This paper explored the novel use of an educational tool to assess its influence on County Lines victimisation. Participants (n = 122) were randomly assigned to receive either County Lines education or no County Lines education and then, rate their likelihood to engage in five hypothetical scenarios typical of County Lines victimisation verses a text scam. County Lines education did not significantly reduce participant willingness to engage in the scenarios, whilst most participants were not susceptible to a text scam. Demographic data, drug use, social isolation, poor mental health, and financial instability were weak predictors of engagement. Findings suggest that the public may be vulnerable to victimisation and that future research should continue to explore the role that education can have in reducing the likelihood of engaging in County Lines activity.

Abstract Distracted driving is a leading contributor to road crashes. Distractions can be caused by devices integrated within the vehicle itself or mobile phones. There is limited regulation of most distractions, except mobile phones, therefore providing an opportunity for third parties to take an active role in minimising distractions caused by in-vehicle technology and mobile phones. To date, the role of third parties has received limited attention in the road safety literature. This study uses 14 interviews and written responses from road safety experts, enforcement agencies and regulators in Australia and the United Kingdom to discuss the potential role of third parties in reducing distracted driving. The results indicate car manufacturers, car retailers, employers with commercial fleets and sole operators can play a significant role in reducing distracted driving by more clearly regulating in-vehicle technologies, educating consumers and mobile phone use during worktime.

The literature suggests an increased risk of cybervictimisation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper explores student and staff experiences in a higher education community as victims of cyberbullying and cyberstalking during the COVID-19 lockdowns. An online semi-structured questionnaire was administered to self-identified students and staff victims within a higher education context. By analysing victim responses, within a qualitative framework, this research identifies perceptions, impacts and support mechanisms. The findings offer insights for the development of effective practices and policies to mitigate risk factors and foster resilience. This research addresses the need for comprehensive understanding in the face of emerging digital challenges and future traumatic events.

Abstract The Youth Justice Board’s 2019–2022 strategic plan set youth violence as a priority. As part of this, a ‘pathfinder’ approach was launched to assist local authorities and their partners to devise, develop, and disseminate whole systems approaches to serious youth violence (Youth Justice Board in Pathfinder—YJB, https://yjresourcehub.uk/working-with-partners/item/651-pathfinder-yjb.html Youth Justice Board Annual Report and Accounts 2020/21, 2020). In partnership with a regional Violence Reduction Unit, seven local Youth Offending Teams worked together with a programme that facilitated peer support networks for parents of children known to the youth justice system. The programme presented a challenge to a view in statutory youth justice of parents as part of the problem (Burney and Gelsthorpe in Howard J Crimin Justice 47(5):470–485, 2008). The aim of the programme was to engage parents of young people involved in the youth justice system, facilitating peer to peer support through a blend of online and face-to-face meetings. Taking a mixed-method approach, the research sought to investigate the impact of the programme on participants’ well-being and perceived competence with parenting. A secondary aim was to explore experiences of the self-care and peer support activities offered by the programme. The quantitative findings showed statistically significant increases in parents’ self-reported well-being and perceived competence with parenting during engagement with the programme. Effect sizes reached the minimum important difference for all of the quantitative measures, with a large effect for well-being. The qualitative findings highlighted that the self-care focus was important in engaging parents and helps distinguish the programme from statutory services. The findings are combined in the paper to produce a potential model of peer support for parents of children known to the youth justice system. Future research should investigate the impact on the children of parents who took part in this programme with a specific focus on youth violence.

Abstract The current study explores how neighborhood fear of crime (“worry about specific crimes”) changes over time in neighborhoods with different levels of disadvantage. With a comparative design, 81 and 123- neighborhoods in two cities in Sweden are followed over a six-year period. Fear of crime trajectories are assessed through growth curve modeling. We consider how differences in neighborhood processes, such as social and physical disorder, might influence fear of crime levels. The results show that fear of crime increased over time in both cities and the increase was related to higher levels of physical disorder in several areas. Furthermore, the change differed depending on the neighborhood type – in highly disadvantaged neighborhoods, the fear was stable at a high level. In contrast, the largest increases in fear could be seen in the areas with the lowest disadvantage in both cities. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Abstract Following on from a previous paper advocating changes in the editorial processes of peer-reviewed journals, the present paper espouses the conduct of multiple local victimisation surveys as an affordable route to a pan-European crime science. Local surveys have a local impact which national surveys lack, and meta-analysis of survey results enable more general conclusions. The Latvian local survey reported in the chapter revealed wide inequality of victimisation at the individual level, an association between high rating of the seriousness of offences suffered, multiple victimisation at the individual level, and alienation from the police of some ethnic groups.