Offending Behaviour Research Articles

Understanding Sexual Burglary.

This review includes research on sexual burglary to highlight the distinct behaviours of such offenders. Only recently has there been a thorough examination of the decision-making that goes into this hybrid crime, and the potential for these individuals to progress to more serious and violent criminal acts. Work on sexual burglary has found that decisions made during the crime commission reflect rational decision-making and organization, despite previous research suggesting that sexual crimes are mostly impulsive. Furthermore, these rational choices may lead to the development of expertise in sexual burglary, with offenders learning how to avoid detection and engage in forensic awareness strategies. The knowledge that sexual burglars are expert decision-makers has important implications, as these behaviours may lead to more violent and lethal sexual crimes. Identifying these offenders through their decisions and crime characteristics is key to potentially deterring or preventing future offending.

Testing DeLisi and Vaughn’s temperament theory on a non-delinquent sample: a two-wave cross-sectional analysis

ABSTRACT Since the introduction of DeLisi and Vaughn’s (2014) temperament-based theory of antisocial behavior [temperament theory], multiple empirical tests have been conducted to determine its efficacy. These tests have demonstrated temperament’s meaningful ability to predict the likelihood that an adjudicated individual will recidivate (both rearrest and readjudication) and how long it takes to recidivate. While these tests have showcased temperament’s effectiveness, their findings are not generalizable beyond the recidivism of juvenile and adult offenders. The present study attempts to fill this gap by testing temperament theory using logistic regression modeling on a nationally representative dataset, the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health [Add Health]. Specifically, the present study examines whether an individual’s temperament during adolescence can predict offending behavior during adolescence and adulthood. Findings demonstrate that the combination of effortful control and negative emotionality significantly predicts adolescent and adult offending behaviors. Limitations and implications of this study are discussed.

Neurodiversity: Increasing accessibility in community sentence treatment requirements

Recent government inspections have highlighted the importance of considering neurodiversity across the criminal justice system to ensure that neurodivergent individuals are not at a disadvantage. Community sentence treatment requirements (CSTRs) are treatment options available to sentencers as part of a community or suspended sentence. These aim to address underlying concerns that may contribute to offending behaviour. Recent work has looked how to increase accessibility of CSTRs to neurodivergent individuals. The recommendations stemming from this work are described.

Analysis of Autonomous Penetration Testing Through Reinforcement Learning and Recommender Systems.

Conducting penetration testing (pentesting) in cybersecurity is a crucial turning point for identifying vulnerabilities within the framework of Information Technology (IT), where real malicious offensive behavior is simulated to identify potential weaknesses and strengthen preventive controls. Given the complexity of the tests, time constraints, and the specialized level of expertise required for pentesting, analysis and exploitation tools are commonly used. Although useful, these tools often introduce uncertainty in findings, resulting in high rates of false positives. To enhance the effectiveness of these tests, Machine Learning (ML) has been integrated, showing significant potential for identifying anomalies across various security areas through detailed detection of underlying malicious patterns. However, pentesting environments are unpredictable and intricate, requiring analysts to make extensive efforts to understand, explore, and exploit them. This study considers these challenges, proposing a recommendation system based on a context-rich, vocabulary-aware transformer capable of processing questions related to the target environment and offering responses based on necessary pentest batteries evaluated by a Reinforcement Learning (RL) estimator. This RL component assesses optimal attack strategies based on previously learned data and dynamically explores additional attack vectors. The system achieved an F1 score and an Exact Match rate over 97.0%, demonstrating its accuracy and effectiveness in selecting relevant pentesting strategies.

Harmful, Expensive and Criminogenic: The Case for Abolishing Detention and Training Orders in England and Wales

Abstract Children who offend generally receive community sentences, to help them overcome difficulties whilst naturally addressing offending behaviour; however, children can also receive custody, which has a plethora of known harms. Children’s rights instruments call for custody to be reserved as a ‘last resort’ response to extremely serious offending. However, in England and Wales this is demonstrably not the case, meaning that children still receive short custody orders (in the form of a Detention and Training Order [DTO]) for relatively minor offences. We argue that legislative change should abolish the DTO because of the harms custody wreaks, from several different perspectives (their rights, moral treatment of children, sentencing guidelines, practical and financial considerations), to leave the use of custody only possible for very serious offending, and thus reaching the goal of ‘last resort’.

The Cases of Criminality and Law Violations among Young People and Minors

The chosen scientific article mainly scrutinizes the cases of criminality and law violations among young people as well as minors, which were characterized as crucial social problems. The study identified the main purpose of the spread of criminal cases among young people and the trend of their growth, as well as factors that actively influence this process. The criminality and delinquency among young people and minors are treated as a cybernetic system, which is justified from the point of view of the systematic approach envisaging a socio-economic system with special complexity, dynamism, emergence, and stochasticity in the paper. Global experience with juvenile offenders sheds light on the complex and varied needs of children in conflict with the law. Much of the growing literature on deviant behavior in juvenile offenders shows significant overlap between criminological, social, and medical research. Based on the econometric approach, multi-regression models of the dependence of criminality among young people on the influencing regressors of the environment were built, their qualitative characteristics were tested and mathematically justified that they are a suitable mechanism for optimal management and forecasting in the paper.

Defining intent as a form of fault: Implications for taxpayers

The relevance of the research topic determines the systematic analysis of individual aspects of responsibility in the field of tax relations regulation. The study of the nature of individual elements of a tax offense is a prerequisite for a detailed analysis of the subjective side of a tax offense. The purpose of the article is to evaluate modern views on the nature and significance of finding out guilt when forming a holistic structure of a tax offense. At the same time, detailing the types of guilt and focusing principled attention on intent becomes important. This is due to the fact that the tax legislation and the specifics of the application of norms intentionally connect different amounts of fines for taxpayers. Achieving the set goal is based on the selection of the basic principles of clarifying the legal nature of the financial sanction depending on the specifics of the intentional behavior of the obliged person. The research uses a broad approach to the analysis of methods of scientific knowledge. The system method is implemented in the assessment of the grounds for the existence of a single system of financial responsibility based on the definition of all elements of the composition of a tax offense. This method makes it possible to build the basis of systematicity on two levels: on the one hand, through the formation of the system of elements of the composition of a tax offense, on the other hand, through the detailing of the system of types of intent. A certain continuation of the system method is the method of comparative analysis. Applying it in the work, attention is focused on the common features of various types of intent, the characteristics of the objective and subjective grounds of the composition of the tax offense. In addition, comparability characterizes the analysis of individual aspects of intent in the sense of criminal law and tax law regulation. The agreement of the prerequisites for the determination of intentionality in the assessment of the behavior of the payer and its application to the assessment of the relevant signs of intentionality were studied. Options for harmonizing the legislation, analysis of the Supreme Court's practice regarding the occurrence of adverse consequences in the form of the application of a fine when detailing the intentionality in the actions of the obliged persons are considered. The level and availability of scientific studies related to the characteristics of the problems included in the analysis of the composition of tax offenses and certain aspects of the assessment of intentionality in the actions of the subjects of the offense were analyzed. On the basis of the conducted research, conclusions were drawn and recommendations were made regarding the assessment of the behavior of tax offenders, the determination of their intent and the application of financial sanctions accordingly.

Dopamine-mediated behavioral alterations following exposure to a social video in socially isolated mice during the developmental period.

Video exposure is known to affect brain function, yet its impact on neurodevelopmental processes remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether exposure to a video depicting social behavior induces behavioral and neurological changes in socially isolated mice. On Postnatal Day (PND) 21, male mice were separated from their dams and randomly assigned to three groups: socially grouped mice; socially isolated mice (ISO), where mice were housed without any social stimulation; and social video-exposed mice (SVE), where mice were exposed to a social video played on a tablet from PND21 to PND56 under socially isolated conditions. On PND56, all animals underwent behavioral tests. Compared to the socially grouped mice and ISO group, the SVE group showed an attenuated response to amphetamine treatment. In the social cognition test, the ISO group exhibited decreased affiliative behavior and increased offensive and defensive behavior. However, the SVE group showed a partial improvement in social cognition, including increased affiliative behaviors and decreased defensive behaviors, although no changes in offensive behaviors were observed. Furthermore, the SVE group exhibited elevated levels of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter in key social cognition regions-namely the prefrontal cortex, retrosplenial cortex, and hippocampus. This neurochemical shift implies that socially isolated mice can acquire social behaviors through exposure to video-based social interactions. These effects may be related to the compensatory response of the dopamine system, which is implicated in various psychiatric disorders. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Turning it on and off: a behavioural and situational comparison of non-fatal violence perpetrated by on- versus off-duty police officers

ABSTRACT Though research into police use of force continues to expand, analysis of off-duty police violence remains deficient and duty status comparisons of police violence are almost non-existent. Some argue that the broader policing context may ‘spill-over’ into off-duty settings, creating a consistency in police behaviour regardless of duty status. Others argue that off-duty police violence is vastly different from on-duty excessive force. The present study aimed to empirically compare extra-legal violence by police officers committed on- versus off-duty, to explore possible duty status differences in behaviours of the offending officers and the victims involved, as well as situational characteristics of the encounters. A sample of 119 cases (61 on-duty and 58 off-duty) of violence by Australian police officers that was determined to have violated law or policy was collected from open access sources (law reports and media articles) and content analysed. Chi-square analysis was used to select variables into three multivariate regression models to predict duty status from offender behaviour, victim behaviour, and individual/situational characteristics. A final regression model then included all resultant significant factors. The primary finding was the consistency across duty status in many aspects, particularly officer characteristics, despite some notable differences in context. The full model showed the factors most predictive of duty status to be offender verbal behaviour and handcuff use, and the situational characteristics of the number of offending officers present and whether the victim had been suspected of a crime. The behavioural consistency across duty status is discussed in terms of spill-over of police violence.

Mobbing: A characterization in Portuguese workers and its sociodemographic correlates

Mobbing is characterized by systematic offensive and reprehensible behaviors perpetrated by one or more individuals toward an individual worker and often has a negative impact on both the victim and the organization. There is a paucity of research examining this issue at a regional level (rural areas) in Portugal; therefore, this study aims to characterize mobbing in a sample of Portuguese workers and explore its relationships with sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., gender, age, having children, length of service, rotational shift, extra training, level of education, leadership role, and activity sector). A total of455 workers (57.4% female) from São Miguel island (Azores) participated in this study, with ages between 18 and 71 years old (M = 37.8, SD = 12.4). A sociodemographic questionnaire and the Portuguese Mobbing Scale (Vaz-Serra et al., 2005) were used. Results revealed that 19.1% of the sample was a victim of mobbing at least once a week. The higher percentages of mobbing in São Miguel island were found for the following dimensions: demands that affect health (8%), life situation offenses (6.9%) and professional quality offenses (3.4%). The male gender, younger age (i.e., 18-37), not having children, lower length of service (i.e., 1-11), rotational shift were associated with higher levels of mobbing victimization. There were no differences regarding extra training, level of education, leadership role, nor activity sector. These results highlight that some demographic groups are at increased risk for mobbing victimization. Thus, organizational leaders and psychologists that work in these contexts should pay particular attention to these groups and promote a positive work environment, including healthy relationships and job satisfaction.

The Effect of Zanshin Training on the Level of Psychological Barriers and the Effectiveness of Offensive Behaviour for Ko-go Kumite Players in Traditional Karate Sport

The Effect of Zanshin Training on the Level of Psychological Barriers and the Effectiveness of Offensive Behaviour for Ko-go Kumite Players in Traditional Karate Sport

The role and main characteristics of victims of criminal offenses against life and health that have a domestic nature

Introduction. Currently, Ukraine is experiencing a significant social and political crisis, which is marked by the increasing criminalization of various spheres of life. This has led to a deterioration in state control over crime, a decrease in the standard of living for many families, and heightened sensitivity to stress factors, all of which contribute to an increase in domestic violence. These trends require further research to develop effective crime prevention measures and criminal justice strategies. The purpose of the paper is to define the role and characteristic features of victims of domestic crimes against life and health, by examining the main factors contributing to their victimization. This involves studying how individual, social, and environmental factors influence victimization, and how these insights can inform efforts to prevent crime. Results. This paper explores domestic crimes against life and health as a form of victimization, highlighting the interaction between personal traits of the victim, the social context, and the behavior of offenders. Victimization is not passive; it involves a dynamic process, with victims classified according to their reactions to violence-ranging from passive victims to active or latent victims. The study emphasizes the role of victim behavior and social surroundings in both enabling and preventing domestic violence. It also addresses the importance of understanding the dynamics between victims and perpetrators, noting that specific personal vulnerabilities and behaviors increase the likelihood of victimization. Societal norms and family structures also play significant roles in perpetuating domestic violence, suggesting that effective prevention strategies must encompass not only legal interventions but also broader social and cultural reforms. Conclusion. The study concludes that victimological prevention should focus not only on criminal justice interventions but also on examining the broader social dynamics that contribute to violence. Recognizing the role of the victim in the process of preventing crimes is crucial for identifying potential victims and preventing further harm. The paper emphasizes the need for a multifaceted approach that considers both individual characteristics and broader societal factors in the fight against domestic violence.

Violence by Association or Participation? Examining the Differential Impact of Violent Co-Offenders on Future Offending Behavior

Violence by Association or Participation? Examining the Differential Impact of Violent Co-Offenders on Future Offending Behavior

Methodology of the study of the characterology of delinquent behavior

In the framework of this article, the authors state the expediency of further searching for determinants of delinquent behavior at the junction of criminology and criminal psychology. Therefore, by clarifying and developing methodological tools, it is expected to significantly supplement knowledge about the mechanisms of committing crimes. The object of the study is the social relations formed in the process of the study of the characterology of delinquent behavior. The subject of the study is the characteristics of persons demonstrating offending behavior, criminal law, scientific papers reflecting the problems analyzed in the work. The research base was made up of convicts in special regime colonies, law-abiding citizens, as well as a set of scientific works on criminology and legal psychology by domestic and foreign authors. The purpose of this work is defined as the identification of the basic foundations, theoretical and methodological foundations of the characterology of delinquent behavior. The methodological basis of the work consists of the laws and categories of dialectical materialism and a historical approach to the interpretation of socio-legal phenomena. The methodology is represented by a complex of general scientific and private scientific methods. The main methods of work are extrapolation and the method of expert assessments. The novelty of the study lies in the proposals made to clarify the methodology used in the study of the characterology of individuals, which determines various variants of delinquent, including criminal, behavior. As a result of the conducted research, the authors conclude that further refinement of the methodological apparatus makes it possible to identify the essence of the mechanism of committing a crime. In addition, the presented basic principles can be used as the basis for studying the deviant manifestations of an individual, based on a phenomenological approach – consideration of the features of speech activity. Further specification of research tools will make it possible to more clearly identify the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of criminogenic infection of a person. This information will provide an opportunity to improve the quality and effectiveness of individual crime prevention. At the end of the work, the prospect of scientific research in this area was announced.

Hospital employees’ perceived racism, ethnically offensive behavior, and patient violence

Abstract Background Hospitals are sensitive environments with complex interactions between employees and patients. Israeli society is ethnically diverse, and Israeli hospitals reflect this diversity and may create opportunities for rapprochement between different ethnic groups or might raise conflicts between them. In radical situations, such encounters might lead to violence. The phenomenon of physical or verbal violence towards caregivers and hospital employees exists. However, the uniqueness of this study is in examining whether the origin of the violence stems from racist reactions and how offensive behavior on an ethnic background could develop into actual violence. Methods Data were collected through an online close-ended survey among 370 hospital employees. 83% were Jewish, 68% were female, and 38 years old on average, with a mean hospital tenure of 6.5 years. The survey explored respondents’ perceived racism toward them, their exposure to offensive patient behavior based on ethnicity, and their exposure to general violence. Data were analyzed by SPSS 28. Results Preliminary results suggest positive correlations between study variables (r=.42-.52, p< .001). Regression analysis revealed that perceived racism contributed to general violence (β=.43, p< .001; R²=.19). Next, ethnic-based offensive behavior was added to the model (β=.36, p< .001). The analysis shows that general violence can be explained by these variables [F(2, 359)= 70.42, p< .001; R²=.28]. The R² of the general model increased significantly by 9.6%. The weight of perceived racism dropped yet is still significant (β=.24, p< .001). These results indicate that patients’ ethnic-based offensive behavior partially mediates the relationship between employees’ perceived racism and general violence. Conclusions The results suggest that employees who suffer from racism experience patients’ offensive behaviors based on ethnicity, which finally results in higher exposure to general violence in the workplace. Key messages • Understanding the phenomenon of violence in hospitals and examining the relationship between it and racism may amend policy and improve the quality of care and working conditions in the health sector. • The hospital environment involves diverse groups of society. Hence, the awareness of offensive behavior on an ethnic background is a condition to reduce racism and violence proactively.

Hospital policies as a tool to reduce gaps between ethnic groups of employees and patients

Abstract Background As diverse organizations, hospitals require an inclusive culture that respects and promotes ethnic diversity. Violence, a threat to this diversity, hampers effective organizational functioning. Our study delves into the positive influence of cultural diversity policies and communication about violence on the perception of the hospital’s atmosphere regarding ethnic differences among health employees. It enhances hospital labor relations and mitigates the risk of workplace violence. Methods 372 hospital employees with an average tenure of 6.5 and an average age of 38 filled out an online close-ended questionnaire (83% are Israeli Jews, 68% are female). 91% report working closely with people from different ethnic origins. Respondents ranked the atmosphere in the hospital regarding ethnic differences between employees and patients, the hospital’s cultural diversity policy, and organizational communication about violence. Data were analyzed by SPSS 28. Results Positive correlations were found between variables. A positive atmosphere was significantly related to the hospital’s cultural diversity policy (r=.14, p=.002) and to organizational communication about violence (r=.22, p< .001). However, the regression analysis (with control variables age, sex, and managerial role) revealed that despite employees acknowledging the hospital’s efforts to address diversity and violence, these factors only predict 10% of the variance of the hospital atmosphere [F(5, 366) = 8.346, p < .001; R²=.10]. Conclusions The hospital should increase actions that will improve the ethnic atmosphere in the hospital. Understanding how the encounter, where employees and patients from diverse ethnic backgrounds interact, influences the hospital’s atmosphere is crucial. These interactions can lead to tensions and offensive behaviors toward employees if not managed well. Hospitals can create an inclusive and harmonious work environment by addressing these tensions. Key messages • A cultural diversity policy and communication are necessary to maintain harmonious working relationships. It is essential, particularly in health organizations characterized by ethnic diversity. • Reducing the perception of ethnic differences may increase well-being and decrease violence. While hospitals often don’t prioritize these issues, this study forefront their influence and importance.

The profile and aberrant driving behavior of juvenile traffic law violators in Greece

Abstract The majority of juvenile offenses in Greece are related to road traffic violations. Juveniles in Crete region are required to attend an educational program offered by LaHeRS lab (HMU), in collaboration with the Prosecutor’s Office as part of reformative measures. The current presentation reports on the profile and aberrant driving behavior of juvenile offenders who attended the program between 2023-2024. The Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) was administered to 181 juvenile offenders. Participants were males (97.8), with a mean age 18.6 (SD = 1.2), resided in rural settings (51.8%) and secondary students 60.7%. The mean age of the first offence was 15.8 (SD = 1.1, min 13 - max 18). Participants scored low in all DBQ scales (covered violations mean=6.1, sd = 7.5; unintentional violations mean=0.9, sd = 1.6; lapses mean=8.9, sd = 10.5). No statistically significant difference was found in DBQ scores between those who had and did not have a driver’s license, as well as between those from urban or rural areas. The three DBQ subscales significant correlated (p < .001). Among other risky behaviors, 54.9% reported exceeding the legal speed limit, 66.3% reported aggression feelings when driving behind a slow vehicle, 34.5% used mobile phones while driving, 17.7% reported alcohol use while driving. Surprisingly, 85.5% stated high confidence addressing risks on the roads. Key messages • Early interventions on aberrant driving behavior among adolescents is crucial. • Educational programs should be tailored to address the unique needs of juvenile traffic law violators.

Are Personality Traits Predictors of Police Misconduct?

Several forms of police misconduct exist, including the inappropriate use of a weapon, sexual misconduct, and racially offensive behaviors, and deserve more attention in the literature. More recent literature suggests that there may be personality predictors of misconduct. Specifically, aggression, having unstable relationships, a lack of empathy, thrill-seeking behavior, and poor impulse control, may contribute to officer misconduct. The current study examined a group of 642 first-year police officers through a series of mostly logistic regression analyses to determine if antisocial or borderline personality traits predict inappropriate use of a weapon, sexual misconduct, and racially offensive behavior using scales from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition (MMPI-2; the antisocial practices and the psychopathic deviance scales) and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; the borderline and antisocial scales). Most of the hypotheses were not supported by the findings. Participants who had more antisocial traits, as assessed by MMPI-2, were less likely to be accused of racially offensive behavior. Officers who had more borderline characteristics, as assessed by the MMPI-2, were less likely to be accused of engagement in any misconduct, specifically sexual misconduct. However, participants who had more borderline traits, as assessed by the PAI, were more likely to engage in sexual misconduct, but less likely to engage in any misconduct overall. Demographic covariates also were found to be related to all three forms of misconduct.

Empowering Digital Civility with an NLP Approach for Detecting Twitter Cyberbullying through Boosted Ensembles

As the number of social networking sites grows, so do cyber dangers. Cyberbullying is harmful behaviour that uses technology to intimidate, harass or harm someone, often on social media platforms like Twitter. Machine learning is the optimal approach for cyberbullying detection on Twitter to process large amounts of data, identify patterns of offensive behaviour, and automate the detection process for corpus of tweets. To identify cyber threats using a trained model, the Boosted Ensemble (BE) technique is assessed with various machine learning algorithms such as Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Naive Bayes (NB), Decision Tree (DT), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Bidirectional LSTM (BILSTM), Recurrent Neural Network LSTM (RNN-LSTM), Multi-Modal Cyberbullying Detection (MMCD) and Random Forest (RF). These classifiers are trained on the vectorized data to classify the tweets to identify cyberbullying threats. The proposed framework can detect cyberbullying cases precisely on tweets. The significance of the work lies in detecting and mitigating cyber threats in real-time and it impacts in enhancing the safety and well-being of social media users by reducing instances of cyberbullying and other cyber threat. The comparative analysis is done using metrices like accuracy, precision, recall and F1-score and the comparison results shows that boosted ensemble technique outperforms other compared algorithms with its overall performance. The accuracy rate of CNN, LSTM, NB, DT, SVM, RF, BILSTM and BE (92.5%, 93.5%, 84.6%, 88%, 89.3%, 92%, 93.75% and 96%), precision rate of CNN, LSTM, NB, DT, SVM, RF, RNN-LSTM and BE (90.2%, 91.3%, 88%, 85%, 86%, 91.6%, 92.1% and 94%), recall rate of CNN, LSTM, NB, DT, SVM, RF, BILSTM and BE (89.8%, 90.7%, 90%, 82%, 88.67%, 89%, 91.04% and 93.7%) and F1 score of CNN, LSTM, NB, DT, SVM, RF, MMCD and BE (90.6%, 91.8%, 85%, 84.56% 87.2%, 90%, 84.6% and 94.89%).

On the edge of the image: Guiding the lenses to the individual service plan

This article seeks to unveil Brazilian Public Policies in the establishment of norms, which in practice act as mechanisms of violence and social exclusion, and are not welcoming to those who are socially marginalized. A qualitative analysis with documental bias revealed Education and Socioeducation actions through secondary source documents, namely, the Individual Service Plan (o Plano Individual de Atendimento − PIA). Four thematic markers were identified which deal with school, work, gender and family. The results revealed that the absence of a political-economic structure can generate family disorders which negatively impact school performance, concluding that the variables are related to the offending behavior of adolescents.