Search

Background: Several studies have been reported previously on the bioactivities of different extracts of marine molluscs. Therefore, we decided to evaluate the cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of S. pharaonis ink as a highly populated species in the Red Sea. We extracted the flavonoids from the ink and analyzed their composition. Then we evaluated systematically the cytotoxic and antimicrobial properties of this extract. A pharmacokinetic study was also conducted using SwissADME to assess the potential of the identified flavonoids and phenolic compounds from the ink extract to be orally active drug candidates. Results: Cytotoxic activity was evaluated against 5 cell lines (MCF7, Hep G2, A549, and Caco2) at different concentrations (0.4 µg/mL, 1.6 µg/mL, 6.3 µg/mL, 25 µg/mL, 100 µg/mL). The viability of examined cells was reduced by the extract in a concentration-dependent manner. The highest cytotoxic effect of the extract was recorded against A549 and Hep G2 cancer cell lines cells with IC50 = 2.873 and 7.1 µg/mL respectively. The mechanistic analysis by flow cytometry of this extract on cell cycle progression and apoptosis induction indicated that the extract arrests the cell cycle at the S phase in Hep G2 and MCF7, while in A549 cell arrest was recorded at G1 phase. However, it causes G1 and S phase arrest in Caco2 cancer cell line. Our data showed that the extract has significant antimicrobial activity against all tested human microbial pathogens. However, the best inhibitory effect was observed against Candida albicans ATCC 10,221 with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1.95 µg/mL. Pharmacokinetic analysis using SwissADME showed that most flavonoids and phenolics compounds have high drug similarity as they satisfy Lipinski's criteria and have WLOGP values below 5.88 and TPSA below 131.6 Å2. Conclusion: S. pharaonis ink ethanolic extract showed a promising cytotoxic potency against various cell lines and a remarkable antimicrobial action against different pathogenic microbial strains. S. pharaonis ink is a novel source of important flavonoids that could be used in the future in different applications as a naturally safe and feasible alternative of synthetic drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of research highlights the continuum between dark and bright personality traits impacting individual prosocial or antisocial tendencies. However, the interplay between personality dimensions and actual criminal behavior and its reoccurrence is not fully elucidated. We aimed to explore the cumulative predictive value of the bright and dark core of personality for criminal history in differentiating a general community sample (N = 282) from a large sample of inmates (N = 296), with (n = 129) or without (n = 167) criminal history while controlling for age, sex and impression management. Predictors of first-time offending were higher levels of Neuroticism, Openness, Dark Factor, Sadism, and Deceitfulness. Criminal recidivism was predicted by high Neuroticism and Deceitfulness. Finally, higher levels of Extraversion were negatively related to criminal behavior and history, highlighting a potential protective effect of displaying assertive and sociable tendencies. The findings highlight the relevance of considering the dark personality core complementary to the typical personality dimensions in the risk assessment, prediction, and reduction of criminal behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Homicide is the leading cause of death among young people in Latin America, one of the world's most violent regions. Poverty is widely considered a key cause of violence, but theories suggest different effects of poverty, depending on when it is experienced in the life-course. Longitudinal studies of violence are scarce in Latin America, and very few prospective data are available worldwide to test different life-course influences on homicide. Methods In a prospective birth cohort study following 5914 children born in southern Brazil, we examined the role of poverty at birth, in early childhood, and in early adulthood on violence and homicide perpetration, in criminal records up to age 30 years. A novel Structured Life Course Modelling Approach was used to test competing life-course hypotheses about 'sensitive periods', 'accumulation of risk', and 'downward mobility' regarding the influence of poverty on violence and homicide. Results Cumulative poverty and poverty in early adulthood were the most important influences on violence and homicide perpetration. This supports the hypothesis that early adulthood is a sensitive period for the influence of poverty on lethal and non-lethal violence. Results were replicable using different definitions of poverty and an alternative outcome of self-reported fights. Conclusion Cumulative poverty from childhood to adulthood was an important driver of violence and homicide in this population. However, poverty experienced in early adulthood was especially influential, suggesting the importance of proximal mechanisms for violence in this context, such as unemployment, organized crime, drug trafficking, and ineffective policing and justice systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The legal framework conditions of Sect. 64 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) have already been reformed several times – each time with the aim of stopping the steady increase in placement orders. In recent decades not only the number of placements has increased, there has also been a structural change in patients. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in patient clientele and treatment circumstances in Sect. 64 StGB. Using T- and Chi2-tests, the structural change in patients was examined using two data sets from the reference date survey (1995, 23 clinics, n = 977; 2022, 20 clinics, n = 1625). The current clientele was then examined using the data set from 2022. Results: The results showed, among other things, significant increases in age, concomitant sentence, registrations in their criminal record, full culpability, treatment duration and recommendations for release on parole. In contrast, significant decreases were observed in prison experience, mental comorbidities, abscondings, drug relapses and short leaves. In addition, differences were observed within the primary addictive substance (away from alcohol, towards cannabis, cocaine and stimulants) and the index offence (increase in inmates with drug offences, decrease in property and sexual offences). Conclusions: The results illustrate a multifaceted change of the clientele. The longer treatment periods and more restrictive relaxation periods do not seem to suit the less seriously ill patients. It remains to be seen whether and to what extent the patient structure will continue to change and whether the renewed reform will finally be able to slow down the increase in admissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical risk assessment forms for a sample of 173 males with a history of violent offending and under supervision by Merseyside Youth Offending Services (YOS) were investigated. Subsequent arrest records were scrutinised in order to obtain a better understanding of the relationship of social and psychological risk factors to offending behavior. The mean age of the sample at the point of contact with YOS was 16.01 (SD = 1.37) with a range between 12 and 18 years. Assault was associated with solo expressive offending, a history of domestic violence, low school attendance and an inability to control impulsivity and aggression. Robbery was associated instrumental and escalated violent offending, psychological disorders, and deviant groups, including family criminal involvement. Risk assessments by professionals and the young people indicated that substance misuse co-occurred with robbery. The findings suggest that solo offenders commit the majority of violent offences and that targeted interventions should distinguish between expressive and instrumental offending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At a high cost to the community and taxpayers, offenders frequently return to correctional facilities shortly after being released. In South Africa, the management of recidivism has not been researched extensively, and recidivism as a phenomenon has received scant attention. This study explores how the Department of Correctional Services in South Africa manages recidivism using the perspectives of staff and external stakeholders. A qualitative study was conducted with 19 Department of Correctional Services employees and ten external stakeholders. The findings postulate that South Africa's Department of Correctional Services (1) lacks defined policy guidelines, processes, or structure for addressing recidivism; (2) suggests a gap in the system as departments work independently within the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster (JCPS), which includes, among others, the Departments of Police, Home Affairs, Justice and Correctional Services; (3) recommends that the computer systems of the JCPS be integrated to manage recidivism, and the use of a criminal record number for the detection of recidivists; (4) identifies a need for the development of policy, policy procedures, and guidelines for managing repeat offending; and (5) a need for coherent research on the management of recidivism of offenders within the Department of Correctional Services in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the right of insight of a statutory health insurance association into criminal records. It is stated that the public prosecutor's office is authorized to transmit copies from the criminal file to the statutory health insurance association in order to examine possible misconduct and billing of its members. However, the transmission of copies does not constitute access to the file, but merely information. The article refers to a decision of the BayObLG regarding a specific case in which a doctor was suspected of issuing prescriptions for medically unnecessary services. The Bavarian Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians has requested access to the file in a criminal proceeding against the doctor. The public prosecutor's office intends to partially grant the request and transmit certain documents. However, the Attorney General requests that the request be denied. The court decides that the request is admissible, as the doctor may have been violated in his right to informational self-determination. Nevertheless, the request is unsuccessful in substance, as the public prosecutor's office is authorized to transmit certain information for the examination of claims by the statutory health insurance association. [Extracted from the article]

Objective/context: After the paramilitary demobilization in Colombia, Cali and Medellín-major cities with a long history of political and criminal violence-saw a decline in violence despite the continuing operation of criminal groups. Yet, while Cali remained more violent than the national average, with criminal groups displaying less ability to regulate local affairs and security, Medellín became less violent than the national average and criminal groups engaged in more intensive governance. Methodology: I compare these cities using case studies constructed through fieldwork and interviews with security officials, NGO and social leaders, and former members of groups, drawing on my long-term, ongoing research engagement in both locations. Conclusions: The contrast between these cities exemplifies varied manifestations of post-conflict criminality. I argue that this variation in criminal governance is connected to the wartime balance of power, specifically, the level of territorial control and political connections armed groups had before the demobilization. Where control and political connections of paramilitary before demobilization were high, post-conflict crime groups were more likely to engage in governance behaviors. By contrast, disputed territories during wartime were likely to experience less criminal governance. Drawing on path dependence ideas, I introduce an overlooked mechanism through which wartime orders affect criminal behavior: learning processes inside and outside criminal groups. Originality: I show that to fully understand post-conflict criminality, it is crucial to consider armed actors peripherally involved in the war but essential for territorial control, whereas to understand criminal governance, the mid-ranks of armed groups and learning processes are crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labour market discrimination against individuals with criminal records may be unfair, ineffective and counterproductive. This article describes a field experiment designed to indicate whether job applicants disclosing a criminal record in the British labour market have a lower probability of success than equivalent applicants not disclosing criminal records. The research also provides insights into the potential effects of introducing a Ban-The-Box (BTB) policy in the United Kingdom, which would prohibit questions on prior convictions in the first stages of the recruitment process. The results confirm the existence of criminal record discrimination and suggest that introducing a BTB policy would increase job prospects for White applicants with criminal records, but not for members of ethnic minorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Law enforcement officers commonly must respond to situations in which a person is experiencing acute symptoms of a mental illness. Yet from the first moment of police involvement, these community members face the possibility of negative outcomes. Consequences include officers’ use of excessive force leading to injury or death, criminal arrest and prosecution that results in deprivation of liberty, separation from the community, and the creation of a permanent criminal record that affects other rights. Although potential violence and criminalization are importantreasons to avoid relying on police during mental health events, another key consideration is often ignored in the discourse: the specific heightened repercussions noncitizens face. Namely, noncitizens face the additional possibility of deportation. Because immigration law and policy link local law enforcement to the federal government, noncitizens contend with the risk of transfer from criminal to immigration custody, even if criminal charges are not imposed. The myriad problems within the immigration system—including lack of access to counsel and inadequate mental health care—increase mentally ill noncitizens’ likelihood of ultimately being deported. This Article calls for systemic changes to policing that account for the unique experience of noncitizens with mental illnesses. This Article also offers a set of Principles by which future proposed police reforms can be assessed. [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]

Copyright of Araucaria is the property of Araucaria-Revista Iberoamericana de Filosofia, Politica y Humanidades and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of the study is to analyse the effectiveness of the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan aimed at animal protection. During the research, the method of typological grouping was used to identify penalties for animal cruelty. The paper examines the problem of inhumane treatment of animals in the Republic of Kazakhstan, analyses the current laws and regulations in the field of animal protection. Statistical data on the number of registered criminal offences related to the unlawful treatment of animals for 2021-2023 are presented. The problems associated with the low percentage of discovery and the disclosure of cases on this issue, due to the inefficient evidence base for recording criminal offences are analysed. It is indicated that the studied problem of animal cruelty requires the immediate implementation of a set of measures related not only to legal, but organisational and educational measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using original data collected from a national survey, this research examines the perceptions of administrators in the functional areas of Admissions, Dean of Students, and Student Affairs regarding the use of criminal history questions in undergraduate admissions. We use a lens of equity mindedness to analyze whether administrators connect criminal history questions in admissions to inequalities of punishment, and find that administrators working for institutions that require disclosure overwhelmingly agree or somewhat agree with the practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Justices of the peace in the European legal tradition were mostly a group of non-professional judges, often lacking academic legal education, enjoying the trust of the local community and deciding cases ‘of low gravity’ in an informal procedure. Some form of justices of the peace existed in every piece of territory of interwar Poland reclaimed from the former partitioning powers. The research presented in the article focuses on former Prussian Territories – the Appeal District of Poznań [Posen], and analyses the practical experiences of ‘judices of the peace’ functioning in the light of administrative and supervisory court files deposited in the archive in Poznań. The author reflects on three main issues. Firstly, the procedure of justices of peace appointments is presented in detail. Secondly, challenges and problems with the quality of their work – pointed out by their supervisors – is discussed. Thirdly, their impartiality and relations with professional judges, court staff, trial participants, and especially local communities is assessed. In the end, the author attempts to explain why the functioning of ‘justices of the peace’ in former Prussian territories in interwar Poland was seen as a failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prosocial relationships are beneficial to post-conviction reintegration, but criminal stigma may limit romantic relationship access. This study implements an experimental audit of speed dating, which allows people to meet several potential partners in a brief time, to explore how conviction disclosure, offense type, and attractiveness and personality ratings affect dating interest. Three women and three men confederates of different races/ethnicities were randomly assigned to a control or one of three offense conditions before interacting one-on-one with 64 participants in 4-minute Zoom Q&A speed dating sessions. Following each interaction, participants rated one another on attractiveness, personality dimensions, and interest in dating. Findings indicate that disclosure of property offense conviction significantly reduced women's willingness to date men confederates while assault and drug convictions did not negatively affect women's dating interest. Women confederate disclosures of convictions did not affect men's interest in dating them. Researching the effects of prior convictions on romantic relationship interest is challenging but important in revealing how criminal stigma varies by offense type to affect relationship capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

\nPractice implicationsTherapeutic residential care (TRC) provides care for young people in the welfare system that display behaviors that are unsafe to themselves or others. The intervention provided in TRC is challenging and not always effective. The goal of this exploratory study is to compare the profiles and progress of young people treated in TRC-CREI (TRC-Intensive Educational Residential Care) in Catalonia (Spain), for at least a year, aiming to identify factors explaining intervention effectiveness. Key informants provided retrospective information from 78 treated cases on the young people’s improvements in relation to behavioral problems identified on entry. Significant differences in intervention outcomes were found among profiles. Young people with better relational skills and who adapted more quickly to the program showed a greater tendency to have positive outcomes. The poorest prognosis was for young people who ran away and had a criminal record. Logistic regression indicated that runaway behaviors predict failed outcomes, while having friends among TRC-CREI peers predicts young people’s successful trajectories. The TRC-CREI program seems to be effective for cases with moderate problems, but not for those with more serious difficulties. Specific socio-emotional education programs are needed to repair affective bonds with educators, peers, and the broader social network.The TRC-CREI program is less effective for young people who have a criminal record and tend to run away.Young people with better relational skills and who adapt more quickly to the program showed a better prognosis for positive progress.Displaying runaway behaviors or having friends among TRC-CREI peers are the two factors that predict the outcomes of progress.Professionals should be aware of the benefits of healthy relationships and promote restorative emotional bonds with young people.Interventions should be evidence-based to provide high-quality therapeutic practices resulting in better outcomes for young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines the complex assessment of criminal culpability in individuals with ASPD, specifically regarding their ineligibility for conscription due to challenges obeying military regulations and endangering fellow soldiers. The research centers on 135 cases diagnosed with ASPD who sought exemption from conscription in Türkiye between 2018 and 2022, comparing their socio-demographic, clinical, and criminal characteristics. Significantly, individuals with severe ASPD demonstrate a correlation with increased rates of employment (p = .006), a greater frequency of planned offenses (p = .033), and a heightened frequency of criminal records (p < .001). Both groups with ASPD display self-harming tendencies, yet sASPD cases are more often subjected to exemption decisions prior to conscription (84.1%), in contrast to ASPD cases where disqualification arises primarily during conscription (59.1%) (p < .001). The rate of disqualification from conscription is greater among individuals with ASPD during service, particularly for severe cases earlier on. In both groups, younger individuals who live with their parents (p = .046) seek addiction treatment more frequently. sASPD individuals tend to have more criminal records, and exemption decisions often precede conscription. The study highlights differences between ASPD and sASPD, planned offenses, impulsivity, addiction treatment-seeking behavior, and frequency of criminal records as critical elements to consider when evaluating disqualifications for conscription in these groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has become more difficult to distinguish disinformation due to the increasing amount of information on the Internet daily. Disinformation is disseminated through various communication technologies and endangers the quality of life by harming a sound information society. To ensure effective and safe information exchange, public-led information transparency is demanded to screen systems and databases that produce and spread disinformation. We compared false verification platforms on the Internet, namely, the Thailand Verification Center, Taiwan FactCheck Center, MyGoPen, and Cofacts, and constructed a new system to screen disinformation. This system based on the cybercrime theory can be used to verify disinformation and prevent fraud more efficiently than the previous false verification systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of bipolar disorder on marital union, whether it renders the marital union intolerable, and how the clinical features of the disorder can be assessed in making this significant decision. Methods: Our study sample consists of cases of bipolar disorder sent for forensic psychiatric evaluation under Article 165 of the Turkish Civil Code to the Council of Forensic Medicine between 2013 and 2022. The sample is divided into 2 groups based on whether the marriage has ended or not. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, reasons for evaluation, previous psychiatric history, evaluation outcomes, and diagnosis were retrospectively analyzed from files accessed through the National Judiciary Network Project software. Results: Individuals with termination of marriages had a significantly higher prevalence of a history of crime and substantially higher mean number of hospitalizations compared to those with ongoing marriages (P < .05). Conclusion: In our study, we observed that despite numerous challenges, the majority of marriages involving bipolar disorder (89.6%) continued. This retrospective study aimed to identify significant clinical characteristics of bipolar disorder patients related to dissolution of marriage decisions, particularly noting links between hospitalization, criminal history, and dissolution of marriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of children involved in criminal activities has risen dramatically. Juveniles are mostly engaged in criminal activities such as drinking, theft, murder and rape. Though most of these families did not suffer from alcoholism or criminal records, these children committed crimes such as smoking, drinking, theft, rape, murder, etc. Among the juveniles, theft was the most frequently committed offence due to an easy money complex, peer influence, and family pressure to earn money to support their families. The study also states that most of the juveniles worked instead of going to school since they were forced to work. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness based stress reduction in reducing stress among juvenile delinquents. The statistical population of the study consisted of juvenile delinquents. This study consisted of 50 juvenile delinquents (25 for experimental group & 25 for control group). The experimental group of juvenile offenders participated in eight weekly two and half hour mindfulness-based intervention sessions. For the same amount of time, the juvenile offenders in the control group did not receive any intervention. According to research, a mindfulness practice involves paying attention to the present moment, non-judgmentally. In short, in daily practices of mindfulness, individuals can experience positive benefits. Juvenile delinquents can lessen the harmful effects of stress by practicing mindfulness as a self-care technique. The results showed that the experimental group showed a significant reduction in stress as compared to control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International criminal justice is filled with living, dead, and dying bodies. While witnesses detail atrocities in the courtroom, such testimonies are largely considered for their evidentiary value to establish innocence or guilt. In this article, I explore how death, grief, and mourning are represented at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). I focus on the ICTY documentary, Crimes Before the ICTY: Višegrad , to analyse how filmic representations of international criminal justice register dead, dying, and grieving bodies. Drawing on Queer Death Studies and relational ontologies, I explore the more-than-human and non/living worlds through which death, grief, and mourning are represented in the film. A queer relational approach reveals and challenges the construction of the dead as evidence and death worlds as crime scenes. This approach illuminates how the natural world and buildings, bridges, and artifacts are vestiges, witnesses, and sites of death and grief in Višegrad. My analysis explores how these representations in the ICTY documentary reinforce civilizational logics and reductive representations of violence at the same time as they illuminate relational encounters of death and dying in international criminal justice, thus enriching attempts to see, know, and feel loss in the wake of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The psychiatric treatment of patients with intellectual disability generally takes more time and involves more obstacles than the treatment of patients with normal intelligence. To date, this has received little consideration in the forensic psychiatric treatment of criminals with substance use disorders. Therefore, in the present study, the data from n = 145 offenders with substance use disorder in accommodation in accordance with Section 64 of the Criminal Code were evaluated. Methods: The intelligence quotient was determined using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale® – Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV). In addition to socioeconomic data, the total scores of the Psychopathy Checklist – Revised (PCL-R) and the Level of Service Inventory – Revised (LSI-R) were collected. Results: More than two thirds of those examined had intelligence below the normal range. Patients with intellectual disability were older, had a higher criminal history and had a poorer legal prognosis. Among the patients without a school diploma, only 3 % achieved an intelligence quotient within the normal range. Conclusions: Forensic-psychiatric experts should therefore regularly carry out an intelligence diagnosis in the initial assessment if there is no school leaving certificate. Although further research on patients with intellectual disability appears to be necessary, the implications regarding poorer prognosis and longer time requirements for therapy in the treatment of this group should be given greater importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although significant research has already been conducted on the intricacies of the criminal record in South Africa and internationally, literature points to a disjuncture between research and policy, especially around topics relating to access to higher education (HE) and admission to professional registration councils by formerly incarcerated students (FIS) with a criminal record. This qualitative case study incorporated a discourse analysis approach to determine the tone of 23 policy documents. In addition, twelve participants were purposefully sampled to share their lived experiences regarding the regulation and reintegration of FIS when applying for admission to HE and professional registration councils and potential employment upon completion of their studies. The findings indicate that the construction of legal documents and application forms allows higher education institutions and professional registration councils to access students' personal data, such as their criminal records. This leads to implementing measures that exclude certain individuals, which in turn obstructs the effective social reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals into the workforce. The study recommends the implementation of a South African research-based HE policy aimed at addressing the systemic injustices that regulate the simultaneous admission and rejection of FIS when applying to access HE and admission to professional registration councils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through our study of the Institutional Hearing Program (IHP), we examine how immigration courts within prisons enforce immigration law over individuals serving criminal sentences. Drawing from interviews with legal services providers, community advocates, and impacted immigrants in New York City, we examine due process, inequality, and legal strategies in the context of the IHP. Findings demonstrate the disproportionate punishment of Black and Brown incarcerated immigrants, as well as restricted access to information, distant placement of IHP prisons, and scarce funding for representing incarcerated individuals in immigration proceedings, all of which create challenges for legal advocates' chances of success. We argue that sanctuary provisions in NYC exclude certain migrants by marking them with the stigma of criminal records in over-surveilled neighborhoods and physically exporting them outside city borders to state prisons, where specific policies toward their expedited deportation (such as the IHP) take place. The IHP is a key site on a pipeline from incarceration to deportation that must be drastically limited, or ultimately eradicated, to ensure justice for criminalized immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study complements existing crimmigration research using Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) agency data from the Secure Communities program to assess immigration enforcement determinations of criminal history. We know very little about how ICE makes their decisions based on a migrant's criminal record, including decisions about whether to arrest migrants based on a low-level criminal offense. Analyses examine ICE determinations of the level of seriousness of the criminal record and factors related to immigration court charges. We find that ICE's determinations of the highest priority deportable levels were overinclusive, encompassing a range of less serious crimes. Additionally, we find that migrants of Caribbean and African descent, in addition to ICE's level of seriousness, influence whether ICE charges a migrant as deportable related to criminal activity or as undocumented. Even the lowest ICE priority level significantly influences the likelihood that a migrant is deportable on immigration charges based on a criminal record. This study highlights the racialized nature of ICE enforcement practices, mainly how they disproportionately affect Caribbean and African migrants and contributes to the broader understanding of the racial and ethnic dynamics within immigration enforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Ethics and Situational Crime Prevention" by Professor Thomas Søbirk Petersen explores the ethical considerations of preventing crime through design and situational means. The book delves into various topics such as gated communities, hostile design, criminal records, and ethical guidelines, showing how normative principles apply across different contexts. While the author primarily focuses on societal perspectives rather than specific policymaker actions, the book offers valuable insights for those interested in crime prevention and ethics, making it a useful resource for academic discussions and university courses in criminology and applied philosophy. [Extracted from the article]

While studies of femicide perpetrators have focused on background factors, such as criminal history and mental health conditions, little attention has been paid to their individual experiences. Perpetrators emotions and sense-making have often been overlooked and even dismissed. With a micro-sociological approach to violence, we identify the narrated emotions involved in the perpetration of intimate femicide. The data gathered are based on 33 open-ended interviews with convicted male perpetrators from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Honduras, Mexico, and Venezuela. We identify four main emotions reflecting participants' experiences of femicide: Fear, expressed through stories of women as threats to self, family, and community; helplessness, expressed through stories of men being trapped, judged, and persecuted; and pain, connected to stories of jealousy and belittlement. These lead to anger, expressed through stories of bodily reactions and losing control. The findings indicate that intimate femicide perpetrators resort to lethal violence to regulate self-worth and remediate actions they feel were disruptive. Our research demonstrates the importance of embodied and narrated emotions to understand femicides. We argue that viewing femicide as a product of a shared pervasive emotional economy highlights the role of emotions in maintaining a gendered social order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research summary: A growing literature documents the effect of criminal justice contact on inequalities in the labor market. While ample evidence indicates that a criminal record itself imposes considerable disadvantage, the formal legal mechanisms that may contribute to criminal record‐based exclusion have received less empirical attention. The present study examines how one such mechanism—legal requirements for employers and license boards to perform criminal background checks—shapes labor market outcomes among formerly incarcerated people. The study draws from novel longitudinal data on the extensiveness of background check requirements at the state level, as well as individual‐level data on incarceration, wages, and unemployment from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Results show that while the extensiveness of state‐level background check requirements does not significantly affect the likelihood of unemployment, formerly incarcerated people residing in states where background check requirements are extensive are estimated to earn significantly lower wages than their counterparts in states with few screening mandates. Policy implications: Criminal background check requirements stand as significant policy barriers that diminish the earning potential of formerly incarcerated people. Policy makers seeking to mitigate the collateral consequences of criminal convictions should narrow the scope of these laws to target specific, highly sensitive occupations, as opposed to broader workplace contexts. Reforms should also address persistent data quality issues in state criminal history record systems and shift the burdens imposed by incomplete or erroneous rap sheets. To minimize adverse self‐selection, background check procedures should clarify for applicants the role that a criminal history record may play in clearance decisions. Finally, future research should assess the marginal benefit of criminal background checks compared with other methods of screening prospective hires and licensees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The U.S. prohibits firearm purchase among individuals with specific risk factors. These prohibitions are operationalized using background checks for firearm purchase. Despite these restrictions, prohibited persons have obtained firearms after passing background checks, sometimes with devastating effects. Materials and Methods: We conducted a mixed‐methods, descriptive study of the records and record‐keeping practices that underpin background checks for firearm transfers. Sources included key informant interviews with individuals working in a leadership capacity with state record‐keeping systems as well as data from state surveys and administrative records. We analyzed quantitative data using descriptive statistics and qualitative data using a thematic analysis approach to code the data and identify themes. Three investigators coded each interview. We returned to all data sources to develop key findings in an iterative process. Results: Key informants described major improvements in the collection of specific record types that were previously a "black hole" (e.g. criminal history records housed in military justice systems, and records relating to involuntary commitments for mental illness) and advances in the automation of record transfer across agencies, themes corroborated by administrative data. Key informants also identified potential causes and solutions for challenges relating to missing or incomplete information and delays in resolving ambiguous background check results. Examples include manual processes for confirming relationship status in misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence and discordant practices for processing arrest and court records that result in dispositions that cannot be entered or arrests with no disposition. Conclusion: Background checks are the backbone of many policies designed to prevent firearm harm in the United States. This study highlights actionable ways in which states could make background check practices and policies more robust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the construction of military criminality and the granting of pardons to soldiers in late medieval France. By the beginning of the fifteenth century, the offenses perpetrated by men of war were a recurrent problem of public order for royal government. Criminal records as well as narrative sources used a rich terminology to qualify the military abuses suffered by the population, which distinguished criminal soldiers from ordinary offenders. Although these abuses were repeatedly denounced by political literature and were supposed to be severely punished according to legislation, the king of France frequently granted pardon letters to soldiers, allowing them to escape criminal prosecution in exchange for the continuation of their services. Far from being simply the result of a lax attitude of the king, these pardons reflected the fragile balance of royal power in the fifteenth century, which required the king to conciliate the exercise of justice and the conduct of warfare. Exploring the politics of royal pardon toward criminal soldiers and the reactions they provoked, the article demonstrates how the French crown dealt with military offenders at the end of the Hundred Years' War and during its aftermath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Dilemas Contemporáneos: Educación, Política y Valores is the property of Dilemas Contemporaneos: Educacion, Politica y Valores and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Changzhou University (Social Science Edition) is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Changzhou University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study was carried out to develop guidelines for more appropriate interventions for people who stalk following the enforcement of the Stalking Crime Punishment Act. By content analysis, 407 cases of the first trial judgment data from the start of the stalking punishment law application were collected and substituted with categorical data. Three types of stalking persons—Aggressors, Indirect Contactors, and Approachers—were created by latent class analysis. Notable distinctions emerged among these types, encompassing criminal history, mental health, online sexual crimes, and the frequency of contact. For instance, Aggressors were individuals who displayed aggressive behaviors most frequently; Indirect Contactors engaged in online sexual harassment against victims; and Approachers approached victims without mutual agreement. Therefore, considering these findings would hold great significance when approaching individuals who engage in stalking with a more comprehensive understanding. This approach aims to provide insights to enhance criminal responses and practices in South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, cases of fraud have been discovered where donors have been lying about their characteristics. The question raised by such cases is what the responsibility of the gamete bank is for the non-medical information provided by the donor. The problem is that extended donor profiles contain a large amount of information about different aspects of the donor's life and that not all this information can be verified or is worth verifying. Two cases are scrutinized in more detail: education and criminal record. The proposed solution is to split the donor information into a verified and a non-verified part with the non-verified part falling under the responsibility of the donor. The question of what information should be included in the verified part of the donor profile is still open. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is evidence that childhood maltreatment (CM) is an important risk factor for adult criminal behavior. However, little is known about the cognitive processes mediating this relationship. This study examined the mediating role of executive functioning (EF) on the relationship between CM and history of criminal behavior on a sample of 334 male individuals in custody from Uruguay. Preliminary results showed that CM was significantly associated with past criminal behavior in all multivariate models. The mediation analysis found that behavioral regulation had a significant mediating role while the metacognition and EF total score did not. Finally, the inhibition domain was the strongest mediator. This suggests that CM is an important risk factor that needs to be considered in Uruguay, and addressing behavioral regulation may also help to address some of the long-term consequences of CM and targeting deficits in inhibition could be a potential target for treatment for individuals that commit criminal offenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing moderate levels of treatment to individuals with a criminal justice history is associated with lowered rates of recidivism; yet, treatment access remains low. One possible factor contributing to the lack of treatment options is public stigma. An experimental study was conducted that tested for differences in stigmatizing attitudes across conditions: (a) major depressive disorder (MDD), (b) MDD and opioid use disorder (OUD), and (c) MDD, OUD, and nonviolent, drug‐related criminal histories. Findings indicate that individuals who meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, criteria for OUD with MDD, regardless of criminal histories, are stigmatized at higher levels than those with MDD alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jobs in the public sector as civil servants or employees are attractive for university graduates. However, questions about health status and other issues must be answered truthfully. Psychotherapy or a criminal record can jeopardize employment. Using case studies from his many years of practice, the author shows how much can be achieved with the honesty of the patient and a clever, substantiated statement by the therapist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focuses on the reintegration of released juvenile offenders within Dir Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Situated within a unique socio-cultural and legal context, this region face distinct challenges that impact the lives of juvenile offenders. This study aims to uncover the role of family dynamics in shaping successful reintegration and inform tailored interventions. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, the study collected data through semistructured interviews with twenty released juvenile offenders and twenty family members. Thematic analysis revealed intricate patterns in family involvement that significantly influence the reintegration process. The family emerged as both a source of support and challenge for these juveniles. Challenges included absent key family members, strained relationships, and dysfunctional family environments, which hinderd reintegration efforts. Economic challenges, emotional support, and family criminal history were also found relevant factors in reintegration. The study's conclusions offer policy implications, including familycentered policies, tailored interventions, and holistic rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In designing risk assessment algorithms, many scholars promote a "kitchen sink" approach, reasoning that more information yields more accurate predictions. We show, however, that this rationale often fails when algorithms are trained to predict a proxy of the true outcome, for instance, predicting arrest as a proxy for criminal behavior. With this "label bias," one should exclude a feature if its correlation with the proxy and its correlation with the true outcome have opposite signs, conditional on the other model features. This criterion is often satisfied when a feature is weakly correlated with the true outcome, and, additionally, that feature and the true outcome are both direct causes of the proxy outcome. For example, criminal behavior and geography may be weakly correlated and, due to patterns of police deployment, direct causes of one's arrest record--suggesting that excluding geography in criminal risk assessment will weaken an algorithm's performance in predicting arrest but will improve its capacity to predict actual crime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the experiences of ex-offenders and the perceptions of society regarding their reintegration. A descriptive-correlational design was employed in the study, which took place in Abuyog, Leyte, Regional VIII (Eastern Visayas). The study revealed that most ex-offenders were male, with differing age ranges and educational backgrounds. A significant portion of ex-offenders had been involved in illegal drug trade, murder, or homicide. The majority of ex-offenders served sentences ranging from 1 to 10 years and had a middle socio-economic status, with a significant percentage lacking permanent employment. The study examined social support provided to ex-offenders, revealing a high prevalence of rehabilitation programs and parole and probation officer monitoring, but lower rates of other forms like re-entry programs, legal aid, mentoring, vocational training, and housing assistance. Ex-offenders faced numerous challenges in reintegration, including humiliation, rejection, isolation, and difficulties in family, friendship, and romantic relationships. Disclosure of their criminal history also led to employer rejection. Society's perceptions of ex-offenders reintegration were mixed, with stakeholders expressing both support and skepticism. Barriers included community hesitance, but opinions among ex-offenders differed on other identified barriers. Age and personal association with ex-offenders significantly influenced stakeholders' perceptions, while other demographic factors did not. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the complexities surrounding exoffenders' reintegration. They emphasize the need for comprehensive support systems and interventions to address challenges and promote successful reintegration. Future research and policy initiatives should consider these findings to develop targeted strategies for creating inclusive and supportive communities for ex-offenders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractResearch indicates that a criminal history significantly reduces a prospective student’s chance of being accepted into a higher education institution, yet little evidence addresses how universities make these decisions. Given the number of people with the mark of a criminal record and the collateral consequences that it carries, this analysis describes decision-making on criminal and disciplinary records. It utilizes a relational theory of risk to understand the social construction of risk in the context where universities hold stated goals of public safety and equitable access to education. Through interviews with seventeen university admissions administrators, we find that arbitrariness in the evaluation of “red flag” students remains although this university system has established formal requirements around background information. Along with formal requirements, decision-makers rely on their own subjective perceptions and experiences to evaluate risk among applicants. Findings contribute to our understanding of the construction of risk in organizations and policy around assessing criminal records in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study tests if the public overestimates the immoral behavior of formerly incarcerated people. Methods: In a benchmark study with people on parole and people without a criminal record, participants played a game that allowed them to deceive their counterparts in order to make more money. A subsequent prediction study asked an online US-nationally representative sample to estimate how both groups played the game. By comparing the estimated likelihoods to the observed likelihoods of deception we examine if people correctly assess the deception rates of both groups. Results: Both groups showed an equal propensity to deceive. In contrast, respondents from the online sample believed that people on parole would be much more likely to deceive than their counterparts. Conclusions: The results suggest that the public holds stigmatizing attitudes towards formerly incarcerated people, which can be a detriment to successful reentry into their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the relationship between physical spaces and crime in the Historic Centre of Porto (HCP), Portugal, is crucial, considering the relevance of this area to the city. This study analyses HCP's physical space characteristics and its official statistics of crime, identifying the physical space facilitating crime. A mixed methodology comprising exploratory and descriptive design was used. The sample consisted of 410 observation records (2019–2020), and 15,853 official records of criminal occurrences reported to the Public Security Police (PSP) (2015–2019) in charge of safety in this area. Findings suggest that physical space facilitating crime include reduced visibility and night lighting, narrow streets, tunnels, dead end streets, abandoned places and houses allowing hiding, and areas without formal/informal surveillance. The PSP records show that property crime was the most prevalent in all the six HCP parishes. It is absolutely urgent to reform the spaces in the HCP, to prevent crime. Local entities can implement Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) strategies to make the HCP safer for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the primary ways in which contact with the criminal legal system creates and maintains inequality is through the stigma of a criminal record. Although the negative effects of the stigma of a criminal record are well-documented, existing research is limited to the low-wage labor market. Through a job application audit design, this study examines the role of criminal record stigma in the labor market for recent college graduates across Black, Latino, and white men. We find that criminal record stigma has a large effect among white college-educated men but not among Black or Latino men and find no evidence that earning a college degree after the record mitigates criminal record stigma. In-depth interviews with college-educated men with a criminal record show that the criminal record stigma has effects beyond the initial application stage, as many reported provisional job offers being rescinded following a criminal background check, leading participants to limit the jobs to which they applied.