Subsequent Violent Behavior Research Articles

Co-offending and the Persistence of Violence: A Dynamic Analysis

ObjectivesPrevious research underscores the influence of prior violent co-offending on subsequent violent behavior, linking it to a social contagion mechanism akin to the internalization of violence. However, these studies are limited by disregarding the entirety of a criminal career and overlooking diverse co-offending dynamics beyond co-offenders’ characteristics. This study examines the longitudinal impact of prior violent (solo and co-) offending on future individual-level violent behavior among Italian organized crime offenders.MethodsLeveraging criminal career data from 9819 Italian organized crime offenders, we model offending choices through a discrete-time Markov process. Subsequently, employing dynamic random-effects probit models, we quantify the influence of prior violent (solo and co-) offending on future violence, considering various confounders and unobserved individual-level effects.ResultsViolence is a persistent and long-lasting behavior among organized crime offenders. Prior violent co-offending has a greater impact than prior violent solo offending on the probability of future violence. Prior violent co-offending increases the probability of future violent co-offending but does not impact the probability of future violent solo offending.ConclusionsThe results show that co-offending promotes the transmission of violence but fail to support the internalization of violent behavior postulated by prior studies. We propose possible alternative mechanisms of violence transmission that operate through self-sustaining dynamics of violent co-offending within criminal groups. Although limited data on individual characteristics constrains interpretation, our results imply that violence transmission dynamics are independent from the individual characteristics of the co-offenders and more directly connected to group effects.

The Effect of Pornography Use Among Adolescents on Violent Sexual Behavior and the Moderating Effect of Family Support

The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of pornography use among adolescents on their subsequent violent sexual behavior, and to ascertain the moderating effect of family support. The study was conducted with a sample of 2,087 Korean middle and high-school students. To analyze the data, a descriptive analysis, a correlation analysis, and a Poisson regression were conducted using SPSS 24.0. A Poisson regression was performed because the dependent variable, violent sexual behavior, was measured by the frequency of occurrence, and most responses were distributed at '0', indicating a non-normal distribution. The results indicated that 8.1% of adolescents admitted to having sexually violent experiences over the past year, with a relatively high rate of sexual harassment. Secondly, 53.3% of adolescents had used pornography over the past couple of years, with the highest percentage of use occurring via the Internet. Finally, pornography use among adolescents had a significant and direct impact on their sexually violent behavior, with family support playing a moderating role. This indicated that, for adolescents with a high level of family support, the impact of pornography usage on sexually violent behavior decreased. Based on these results, we discuss practical and policy interventions to prevent sexually violent behavior by adolescents.

Postwar interpersonal violence: Reflections and new research directions

Despite an expansive body of scholarship examining outcomes for military veterans, we remain limited in our ability to draw conclusions regarding the causal relationship between war and post-service interpersonal violence. Specifically, scholars tend to employ cross-sectional study designs and too rarely consider veterans' pre-service lives, including exposure to trauma and barriers to education and employment. This leaves us incapable of determining if subsequent violent behavior is attributable to an aspect of service/combat or to the military's selection process. Moreover, methodological differences make comparisons – and therefore synthesis of results – difficult. In this manuscript, I offer a critical overview of the existing empirical scholarship, discuss some of the methodological limitations common in work in this area, and propose directions for future research. Namely, I advocate for interventions by critical sociologists and criminologists whose work seeks to interrogate processes of criminalization underpinning the ‘violent veteran’ discussion and illuminate how social context and structural barriers shape the lived experiences of veterans before, during, as well as after service.

Childhood and adolescent animal cruelty and subsequent interpersonal violence in adulthood: A review of the literature

Abstract Animal cruelty has been a growing concern worldwide, and is broadly defined as all socially unacceptable behaviors that are intentionally perpetrated to cause unnecessary pain, suffering, distress, and/or death to an animal. This review synthesizes more than 87 research studies identified through online databases and manual search of specific studies. Findings denote that beating, hitting, or kicking, shooting, strangling or smothering, stabbing, and sexual abusing are reported to be the commonly used methods in abusing animals. In addition, children and adolescents abused animals for different reasons; and those who exposed to domestic violence are likely to have higher rates of animal cruelty, which in turn increases their subsequent propensity to engage in delinquent behavior. Male children and adolescents are more likely than their female counterparts to commit acts of animal cruelty. It is noteworthy that early onset of animal cruelty acts is suggested to be predictive of subsequent violent or antisocial behavior. Arguably, bestiality is an act of animal abuse, or specifically as interspecies sexual abuse. More importantly, this review has noted a strong support for the increased risk of children and adolescents who commit animal cruelty to perpetrate interpersonal violence against human victims in later life. Five key theoretical models (i.e., social learning theory, frustration theory, deviance generalization hypothesis, graduation hypothesis, and sexual polymorphous theory) are discussed to explain the link between childhood and/or adolescent animal cruelty and subsequent violence against human victims in adulthood. Implications for research and future research are discussed.

Exploring the Impact of Child Maltreatment and Interparental Violence on Violent Delinquency in an International Sample.

Young people are exposed to violence regularly in their homes, schools, and communities. Such exposure can cause them significant physical, mental, and emotional harm, with long-term effects lasting well into adulthood. Of particular concern is violence within the family, where children are victimized by their parents. Research shows that direct and indirect childhood exposure to violence and maltreatment within the family increases the risk of subsequent violent delinquent behavior. Social learning theory and attachment theory place parenting at the center of the "cycle of violence," and "intergenerational transmission of violence" claims that experiencing violence in childhood will lead to the perpetration of violence in adolescence. Although much research has been done, these assertions have never been tested on a large international sample of young people. The current article fills this void by analyzing surveys completed by 57,892 students who were 12 to 16 years old from 25 countries as part of the International Self-Report Delinquency Study (ISRD3). Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to test the direct and indirect effects of child maltreatment and interparental violence on self-reported violent delinquency. Mediating effects are proposed for attachment to parents, parental social control (measured by parental knowledge, parental monitoring, and child disclosure), and parental moral authority. Analysis suggests direct effects of child maltreatment and interparental violence, as well as mediating effects of parental monitoring, parental knowledge, and parental moral authority. Child disclosure and attachment to parents do not affect violent juvenile offending. Being a victim of both child maltreatment and interparental violence is found to exacerbate the effect on violent offending. The results support the cross-national generalizability of the "cycle of violence" argument that children tend to reproduce the behavior of their parents.

School Attachment and Violent Attitudes Preventing Future Violent Behavior Among Youth.

Evidence derived from social information theories support the existence of different underlying cognitive mechanisms guiding violent behavior through life. However, a few studies have examined the contribution of school variables to those cognitive mechanisms, which may help explain violent behavior later in life. The present study examines the relationship between school attachment, violent attitudes, and violent behavior over time in a sample of urban adolescents from the U.S. Midwest. We evaluated the influence of school attachment on violent attitudes and subsequent violent behavior. We used structural equation modeling to test our hypothesis in a sample of 579 participants (54.9% female, 81.3% African American). After controlling for gender and race, our results indicated that the relationship between school attachment and violent behavior over time is mediated by violent attitudes. The instrumentalization of the school context as a learning environment aiming to prevent future violent behavior is also discussed.

Intimate Partner Homicide: Themes in Judges’ Sentencing Remarks

The aim of this study was to analyse judges’ sentencing remarks in cases of intimate partner homicide. Grounded theory methodology was used to undertake a qualitative analysis of the remarks, and the emanating data identified four key themes, as discussed in this article. These themes are: the sentencing of Aboriginal offenders; offender violence; the use of alcohol and/or drugs; and provocation. Broadly speaking, the data reflect that judges’ sentencing remarks echo themes of offenders’ denial of responsibility, thereby minimising harm and justifying violence against females. Also, judges fail to attribute a sufficient degree of responsibility to offenders for their voluntary consumption of alcohol or drugs and their subsequent violent behaviour. The study also found that, as a defence, provocation continues to favour males as the main beneficiaries. The study provides quantitative data which show that Aboriginal males are sanctioned less harshly than non-Aboriginal males.

The Use of Alcohol and/or Drugs in Intimate Partner Homicide: Themes in Judges’ Sentencing Remarks

This article presents the results of a major theme arising out of a grounded theory analysis of judges’ sentencing remarks for males and females sentenced for intimate partner homicide in Australia between July 2009 and June 2014. Specifically, this article focuses on judges’ commentary regarding the use of alcohol and/or drugs as a contributing factor to the offending. The qualitative data indicate that despite the seriousness of the offence, sentencing judges often fail to attribute with clarity a sufficient degree of responsibility to male offenders for their voluntary consumption of alcohol and drugs and their subsequent violent behaviour. Additionally, judges attributed more blameworthiness to non-Aboriginal female offenders, who they believed were unable to take control of their dysfunctional lives whilst in an alcohol or drug-induced state.

The effect of a husband's history of political imprisonment on intimate partner violence: evidence from the occupied Palestinian territory using propensity score matching

BackgroundLittle is known about the direct effect of political imprisonment on men's subsequent violent behaviour within the family. Availability of these recent survey data about intimate partner violence and measures of men's detention in prison and their associated physical and emotional torture provides a unique opportunity to assess the causal association between these two factors. We aimed to examine the effect of political imprisonment on intimate partner violence, using data from the 2011 Palestinian domestic violence survey, which included the West Bank and Gaza Strip. MethodsThe study was based on data from a 2011 cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 4413 married Palestinian women. A total of 3988 women were included in the matching analysis, of which 640 women had husbands who had been detained. The outcome variable was the women's exposure to partner physical violence during the past year. The treatment effect was whether a husband had been detained before 2010. We used propensity score matching and propensity-based weighted regression models to assess the effect of a whether a husband had a history of detention on intimate partner violence. Score matching was undertaken with the variables of age, education, region, type of residence, refugee status, residential crowding, labour force participation, poverty, financial stress, decision making index, and husband control index. FindingsSevere physical intimate partner violence during the past year was reported by 455 (11%) women and sexual violence by 439 (11%) women. 640 (16%) women reported that their husbands were detained before 2010. Analysis of model-based estimates and average treatment effect showed a positive effect of a husbands who had been detained on their physical violence (mean treatment effect 0·036, 95% CI 0·008 to 0·62), but not with sexual violence (mean treatment effect −0·014, 95% CI −0·040 to 0·11) towards their partner. InterpretationThe results are important for the design of specific interventions that might mitigate the negative effect of a husband's detention on their wives's lives. A potential confounder is that Palestinian men who are more likely to be imprisoned (eg, active in demonstrations) might also be more likely to commit intimate partner violence. An important implication is the need to consider rehabilitation services or counselling for previous detainees in this context. FundingNone.

Examining the effects of emotional and cognitive desensitization to community violence exposure in male adolescents of color.

The current study examined pathways in a model of desensitization, the Pathologic Adaptation Model, in adolescent males of color. Specifically, the current study examined depressive symptoms and deviant beliefs as mediators of the association between community violence exposure and subsequent violent behavior. The current study included 250 African-American (67%) and Latino (33%) male adolescents (T1 mean age = 15.32) from the Chicago Youth Development Study. Consistent with the Pathologic Adaptation Model, results demonstrated that depressive symptoms mediated the association between the quadratic violence exposure term in middle adolescence and violent behaviors in late adolescence, but the direction of the mediation effect was dependent upon the levels of violence exposure in middle adolescence. However, deviant beliefs were not found to be a significant mediator. Emotional desensitization effects may increase the likelihood of violence perpetration in adolescent males exposed to community violence, and the implications for future research and intervention efforts are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

Does the strength of the victim-offender overlap depend on the relationship between the victim and perpetrator?

PurposeStrong evidence of the correlation between victimization and offending has led researchers to investigate both the causal relationship between victimization and offending and possible contingencies in this relationship. But, research has yet to investigate whether the victim's relation to the perpetrator impacts the strength of the victim-offender overlap. Drawing on betrayal trauma theory, we examine whether the victim-offender overlap depends on the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator. MethodsUsing data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, a three-level logistic item response model nested 7936 violent crime item responses at level 1 within 992 subjects (at level 2) representing 174 neighborhoods across metropolitan Chicago (at level 3). ResultsVictimization by a relatively unfamiliar (acquaintance) or unknown (stranger) perpetrator did not increase the likelihood of subsequent violent behavior, while victimization by a family member, peer, or gang member was significantly associated with future violence. Among known perpetrators, victimization by a family member was least likely to generate an offending response. ConclusionsVictimization and offending are inextricably linked, but the ways in which these constructs are related are nuanced. In particular, the strength of the victim-offender overlap depends on the relationship between the victim and perpetrator.

Beyond Mental Illness

The association between violence and serious mental illness (SMI)—schizophrenia, other psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder—was examined and guided by the I3model to frame analysis of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions Waves 1 and 2, enrolling N = 34,653 participants representative of the U.S. population. SMI was related to subsequent violent behavior but in multivariable analysis had the weakest link to severe violence. Risk factors postulated to increase dispositional impellance (anger, perceived threats), situational impellance (recent divorce/separation, financial crisis, victimization), and disinhibition (alcohol/drug abuse) fully mediated the relationship between SMI and violence. Clinical research, interventions, and policies on violence should use conceptual models and consider SMI not in isolation but relative to other risk factors. Violence prevention targeting only psychiatric diagnosis is likely to have limited impact given lack of a strong or direct connection found between SMI and violent behavior.

Continuity of cannabis use and violent offending over the life course.

Although the association between cannabis use and violence has been reported in the literature, the precise nature of this relationship, especially the directionality of the association, is unclear. Young males from the Cambridge Study of Delinquent Development (n = 411) were followed up between the ages of 8 and 56 years to prospectively investigate the association between cannabis use and violence. A multi-wave (eight assessments, T1-T8) follow-up design was employed that allowed temporal sequencing of the variables of interest and the analysis of violent outcome measures obtained from two sources: (i) criminal records (violent conviction); and (ii) self-reports. A combination of analytic approaches allowing inferences as to the directionality of associations was employed, including multivariate logistic regression analysis, fixed-effects analysis and cross-lagged modelling. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that compared with never-users, continued exposure to cannabis (use at age 18, 32 and 48 years) was associated with a higher risk of subsequent violent behaviour, as indexed by convictions [odds ratio (OR) 7.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.19-23.59] or self-reports (OR 8.9, 95% CI 2.37-46.21). This effect persisted after controlling for other putative risk factors for violence. In predicting violence, fixed-effects analysis and cross-lagged modelling further indicated that this effect could not be explained by other unobserved time-invariant factors. Furthermore, these analyses uncovered a bi-directional relationship between cannabis use and violence. Together, these results provide strong indication that cannabis use predicts subsequent violent offending, suggesting a possible causal effect, and provide empirical evidence that may have implications for public policy.

A Comparison of Female Delinquents: The Impact of Child Maltreatment Histories on Risk and Need Characteristics among a Missouri Sample

While boys who offend have been a dominant majority and primary concern of the juvenile court since its earliest days, the population of delinquent girls has increased in recent years at a far higher rate in the U.S. The special challenges presented by females, however, continue to be generally overlooked by the justice system. Moreover, while a few specialized programs now serve these girls, the field tends to view young female offenders as a homogeneous group; what distinguishes particular female subpopulations and the characteristics associated with different criminal trajectories have gone largely unexplored. Employing data from the state of Missouri, this study examines girls who offend, identifying models that predict subsequent violent behavior that include indicators such as parental substance abuse and incarceration, and offender substance abuse, mental health, and school behavior. Special attention is given to the effects of child maltreatment, which we find significantly, but weakly correlated with violent behavior. The authors conclude by considering the possibility that maltreatment may be correlated with other criminogenic factors, and by discussing the implications of findings for future research and practice, especially services that take into account the trauma experienced by young women who come to the attention of state authorities.

Facial signs of imminent aggression.

In real–world law enforcement encounters, a seemingly docile situation can turn violent in a matter of seconds. Being able to identify the signs of imminent aggression or violence may be extremely important in keeping safe those in harm’s way. In four studies we examined the possibility that certain facial expressions are reliably associated with acts of immediate, subsequent violent behavior. Target expressions observed in videos of actual assaults were placed into an array of faces including distractors and shown to two groups of law enforcement officers (LEOs) in two countries (Study 1) and to university students with and without the experience of assault (Study 2). A different array of faces including targets and distractors were shown to another sample of LEOs (Study 3) and university students with and without the experience of assault (Study 4). A significant proportion of the observers across the four studies selected the target expressions associated with assault; importantly no expression was selected by the two samples with little or no experience with assault, suggesting that stereotypes about what such faces should look like did not affect the results. These findings suggest that reliable facial signs of imminent aggression or violence may exist, and if so that people in harm’s way can be trained to identify the signs of imminent aggression before it happens.

Homicidal/violent thoughts, suicidal ideation and violent behavior in adolescents with social phobia in Metropolitan Lima, Perú.

Social phobia and violent behavior are both important mental health problems among adolescent populations in different parts of the world. This study attempts to evaluate possible connections between social phobia, homicidal/violent thoughts, suicidal ideation, and subsequent violent behavior among adolescents living in the metropolitan area of Lima, Perú. A sample of 991 adolescents, part of the 2002 Epidemiological Study in Metropolitan Lima, conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health "Honorio Delgado-Hideyo Noguchi" (INSM "HD-HN") was studied. Social phobia was diagnosed on the basis of clinical assessment and the use of MINI, and suicidal ideation, homicidal/violent thoughts, and violent behavior were identified through the Mental Health Questionnaire. Odds ratio (OR) statistical analyses adjusted by logistic regression controlling for age and gender were performed. Variables associated with social phobia were homicidal thoughts in the last month (OR: 5.19, confidence interval [CI] at 95% 4.95-5.40), an impulse to hit known (OR: 1.56; 95% CI, 1.53-1.59) and unknown (OR: 3.98, 95% CI,3.89-4.07) persons, the wish to take revenge for a past offense (OR: 2.60, 95% CI 2.54-2.64), getting involved in fights with different kinds of weapons (OR: 1,78, 95% CI 1.70-1.87), suicidal ideation throughout lifetime (OR: 4.74, 95% CI 4.65-4.83), and life prevalence of suicidal attempt (OR: 5.39, 95% CI 5.23-5.55). Social phobia in adolescents of this Peruvian sample seems to be closely associated with both homicidal/violent thoughts, violent behavior, and suicidal ideation.

‘Drugs and Relationships Don't Work’: Children's and Young People's Views of Substance Use and Intimate Relationships

Responding effectively to children and young people's (CYP's) needs in relation to the overlapping issues of parental substance use (alcohol and other drugs) and domestic abuse requires an understanding of their perspectives and experiences. This study set out to explore the views of CYP on the impact of substance use on violent and abusive behaviours within intimate relationships in order to inform practice and policy development. Fourteen young people attended focus groups at three different specialist substance use support services for families in England. The results showed clear ambivalence about alcohol use in particular and its impact on violent and abusive behaviours. They did not blame substances for subsequent violent or abusive behaviour overall, however, the quantities and type of substances used were considered key to such behaviour. Most importantly, the CYP reported that getting help with substance problems does not automatically improve relationships, indeed, there are situations when pressure to change substance use can make relationships worse. The implications for social care practice are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.‘Clear ambivalence about alcohol use in particular and its impact on violent and abusive behaviours’Key Practitioner Messages CYP need clear and factual messages about the relationship between substance use and violent and abusive behaviours, particularly messages about the quantity and types of substance. This requires practitioners to be confident in their knowledge and have accurate and age‐appropriate information to give to CYP. Practitioners need to ask CYP about their experiences of the impact of substance use on the family and the relationships within it. It is possible that relationships were abusive and/or the parenting was not ‘good enough’ before the substance use and will not improve in its absence. The CYP highlighted how relationships face different pressures at different times in the process of changing substance use behaviour. CYP need to be supported and consulted throughout. ‘Relationships face different pressures at different times in the process of changing substance use behaviour’

The Index Offence Representation Scales; a predictive clinical tool in the management of dangerous, violent patients with personality disorder?

Forensic mental health professionals attach considerable importance to their patient's description of his or her index offence. Despite this, there is no systematic approach to examining and formulating the patient's offence narrative. To use the index offence narratives and capacity to mentalize of violent offender-patients with personality disorder to develop a tool to predict their progress and to evaluate that tool. In a prospective, cohort study, the index offence narratives of 66 violent high security hospital patients with personality disorder were obtained from a semi-structured interview and used to generate the Index Offence Representational Scales (IORS). The predictive validity of these scales was investigated across a range of outcome variables, controlling for the association between initial and final value of the dependent variable. The degree to which patients held internal representations of interpersonal violence and malevolence, as measured by the IORS, predicted subsequent violent behaviour. In contrast to their actual aggressive behaviour, these patients rated themselves as having fewer symptoms on the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) and fewer problems in interpersonal relationships on the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems. A more empathic victim representation on the IORS predicted better engagement with treatment. The IORS show promise for helping clinicians formulate the early institutional pathway of seriously violent people with personality disorder, particularly with respect to their overt aggression and prosocial engagement. Replication studies are, however, indicated.

When a victim becomes violent perpetrator: Violent victimization in childhood, violent criminal behavior in adulthood

Numerous international research has identified that direct or indirect exposure to violent victimization in a familial context during childhood is a risk factor for violent criminal behavior of victimized children in adulthood. Studies of violent victimization of children in Serbia are rare, and are mostly directed at determining the prevalence, the main characteristics of or the immediate physical, psychological and behavioral consequences of victimization. Empirical analysis of the criminological consequences of early violent victimization in adulthood are an exception in scientific studies in Serbia. The aim of the paper is to present the results of research into the influence of early violent victimization on violent crime of adult men and women. After the introduction a brief overview of the worldwide research confirming the correlation between the experience of violent victimization and subsequent violent behavior is given. The results of the research conducted by the author will then be discussed. The results illustrate the possibility of predicting violent criminal behavior in adulthood based on indicators of direct and indirect victimization in childhood.

The Role of Trait Anxiety in Reducing the Relationship Between Childhood Exposure to Violence/Victimization and Subsequent Violent Behavior Among Male Delinquent Youth

In this project, the authors examined the relationship trait anxiety has on incarcerated male adolescents' progression from childhood exposure to violence/victimization to violent behavior. Self-report survey data were analyzed to determine the youth's levels of trait anxiety, how the degree of childhood trauma was related to their level of anxiety, as well as whether their level of anxiety affected the relationship between trauma and subsequent frequency and severity of their delinquent acts using a moderation analysis. Anxiety significantly decreased the relationship between victimization and the commission of violence (F = 15.93, p < .001).