High-profile Cases Research Articles

Judicial Inconsistency and Citizen Anti-Corruption Demobilization: Evidence from Brazil

Abstract This study examines the impact of judicial inconsistency in high-profile corruption cases on citizens' willingness to combat corruption. Based on evidence from an unexpected event during a survey in Brazil, the study demonstrates that contradictory decisions by different judges within a single day erode trust in courts and citizens' inclination to report corruption. Notably, perceptions of corruption and trust in other institutions remain unaffected. The findings support the argument that citizens can be discouraged from engaging in anti-corruption efforts not only by exposure to information about corruption but also by forming negative evaluations of anti-corruption performance. Building on previous research and the perspective of corruption as a collective-action problem, the article proposes that judicial inconsistency is perceived as a sign of insincere commitment to fighting corruption. These findings contribute to understanding the public opinion consequences of anti-corruption initiatives and the politicization of courts.

Public support for athlete activism in Germany: A survey experiment

Professional athletes increasingly use their popularity to speak out about political topics off and on the field. However, only few studies explore how audiences react to political speech in elite sports. Existing research has tended to focus on very few high-profile cases, usually in the United States, such as Colin Kaepernick's anthem protest. Going beyond single cases, this paper investigates factors that systematically influence public support for elite athletes’ political activism. We integrated a vignette experiment into a survey of the German population ( N = 1002). Using multi-level regression models, we analyze how public support for athlete's political acts varies with political topics, the specific political action carried out as well as the local reference of the issue in question. Moreover, we also compare the level of public support for political actions between athletes and non-athlete celebrities. Findings indicate that support is subject to conditions: Athletes receive more support when their critique refers to political topics abroad (as opposed to domestic topics) and when non-disruptive actions are chosen, for example, expressions of opinion instead of boycotts. The specific message has the strongest influence on support: actions and statements that express a progressive political claim for stricter environmental protection receive more support compared to a rather conservative claim for border security. Findings add to the state of knowledge by showing which forms of political activism meet with broad acceptance and which are likely to polarize audiences.

Gendering detention: (re)producing vulnerability for migrant women in British Immigration Removal Centres

Less than 10% of migrants in immigration detention in the UK are women, despite high-profile cases such as Yarl’s Wood IRC, and so previous research concerned with the experience of detention focuses on the general migrant population which consists mainly of men. Therein lies an uncomfortable gendered nexus between a feminised vulnerability which sustains anti-detention narratives and the somatic masculinity of the detention estate. The experiences of men are treated as the norm, despite the differing and gendered experiences of detained women. This article addresses this gap by drawing together theoretical and empirical literature focusing on the experiences of migrant women detained in the UK and conceptualising Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) as a microcosm through which to theorise the control and dehumanisation of migrant bodies within the contemporary context of the ‘Hostile Environment’. In particular, this article pays close attention to the intersection of gender and immigration status for migrant detainees as their experiences of pregnancy, sex work and sexual violence implicate how they experience detention.

All-Around: Elite Gymnasts’ Perspectives on Creating a Healthy Culture

The need to create healthy cultures within Gymnastics has been demonstrated by a rseies of high profile cases which are illustrative of unhealthy cultures. The present study interviewed 6 international level gymnasts to explore their perceptions as to what constitutes a healthy culture. Inductive thematic analysis highlighted the need to adopt a socio-ecological approach which recognizes the influences of factors at the individual (i.e., developing ability and achieving personal goals), interpersonal (i.e., supportive peer relationships and effective coach-athlete relationship)and institutional (i.e., sense of community and a focus on developing psychosocial skills) levels. The findings from the present study can be used to inform coaches and national governing bodies on the importance of these factors, especially when considering the prioritisation of gymnasts ’psychological wellbeing in the context of elite sport.

Examining the Impact of Transparency Portals on Media Coverage

This study examined the use of data from a transparency portal in media coverage of a high-profile case of alleged public procurement irregularities in Spain. Access to Twitter API was used to identify relevant URLs related to this issue. It was found that direct links to a portal were of low relevance, and most of the linked documents did not even mention the availability of data from a portal. Qualitative analysis revealed that the most frequent topics were the use of portal data as an authoritative argument to endorse information, the statement that the portal did not contain sufficient information for journalistic purposes, and the absence of data on third parties involved in public procurement. It is recommended that governments promote the existence of Portals and make media outlets aware that providing links to original data is beneficial for their reporting. In addition, linked open data should be used to ensure accuracy and transparency.

The Gangster and the Bride: The Media Representation of Masculinity and Femininity in News Coverage of Jihadi Terrorists

ABSTRACT When European nationals left to join Islamic State, the media extensively reported on many of these individuals. Women’s news coverage had a recurrent narrative—the “jihadi bride.” Academic research has strived to analyse the nature of this coverage, effectively critiquing the narrative. Male jihadists have received limited attention in research on the roles of gender and media. This article seeks to contribute to a gap in knowledge concerning the comparative aspects of gendered representations by evaluating the differences between male and female news media coverage of two high-profile cases: the British woman Shamima Begum and the German man Denis Cuspert. Key findings show that Begum is primarily framed as a reject of British society and a “doubly deviant” woman. Cuspert is portrayed as radical, charismatic, active, and influential over youth. While aligning with previous research on gendered media tropes, this study advances knowledge by demonstrating how each individual’s framing does not merely emphasise gendered personality traits but also connects to broader societal and political factors in domestic contemporary cultural settings.

Determination of Sentences in India: Policy and Practice

AbstractJudiciary and litigation are the two most prominent types of activities within the legal profession. The judicial aspect of the profession entails the interpretation of laws and the administration of justice in a fair and impartial manner. As a concept, justice entails protecting society from offenders and evildoers who deviate from society’s norms and engage in illegal behaviour by punishing and sentencing them. Due to the predominance of the human factor in the legal profession, which has such a significant impact on the lives of all members of society, it is crucial to investigate whether there is a guiding force behind dispensing justice and, if so, how effective these guidelines or policy measures have been. As crime rates rise and societal standards fall in the contemporary era, the legal profession grapples with the complexities of modern criminal behaviour. Particularly in the realm of judicial sentencing, there is a need for guidelines that account for the diversity of crimes and their individualistic nature. In India, long pungencies in court cases and a decline in the State’s conviction rate further exacerbate these issues. This paper examines the pressing need for comprehensive, well-structured sentencing guidelines that promote transparency, fairness and efficiency in the judicial process. Through a detailed review of recent high-profile court cases and an analysis of current practices and policies, this paper highlights the urgency of reform in the sentencing process to enhance public trust in the legal system. This article provides additional information on the subject.

Overcoming the “Ostrich Effect”: A Narrative Review on the Incentives and Consequences of Questionable Research Practices in Kinesiology

Increasing transparency and openness in science is an ongoing endeavor, one that has stimulated self-reflection and reform in many fields. However, kinesiology and its related disciplines are among those exhibiting an “ostrich effect” and a reluctance to acknowledge their methodological shortcomings. Notwithstanding several high-profile cases of scientific misconduct, scholars in the field are frequently engaged in questionable research practices (QRPs) such as biased experimental designs, inappropriate statistics, and dishonest/inexplicit reporting. To advance their careers, researchers are also “gaming the system” by manipulating citation metrics and publishing in predatory and/or pay-to-publish journals that lack robust peer review. The consequences of QRPs in the discipline may be profound: from increasing the false positivity rate to eroding public trust in the very institutions tasked with informing public health policy. But what are the incentives underpinning misconduct and QRPs? And what are the solutions? This narrative review is a consciousness raiser that explores (a) the manifestations of QRPs in kinesiology; (b) the excessive publication pressures, funding pressures, and performance incentives that are likely responsible; and (c) possible solutions for reform.

Juries and the ‘detective juror’: Improving public discussion about juries and jurors

In a high-profile trial, jury verdicts, jury questions, and the conduct of a so-called ‘detective juror’, may ignite public discussion and criticism of the role of juries in criminal trials. If, in the course of this discussion, a juror or jury is criticised, the voice of jurors is rarely heard in response. Through the examination of several high-profile cases, this article examines the role and limitations of a judge, Juries Commissioner, Attorney-General and academics in promoting informed public debate about jury trials. This article then discusses how a Juries Advisory Council could improve public discourse about juries and juror misconduct.

At the Intersection of Gender and Party: Legislative Freedom

This paper examines the conditional effects of legislator gender, party, and key district-level characteristics on patterns of roll-call votes. I propose and test a theory of legislative freedom conceptualized as a member of Congress’s ability to defect from their party in roll-call votes. I argue that women members of Congress (MCs) will be more able to exercise legislative freedom in women-friendly districts. I expect both Democratic and Republican women MCs representing women-friendly districts will be more likely than those representing districts that are less women-friendly to defect from party and that the women-friendly district effect will be stronger for Republican women MCs. To test these hypotheses, I use roll-call voting data, women-friendly district data (Palmer and Simon 2006), and original data collected on members of the U.S. House beginning with the 103rd Congress. In this paper, I further explore the proposed theory of legislative freedom to examine recent high-profile cases of women MCs defecting from the Republican party and the conditions in which they exercise this freedom.

Private Authority: INTERPOL Involvement in Malaysia's Political Case

This paper elaborates on the private authority which is focused on INTERPOL. Private authority is when nonstate actors create laws or norms that other important actors in international politics accept. There are three sources of authority which are market, moral and illicit authority. The aim of INTERPOL’s establishment is to combat international crimes and facilitates international police collaboration and communication. The writer would like to discuss about “does INTERPOL exacerbate or ameliorate interstate conflict?”. The thesis statement is INTERPOL ameliorate interstate conflict through the cooperation between its member states. INTERPOL usually acts as the middleman that provides information needed by the member states and also assists member states in arresting suspects. Through this paper, the writer will also state the case in which INTERPOL involve in Malaysia. This study will focus on the year 2006 until 2017. The year 2006 was chosen as it was the start of the Altantuya Shariibuu’s case and the year 2017 was chosen as it was the latest year the case of 1MDB was discussed. These two cases were high-profile political case in Malaysia as it is said to involve Najib Razak, the former prime minister of Malaysia. Malaysia was chosen because through these two cases we can see the active involvement of INTERPOL as the private authority that helps its member state in solving the crime by offering a hand. Keywords: international political economy, INTERPOL, Malaysia, member states, private authority

Power relations in the music teaching studio

AbstractPower relations operate in any educational setting, and there may be particular vulnerabilities in a tradition conducted in the relative isolation of the music teaching studio. These vulnerabilities have been highlighted dramatically in recent years through high-profile cases of power abuse, but power is implicated in a wide range of contexts related to the studio, including cultural, gendered, pedagogical, artistic, institutional and interpersonal issues. It may be impossible to divest power of its negative connotations, but there is a good deal of theory focused on power, even if its terms are broadly political or philosophical, and subject to debate. This theoretical paper explores power relations with regard to the music studio, investigating popular conceptions and everyday usage before turning to scholarship focused on interpersonal and broader social perspectives. Some reflections are offered on the uses and abuses of power in the studio. A better understanding of its dimensions and usage can support the ongoing development of studio practices and contribute to the conversation that we need to have about power.

SOME ASPECTS OF THE PREPARATION OF AN INVESTIGATION OF VIOLATIONS OF THE LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR

The article is devoted to the analysis of the material, as a result of which the need for the development of an educational and typical method of investigating the violation of the laws and customs of war (a crime stipulated in Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) has been announced. On the basis of views generally known to the scientific community, it was established that, from a scientific point of view, the most important purpose of the methodology proposed for the development of the investigation of violations of the laws and customs of war should be the presentation of theoretical provisions and developed on their basis typical recommendations regarding providing the implementers of the pre-trial investigation of the specified crime with an appropriate system of procedural and extra-procedural (actually a forensically legalized) actions and measures of their optimal and effective activity to achieve the goal and tasks of criminal proceedings determined by it. It is specified that the methodology updated in the process of development should cover the following main sections: 1) forensic characteristics of the crime provided for in Art. 438 of the Criminal Code; 2) typical investigative situations at the stage of identifying signs of violations of the laws and customs of war and the stages of its investigation; 3) forensic issues of initiation of criminal proceedings; 4) preparation (organization and planning) of the investigation; investigative versions, circumstances to be established by pre-trial investigation; 5) algorithm of investigative (search) public and private actions (other procedural and nonprocedural actions and measures); 6) peculiarities of the execution of the actions and measures provided for by this algorithm, as well as their complexes (tactical operations); 7) ensuring coordination of the activities of law enforcement agencies in the investigation and interaction with variously functioning state and non-state bodies, organizations, other subjects involved in this process; 8) forensic prevention measures. Considerations regarding the general aspects of the organization of the investigation of violations of the laws and customs of war are outlined, with an emphasis on «operational and organizational issues». The essence of a) possible models of organization of the investigation of a violation of the laws and customs of war; b) principles of information and analytical work relevant to the investigation; c) unfavourable factors for the investigation in the conditions of war, related, first of all, to his qualification and adequate understanding of certain principles of criminal proceedings is partially revealed. Attention was drawn to high-profile cases of misunderstanding the purpose and tasks of the specified category of criminal proceedings, which led to reasonable doubts about the proper observance of the guarantees of the right to a fair trial.

REMAJA, MEDIA SOSIAL DAN UJARAN KEBENCIAN: STUDI KONSUMSI ONLINE RELIGIOUS CONTENT DI BANTEN

Religious hate speech has become more visible in social media, following high-profile cases such as the Church bombing in Sri Lanka and the Friday Prayer shooting in New Zealand in 2019. This research examines the understanding of youth in Banten, an Indonesian province with low religious tolerance, regarding the circulation and consumption of religious hate speech. Using a case study approach and focus group discussions with 33 youth in Banten who consume religious content online, the researchers found that online/social media are becoming the primary platform for learning about religion, despite the frequent exposure to religious content associated with hate speech, especially in relation to politics. The researchers also found that the presence of opinion leaders (religious teachers, parents) and media literacy are important factors in mitigating the spread of religious hate speech.

What is the impact of high-profile end-of-life disputes on paediatric intensive care trainees?

IntroductionThis study explores UK paediatric intensive care (PIC) trainees’ thoughts and feelings about high-profile end-of-life cases recently featured in the press and social media and the impact on their career...

Nowhere to turn: A Black feminist autoethnography of interpersonal violence

In July 2020, rapper Megan Thee Stallion was shot by her then boyfriend Tory Lanez, a fellow rapper. The incident brought to the surface (again) a long, ongoing conversation about the experiences of Black women survivors of intimate partner violence, much like other high-profile cases (e.g., Tina Turner) have done before. Specifically, these cases show how Black men particularly can uphold patriarchal violence in intimate or romantic contexts. Moreover, these cases show the tensions that can arise when survivors seek help from law enforcement. For example, the idea of racial loyalty and not calling the police on a Black man and how this affects the options available to Black women. In other words, Black women often have nowhere to turn for help when they experience violence. In this article, I employ Black Feminist Autoethnography as a methodological framework to analyze a personal instance of road rage where I was attacked, to explore how Black women survivors make meaning of their experiences, the thought process behind their decision to involve the police, how Black men uphold patriarchal violence in non-intimate contexts, and how Black women resist or refuse to accept the violence. This analysis reveals the raced and gendered components underlying the private/public nature of interpersonal violence experienced by Black women and the relationship between intimate and non-intimate interpersonal violence. Implications for qualitative social work research and practice include the use of Black Feminist Autoethnography as a methodological framework to identify areas of empowerment, strength, and support for survivors of violence.

Self-assessment toolkit for energy anti-money laundering: unveiling key lessons from high-profile case studies

Abstract Money laundering is pervasive across industries, including the energy sector. This article examines nine high-profile money laundering cases in the energy industry from anti-money laundering (AML) perspective. By analysing these cases, criminal strategies and patterns used to launder money in the energy sector are uncovered. This research findings reveal that money launderers in the energy sector employ various tactics, such as shell companies, false invoicing and complex international transactions. It also identifies common patterns that emerge across multiple cases, including using intermediaries, exploiting regulatory loopholes and weak links in the supply chain. The analysis provides key insights that AML enforcement officials and regulators can use to develop more effective strategies for preventing money laundering in the energy industry. In conclusion, the research outlines a comprehensive framework that regulators can use to strengthen AML controls and reduce the risk of money laundering in the energy sector. The proposed utility function considers a weighted score toolkit for the countries’ self-assessment of the AML enforcement effectiveness in the energy sector.

“The Jogger and the Wolfpack”: An Analysis of the TRANSITIVITY Patterns in the Global Media Coverage of the 1989 Central Park Five Case

Common causes of wrongful conviction include eyewitness misidentification, improper forensics, or false confessions (Garrett in Convicting the innocent: where criminal prosecutions go wrong, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 2011; Innocence Canada, https://www.innocencecanada.com/causes-of-wrongful-convictions/); whilst none of these factors are in question in this paper, the notion put forward is that a more implicit factor is also at play; that is, the newspaper coverage of a criminal case during the lead up to trial. According to Felton Rosulek (Text Talk 28:529–550, 2008), “[…] linguistic choices conspire together […] and create a specific interpretation of reality”. Thus, this paper explores how the accused and the (alleged) criminal events pertaining to a high-profile case of the 1980s in New York are discursively framed in a range of press coverage across the USA and further afield. The corpus comprises newspaper articles reporting on the Central Park Jogger case, which resulted in the wrongful conviction and lost freedom of five innocent young men. Using corpus-assisted critical discourse analysis (CADS) (Partington and Marchi, in: Biber, Reppen (eds) The Cambridge handbook of English corpus linguistics, Cambridge University Press, 2015; Stubbs in Text and corpus analysis. Computer-assisted studies of language and culture. Blackwell, Oxford, 1996), the Transitivity patterns (Halliday and Matthiessen in Halliday’s introduction to functional grammar, Routledge, London, 2014) present in the press coverage are examined to gain insights into whether the portrayal of (1) the accused and (2) the victim at the centre of this case may have contributed to securing a wrongful conviction. Furthermore, this paper strives to (1) draw awareness to wrongful convictions more generally and (2) contribute to studies on Transitivity, which serve to highlight societal injustice and the power of printed news when determining the innocence or guilt of an accused individual. To acquire both quantitative and qualitative results, the UAM Corpus Tool (O’Donnell in UAM Corpus Tool, http://www.corpustool.com/) was also employed here.

Ethical Decision-Making in Law Enforcement: A Scoping Review

Decision-making in uncertain and stressful environments combined with the high-profile cases of police violence in the United States has generated substantial debates about policing and created challenges to maintaining public confidence and trust in law enforcement. However, despite the manifestations of reactions across the ideological spectrum, it is unclear what information is available in the literature about the convergence between ethical decision-making and policing. Therefore, an interdisciplinary scoping review was conducted to map the nature and extent of research evidence, identify existing gaps in knowledge, and discuss future implications for ethical decision-making in law enforcement. This review investigates the interaction between the job complexities of policing (psychological and normative factors) and aspects of ethical decision-making, synthesizing three distinct themes: (1) socio-moral dimensions impact the job complexities of police work, (2) lethal means and moral injury influence intuitive and rational decision-making, and (3) police wellness and interventions are critical to sustaining police readiness. Gaps in recruiting, training, and leadership and managerial practices can be broadly transformed to fundamentally emphasize officer wellness and a holistic approach to ethical practices, enabling police officers to uphold the rule of law, promote public safety, and protect the communities they serve.

Self-preferencing and foreclosure in digital markets: Theories of harm for abuse cases

Antitrust agencies all over the world have been investigating large digital platforms for practices which may constitute an abuse of dominance. Here I discuss practices (including ‘self-preferencing’ and denial or degradation of interoperability) which can be interpreted as foreclosure in vertically-related or complementary markets. I discuss, in particular, a few high-profile cases involving Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google. I focus on possible theories of harm for such cases and show that both original simple models and well-established economic theories (adapted or interpreted) provide a rationale for anti-competitive foreclosure.