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.     

Fueling the Fire: Violent Metaphors,Trait Aggression,and Support for Political Violence

The recent concurrence of violent political rhetoric and violence against political targets in the U.S. and abroad has raised public concern about the effects of language on citizens. Building from theoretical foundations in aggression research, I fielded two nationally representative survey experiments and a third local experiment preceding the 2010 midterm elections to investigate support for violence against political authority. Subjects were randomly assigned to view one of two forms of the same political advertisements. Across all three experiments, mild violent metaphors multiply support for political violence among aggressive citizens, especially among young adults. Aggressive personality traits also predict support for political violence in both national studies. This work identifies dynamic roots of violent political orientations and reveals for the first time surprising interactions between this elite discourse and personality traits in citizens.     

Policy-makers’ perceptions on their sex offender laws: the good,the bad,and the ugly

The views and attitudes that lawmakers have about sexual offenders and sexual victimization can be influential in criminal lawmaking. And given the popularity of sex offender laws, policy-makers are central players in how state justice systems respond to sex crimes. Therefore, state-level policy-makers from across the country, who sponsored and passed at least one sex offender law in their state, (n?=?61) were interviewed about sex offenders and sex crimes. Policy-makers believe sex offender laws are too broad. The laws extend to nonviolent offenses, low-risk offenders, and thus dilute the law enforcement potency of sex offender registries. Policy-makers view existing sex offender laws as necessary to enhance public safety and as proof that lawmakers are responding to the needs and concerns of the public. Sex offender laws were also discussed as a source of political capital; a way to help ensure reelection. The sexual victimization of children and the media’s coverage of sex crimes were instrumental in these state-level policy-makers’ decisions to sponsor sex offender laws. Policy and research recommendations are offered.     

白领女性犯罪初探

随着女性在社会生活中地位的提高 ,白领女性的人数大量增加 ,相应的犯罪现象也逐渐增多 ,日益引起人们的关注。白领女性犯罪具有高层次与技术性、隐蔽性和非暴力性、情感性、组织性、极大的危害性的特点。其犯罪的原因有个人原因和社会因素。预防白领女性犯罪是一项宏大的社会系统工程 ,需要全社会力量共同参与。     

专业性练习摹仿签名笔迹鉴定的实验研究

目的本文通过实验对具有一定笔迹鉴定专门知识与不具备笔迹鉴定专门知识的人的练习摹仿签名笔迹进行实验分析研究。方法对两类人在练习的不同阶段形成的练习摹仿签名笔迹特征的一般状态表现,以及对其笔迹特征的形成、变化原因、鉴定价值分别进行了论述,并总结出其变化规律。结果为不同种类的练习摹仿签名笔迹的鉴定提供一定的识别和特征分析、评断的参考依据。     

市场经济与经济犯罪关系的动态研究

市场经济属于生产关系的范畴,经济犯罪是经济发展的产物,两者有着密切的关系。从机制上看,市场经济充满活力,使经济按照市场要求发展,是计划经济无法比拟的,但它也使经济犯罪的种类、数量不断增加。     

俄罗斯民族文化特征

俄罗斯民族文化作为一种独特的文化形态,是衔接欧洲文化和亚洲文化的一种中间文化,体现了该民族独特的民族意识和文化体系。这种文化形态是由地缘位置、社会机制、宗教信仰、蛮族入侵等多种因素构成的,这些因素在诸多世纪对俄罗斯民族文化的形成产生了深刻的影响。     

Perceptions and use of videoconferencing in forensic mental health assessments: A survey of evaluators and legal personnel

ABSTRACT

The use of videoconferencing (VC) to conduct forensic mental health assessments (FMHA) is increasing. Yet, little is known about its acceptability among clinicians or legal professionals. In Study 1 (N?=?156), forensic evaluators were asked about their use of VC, reasons for its use, and opinions about the validity, usefulness, ethics, and legality of its use. An estimated one-third of evaluators have used VC in the past. Although evaluators overall expressed moderate concern over the ethics and legality of use, prior experience appeared to mitigate concerns. Younger practitioners were also more open to using VC. Reduced costs for courts was the most frequently endorsed benefit associated with VC, while restricted ability to administer psychological testing and potential technological problems were seen as the biggest disadvantages. In Study 2 (N?=?27), attorneys and judges were surveyed about frequency with which they encounter VC for FMHA and their perceptions about the validity of those assessments. Findings indicated legal personnel expressed rather negative views without having much first-hand experience of VC, including concerns about establishing rapport and technical difficulties. These studies have implications for whether VC will be adopted more frequently in FMHA.     

Imminent Capture and Noncompliance: Probing Deterrence in Extreme Environments

Abstract

Understanding how deterrence operates under extreme conditions is both elusive and important. Studying suspect noncompliance in the form of flight during police-involved vehicle chases provides the opportunity to do this. These are crimes where the certainty of detection could not be higher, yet noncompliance is the end result and arguably comes because of the enhanced sanction risk rather than the obverse (deterrence) or in spite of it (defiance). Drawing from a qualitative sample of 25 auto thieves who have fled from the police, we explore their pre-chase perceptions, their motives for flight, and their decision-making processes during flight to probe the theoretical boundaries of perceptual deterrence. To this end, we pay particular attention to the mediating role of ambiguity aversion and belief updating in reconciling two seemingly inconsistent theoretical perspectives: risk framing and rational choice.