The role of the therapist in offender treatment

Although best practice dictates that offender programs should be based within a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) orientation, little is known about the impact of the therapist in delivering the program content, and therapist behaviors that can enhance the therapeutic process. In this paper we review the existing literature on process issues with general offenders and sexual offenders and attempt to highlight the importance of therapist behaviors in therapeutic treatment strategies. We conclude that therapists can use the therapeutic relationship to build trust and rapport, and that training should specially aim to enhance these skills.     

Attachment styles and violence in child molesters

Abstract

It has been suggested that sexual offenders lack the capacity to engage in or to maintain intimate relationships and that their attachment styles are insecure. The present study tested some of the implications of this theory with a group of incest offenders, nonfamilial child molesters, nonsex offenders, and nonoffenders recruited from the local community. Subjects completed a self-report questionnaire detailing their characteristic relationship style, and the level of violence employed by all sexual offenders was obtained from institutional files. Nonfamilial child molesters were five times more likely to report a fearful avoidant relationship style than a secure style compared to the community group. When they rated the degree to which they considered themselves to be fearful avoidant, the ratings of the nonfamilial child molesters were significantly higher than the ratings of community subjects and incest offenders. Incest offenders did not differ from community controls or from nonsex offender controls. Of the pooled group of child molesters, dismissively avoidant offenders employed higher levels of aggression in their offences than did secure or fearful avoidant offenders. These results are discussed in the light of current theory, and suggestions for future research and treatment initiatives are offered.     

The Case for Regulatory Rent-Seeking: CRA Based Protests of Bank Mergers and Acquisitions

This paper addresses the question of regulatory rent seekingbased on protests of proposed bank mergers and acquisitionssubmitted by community groups to bank regulators. Theories ofCRA-related community group behavior based on benevolence andrent seeking, yield significantly different implicationsconcerning the effect of a bank's CRA rating on protestprobability, allowing for a clear test of the underlyingmotive for protest activity. The analysis shows: (1) protestsimpose significant time cost on merger and acquisitionapplications and (2) the benevolent-based theory must berejected in favor of the rent-seeking theory.     

Digital technology: its impact on copyright law and practice in North America

Legal context. The effect of rapid technological change on copyrightlaw in Canada and the United States, and in particular on thebalance between creators' rights and users' rights. Key points. Copyright law involves a balance between the rightsof both creators and users. When initially faced with fast-evolvingdigital technology, the courts struggled with the balancingact and tipped it in favour of users' rights. The Supreme Courtof Canada elevated various exceptions to infringement to userrights, and cautioned against a low standard of originalitywhich would favour creators' rights. The US Court of Appealsremarked that introduction of new technology is disruptive tocopyright owners whose works are sold through traditional mechanisms;and others suggested that a bias in favour of owners rightsmay have well impeded the development of digital culture. Despitethe initial struggles, legislative changes, market forces andrecent deference by the courts to the balancing of various interests,have slowly restored the copyright balance, even when facedwith rapid technological change. Practical significance. Copyright litigants must give carefulconsideration to the balance between creators' and users' rights,and be prepared to justify traditional copyright protectionin fields of new technology.     

Privatisation and regulation in an Asian transitional economy: the case of Mongolia

Mongolia's transition to a market economy has entailed rapid and extensive privatisation accompanied by, inter alia, stabilisation, liberalisation and de‐regulation. The primary objective of this strategy was to cement the new political and economic order. Little weight was given to the problems created by the privatisation programme and only limited consideration given to questions of regulation in the economic, social and environmental spheres. However, the failure of the economy to translate economic growth into poverty reduction and the acceleration of the privatisation programme, which includes the progressive transfer of land, and proposals to privatise health, educational and cultural assets, have made regulation a more pressing issue. New, powerful social classes and interest groups have emerged, which have contributed to regulatory failure and capture and have undermined public policy. We identify a range of issues relating to privatisation and regulation and discuss the degree to which they are being addressed by the post‐1990 political class. Although there exist a number of regulatory agencies, there is a lack of political commitment, and only piecemeal implementation and enforcement. The scarcity of experienced and technically competent staff capable of establishing and operating effective regulatory agencies and ensuring compliance is also a major problem. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An improved protocol for the examination of rogue WWW sites

Internet server managers have a range of techniques available to help them improve service performance and security. These techniques can become barriers to the investigation of illicit or illegal activity. This paper describes some of the legitimate techniques which can be used to improve server performance or security, and which present challenges for the investigator. Furthermore, it proposes a rigorous procedure which should be followed to ensure that any investigation of a web site or server has been complete and accurate, and that all possible useful information has been extracted and examined.