DIFFERENTIAL COERCION,STREET YOUTH,AND VIOLENT CRIME*

Using a sample of 300 homeless street youths, this study examines differential coercion theory and the role that coercion and the socialpsychological deficits of anger, low self‐control, coercive modeling, coercive ideation, and control imbalances play in the generation of violent crime. Results from cross‐sectional and prospective offending models that examine the individual mediators reveal that coercion has a direct relationship with violent offending as well as a relationship that is mediated by low self‐control, anger, coercive modeling, and coercive ideation. Although control imbalances have a direct relationship with crime, they do not mediate the relationship between coercion and crime. In the cross‐sectional model that contains all the mediators, coercion, low self‐control, anger, coercive modeling, and coercive ideation are associated with crime. In the prospective model that contains all the mediators, only anger, coercive modeling, and coercive ideation remain associated with crime. Results are discussed regarding future theory development and policy implications.     

Substance abuse among sexual offenders: review of research and clinical implications*

Substance abuse, and in particular alcohol abuse, has been linked to the aetiology and maintenance of violent offending generally and sexual offending specifically. The current paper reviews the literature pertaining to substance abuse among sexual offenders and highlights theoretical developments in the area. An emphasis on issues associated with the therapeutic alliance is stressed when working with high-risk clients who present with multiple needs, including alcohol abuse. The discussion concludes with some practical suggestions regarding assessment and treatment of groups of moderate- to high-risk offenders.     

Values and candidate evaluation: How voters respond to allegations of sexual harassment

How do voters respond to candidates accused of sexual harassment? The literature on political scandals demonstrates that candidate characteristics, scandal type, and voter characteristics matter; as well as party affiliation. However, empirical evidence suggests that not all co-partisans react the same way. Why is this the case? Our study uses Schwartz's (1996) theory of values to hypothesise that voters prioritising ‘universalism’ and ‘benevolence’ are less likely to vote for candidates accused of sexual harassment compared to voters who prioritise ‘self-enhancement’ values. Using an original, mixed methods, online survey experiment (n = 704), we show that American voters do become less favourable towards candidates linked to allegations of sexual harassment; but a sizeable minority would nevertheless vote for a co-partisan candidate accused of sexual harassment. Values are an important mechanism to explain this heterogeneity. Qualitative data corroborates our findings, and helps explain why sexual harassment allegations are not always a barrier to electoral success.     

Patterns of Crime and Substance Abuse among Israeli Ex-Addict Female Inmates

The current study examined the relationship between drug addiction and crime involvement among Israeli female prisoners, and further examined the differential contribution of early onset of drug, sexual abuse and poly drug use, to predict involvement in offenses against person. Fifty-four ex-addict female inmates participated in this study. Research findings indicated that a majority began using drugs prior to their involvement in crime and most were convicted of drug-related crimes. In addition, almost half had a history of sexual abuse. Female inmates who were sexually abused were characterized by an early onset of drug and poly drug use. A relationship was observed between poly drug use and offenses against person. Also, the duration of drug abstinence corresponded to a lower sense of coherence and higher level of trait anxiety among female inmates. The implications of these findings for substance abuse treatment are discussed. Gila Chen, PhD, is a lecturer in the Criminology Department at Ashkelon Academic College and Bar-Ilan University. Her academic interests include youth at risk, female offenders, self-help groups, and drug addiction.     

Legitimacy and Coercion in Peacebuilding: A Balancing Act

ABSTRACT

Despite the tendency of the power literature to analyse legitimacy and coercion in isolation, both theoretical and empirical evidence suggest that coercion and legitimacy are not parallel lines but can interact in different ways, supporting or undermining each other. A methodical exploration of the relationship between legitimacy and coercion is important not only for improving the theoretical literatures on power and legitimacy but also in the light of the increasing interest in the power of legitimacy in statebuilding and peacebuilding. This article first analyses the overall interaction between coercion and legitimacy, and then explores the question that emerges from the interaction analysis; what level of coercion is permitted or required in order for a mission’s local legitimacy to be sustained? Finally, for the practice of peacebuilding, the article shows that an operation needs to understand its initial legitimacy standing with the local population, as this determines how much coercive force it can employ without undermining its overall legitimacy.     

Trajectories of HIV Risk Behavior from Age 15 to 25 in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth Sample

This study utilized data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to investigate youth risk trajectories for HIV and factors associated with different trajectories. The sample (N = 8,208) was 49.2% female, with a mean age of 14.31 (SD = 1.48). A group-based trajectory model was applied, which identified four distinct trajectories for both males and females: (1) consistently higher sexual risk levels, increasing to early adulthood followed by some decrease (“high”); (2) a short period of increase to late teens, followed by a longer period of decrease (“decreased”); (3) an initially slow increase, with the increase accelerating by late teens, and a slight decline beginning in early adulthood (“increased”); and (4) consistently lowest levels of sexual risk (“low”). More African Americans were found among the decreased trajectory group; among the low risk group a higher number of youth came from families with parents who spoke a language other than English. The high-risk group had a higher percentage of subjects in non-metropolitan areas and highest alcohol use. Among males, being employed and being in the military were associated with inclusion in the high-risk group. Results have implications for specializing prevention strategies for youth with different patterns of sexual risk.

Sexual Behavior and Perceived Peer Norms: Comparing Perinatally Hiv-infected and Hiv-affected Youth

A large proportion of perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV) children are becoming adolescents and exploring their sexuality. This study explored the prevalence of sexual behaviors (kissing, touching, engaging in oral sex, or having vaginal/anal intercourse) in a sample of predominantly ethnic minority youths (N = 339; 54.1% Black and 30.4% Latino; 51% female; ages 9–16) perinatally exposed to HIV (61% HIV+). Using logistic regression, we tested the association between sexual behavior and HIV status, demographic characteristics, and peer influences regarding sexual behavior. PHIV youth were less likely to be sexually active. Among sexually active youth, PHIV youth were more likely to engage in touching behavior than HIV-negative youth and were less likely to engage in penetrative sex. Youths reporting that a greater number of their peers believed that sexually active boys were “cool” or “popular” were more likely to report sexual behavior. The association between sexual behavior and peers believing sexually active girls were “cool” or “popular” varied by age, gender, and HIV status. Furthermore, friends’ sexual activity was associated with sexual intercourse. Prevention programs should strengthen messages addressing peer norms regarding sexuality, as well as address specific issues related to adolescent HIV.

Under their “control”: Perceptions of Traffickers’ Power and Coercion Among International Female Trafficking Survivors During Exploitation

Despite an increase in knowledge about human trafficking, little is understood about interpersonal power dynamics between traffickers and their victims; particularly in relation to coercion. Understanding victims’ perceptions of power is critical to developing trauma informed, targeted services for prevention, intervention, and aftercare services for survivors. This paper explores human trafficking victims’ (n = 31; adult, female, international) perceptions of traffickers’ interpersonal social power as influenced by prior entrapment factors and traffickers’ characteristics during the controlling period of the exploitation, the “maintenance phase”. Findings from this study reveal that entrapment factors and shared characteristics between victims and traffickers influenced perceptions of specific kinds of power. Moreover, findings suggest that more investigation is need to explore how much influence dynamics outside of the trafficking relationship (i.e., social and environmental factors) have on victims’ perceptions of traffickers’ power. Further, results suggest a need for anti-trafficking professionals to be particularly cognizant that victims may perceive individuals in positions of power such as social service providers and law enforcement, as similar to their traffickers.     

Sexual Harassment Reconsidered: The Forgotten Grey Zone

The concept of sexual harassment in the Nordic countries and the European Union (EU) is an important tool for creating gender-equitable workplaces. This article contains an analysis of the conceptual ambiguity of sexual harassment with reference to: firstly, the lack of clarity in terms of the relation between the subjective (the perspective of the harassed individual) and the objective (legal assessment) aspects; secondly, the diffuse scope of the objective assessment; thirdly, the attribution of too much importance to the subject’s perception. Even though the concept of sexual harassment classifies behaviours depending on individual interpretations, the legal construction recognizes the individual’s perception in a flexible manner. If the victim does not interpret the abuse as sexual harassment, then it is not. However, if the victim does consider it sexual harassment, it will not necessarily be interpreted as such. The consequence of the three-fold ambiguity of the concept is the creation of a gender-equality grey zone. Problematic behaviours in workplaces may pass as acceptable and “normal”. Subjective perception matters only when it confirms an objective incident. Defining sexual harassment in solely objective terms and determining which gender-related issues prevent equality would result in similar dilemmas, one of which would be the diminishing of those individuals who are subject to harassment. It is imperative to question the dogma that has the victim deciding whether a situation might be considered sexual harassment because: firstly, the subjective perceptions of the victim seem to be of minor importance in changing negative gender structures in workplaces; and, secondly, potential victims of harassment tend to interpret the situation as something else. Furthermore, since the current definition of sexual harassment is characterized by a preoccupation with behaviours and not with structural dimensions, the definition may actually counteract its purpose of increasing gender equality.