Offending Behaviour Research Articles

How to get away with (sexual) murder? Unraveling cold cases in sexual homicide using a hybrid modeling probabilistic approach.

This study examines Sexual Homicide (SH) cases, analyzing the transition to cold cases through a non-discretionary lens. Utilizing the SH International Database, it explores the interplay between offender behavior, victim characteristics, and crime context. Advanced methodologies, including sequential logistic regression and Artificial Neural Networks, identify key predictors of case resolution. Results highlight the critical influence of victim intoxication, high-risk activities, and the location of the victim's body on case solvability. The study also reveals the significant role of offender forensic awareness and the complexity of crime scenes in hindering case resolution. These findings underline the multifaceted nature of SH cases, emphasizing the importance of understanding the nuanced interplay between victim, offender, and contextual factors in solving these challenging cases.

The Difference of The Influence of Family Education Environment on The Aggressive Behavior of (Male) Juvenile Offenders and Non-offenders

Aggressive behavior refers to a person's inability to control their own harm to others in any form, then this aggressive behavior may be caused by what, through investigation, abnormal family education environment may lead to young people's later aggressive behavior, and even criminal behavior. The abnormal family education environment includes incomplete family members, problems in the relationship of family members, and aggressive behavior of family members. Incomplete family may cause children to lack a certain part of their feelings, which may form a paranoid personality, jealousy of other children, and aggressive behavior, and family members have a bad relationship. Or there are people in the family who have aggressive behavior, once the child sees the scene of fighting or attacking others, the child is likely to imitate, thus forming aggressive behavior, so if we can predict the children who may have aggressive behavior in advance, we can intervene to prevent them from committing crimes. We can predict by observing the child's family environment, and intervene by psychological counseling or helping to improve the family environment.

The effectiveness of the offender personality disorder pathway: a propensity score-matched analysis

ABSTRACT Offenders with severe personality pathology are at significantly increased risk of serious and violent offending. In England and Wales, offenders who are likely to meet criteria for a diagnosis of personality disorder are managed within a network of ‘Offender Personality Disorder Pathway’ services. We conducted a retrospective cohort study over 6 years, using linked routine datasets, to examine the effectiveness of these services on male offenders (n = 28,321). We compared the outcomes of those who received a simple case formulation and had not been referred to Pathway services (the ‘Comparison group’), with a group of offenders who had received a complex case formulation and been referred to Pathway services (the ‘Treatment group’). Over time, significant improvements occurred in re-offending risk scores, and lower rates of behavioural disturbance among both Treatment and Comparison groups of offenders. However, no statistically significant differences were detected in the rates of improvement between Treatment and Comparison groups. Offending rates in both groups significantly increased over time, although there was no significant difference in the increase in offending rates between the Treatment and Comparison groups. Currently, there is no statistical evidence that the Pathway is associated with changes in offender behaviour.

The role of character‐based personal mitigation in sentencing judgments

AbstractPersonal mitigating factors (PMFs) such as good character, remorse and addressing addiction help sentencers evaluate an offender's past, present and future behavior. We analyzed data from the 2011–2014 Crown Court Sentencing Surveys in England and Wales to examine the relationship between these PMFs and custodial sentences passed on assault and burglary offenses, controlling for other sentencing relevant factors. Beyond revealing the distribution and co‐occurrence of the three PMFs, it was found that good character, remorse and addressing addiction all had a significant mitigating effect. The effects of addressing addiction were the strongest of the three across both offense types, while good character had a stronger effect on burglary than assault. In addition, some mitigating factors appear to be underweighted when they occur together. We consider the implications of these findings for sentencing policy and practice.

Norm enforcement on and of Reddit: Rules of engagement and participation

The social platform Reddit hosts a set of communities that denounce offensive behavior, invoking scrutiny and shame on (categories of) individuals. Despite varying in their targets, they all promote actionable content to an audience who can view, share and comment on it. These groups allow a global public to air grievances, enabling both accountability and abuse. Following high profile scandals, Reddit routinely sanctions and purges problematic ‘subreddits’. As a matter of self-preservation, subreddits that watch over the public also maintain heightened scrutiny of their own members. Group rules and other prescriptive texts are a means to instill this scrutiny among a broader audience. In analyzing rules and other content management practices in 68 shaming based subreddits, this paper considers how these groups temper platform-based denunciation.

DNA Databanks as a Source of Information about the Criminal Behavior of Individuals Who Have Been Linked to Crimes but Not Identified by Police

Perpetrators of offences missing from police files limit the capacity to investigate criminal behaviour for criminological research and operational purposes. Recent studies have shown that forensic DNA databanks, which include samples of DNA not yet matched to an individual, have the potential to address this problem. By examining information associated with criminal cases that involved DNA matches, we demonstrate that individuals who cannot be identified through DNA differ from those for whom such identification is possible. Based on data from 19 years of DNA matches in Quebec, Canada, we were able to assess the co-offending and repeat offending behavior of unidentified and identified individuals as well as the diversification, level of severity, and types of offenses. We found that the crimes of the 1,448 individuals who had not been identified were marginal as compared with those of individuals who had been identified. Unidentified individuals were more likely to act alone in repeated crimes, to be involved in fewer cases, to use less violence, and to become more specialized with increased activity. Our results are consistent with other studies that demonstrate that the criminal activity of unidentified individuals accords with the exposure hypothesis. The association of these findings with a network analysis approach is innovative and could have a greater than expected impact on investigations and policies, as well as having implications for forensic intelligence.

Data-Driven Analysis of MRI Scans: Exploring Brain Structure Variations in Colombian Adolescent Offenders

With the advancements in neuroimaging techniques, understanding the relationship between brain morphology and behavioral tendencies such as criminal behavior has garnered interest. This research addresses the investigation of disparities in neuroanatomical structures between adolescent offenders and non-offenders and considers the implications of such distinctions regarding offender behavior within adolescent populations. Employing data-driven methodologies, MRI scans of adolescents from Barranquilla, Colombia, were analyzed to explore morphological variations. Utilizing a 1.5 Tesla Siemens resonator (Siemens Healthineers, Erlangen, Germany), T1-weighted MPRAGE anatomical images were acquired and analyzed using a systematic five-step methodology including data acquisition, MRI pre-processing, feature selection, model selection, and model validation and evaluation. Participants, both offenders and non-offenders, were aged 14–18 and selected based on education, criminal history, and physical conditions. The research identified significant disparities in the volumes of 42 brain structures between adolescent offenders (AOs) and non-offenders (NOs), highlighting particular brain regions potentially associated with offending behavior. Additionally, a considerable proportion of AOs emanated from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and showcased marked substance use. The findings suggest that neuroanatomical disparities potentially correlate with criminal behavior among adolescents at a neurobiological level. Noticeable socio-environmental factors, such as lower socioeconomic status and substance abuse, were substantially prevalent among AOs. Particularly, neurobiological deviations in structures like ctx-lh-rostralmiddlefrontal and ctx-lh-caudalanteriorcingulate perhaps represent a link between neurological factors and external stimuli.

The culture of sport: examining the effect of athletic participation on the acceptance of rape myths

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between athletic participation and the acceptance of rape myths in an effort to further identify cultural and social institutions that may contribute to adherence to and glorification of rape culture.Design/methodology/approachA random sample of 685 first semester, university freshmen were surveyed about their high school sports participation and levels of rape myth acceptance (RMA). Linear regression models were estimated to examine the relationships between participation in sports, the type of sport participation and the acceptance of rape myths.FindingsThose involved in athletics, generally, and those involved in team sports are more accepting of rape myths than are their counterparts. These results hold true for the full sample and for males and females, when examined separately. Participation in contact sports was not significantly predictive of RMA.Practical implicationsAthletics may provide a culture that is particularly prone to a belief in rape myths, which jeopardizes the integrity of collegiate sports. Policies should focus on changing offender behavior not victim behavior to create safer and more inclusive communities. Educating youth about the nature of rape myths and providing them with skills to resist such thinking is paramount. Focused programs and training could reduce the likelihood of accepting rape myths and, in turn, may make high school and college campuses safer.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to prior research by examining a sample of first semester university freshmen about their high school athletic participation and RMA. This research not only minimizes the effects of college level influences but also distinguishes between different forms of athletic involvement.

No Veteran Left Behind? Perspectives on VTC Eligibility Criteria for Justice-Involved Veterans in Multiple Jurisdictions Across the United States

ABSTRACT The explosive growth of veterans treatment courts (VTCs) in the United States has raised questions concerning which justice-involved veterans (JIV) are eligible and ultimately selected for participation. For instance, should VTCs be more inclusive in their selection processes, and is it possible to do so within existing court parameters? Using data from 145 interviews of team members working in 20 VTCs across the country, this study explores the perceptions of those personnel on a range of factors impacting eligibility determinations of JIV. These include the decision-making processes of VTC teams, determinations of the nexus between a veteran’s military service and their offending behavior, and the capacity of jurisdictions to provide treatment and services to all JIV, either through Veterans Affairs programs or community providers. Findings illustrate the variability of VTCs nationwide and suggest that specific midcourse alterations are necessary to fulfill stated court missions.

Criminal clickbait: a panel data analysis on the attractiveness of online advertisements offering stolen data.

Few studies have examined the sales of stolen account credentials on darkweb markets. In this study, we tested how advertisement characteristics affect the popularity of illicit online advertisements offering account credentials. Unlike previous criminological research, we take a novel approach by assessing the applicability of knowledge on regular consumer behaviours instead of theories explaining offender behaviour. We scraped 1,565 unique advertisements offering credentials on a darkweb market. We used this panel data set to predict the simultaneous effects of the asking price, endorsement cues and title elements on advertisement popularity by estimating several hybrid panel data models. Most of our findings disconfirm our hypotheses. Asking price did not affect advertisement popularity. Endorsement cues, including vendor reputation and cumulative sales and views, had mixed and negative relationships, respectively, with advertisement popularity. Our results might suggest that account credentials are not simply regular products, but high-risk commodities that, paradoxically, become less attractive as they gain popularity. This study highlights the necessity of a deeper understanding of illicit online market dynamics to improve theories on illicit consumer behaviours and assist cybersecurity experts in disrupting criminal business models more effectively. We propose several avenues for future experimental research to gain further insights into these illicit processes.

Conservative News Media and Criminal Justice: Evidence from Exposure to the Fox News Channel

Abstract Local exposure to conservative news causes judges to impose harsher criminal sentences. Our evidence comes from an instrumental variable analysis, where randomness in television channel positioning across localities induces exogenous variation in exposure to the Fox News Channel. These treatment data on news viewership are taken to outcome data on almost seven million criminal sentencing decisions in the United States for the years 2005–17. Higher Fox News viewership increases incarceration length, and the effect is stronger for Black defendants and for drug-related crimes. We can rule out changes in the behaviour of police, prosecutors or potential offenders as significant drivers. Consistent with changes in voter attitudes as the key mechanism, the effect on sentencing harshness is observed for elected (but not appointed) judges. Fox News viewership also increases self-reported beliefs about the importance of drug crime as a social problem.

Association between offensive behaviors and burnout and depression risks in health workers.

to evaluate the occurrence of offensive behaviors at work, their characteristics and association with sex, stress, burnout and depression in health workers. a cross-sectional, descriptive and quantitative study carried out with 125 workers from the Brazilian Unified Health System. The data were collected from June 2021 to April 2022 through three self-applied questionnaires that assess personal and occupational characteristics; offensive behaviors, stress and burnout; and depressive symptoms. Descriptive statistics, the chi-square association test and logistic regression analysis were applied. 44% of the sample reported 83 behaviors, with threats of violence as the most frequent ones (26%). Nursing technicians/assistants, nurses and physicians were the most exposed professionals. The main aggressors were the patients, except for bullying, which was perpetrated by co-workers (48%). There was an association between offensive behaviors and burnout (OR: 4.73; 95% CI: 1.29-17.3; p=0.02) and between offensive behaviors and depression symptoms (OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.01-1.10; p=0.02). the occurrence of offensive behaviors in health work is frequent and characteristic and burnout and depressive symptoms respectively increased 4.73 and 1.05 times the chances of workers suffering these offensive behaviors in the work environment.

Associação entre comportamentos ofensivos e risco de burnout e de depressão em trabalhadores de saúde

Objective: to evaluate the occurrence of offensive behaviors at work, their characteristics and association with sex, stress, burnout and depression in health workers. Method: a cross-sectional, descriptive and quantitative study carried out with 125 workers from the Brazilian Unified Health System. The data were collected from June 2021 to April 2022 through three self-applied questionnaires that assess personal and occupational characteristics; offensive behaviors, stress and burnout; and depressive symptoms. Descriptive statistics, the chi-square association test and logistic regression analysis were applied. Results: 44% of the sample reported 83 behaviors, with threats of violence as the most frequent ones (26%). Nursing technicians/assistants, nurses and physicians were the most exposed professionals. The main aggressors were the patients, except for bullying, which was perpetrated by co-workers (48%). There was an association between offensive behaviors and burnout (OR: 4.73; 95% CI: 1.29-17.3; p=0.02) and between offensive behaviors and depression symptoms (OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.01-1.10; p=0.02). Conclusion: the occurrence of offensive behaviors in health work is frequent and characteristic and burnout and depressive symptoms respectively increased 4.73 and 1.05 times the chances of workers suffering these offensive behaviors in the work environment.

The preventive and remedial potential of studies regarding the victim- aggressor relationship

This article is a pleading for the valorization of victimological studies, especially studies on the aggressor-victim relationship. Almost all research in this field has highlighted 2 diametrically opposed forms of behavioral deviance: the deviance of the aggressor, based on offensive behavior, and the deviance of the victim, based on receiving of the offence. Mendelsohn used an interesting notion, namely potential of victimal receptivity. As soon as this notion was introduced in the field of victimological science, the aggressor was no longer seen as the only key element in the causal system of the crime. The victim was viewed in this way as well. In the meantime there have been other disco-veries related to the behavioral mechanisms of the victim and the aggressor that are relevant for the elucidation of all the essential aspects of the criminal act which is also an act of victimization. Their preventive and reparative role has not been fully explored for this reason, we will argue the need to implement the results of scientific research in the prevention of crimes and the reduction of the consequences that result after a crime has been committed. At the same time, we will describe the ways in which, this fact can be achieved.

Association between offensive behaviors and burnout and depression risks in health workers

Objetivo: avaliar a ocorrência de comportamentos ofensivos no trabalho, suas características e associação com o sexo, estresse, burnout e depressão em trabalhadores de saúde. Método: estudo transversal, descritivo, de natureza quantitativa, realizado com 125 trabalhadores do Sistema Único de Saúde brasileiro. Os dados foram coletados no período de junho de 2021 a abril de 2022, por meio de três questionários autoaplicáveis que avaliam as características pessoais e ocupacionais; comportamentos ofensivos, estresse e burnout e sintomas depressivos. Estatística descritiva, teste de associação Qui-Quadrado e análise de regressão logística foram aplicados. Resultados: 44% da amostra referiram 83 comportamentos, sendo as ameaças de violência mais frequentes (26%). Técnicos/auxiliares de enfermagem, enfermeiros e médicos foram os profissionais mais expostos. O principal agressor foi o paciente, exceto quanto ao bullying, perpetrado por colegas de trabalho (48%). Houve associação entre comportamentos ofensivos e burnout (OR: 4,73; IC 95%: 1,29-17,3; p=0,02) e entre comportamentos ofensivos e sintomas de depressão (OR: 1,05; IC 95%: 1,01-1,10; p=0,02). Conclusão: a ocorrência de comportamentos ofensivos no trabalho em saúde é frequente e característica; o burnout e os sintomas depressivos aumentaram, respectivamente, 4,73 e 1,05 vezes as chances de o trabalhador sofrer estes comportamentos ofensivos no ambiente de trabalho.

Early phase psychosis and criminal conviction in United States adults.

Individuals experiencing early phase psychosis (EPP) are at increased risk for legal involvement. In prior studies, between 14% and 75% of individuals with EPP reported a history of criminal offending behaviour, criminal charges, or criminal convictions. To better understand the frequency of criminal conviction in a specialty treatment clinic serving EPP clients, the research team supplemented self-reported data from the clinic intake with information from publicly available databases. In this sample of 309 adults, approximately one quarter of patients (n = 76) self-reported a history of arrest, incarceration, probation, or parole within 6 months of enrolment in a treatment clinic. The research team expanded upon this and collected data from a public database of court proceedings in Indiana for all clinic participants before and after enrolment. Thirty-nine percent (n = 122) had three or more traffic tickets or a conviction for an ordinance violation, misdemeanour, or felony in the state of Indiana as an adult. This is over two times the national average. Drug and alcohol related convictions were the most common single conviction type, and 29% (n = 89) of subjects experienced at least one incarceration. These data highlight the need for specialty clinics to partner with professionals with expertise in the prevention and management of criminal behaviour. Future studies should examine risk factors for individuals experiencing EPP and criminal conviction.

Limited prosocial emotions (LPE) specifier in conduct disorder and offending behavior: findings from a 10-year prospective longitudinal study of juveniles in residential care

BackgroundSince the introduction of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-5, a limited prosocial emotion (LPE) specifier has been added to the conduct disorder (CD) diagnosis in addition to the age of onset specifier. It was suggested that this would identify a subgroup with severe antisocial and/or aggressive behavior with serious current and future (mental health) impairment. Research in recent years has shown that this is indeed a subgroup with severe antisocial behavior; however, mental health problems do not appear to differ from those of youth with CD without LPE. Most research to date has been cross-sectional. However, longitudinal research is urgently needed to better understand the predictive value of the LPE specifier. The aim of the current longitudinal study is to examine future offending behavior of youth with CD with compared to youth without the LPE specifier. In addition, the predictive value of the categorical LPE specifier and the dimensional LPE score will be examined beyond factors that are strongly associated with future offending (i.e., gender, age, and prior offending).MethodsAdolescents and young adults (12–25) with CD (assessed with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children—Present and Lifetime Version [K-SADS-PL]) with (N = 61) and without (N = 75) the LPE specifier (assessed with the Callous-Unemotional [CU] dimension of the Youth Psychopathic traits Inventory [YPI]) (in line with Jambroes et al., 2016) were compared on sociodemographic characteristics, mental health problems and offending behavior. Future (general and violent) offending was based on official conviction data.ResultsOur results showed that youth with CD with and without the LPE specifier did not differ in self-reported and informant-reported mental health problems. However, youth with CD with the LPE specifier showed more offending behavior and personality pathology at baseline. In addition, the categorical LPE specifier was associated with future general offending, but not with future violent offending. The dimensional LPE score was associated with both future general and violent offending. However, after adjustment for gender, age, and prior delinquency, these associations disappeared, with the exception of the association between the dimensional LPE score and violent offending, which remained significant even after controlling for gender, age, and prior violent offending.DiscussionIn conclusion, there seems to be evidence of a relationship between limited prosocial emotions and future offending behavior in youth with CD. This relationship, however, should not be overestimated, as there are other (static) factors (e.g. gender and prior offending behavior) that also have a strong influence on future (violent) offending behavior. Still, from a clinical point of view, a dynamic factor like prosocial emotional skills is a good focus for reducing the risk of future offending behavior.

Animal abuse recidivism: a narrative review

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to consolidate and evaluate the available research on animal abuse recidivism.Design/methodology/approachA narrative review of the animal abuse literature was conducted. Articles were included if they provided data/estimates of the rates of recidivism, findings regarding the static, dynamic and/or protective factors associated with animal abuse recidivism and available risk assessment tools, specifically for use with individuals who have a history of animal abuse.FindingsThe literature review highlighted high rates of reoffending amongst those who have harmed animals. Many risk and protective factors associated with animal abuse were common to the wider offending behaviour literature (e.g. antisocial attitudes, relationship issues), but more robust research is needed to highlight any distinct characteristics. Lastly, the review reports two risk assessment tools designed specifically for this offending group.Practical implicationsClinicians and criminal justice personnel base their sentencing, detention and treatment decisions, at least in part, on the recidivism literature. This review provides a consolidation of the evidence base as an aide memoire for practitioners.Originality/valueHistory of animal abuse is a risk factor for future animal harm specifically, and interpersonal violence more broadly. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first literature review that presents the key research evidence on risk/protective factors and relevant risk assessment tools that can inform intervention planning to reduce risk of reoffending towards animals and humans alike when practitioners encounter clients who have a history of harming animals.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy for Childhood Sexual Abuse Memories in Men Who Have Sexually Offended Against Children: Changes in Perceptions of Abuse and Offending

ABSTRACT Five adult males who had sexually offended against children and had previously been victims of child sex abuse (CSA) were interviewed about their experiences of completing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy on memories of their CSA. Data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Themes identified encapsulated descriptions of changes in participants’ perspectives of their CSA that led to changes in perspectives of their offending behavior and victims, reduction in sexual preoccupation, increased desire for healthy adult relationships and reduced sexual arousal to children. Therefore EMDR could potentially contribute to the reduction of re-offending in this population.

A Systematic Literature Review on Cyberbullying in Social Media: Taxonomy, Detection Approaches, Datasets, And Future Research Directions

In the area of Natural Language Processing, sentiment analysis, also called opinion mining, aims to extract human thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions from unstructured texts. In the light of social media's rapid growth and the influx of individual comments, reviews and feedback, it has evolved as an attractive, challenging research area. It is one of the most common problems in social media to find toxic textual content. Anonymity and concealment of identity are common on the Internet for people coming from a wide range of diversity of cultures and beliefs. Having freedom of speech, anonymity, and inadequate social media regulations make cyber toxic environment and cyberbullying significant issues, which require a system of automatic detection and prevention. As far as this is concerned, diverse research is taking place based on different approaches and languages, but a comprehensive analysis to examine them from all angles is lacking. This systematic literature review is therefore conducted with the aim of surveying the research and studies done to date on classification of cyberbullying based in textual modality by the research community. It states the definition, , taxonomy, properties, outcome of cyberbullying, roles in cyberbullying along with other forms of bullying and different offensive behavior in social media. This article also shows the latest popular benchmark datasets on cyberbullying, along with their number of classes (Binary/Multiple), reviewing the state-of-the-art methods to detect cyberbullying and abusive content on social media and discuss the factors that drive offenders to indulge in offensive activity, preventive actions to avoid online toxicity, and various cyber laws in different countries. Finally, we identify and discuss the challenges, solutions, additionally future research directions that serve as a reference to overcome cyberbullying in social media.