Crime Statistics Research Articles

Leveraging Social Media as a Marketing Tool to Combat Crime in African Destination Marketing: Ghana in Perspective

This research explores the potential of leveraging social media as a marketing tool to combat crime in destination marketing, with a focus on Ghana as a representative case study in Africa. As tourism plays a vital role in Ghana's economy, addressing crime concerns is crucial for attracting international visitors. The study aims to investigate how social media can be harnessed strategically to dispel crime perceptions, promote safety, and enhance destination marketing efforts. With a constructivism research philosophical position, the study adopted a case study research approach. Data was gathered using semi-structured interviews, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data was processed using Nvivo version 12.1 analyzed with the help of content analysis approach. The findings provided valuable insights for Ghana, highlighting the significance of social media in building a positive destination image while ensuring visitor safety. It was evident that crime-related discussions on social media significantly impact the perception of Ghana as a tourist destination. The investigation into the strategies and approaches employed by Ghanaian tourism authorities and stakeholders in managing and addressing crime-related concerns on social media provided valuable insights into their efforts to promote safety and enhance destination marketing. Successful practices were identified, including user-Generated Content Promotion and collaboration with law enforcement. It was recommended that Ghanaian tourism authorities may regularly engage with social media users, respond promptly to concerns and inquiries, and provide accurate and up-to-date information about safety measures and crime statistics in the country. Received: 11 June 2024 / Accepted: 28 June 2024 / Published: 8 July 2024

THE ROLE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND SPECIAL SERVICES IN COMBATING CRIMES COMMITTED IN THE FIELD OF COMPUTER GAMES, AND TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS FOR THEIR PREVENTION

Cybercrimes have appeared in crime statistics only in the last two to three decades, but this is the most actively developing area of criminal activity. As an actively developing area of criminal behavior, new directions are actively appearing in it, one of which is crimes in the field of computer games. This area of criminal activity has appeared relatively recently, which causes significant difficulties in practice, since the reason for initiating a criminal case is not always clear, difficulties arise with the preliminary investigation and the very proof of the fact of the commission of a crime. The article analyzes the content of the activities of law enforcement agencies and special services in their specific application to the prevention and investigation of crimes related to computer games. The concept of "hacking" is considered, its division into types and the content of such information activities is investigated. Technical means for the prevention of crimes in the field of computer games are also proposed and justified, since it is technical solutions for the prevention of crimes in the field of computer games that play the most important role in the implementation of activities to ensure the safety of the virtual gaming space, and the subsequent protection of players from various types of criminal activity, expressed in the commission of various socially dangerous crimes by users.

Criminology characteristics of juvenile crime

An actual problem of society during the existence of criminology is the study of juvenile delinquency. This type of crime has its own specificity, which can be seen in the socio-psychological features and increased attention of society to this category of persons. This indicates the general trends of modern crime and its future development, as well as the state of moral health of society. This paper is devoted to the study of juvenile delinquency. This work indicates the factors that can contribute to the commission of a crime by minors, reveals the statistics of crime among minors, analyzes the state and trends in the detection and disclosure of criminal offenses committed by minors in recent years. A typological group has been determined, which includes juveniles who commit crimes. The need to combat juvenile delinquency is substantiated. The peculiarity of crimes committed by minors is outlined. Determined criminogenic factors of juvenile delinquency. Attention is drawn to the latency of juvenile delinquency, which is a major problem in preventing and countering such delinquency. The age categories of minors who commit crimes are specified. Various types of crimes committed by minors are outlined. Research on juvenile delinquency is always relevant in order to achieve an effective result in preventing juvenile delinquency. Undoubtedly, the issue of juvenile delinquency needs special attention, as well as everything related to minors, in general, needs increased attention from the state and society. It is noted that juvenile offenders constitute a peculiar typological group, they differ from adult criminals both in the nature and degree of social danger of the criminal offenses committed, and in personal traits, namely, insufficient social maturity and incomplete intellectual and volitional development. Factors that may cause a minor to commit a crime are outlined.

Violence of Adult Sons Against Mothers in the Context of Matricide

This article endeavours to analyse an important and concerning phenomenon: women killed by their adult sons. It focuses on parricide (killing of parents or close relatives), with special attention on killing of mothers (matricide), while the term ‘homicide’ is used as an overarching term for killing human beings. The article gives an overview of statistics on reported cases of matricide over a five-year period. Employing qualitative analysis, it refers to four court judgments in instances of matricide committed by adult offspring in Lithuania between 2021 and 2023. Based on the analysis of recent international studies, crime statistics and court decisions, the aim of this study is to highlight deeper social problems, which predispose mothers to susceptibility to matricide. Therefore, the article contributes new knowledge to the discourse within the field of gender-based violence against women. Moreover, this study provides professionals in the field of domestic abuse with enriched comprehension of the matricide phenomenon and enhances institutional cooperation seeking prevention of violent behaviour and adequate protection of victims.

State Crime

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda’s historic judgment in the Akayesu Judgment established that rape and other forms of sexual violence can be an actus reus of genocide as defined by the United Nations Convention on Genocide Article II. The Akayesu Judgment therefore provides a logical framework to analyze a hidden episode of extreme post-colonial state violence in the newly independent Zimbabwe, namely a state policy of mass atrocities in Matabeleland and parts of the Midlands, targeting the minority Ndebele ethnic group during Operation Gukurahundi. The specific foci of this study are the patterns of mass rape and sexual violence in the military operation between 1983 and 1984 in Matabeleland. Drawing on 36 in-depth interviews with survivors from throughout Matabeleland, this study provides a critical new lens on Operation Gukurahundi through its identification of uniform systematic patterns of rape and other forms of sexual violence across Matabeleland. The article concludes that the patterns of rape and other forms of sexual violence identified in this study are indicative of a state policy of systematic genocidal rape between 1983 and 1984, deployed with the intent and effect to destroy, in part, a specific ethnic group, namely the minority Ndebele of Zimbabwe, thereby fulfilling every condition of the Genocide Convention principles of genocide.

The Outsourcing of State Security: A Case Study of US Intervention in Laos, 1962–1975

The United States (US) involvement in covert action abroad has received significant scholarly attention, including the outsourcing of force to third parties, such as foreign death squads, private paramilitaries, and more recently private military and security companies. However, less attention has been paid to the routine and everyday mechanisms the US state uses to administer outsourced force, and the impacts this has both on the combatants and civilians. Through a historical examination of the covert conflict in Laos from 1962–1975, this article documents the routine administrative mechanisms the US state employed to prosecute an illegal war. This article’s principal contribution to the state crime literature is the documentation of the hidden harms this generated both for the combatants used and the civilians affected by the violence. This contribution is grounded in interviews conducted with ex-service people from the conflict period and archival research, including recently declassified materials.

Understanding the impact of urban heat islands on crime: insights from temperature, population density, and green canopy cover

Emergent literature suggests that micro- and macro-climates influence criminal behaviour; a complex phenomenon that is still incipient in theory development. This mixed-method research starts with a systematic review of the literature on the theoretical premises that urban heat islands amplify aggressive behaviour and crime. Further, it discusses the potential implications of the relationship between the environment and social outcomes on the design and planning of urban environments. A meta-synthesis was conducted to explain the correlations between patterns of criminal behaviour and thermal (dis)comfort. This correlation is to relate fundamental urban design principles to socially sustainable communities that dissuade violence and crime, and otherwise show poorly designed spaces do propagate criminal behaviour. Cross-validation was undertaken using a case study of Midland, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Data involves population demographics, temperature, and crime statistics relating to Offences against the Person. Analysis focused on homicide, assault, threatening behaviour, and robbery. The findings imply a positive correlation between long-term temperature, crime, population density, and green canopy cover. Variables of climate (e.g., short-to-long-term climate-related stressors) and crime types also show non-linear association. Nonetheless, forecasting the future of violence and trends of crime through attributes or potential impacts of heat and urban canopy cover on the built environment will inform sustainable social development policy, environmental planning, development strategy, designers, and planners. Recommendations are made around these in relation to making urban communities adaptive to the impacts of global warming and future densification.

Resisting the State Crimes of the Global North

Resisting the State Crimes of the Global North

An Examination of Property Crime in Light of Left Realism's Theoretical Capacity

This article reviews property crime through the concept of left realism by focusing on the basic principles of left realists. This paper explores the influence of socio-economic and demographic factors on property crime within the framework of left realist theory, highlighting the complex dynamics between these elements and crime rates in England and Wales. It critiques the reliability of crime statistics, suggesting that they might exaggerate or fail to capture the true state of property crime and its relationship with unemployment. The analysis also considers unemployment as a source of relative deprivation, potentially exacerbating property crime and victimization in the absence of adequate opportunities and support systems. However, the paper acknowledges that other factors, such as effective policing, criminal justice measures, and social provisions, may also play significant roles. It further examines how demographic factors, particularly in socially marginalized and economically deprived areas, can contribute to higher rates of property crime and increase the number of victims. Left realism provides valuable insights into the underlying causes of property crime and its victimization, advocating for a comprehensive understanding that goes beyond conventional analyses to address the root conditions of environmental deprivation and their impact on vulnerable communities even though left realism has weaknesses. Keywords: Left realism, property crime, unemployment

Intentional Homicides and Alcohol Abuse in Lithuania

The aim of the present study is to examine the links between high intentional homicide rates and alcohol abuse in the context of social transition in Lithuania. According to the extant literature, both the increase in homicide rates and the increase in alcohol abuse have a negative impact on public health and are often associated with challenges at the macrosocial level. In recent decades, Lithuania has experienced substantial political, economic, and social transformations. Lithuanian society has transitioned from a Soviet regime to embrace the Western principles of liberal democracy. Yet, despite positive political and economic progress, Lithuania remains a country with one of the highest homicide and alcohol-related harm rates in the European Union. These characteristics have made the Lithuanian homicide situation a captivating topic for a range of international and national studies, expert analyses, and evaluations. Unfortunately, the lack of reliable and consistent data on homicide continues to obstruct researchers from delving deeper into the analysis and explanation of the homicide phenomenon in Lithuania. To mitigate this issue, in this work, we present thoroughly collected and processed historical data on intentional homicide trends from 1961 to 2022. We also examine changes in the rate of homicide suspects, including their socio-demographic characteristics and alcohol intoxication for the 2004–2022 period. Finally, we investigate changes in homicide mortality rates and homicide victims’ socio-demographic characteristics. Our analyses are based on data sourced from the Lithuanian Special Archives, as well as national and international databases of crime statistics and demographic data. We noted a continuous decline in intentional homicide rates after the steep increase in 1989–1994. Furthermore, between 2004 and 2022, more than half of intentional homicide suspects were under the influence of alcohol. These findings are discussed in the broader context of societal changes in Lithuania.

The impact of COVID‐19 stay‐at‐home orders on domestic violence assaults: A study of New South Wales

AbstractIntroduction of stay‐at‐home orders during the COVID 19 pandemic led to immediate disruption of individuals' daily routines with confinement to their households and changes in risk factors of domestic violence. Utilising data from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR), I estimate the causal impact of stay‐at‐home orders on domestic violence assaults in New South Wales. Since adoption dates for these restrictions varied across LGAs, I implement a staggered difference‐in‐difference (DiD) specification. I find a 21% decline in daily domestic violence assault incidents during stay‐at‐home order periods compared to pre‐restriction incidence levels. These results are robust under weekly frequency and extrapolated fixed effects models. I further utilise google search term data as a proxy of consistent reporting rates and unemployment data to identify household power dynamics. Analysis of both data sets support estimates of declines in domestic violence during stay‐at‐home order periods.

Legal regulation of combating child abduction in international family law

The obligation of states in accordance with the Convention on the Civil and Legal Aspects of International Child Abduction to carry out the immediate return of the child is not always effectively implemented due to the procedural defects of the Convention [1], which is confirmed by the practice of its application at the international level. Based on the analysis of the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, some procedural gaps of the Hague Convention of 1980 [4] are investigated and ways to solve them are proposed. Today, in the conditions of war, solving the issue of child abduction is an urgent necessity not only in Ukraine, but in many European countries. Every year, the statistics of child abduction crimes are increasing in all countries of the world. The issue of non-implementation of foreign court decisions by countries is one of the biggest problems today. In order to fulfill the obligations imposed by the Convention of 1980, the states are obliged to create competent bodies and adopt legislation corresponding to the norms of the Convention. Actualization of children’s rights in the modern world is becoming one of the key tasks of every country. Application of international documents regulating procedural issues of cross-border child abduction in the countries of the European Union as an example for other countries. Regulation of the situation that provoked the international abduction of children also by the norms of international procedural law as an additional set of measures aimed at the fastest return of the child to his usual life, a simplified and shortened procedure for obtaining the status quo. There is an exclusive opinion in the world that in the absence of crimes related to the abduction or trafficking of children, relations regarding the return of children should be regulated only at the international level by concluding international treaties.

Times and spaces of crime in the Historic Centre of Porto: Evidence from official data

The analysis of official data is a traditional strategy to study criminality in a geographic space (e.g., city, country). This work focuses on the analysis of the official statistics of crime against property at the Historic Centre of Porto, Portugal, in 2018. It addresses temporal (i.e., by period of the week, time of day) and spatial patterns (i.e., spatial analysis, typology of spaces) of crime occurrences. The database was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics, and by spatial density analysis. Theft was the most common type of crime, although crime types varied greatly with location, and time of the day. There were no significant differences on crime occurrences by days of the week and most crimes were reported in the afternoon. Concerning typology of spaces, most crimes occurred at linear spaces, especially robberies. Findings can be very useful for sustainable and considered urban planning, by aligning the location of material and human resources with the detection of seasonal and comparable crime patterns, enabling more efficient crime prevention in urban areas.

Experiences of physical and emotional intimate partner violence during the COVID-19 pandemic: a comparison of prepandemic and pandemic data in a longitudinal study of Australian mothers

ObjectiveThere is a lack of longitudinal population-based research comparing women’s experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from the Mothers’ and Young...

Challenges and ways forward for bi-cultural psychology and rehabilitation in New Zealand: perspectives from the coalface

Bi-cultural practice is a major focus for psychology in New Zealand, due to the intended partnership between indigenous Māori and non-indigenous (Tauiwi) peoples. This aspiration is particularly important within correctional rehabilitation, due to the over-representation of Māori in crime statistics. Despite a clear intention to uplift bi-cultural practice, little is known, beyond anecdotal evidence, about the experiences of rehabilitation practitioners when utilising Māori knowledge alongside Western psychological approaches. This study analysed interviews with rehabilitation practitioners (n = 20) employed by Corrections New Zealand in psychology and rehabilitation-focused roles. The research questions are: (a) How do practitioners conceptualise Western, Māori, and bi-cultural approaches to practice? (b) What are the challenges experienced when using Māori and Western approaches in practice? and (c) What do practitioners believe are ways forward to enhance bi-cultural practice? The themes developed provide insight into bi-cultural practice in this context and how this can be improved in the future.

Overview Pluralism Law: Application Ammatoa Customary Crime Kajang, Bulukumba, South Sulawesi After the New Criminal Code Law

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the implementation of the Ammatoa Kajang customary penal code in Bulukumba, South Sulawesi, and its recognition under Regional Regulation Number 9 of 2015, and to explore the interaction and adjustment between customary law, state criminal law, and religious law within the Ammatoa Kajang Customary Law Community. Method: The research employs empirical legal research methods and qualitative data analysis techniques. Inductive reasoning is utilized to draw conclusions from the gathered data. Result and Conclusion: The study finds that the Ammatoa Kajang Customary Law Community in Bulukumba, South Sulawesi, has criminal law instruments, including criminal articles and customary justice systems. The implementation of customary punishment is dominant within the Kajang customary territory, compared to state crimes and religious law. The coexistence of multiple legal systems leads to intersections and adjustments between them. Implication of the Research: The research highlights the complexity of legal pluralism and the interaction between different legal systems within Indigenous communities like the Ammatoa Kajang Customary Law Community. It underscores the importance of understanding and respecting customary laws alongside state and religious laws. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by providing insights into the implementation of customary penal codes in Indigenous communities, particularly in Bulukumba, South Sulawesi. It sheds light on the dynamics of legal pluralism and the adaptation of legal systems within these communities, offering valuable information for policymakers and legal practitioners.

Spatial and Temporal Analysis: A GIS-Based Application Tool for Crime Monitoring and Clustering in Malawi

For the purposes of monitoring, evaluating, and conducting a geographical analysis of crime-related data, the study used geospatial technology to collect crime data based on spatial location and the Malawi Police Data Digest of 2019 and 2020. In a more generic sense, knowing the geographic patterns of crime in Malawi using GIS technology can help determine how to make and implement important decisions to reduce crimes in Malawi. The Malawi Police Service has established a number of database management systems to help with crime monitoring. Notwithstanding, it has not yet fully integrated Geographic Information Systems across all jurisdictions. Maps showing crime locations and crime hotspot zones are therefore not included in the crime data and statistics report provided by the Malawi Police Service. In this light, a lot of people have become victims of various forms of crimes in areas where those crimes are also prevalent. To collect, track, and analyze crime data in Malawi for this study, Geographical Information System (GIS) particularly network analysis techniques were used. Network Analysis was used to identify crime hotspots by analyzing crime data as a network of interconnected events and locations. The rationale behind this was to treat each crime event as a node in the network and the spatial relationships between the crimes as edges. By analyzing this network, patterns and relationships between crime events were revealed, allowing for the identification of crime hotspots. The study found that Lilongwe in the central region and the capital city registered the highest number of crimes seconded by Blantyre in the southern region and followed by Mangochi. Mzimba recorded high crimes in the northern region. In Malawi, the traditional systems of intelligence and criminal record keeping have failed to satisfy the demands of today's crime situation. Manual methods neither give accurate, dependable, or complete data 24 hours a day nor do they help in trend forecasting and decision assistance. It also leads to poorer productivity and inefficient workforce use. The appropriate application of information technology is the solution to this ever-increasing challenge.

스토킹 가해자 교정 및 상담 프로그램의 필요성 연구

As for domestic stalking crimes, stalking began to be recognized as a crime when the 'Special Act on Stalking Punishment' was proposed in 1999. It was pointed out that there was no direct regulation on the definition of stalking behavior and the basis for punishment, and the revision of the 'Misdemeanor Punishment Act' in 2013 laid the groundwork for punishment. As a result, With the establishment of a 'stalking' code in the 112 reporting system in May 2018, stalking crime statistics and information management related to the case began to be systematically carried out. The number of stalking crime reports has increased more than 10 times in the past five years, from 2,767 in 2018 to 29,565 in 2022, the most recent report. Therefore, due to the increasing number of stalking crimes and the limitations of victim protection under the current law, policy intervention is necessary for the perpetrators of stalking crimes. Therefore, this study aims to find out about correction and counseling programs for overseas stalking perpetrators, and to make policy suggestions on the necessity of correction and counseling programs for domestic stalking perpetrators. As a result of the study, in the case of the UK and Japan, it was possible for the police to intervene early against stalking perpetrators, and in particular, several institutions cooperated to operate treatment and counseling programs for perpetrators to verify their effectiveness.

Temporal Observations of Crime Dynamics

The study of crime dynamics is a vital element of its criminological analysis. At the same time, crime dynamics is hardly recognized as an independent research problem. The traditional approach consists of extending the period of observation over crime statistics and mainly results in the increase of the representative value of data on the current state of criminality; it does not, however, help to identify its criminologically relevant trends — long-term regularities and deviations from them. This problem could be solved by a methodological synthesis of the opportunities presented by criminology and history, and the development of historical criminology on their basis, viewed as an independent trend in the scientific research of crime. Modern crime, however «modern» might be interpreted, should be understood not as an object within arbitrarily chosen time limits, but as one of the fragments of the general development of criminality as a never-ending social process. The boundaries of the concept “modern crime” should be determined based on the research of criminality itself going as far back as it is possible. Inclusion of modern criminality in the general logic of this process, and, most importantly, understanding this logic is the primary task for a criminologist studying the issues of crime dynamics. Unfortunately, it should be stated that the interpretation of crime dynamics does not have any rigid theoretical basis and is not represented as an independent theoretical concept in criminology. The attempts to interpret crime dynamics through references to criminogenic and anti-criminogenic factors, the extension of the range of known facts do not bring any new understanding because they explain the genesis, but not the trends of crime. To study the trends, understand the causes of their formation and the reasons why criminality deviates from them, to recognize some or other change in criminality as a long-term trend or a deviation, it is necessary to turn to social and, often, non-criminological factors more connected with the spheres of sociology and history.

African Philosophical Contributions to International Criminal Law

Abstract This article displays the various ways that African philosophies have made a contribution to international criminal law. It shows that African philosophies have, to a certain extent, influenced the manner in which post-conflict African states as well as the African Union (au) address accountability for grave breaches of international law. This influence is evidenced in the setting up of traditional African approaches to accountability for international crimes in post-conflict African states as well as in some of the au initiatives which address accountability for grave breaches. The article begins by contextualizing the topic within traditional African cultures through a historical analysis of the practices, concepts and institutions that governed criminal accountability as well as an analysis of the African philosophies upon which these practices, concepts and institutions were anchored. It continues with the concern of ‘how’ and ‘to what extent’ African philosophies have influenced international criminal law. Moreover, it considers some of the controversial areas of international criminal law in which African philosophies are overlooked, despite their potential to make a valuable contribution. This section is supported by the belief that a combined approach to international criminal law, of both traditional African and Western concepts, offers a better solution to the current impasse experienced in certain areas.