphasize the need for targeted policies addressing mental health and socioeconomic disparities in this population, as well as interventions to reduce criminal involvement. It highlights the complexity of cases, with a considerable proportion exhibiting multiple hospital admissions and diverse psychiatric conditions. The study underscores the importance of a secure treatment environment, aligning with the broader objective of improving mental health and minimizing recidivism in mentally disordered offenders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with higher rates of violent crime, poorer educational outcome, and more frequent convictions. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been associated with both an increased risk of interpersonal violence and previous TBI. We estimated the prevalence of TBI and ADHD in inpatients admitted to forensic psychiatric inpatient settings and a psychiatric intensive care unit using three validated screening questionnaires supplemented with a review of electronic health records. Sixty adult male participants were recruited. Over two-thirds screened positive for TBI. Over one-third of these reported experiencing more than one head injury. Over two-thirds screened positive on one ADHD screening questionnaire (ASRS) which was positively associated with previous TBI. A little under one-third screened positive on another ADHD screening questionnaire (B-BAARS). This is the first study attempting to estimate the prevalence of ADHD and TBI in forensic inpatient settings. There remains a lack of consensus on the gold standard screening tool for TBI in populations with psychotic disorders. Further research is needed to identify accurate and reliable detection methods for estimating the prevalence of TBI and ADHD in this highly resource-intensive, and under-studied, clinical population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crime is one of the problems faced by countries worldwide. Theft, gambling, drug, fraud, persecution, and conflict are among the crimes that commonly occur in Indonesia, which may be accounted for by a range of factors, including economic ones. Land use also emerges as another factor leading to crimes. Land use at the village level can be divided into three categories: undiversified, moderately diversified, and diversified. This work applied two analysis models. First, it employed logistic regression to capture the criminal possibility of each land use category. Second, it applied Ordinary Least Square to view crimes holistically in each land use category. This paper suggests that mixed land use and public space could significantly lower crime probability. Meanwhile, using land as a business and industrial center was found to trigger crimes. The existence of prostitution areas in villages/subdistricts raises the possibility of a rise in human trafficking and sexual Harassment. This study showed that using land as a public space potentially increases conflicts in Indonesia. This study provided the Indonesian government with a new insight to consider when developing an area by taking land use diversity into account in order to minimize crime risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Banishment and criminal transportation were common legal practices in early modern Europe. With roots in the classical and medieval periods, banishment was a convenient tool for dealing with the troublesome members of the community by sending them to overseas colonies, where people were scarce and labor was expensive. And most colonies used banishment for their own criminal and rebel populations. Strong employment in the Netherlands, effective social and regulatory institutions in the towns there, and the lack of any powerful, centralized state all kept the Dutch from adopting transatlantic criminal transportation. But that particular difference between them and their competitors has obscured the fact that the Dutch used banishment and penal labor at the local and regional levels. Studying these traditions allows a better picture of the Dutch underclass and a better understanding of how colonial rulers established their authority and fostered an atmosphere of stability and order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States, it is permissible to place an undercover police officer in the jail cell with a suspect. This tactical move is rare and launched only for serious crimes, and it takes place before any charges have been filed. This tactic goes under the name of Perkins operations, from the case ruling that if an individual speaks freely to someone whom they believe is a fellow inmate it is allowed to take advantage of their misplaced trust (Illinois v. Perkins, 1990). In this study, we examine 22 Perkins operations, 60 hours of secretly taped interactions in the cells, and we describe and categorize the different approaches and tactics that the undercover officers used. Based on the descriptive analysis, we conceptualize two pathways to information elicitation (direct and relational) and explore the undercover officers' use of risky interview tactics. The findings suggest that undercover officers use four broader approaches to establish relationships and gather information, and we were able to identify only a few instances of risky tactics in this sample. The relevance of the findings for human intelligence gathering and counterintelligence are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how mafia-type and semi-secret organizations construct and preserve their reputation through a calibrated equilibrium between visibility and invisibility. We unpack the case study of the Society of Santa, in Calabria, which was a semi-secret entity, presented as a para-masonic deviant lodge, born within the local mafia clans ('ndrangheta). Through a narrative approach to investigating files, surveillance tapes, and trial documentation and conducting interviews, we posit a new theoretical framework to explore reputation by invisibility. This kind of reputation can be effective when individuals wish to act both in criminal arenas and in political-institutional ones. We argue that reputation by invisibility can effectively amplify deviance and criminality, such as corruption, by building narratives around specific individual skills and their organizational yet secretive abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polio vaccine hesitancy remains high in Pakistan due to various socio-political, religious, and economic factors. To address this, the government of Pakistan and its international partners such as UNICEF have devised a multipronged communication strategy to counter resistance to polio vaccine in hard-to-reach areas of the country. In this strategy, mainstream news media has been identified as a key stakeholder, as they have the potential to reach a wide range of population and disseminate easy to understand messages including both visuals and text. However, less scholarly attention has been paid to how mainstream news media in Pakistan frame polio and polio vaccine in their visuals. This study aims to fill this gap. Using visual framing as a theoretical framework, we analyzed 115 images from three selected newspapers published from 2010 to 2022. Our results suggest that the newspapers depicted hard-to-reach areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province which were more affected by polio and highlighted the criminality and securitization of polio vaccine in the country. In addition, female polio healthcare workers, who are instrumental in eradicating the disease, have been given marginal coverage, reflecting the importance of gender sensitivity in the region. Overall, this study contributes to the fields of visual communication, health communication, and international communication, particularly related to the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the role of transnational criminal groups in migration governance. Although this topic has attracted increasing global attention due to the intersection of migration management and crime, academic research remains limited. Most studies tend to view criminal groups merely as threats to migration governance or as peripheral actors. The article advocates for a significant paradigm shift in conventional debate on transnational governance. Rather than merely viewing criminal groups as global challenges for various actors to tackle, we should acknowledge them as pivotal actors influencing these challenges. Based on empirical research on migrant smuggling and human trafficking in the Greece and Libya, the article sheds more light on the complex relationships between these criminal actors, state actors and other key stakeholders in migration governance. It shows how criminal groups not only disrupt but also actively shape migration governance, and may even play a crucial role in the functioning and reproduction of its legal apparatus. In so doing, the article transcends both mainstream perspectives that view crime as a mere challenge to migration governance and critical studies that frame the role of crime in migration governance solely in terms of a state-driven process of 'criminalization'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moffitt’s (1993) developmental taxonomy has guided a great deal of research and has had a profound impact on the field of criminology. Much of this research has focused on her explanation of life-course-persistent offenders, wherein she argued that a combination of being reared in an adverse environment and having neuropsychological deficits would lead to lifelong offending. The current study used this explanation to extend tests of Moffitt’s theory by examining whether the combination of childhood maltreatment and neuropsychological deficits would have application that moves beyond the prediction of life-course-persistent offending and was able to account for participants being processed through the criminal justice system. Analysis of data drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) revealed that childhood maltreatment and neuropsychological deficits were both independently associated with being arrested, being convicted, and being incarcerated, but that the interaction between these two measures was largely null in the prediction of the outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although sex and gender differences are well-known in psychiatry, their research in the forensic psychiatric population is still limited. This study is aimed at bridging this gap by examining gender-specific factors and treatment needs among forensic psychiatric patients who are highly dangerous. By retrospectively analyzing data from a 1-year observational study on the Italian Residences for the Execution of Security Measures (REMS) patients (n = 730), we compared the main sociodemographic, clinical, and criminological variables between n = 80 female and n = 650 male patients. Female offenders exhibited a higher prevalence of personality (p < 0.001) and depressive disorders (p < 0.001), as well as more severe crimes leading to REMS admission, notably homicide or attempted homicide (p < 0.05). Furthermore, female offenders had a less frequent history of substance abuse (p < 0.001) than male offenders. Despite these differences, there was no evidence of gender-based differences in different sociodemographic and clinical parameters. This study highlights gender differences in forensic psychiatric patients and underscores the importance of nuanced assessment for implementing tailored interventions in forensic psychiatric care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting in 2015, the Residencies for Execution of Security Measures (REMS) became the place of treatment and care for dangerous offenders who were acquitted due to a mental disorder in Italy. Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) and personality disorders (PD) are the most common psychiatric disorders among REMS patients. This study aimed to identify and describe potential clinical, therapeutic, and criminal-related differences in REMS patients with SSD and PD. A sample of 528 REMS patients extracted from a previous observational retrospective study underwent secondary analysis. The group of PD patients (n = 150) comprised more females (p < 0.001) and had a higher frequency of substance abuse (p < 0.001) than the SSD group (n = 378). The SSD group was more frequently admitted to the REMS due to homicide/attempted homicide (p < 0.001). Among SSD patients, we found a higher recognition of criminal irresponsibility (p < 0.001). Patients with PD were more likely to engage in violent behavior in the REMS than their SSD counterparts (p < 0.001). Patients with SSD were more likely to receive antipsychotic polypharmacy (p < 0.05) and a higher dose of antipsychotics (p < 0.001). These initial results provide empirical evidence to support the need for personalized forensic treatment paths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Community care replaced institutional care for people with psychosis without guidance about what constituted effective treatment. In a Swedish birth cohort, many of those who developed schizophrenia or bipolar disorder as community care was being implemented were subsequently convicted of violent and non-violent crimes. Studies from other countries that were implementing community care at this time also reported elevated proportions of patients acquiring criminal convictions. Since community care was first implemented, much has been learned about factors that promote and treatments that limit aggressive/antisocial behaviour/criminality (AABC) among people with psychosis. Without the benefit of this knowledge, did mental health policy and practices that were in place as the asylums were closed inadvertently contribute to criminality? Material and methods: This article provides a narrative review of current evidence of effective treatments and management strategies to reduce AABC among patients with psychosis. Results: Reductions in AABC are associated with stable contact with psychiatric services, second-generation antipsychotic medication, clozapine for patients with schizophrenia and elevated levels of hostility and/or a history of childhood conduct disorder, abstinence from substances, avoidance of trauma, and constant monitoring of both illness symptoms and AABC. Conclusions: Failure to adopt evidence-based practices allows the problem of AABC to persist, prevents patients from experiencing independent, safe, community tenure, and puts those around them at risk. Many challenges remain, including implementing effective assessment and interventions at first-episode and convincing patients with antisocial attitudes and behaviours to participate in treatment programs to reduce AABC and to learn prosocial behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contends that sexual violence lies at the heart of Proust's The Fugitive. Most strikingly, Albertine's secret is not merely that she is a lesbian: she is rumoured to be guilty of consorting with Morel to groom and abuse impoverished and vulnerable young girls. Critics have – until now – tended to avert their eyes from this dark episode. Proustian sexuality, Rose demonstrates, thus consorts closely with crime, in ways that can only sometimes be sublimated or transfigured into art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies suggest that the process of becoming desistant from crime is accompanied by a shift from criminal to law-abiding identity and by the development of self-efficacy for law-abiding behavior. Utilizing self-report measures and an Implicit Association Test we predicted that a) a stronger law-abiding relative to criminal identity and a stronger/weaker self-efficacy for law-abiding/criminal behavior will correlate with lower actuarial recidivism risk at T1 and b) will explain variance in desistance two to three years later at T2. Results from a probation offender sample (N = 325) largely confirmed cross-sectional associations at T1. Univariately, self-reported and latency-based measured identity for law-abiding relative to criminal behavior explained variance in (survival time until) recidivism at T2 as opposed to self-efficacy for law-abiding or criminal behavior. Multivariately, self-reported law-abiding relative to criminal identity explained variance in survival time until recidivism beyond actuarial recidivism risk at T2. Further analyses showed that actuarial recidivism risk increasingly overestimated the risk to reoffend as the strength of law-abiding relative to criminal identity increased. The findings indicate that the strength of law-abiding relative to criminal identity plays a role in persisting in or desisting from criminal behavior. Yet, further research is necessary to identify the causal psychological mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informed by individuals wrongfully convicted by confession, and in light of basic research on practice effects on performance, two studies examined the effects of rehearsal on suspects and observers. In Study 1 (N = 37), participants who were guilty or innocent of a mock crime were incentivized to confess and then improve upon that confession three more times. Overall, guilty suspects' confessions were longer than those of innocents, rehearsal increased statement length in both conditions, and suspects described their rehearsed confessions as easier to give and more believable, and themselves as less nervous. In Study 2, 161 observers watched a single confession from the first study. Results showed that they did not distinguish between true and false confessions; they were biased toward seeing guilt, substantially over-believing false confessions; and rehearsal exacerbated this latter tendency. In the realm of 'practice makes perfect', innocence did not serve as a safeguard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior literature has highlighted that individuals are more likely to report discrimination against their group rather than towards themselves, a phenomenon known as the personal-group discrimination discrepancy (PGD). Drawing on a recent, large-sample representative survey from France, Trajectories and Origins 2 (TeO2), we offer a novel empirical approach for measuring the discrepancy and investigate three channels through which it operates: identity affirmation, awareness of discrimination, and spatial proximity to discrimination. We show that the discrepancy – reporting group discrimination but no personal experience of discrimination – and its determinants vary substantially across minority and majority populations. Among ethnoracial minorities, awareness of discrimination through higher education, as well as spatial proximity to racially-motivated crimes, increases the likelihood of exclusively reporting group discrimination. Among the majority, the discrepancy is more prominent among those with a salient ethnoracial identity and far-right political orientation, but less so among the higher educated, pointing to politics of racial grievance among disadvantaged majority members. The conclusion highlights the theoretical and methodological implications of different discrimination measurements as well as their potential consequences for individual outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through the lens of Membership Categorization Analysis, this study explicates the process of discursive categorization in courtroom opening and closing statements, focusing on the use of mundane categories as well as associated activities to negotiate the legal facticity of a criminal offense. Based on the official transcripts of a high-profile Anglo-American trial, the study reveals that much of what constitutes the opening and closing is the dispute over the categorization of the main characters in legal narratives, which at times provides conflicting information to fact-finders. The two sides are found to deploy explicit and implicit categorizations. However, instead of using oppositional categories, the two sides commonly make use of different membership categorization devices. This alternation of devices supplants and replaces each other, so that two versions of realities are discursively constructed. Such strategic categorization enables lawyers to go beyond offering a road map of the case in the opening and emphasizing key evidence in the closing: everyday categories smuggle in moral evaluation and make an emotional appeal to the jurors, which in principle are legally prohibited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prison environment has been synonymous with criminality, brutality, and drug activity. Yet, incarcerated individuals are expected to be released from prison clean from drugs and rehabilitated, with little to no access to the basic needs necessary to successfully rehabilitate. This single, qualitative case study explored the prison environment, basic needs, and the barriers to substance use rehabilitation. Data revealed that when basic needs were met, incarcerated individuals had the motivation to reach higher-order needs to aid in their recovery from substance use during treatment and that a negative or drug-infested environment and an unwillingness to change were barriers to sobriety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safety concerns continue to be challenging amid racially segregated communities of urban concentrated disadvantage. Although contributing factors to crime in such neighborhoods have been described, there is a lack of knowledge regarding how social isolation and perceptions of safety impact community health. This qualitative study explored how minoritized residents (N = 23) from an urban community of economic disadvantage perceived the influence of environmental and residential conditions on their health. Use of the grounded theory method produced conceptual insights into the process of how safety concerns led to fear, which created stress and prevented residents from using outdoor public spaces. Additionally, results indicated how the cyclical nature of such physical withdrawal reinforced social isolation and stigma by those outside the community, ultimately affecting residents' ability to maintain healthy living. Implications include implementing a multi-pronged public health policy that addresses safety perceptions, crime exposure, and social inclusion to improve health conditions in low-income communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The objective of this study was to investigate relationships between criminal history, cognitive distortions, social climate, motivation to change and therapeutic alliance at an early stage of treatment among people incarcerated for child sexual abuse. To do so, 223 men (Mage = 47, range = 19–76 years) who took part in a treatment programme in Quebec, Canada, following perpetration of child sexual abuse were included in the study. Individual factors (number of prior offences; cognitive distortions), social climate, and their association with motivation and therapeutic alliance were examined. Multiple linear regressions revealed that participants with fewer cognitive distortions who perceived social climate more positively were more motivated to change and had a better alliance with their therapist. Participants with higher motivation also established better therapeutic alliances with programme staff. This study provides new knowledge on two major components of successful treatment and highlights the importance of a positive environment in forming therapeutic alliance. PRACTICE IMPACT STATEMENT: Treatment providers should be mindful that the same cognitive distortions that are likely to be treatment targets can also be obstacles to motivation and the development of the therapeutic alliance. In terms of the treatment environment, providing a safe, open, and supportive social climate between inmates and programme staff contributes to higher motivation and better therapeutic alliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research on depictions of crime in cartoons has focused on violent crimes and psychopathic offenders. However, much of this research has focused on male crime fighters working alone with virtually no studies examining gender differences in crime fighting strategies or motives for offending. We fill this gap in the literature by examining cartoon crime fighting teams and the role gender plays in criminal depictions. Our results show: the presence of female crime fighters (1) generally produced more realistic portrayals of crime, (2) resulted in a range of nonviolent crime fighting techniques, and (3) produced fewer offenders motivated by power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has not investigated differential association theory alongside personality traits in predicting antisocial behaviour. The current study, consisting of 348 adults (M = 34.7 years, 66.1% female) from the general public, investigated how well differential association theory, alongside the Dark Triad, predicts antisocial behaviour. Results of standard multiple regression analyses indicated: (1) narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy positively predicted antisocial behaviour, (2) total psychopathy was a significantly stronger predictor (p < .001, 95 % CI [0.02, 0.05]) of antisocial behaviour than narcissism or Machiavellianism, and, (3) lifestyle features were a significantly stronger predictor (β = 0.33, p < .001) of antisocial behaviour than interpersonal/affective features. A hierarchical regression analysis indicated: (4) narcissism, Machiavellianism and total psychopathy predicted a significant amount of additional variance in antisocial behaviour, after accounting for the influence of individual definitions and others’ definitions of crime. These findings may provide target areas for interventions in reducing antisocial behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last several years, several reforms have been implemented in Sweden, specifically targeting women and children in what the state has named as “vulnerable areas”. The reforms have been presented as feminist measures that will secure the integration of “foreign-born women” and reduce everything from criminality to poverty. This article explores the public debate on the relationship between families and crime, the reform of the supplement to family with more than one child and family planning. The article discusses how racialized mothers and their children are defined as a threat to the nation, its welfare and its national security. Inspired by feminist research on the relationship between social reproduction and the carceral state, I argue that analysis of the current political conjuncture in Sweden needs to take into consideration how policing in the streets and at the nation’s borders is entangled with policing in the sphere of social reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating modern technology to combat crime can enhance law enforcement capabilities. Therefore, the study explored the application of Virtual Reality (VR) in investigative procedures. First, it examined the use of VR in improving strength of remembrance which was assessed by BEOS. Second, it explored effectiveness of virtual reality eye-tracking for repeated versus novel stimuli. Sixty participants were divided into three groups to either perform a mock crime, or view it in VR, or both. Results indicate the potential effectiveness of VR in collaboration with BEOS, by confirming that VR significantly bolstered strength of remembrance and revealed distinct eye movement patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examines registration data from the Dutch police pertaining to 2,757 individuals and 10 different crime categories, at the offense, individual, and network levels of analysis. Moreover, a novel estimate is introduced which identifies individuals’ tendency to operate as mentors or mentees in criminal networks. We find co-offending to be conditional on the type of crime and to typically involve groups of two to three offenders. Moreover, we find that men and those aged 18–25 are most likely to co-offend and that co-offenders typically do not show a preference for particular co-offenders. Individuals with central positions in the co-offending network were found to be older and to offend more frequently with a higher average of co-offenders per offense, than those less central. Lastly, we find the novel estimate to be a promising tool for identifying mentor and mentee roles in large quantitative network data. The results of the current study emphasize the importance of studying co-offending on different analytical levels, and to differentiate co-offending by different crime types, network positions, and individual roles, to better inform theory and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBackgroundMethodsResultsConclusionPlace of last drink (POLD) is a law enforcement strategy designed to decrease the service of alcohol to intoxicated patrons (i.e., overservice). When officers respond to an alcohol-related incident, they inquire about and record the place where the involved individuals last drank alcohol; this information can help identify licensed alcohol establishments that show a pattern of overserving alcohol. We evaluated the effects of a POLD initiative on various types of crime.The POLD initiative was conducted in the state of Minnesota (USA). We compared 26 intervention jurisdictions to 26 matched comparisons. Outcomes were six crime measures (e.g., driving under the influence, violent, nonviolent). Predictors were levels of participation and implementation of POLD. We fit a separate Poisson regression model for each crime outcome and each predictor.In all models, we found little difference in crime rates between intervention and comparison jurisdictions. No effect on crime was observed for either participation or implementation levels of POLD. However, we found implementation levels were relatively low across jurisdictions.This study adds to a very limited literature addressing the effects of POLD on public health harms such as crime. The particular POLD initiative did not appear to affect crime rates. We found POLD implementation levels showed considerable room for improvement and could help to explain some of the lack of effects of POLD on crime. More research is needed in additional localities and to assess whether specific aspects of implementation could help to strengthen POLD efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gendered models of intimate partner violence/abuse (IPV/A), and public and professional perceptions, describe IPV/A as a one-sided crime perpetrated by men unilaterally. This becomes problematic when considering bidirectional IPV/A: the dominant form of relational violence according to reviews. Here we explored judgments of bidirectional IPV/A, first using an experimental design and a general public sample, and then using qualitative inquiry with prospective trainee forensic psychologists. Although participants acknowledged bidirectionality, males were infrequently labeled as “victims” and females as “perpetrators”. Participant interviews suggested gender constructions influenced their judgments. Implications for training to challenge gendered narratives and de-bias professional practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the significant global repercussions of terrorism, including loss of lives and economic resources, research on its relationship with crime has been limited to group-level analyses. This study examines the individual criminal activities of Australian Neo-Jihadists, via social network analysis from an individual perspective. Judicial documents and newspaper articles are analysed to determine the criminal activities and operational roles of network actors. Findings suggest a prominence of criminal activities, and a significant relationship between market criminal activities and facilitation of terrorist operations. The study concludes with suggestions for future research, emphasising the potential for disrupting terrorist networks by focusing on the new crime-terror nexus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying effective strategies to combat firearm-related crimes is a growing priority in the United States. The crime gun intelligence (CGI) framework, centered on evidence-based approaches, is a key approach to accomplish this. This article explores the relative contributions of various evidence types to case clearance. We examine gun-related crimes investigated by the Manchester Police Department (MPD) in New Hampshire from 2017 to 2022 to see how the use of NIBIN, e-Trace, firearm recovery, physical evidence, social media, and video evidence impacted the likelihood of arrest. Results suggest that recovering firearms and having video evidence are key elements for increasing the likelihood of an arrest. CGI-related evidence and other evidence types were typically predicted to have no significant effects. NIBIN and physical evidence were associated with negative effects on arrest in some instances. The practical implications of these findings, as well as their limitations and directions for future research, will also be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractSituational Action Theory (SAT) has emerged as a prominent theory of crime and delinquency. It includes a new conceptualization of self-control, which emphasizes its role in enabling individuals to adhere to their morality when deliberating about deviant and non-deviant action alternatives. However, existing self-control scales do not directly capture this role of self-control as a guardian of personal morality when externally challenged. To close this gap, we developed and validated the Self-Control Ability Scale (SCAS) to measure an individual’s self-perceived ability to withstand temptation, provocation, or social pressure when they conflict with their personal morality. We present the results of four studies that provide evidence for the three-dimensional structure of the SCAS, the reliability of its measures, its validity, and its measurement invariance across age, gender, and language. The SCAS promises more informative tests of SAT and new insights into individuals’ ability to adhere to their morality when challenged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While previous studies have analyzed the impact of earthquakes on domestic violence, less is known about its effects on other crimes against women. Administrative records on criminal incidence from Mexico enable this study on different crimes against women following two major earthquakes that struck Mexico in September 2017. The article estimates causal effects using a difference-in-differences strategy and shows that following the earthquakes femicides decreased by 2 percent, sexual abuse rose by 11 percent, and rape climbed by 12 percent. An exhaustive examination of potential mechanisms using survey data yields suggestive evidence that gangs play an important role in the escalation of sexual abuse. Data on school damages further shows that disruptions to middle- and high-schools could have plausibly facilitated students' gang membership. HIGHLIGHTS In Mexico, one of the impacts of earthquakes is on crimes against women. Following earthquakes, sexual abuse increased by 11 percent and rape by 12 percent. Gangs play an important role in the escalation of sexual abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects that sensory modulation-related occupational therapy interventions can have on emotional regulation in preparation for readiness to change among individuals who are incarcerated. Assessments used included the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5), University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale 32-item (URICA), and a semi-structured interview. Results quantitatively demonstrated emotional regulation in relation to traumatic experiences was impacted through statistically significant changes in PCL-5 scores. The change in URICA scores was minimal, yet positive. Qualitative data supported positive effects on emotional regulation and readiness to change. This project provided evidence regarding sensory modulation-related occupational therapy interventions within justice-based settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Texas Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility (SAFPF) is a part of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) aimed at reducing crime by treating substance use disorders for individuals with felony charges. This work investigates the lived experience and shared themes of persons who attended SAFPF (N = 8) using phenomenological qualitative methods. The results highlight many strengths including connection through relationships, self-motivation, and aftercare options. Reported weaknesses included treatment provision, curriculum deficits, and operational problems. Results found numerous positive and negative aspects of the person's lived experience that could inform policy and treatment methods of future SAFPF programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to determine whether the relationship between cognitive insensitivity and cognitive impulsivity, two core dimensions of antisocial thought process, grew significantly over a period of two years and whether this growth was more evident in actively delinquent youth. A group of 845 adolescent male and female middle-school students completed measures of cognitive insensitivity and impulsivity at three points in time, with one year between each point or wave. Analyses were conducted using the Fisher r-to-Z transformed Pearson-Filon statistic for comparing nonoverlapping dependent correlations. Analyses showed that the correlation between cognitive insensitivity and cognitive impulsivity increased significantly from Wave 1 to Wave 3. When analyses were performed separately for youth displaying above average and below average delinquency across the three waves, significant increases occurred only in the subgroup with above average delinquency scores and then only between Waves 2 and 3 and then between Waves 1 and 3. These findings suggest that the cognitive insensitivity and impulsivity dimensions of antisocial thought process become increasingly more intertwined as youth move through early adolescence, but only in youth who display regular involvement in delinquency over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Should the goal of criminal justice be to make sure offenders get their 'just deserts'? In the current work, we investigate why some people believe that criminal offenders should be punished. The primary goal is to explore how mindsets about the nature of criminal behavior predict punitive and rehabilitative attitudes. Drawing on the Double-Edged Sword (DES) model of mindsets in stigmatized domains, we predicted that mindsets about the relative changeability (growth mindsets) or stability (fixed mindsets) of criminality will have contradictory indirect effects on these attitudes. Across three preregistered studies (N = 1,089), in addition to finding that growth mindsets overall predicted less punitive attitudes, we found support for the DES model. That is, growth mindsets indirectly predicted less punitive and more rehabilitative attitudes via reduced essentialist thinking but stronger punitive and weaker rehabilitative attitudes via greater blame. Our findings extend the DES model to the domain of criminality, suggest avenues for additional research, and offer applications for fostering growth mindsets that keep the benefits without the costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews the design of the criminal justice system and trends in crime in Russia over the last two decades (2000–2020). First, we argue that the criminal justice system is built upon the idea of meeting quotas, which ensures its accountability to the Russian state and downplays its transparency and crime-control efficiency. Second, we analyse recent crime trends and argue that Russia has experienced a long-term drop in crime. Finally, we overview the available evidence on the enforcement of drug laws and the operation of the prison system in Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first few months of Second World War were marked by numerous mass crimes against humanity committed by Third Reich civil servants on citizens of the Second Polish Republic – local intelligentsia, people with mental disorders, and the Jewish minority. The bodies were then disposed of by hiding them in mass graves. In the second half of 1944, the Nazis returned to the scenes of the crimes to delete the traces of mass executions – as part of a special operation (Aktion 1005) and cover up all evidence of their crimes. This article analyzes the process undertaken by the Nazis to destroy graves as part of Aktion 1005 through the concept of necroviolence on human corpses – defined by Jason De León, as, ‘the intentional infliction of violence on human corpses’. The following case study presents evidence excavated during archaeological research conducted in the Szpęgawski Forest in Gdańsk Pomerania, Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I will analyze how the conceptualization of the term ‘Basqueness’, and the meaning of ‘being Basque’, have been instrumental in determining the way in which citizens of the Basque Autonomous Community (BAC) have chosen to identify themselves. What it means to be Basque has experienced a significant evolution from its ethnic and linguistic origins to being a matter of feeling and doing; however, the way Basque citizens felt about Basqueness, and what actions participated in Basqueness, was substantially influenced by the climate of political polarization, the appropriation by nationalism of Basque symbols and features and the violence of terrorist organization ETA, as well as the justification of its crimes. Working from the semantic theory of Brandomian inferentialism, I want to show how these factors functioned as inferential relations that constituted the meaning of Basqueness. As these inferences changed with the dissolution of ETA and the easing of political polarization, what it means to be Basque has subsequently changed its meaning, which might contribute to explaining why in recent years an increasing number of people in the BAC have incorporated Basqueness into their mixed or liminal identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Vertical drinking' is a longstanding concept in alcohol licencing decision-making and the literature on night-time leisure. As the term implies, it concerns drinking alcohol standing up. The proposition is simple: establishments where people stand to drink are associated with less desirable clientele, more drunkenness and a greater likelihood of crime and disorder. Existing research has explored how the concept of 'Vertical drinking' – known historically as 'perpendicular drinking' – can form part of heavily classed distinctions between 'civilised' and 'uncivilised' drinking practices. By examining 40 licencing hearings in England under the Licencing Act 2003, this paper demonstrates how vertical drinking serves as a: (i) proxy for 'uncivilised' drinking establishments, (ii) a proxy for problematic (working class) drinking bodies, and (iii) how the legal tool of the licence targets problematic drinkers by shaping the establishment in which they drink. Assumptions about problematic drinking bodies – this 'vertical drinker' – inform the regulatory distinction between 'civilised' and 'uncivilised' establishments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea of differential deterrence suggests that deterrent effects vary across individuals and settings. However, the pertinent research is poorly integrated and lacks a coherent theoretical conceptualization. This is why the present article seeks to (a) reconcile the empirical findings obtained for the most frequently investigated moderators of the magnitude of the deterrent effect, (b) introduce a novel model of a subsidiary relevance of deterrence, and (c) provide a first test of the new model. A narrative review of the previous research on differential deterrence forms the basis of theoretical efforts to build a model of subsidiary deterrent effects that is consistent with the available evidence. The proposed model synthesizes the conditioning roles of the strength of the moral filter and the level of trait self-control. In detail, it is assumed that the total strength of the moral filter governs whether controls affect behavior (because it determines whether crime is actually being pondered) and that, given a permeable moral filter, deterrence matters particularly for individuals with lower self-control ability. Following the presentation of the new model, we report the results of its first empirical examination. Analyzing a self-report survey on adolescent shoplifting activity yields supportive findings. There is evidence of a moderated moderation relationship according to which a poor capacity for self-control increases the association between the perceived risk of getting caught and the level of shoplifting delinquency mainly under conditions of a weak moral filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1920s and 30s, a criminal investigation followed by a trial against a group of allegedly homosexual men was launched in Gothenburg, Sweden. Almost a century later, Swedish artist Conny Karlsson Lundgren engages with these events in a multifaceted two-part installation and performative work that borrows the title from the investigation, The Gothenburg Affair (Göteborgsaffären). In this article, we describe how the investigation was conducted during a time in which the science of criminology expanded to envelop new technologies and methods of identification and categorization. Tools such as new uses of photography, the portrait parlé, and Kretschmerian body types were implemented to identify criminal individuals and behaviors and place them within a particular category of criminality or pathology. In his works, Karlsson Lundgren conspicuously brings out sensual and sexual details of the archival material and inverts the denigrating and stigmatizing ways in which these details were used in the source material. In the article, we describe the strategies though which Karlsson Lundgren's work transforms aspects of the archival material and in this way intervenes in history to continue a resistance found between the lines of the archival material itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While research has shown that wearing a disguise hinders lineup identifications, less is known about how to conduct lineups in cases of disguised perpetrators. We examined the influence of surgical masks, worn during a crime event (encoding) and within lineups (retrieval), on eyewitness identification accuracy. In our experiment, 452 participants watched a mock-crime video and identified the perpetrator from either a target-present or a target-absent simultaneous lineup. Contrary to expectations based on the encoding specificity principle, we did not find that matching the presence of masks in the lineup to the encoding condition increased identification accuracy. Instead, compared to the condition with no masks at encoding and retrieval, the presence of masks at either stage negatively affected discriminability and undermined the predictive utility of confidence and decision time. Our findings indicate that when a witness has encountered a masked perpetrator, presenting them with a masked lineup may not be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on LGBTQ+ students and their sense of belonging in public schools is necessary; minoritized students deserve to feel safe, validated, and valued in a space where they belong. Using the 2017–2018 School Survey on Crime and Safety public-access data, we align variables to Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems framework. This study explored the relationship between having an affirming sexual orientation or gender identity student club and the frequency of student harassment in high school and the predictive ability of student, teacher, and school policy factors on harassment. We found that schools with LGBTQ+ accepting school clubs had higher incidence of sexual orientation and gender identity harassment. Additionally, student involvement in restorative circles, teacher trainings, and some school contexts predicted harassment. Implications and future directions for research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study sought to investigate the correlation between community methamphetamine use, gauged by overdose mortality rates, and incidence of violent crime. Method: We carried out a descriptive, cross-sectional analysis of county-level data from multiple public sources, involving all 3147 US counties. Methamphetamine overdose rates for the year 2019 were derived from CDC WONDER, while violent crime rates were collected from NIBRS. Results: Our data set contained 522 counties with complete information, largely metro (92.72%). Overdose data was suppressed for 2625 counties—697 (26.55%) metro, and 1928 (73.45%) non-metro, hence multiple imputation was utilized for comprehensive results. The analysis showed significant correlations between methamphetamine overdose and all violent crime, and specifically robbery (F = 5.55, P =.005 and F = 47.60, P <.001, respectively). Conclusion: Our study suggests that communities with higher methamphetamine overdoses likely face increased rates of crime, specifically robbery, which could impact costs associated with law enforcement, prosecution, and healthcare. The study offers valuable insights for law enforcement and policymakers, and underlines the need for further research to fully understand the dynamics of methamphetamine use and violence at the community level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWhile low self-control is one of the strongest predictors of offending, scholars do not agree whether the theory is gendered or gender neutral. This study used hierarchal meta-analytic methods to take stock of the self-control literature, focusing specifically on all-male and all-female samples. The analysis included 1,282 effect size estimates (ESEs) nested in 244 individual studies which used 169 unique datasets. Moderator analyses examined potential differences depending on sample and offense characteristics, measurement of self-control, and included controls in multivariate models. While mean ESEs did not differ significantly for males and females, suggesting that the effect between self-control and offending is similar, once moderator analyses were conducted, differences emerged in female offense type and measurement. This suggests that while self-control can explain both male and female offending, there may be important gendered risk factors that are also influential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]