Perceptions and prevalence of stalking in a male sample

Abstract

Most research into stalking has focused on males as perpetrators and females as victims. The present study investigated firstly how males perceive the crime of stalking and secondly the prevalence of stalking and other intrusive activities in a male population. A sample of 210 British men was asked to indicate which of a continuum of 42 behaviours they believed to represent stalking. Clear subtypes of perceived stalking were identified, and these did not significantly differ from those produced by a female sample in earlier work (Sheridan, Davies and Boon, 2001). Thus, male and females hold similar views on which activities do and do not constitute ‘stalking’, Respondents were then asked to indicate whether they had personal experience of the same 42 behaviours and if they had, to provide free narrative on their ‘worst experience’. As expected, males reported substantially less experience of intrusive behaviour than females, and just 5.2% were judged to have suffered ‘stalking’. Whilst this figure is significantly below estimates made for females, it still indicates a notable risk for males and suggests that complaints of stalking made by males should be taken as seriously as those made by females.     

Celebrity worship,addiction and criminality

Abstract

Two studies assessed the relationship between celebrity worship and (i) addiction (n=1359) and (ii) criminality (n=2158). Overall Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS) scores correlated positively with Eysenck Personality Questionnaire – Revised (EPQ-R) Addiction and Criminality sub-scale scores. In further support of the absorption–addiction model of celebrity worship (McCutcheon, Lange, & Houran, 2002, Conceptualization and measurement of celebrity worship. British Journal of Psychology, 93, 67–87.), addiction correlated positively with one component of celebrity worship, and criminality correlated positively with all four components produced by the current work. Different types of celebrity worship were associated with preferences for celebrities from particular domains. For instance, those scoring highly on the “Deleterious Imitation” component favoured music celebrities, as opposed to political figures. It was concluded that pathological celebrity worshippers are seeking a personal identity and are drawn to particular celebrities. Imitating these celebrities can have negative consequences for the worshipper.     

An investigation into maladaptive personality functioning in Internet sex offenders

Abstract

Psychopathology and maladaptive personality functioning are purported to play a significant role in the aetiology of sexual offending (e.g. Ahlmeyer et al., 2003; Murray, 2000). The present study examined whether this applied to those individuals who commit sexual offences against children via the Internet. The sample consisted of 30 Internet sex offenders, all completing mandatory 3-year community rehabilitation orders. Participants were administered the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) and two questionnaires pertaining to demographic characteristics and personal history. Results indicated that Internet sex offenders differed significantly from the normal population on a number of PAI scales, most strikingly: Warmth, Dominance, and Depression. This suggests that Internet offenders may experience deficits in interpersonal functioning and affective difficulties. Significant correlations were also found between hours per week spent accessing indecent images of children and PAI scales assessing Schizophrenia, Borderline Features, Depression, and Warmth. These findings are considered in relation to current empirical research and implications for therapeutic practice and future research are discussed.     

The devil is in the detail: deception and consistency over repeated interviews

ABSTRACT

Research indicates that truthful statements typically contain more details than fabricated statements, and that truth tellers are no more consistent than liars over multiple interviews. In this experiment, we examine the impact of (i) multiple interviewers and (ii) reverse order recall on liars’ and truth tellers’ consistency and amount of reported detail over repeated recall attempts. Participants either took part in a mock crime (lying condition) or an innocent event (truth telling condition) which they were subsequently interviewed about in two separate interview phases. Truth tellers provided more details overall, and more reminiscent details than liars. There were no differences between veracity groups for the number of omissions made or repetitions reported. Despite the popular belief that inconsistency is a cue to deception, we found little support for the notion that consistency (or lack of consistency) offers a diagnostic cue to deception. We found little evidence that switching interviewer or recalling in reverse order induced inconsistencies in liars. In fact, due to the number of reminiscent details in truth tellers’ accounts, our findings suggest that accounts provided by liars tend to be slightly more consistent than those provided by truth tellers. Materials for this paper can be found at osf.io/hgvmk/.     

The influence of contextual information regarding the breakdown of relationships and perpetrator-target sex composition on perceptions of relational stalking

ABSTRACT

The present study examines the influence of prior relationship (with contextual information regarding the breakdown of the relationship) and perpetrator-target sex composition on perceptions of relational stalking. The study employed an experimental 7?×?2 independent measures design, and the sample comprised 1,260 members of the community residing in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Participants received one of 14 versions of a hypothetical scenario and responded to scale items concerning the situation described. The situation was perceived to be most serious when the perpetrator was a stranger or a physically violent ex-partner and least serious when the perpetrator was an ex-partner of an unfaithful target. Scenarios involving a male perpetrator and a female victim were also perceived to be more serious than scenarios involving a female perpetrator and a male target. It is apparent therefore that the context of the relationship breakdown and the sex of the perpetrator and target significantly influence perceptions of relational stalking.     

TO RECOMMEND OR NOT TO RECOMMEND: THAT IS NOT THE QUESTION

Tippins and Wittmann provide a cogent argument for custody evaluators not to make recommendations to the court. From their forensic and scientific perspectives, they have identified some important issues, which will certainly stimulate interesting discussion among custody evaluators. In response to their article, it is my view that public sector custody evaluations offer a philosophical and procedural alternative to forensic evaluations. This article proposes that recommendations should be viewed as part of the process of evaluations rather than the outcome. Based on a qualitative and interpretive model, recommendations are judged based on their applicability, transferability, and transparency. Recommendations viewed in qualitative terms provide parents with opportunities to step out of litigation and provide guidance for parents' ongoing roles postseparation.     

The spatial distribution of random gunfire: A block-level investigation of physical and social structural conditions

This paper examines the environmental and social structural correlates associated with random gunfire incidents. The study group consists of 273 face blocks and intersections in a selected portion of Dallas, Texas. The data show some locations routinely generate random gunfire, while others remain gunshot-free. The analysis suggests environmental factors are not sufficient to explain random gunfire. Implications for future inquiries are offered. The research for this paper was supported by Grant No. DOJ-OH-6-8971 from the National Institute of Justice. Findings and conclusions of the research reported here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. The authors are indebted to the support from the Dallas Police Department with special appreciation to Sgt. Mark Stallo, Sgt. Bruce McDonald, and Southwest Crime Analyst Mike Edgar. Thanks also go to James Frank from the University of Cincinnati and Kasaundra Tomlin from the University of Central Florida.