Crime-related perceptions and walking for recreation inside and outside one's home neighborhood.

It is widely assumed crime and related concerns, including neighborhood incivilities and fear of crime, are barriers to physical activity (PA). Past studies reveal mixed evidence. Studies of impacts for crime-protective factors are less common but have similarly mixed results. This paper evaluates a comprehensive transdisciplinary conceptual framework of cross-sectional associations between crime-related perceptions and reported minutes/week of recreational walking inside and outside one's home neighborhood. Safe and Fit Environments Study (SAFE) recruited and surveyed 2302 participants from adolescents to older adults from four U.S. metropolitan areas. A zero-inflated model estimated two components of each outcome: whether the respondent walked, and minutes/week walked. Correlates of recreational walking were location-specific, differing based on walking location. Fear of crime, risk evaluation, victimization, and incivilities were not consistently associated with walking for recreation inside one's neighborhood. People with crime concerns about their own neighborhoods, however, more commonly walked for recreation outside their neighborhoods. Protective crime-related perceptions that seldom have been studied in relation to PA, such as street efficacy (i.e., the perceived ability to avoid and manage danger), were strongly associated with recreational walking in both locations, indicating the additional heuristic value of the SAFE conceptual framework. Crime-related perceptions and walking for recreation: Evaluating a conceptual model.

Beyond the Binary: The Issue of Intra-Minority Hostility and the Need to Challenge Conventional Victim/Perpetrator Frameworks Within Hate Studies.

It is well-established within the hate studies literature that the majority of hate crimes and incidents of targeted hostility are perpetrated by those in the "majority" society. In the UK, academic and official research consistently shows that young White, British males are most commonly the culprits of all forms of targeted victimization, especially racist hate. However, urban areas of "super-diversity" offer researchers an opportunity to understand hate crime victimization and perpetration in a more nuanced and comprehensive way. Hate studies research has slowly begun to highlight instances of people from marginalized and stigmatized groups being targeted on the basis of their identity by individuals who are also members of minority groups, sometimes even the same minority group as the victim. Very little is understood about this particular victimizing dynamic other than it appears to be an attempt by minority group members to "fit in" by adopting what they perceive to be majority group values and attitudes. By drawing from 44 qualitative in-depth interviews exploring the experiences of new migrants and refugees and observations from 20 months of grassroots engagement, this article challenges established theories of "othering" that overwhelmingly refer to binary, static majority/minority tensions. The stories of these too-often "hidden" victims of targeted hostility offer a fresh perspective on the relationships between victims of hate and perpetrators. The article also contributes new explanations as to why those who are often targeted go on to target others.

A stain with all the fixing's - Enhancement of fingermarks in blood using a combined fixative and aqueous protein stain.

The use of protein stains to enhance fingermark ridge detail in blood is a common technique used by forensic practitioners around the world. Amido Black is one of the most favoured protein stains due to its strong staining ability. The most common formulation of Amido Black is methanol based, with an ability to simultaneously fix and stain the blood impression, however methanol is toxic and can disrupt some surfaces, potentially compromising fingermark detail. If the surface is suspected of being a material that is impacted by methanol, there is an alternative aqueous formulation, which requires a fixative step to set the blood prior to staining so as not to wash away potential ridge detail. The multi-step process of aqueous protein stains is tedious and numerous studies have been conducted to improve the formula to achieve a combined fixing/staining solution that performs like the methanolic reagent. A combined fixative and stain formulation of aqueous based Amido Black was compared to a multi-step formulation with a separate sulfosalicylic acid fixative. Of the 243 split fingermark impressions analysed the majority (63.5 %) showed no preference to either treatment, with a marginally greater proportion of the remaining marks slightly favouring the combined fixative and stain formulation. Given that the new combined formulation performed broadly similarly to the existing multi step formulation, the potential time savings of this simpler approach may be beneficial to implement into operational use.

The effect of therapeutic and deterrent messages on Internet users attempting to access 'barely legal' pornography.

Online child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is a growing problem. Prevention charities, such as Stop It Now! UK, use online messaging to dissuade users from viewing CSAM and to encourage them to consider anonymous therapeutic interventions. This experiment used a honeypot website that purported to contain barely legal pornography, which we treated as a proxy for CSAM. We examined whether warnings would dissuade males (18-30 years) from visiting the website. Participants (n = 474) who attempted to access the site were randomly allocated to one of four conditions. The control group went straight to the landing page (control; n = 100). The experimental groups encountered different warning messages: deterrence-themed with an image (D3; n = 117); therapeutic-themed (T1; n = 120); and therapeutic-themed with an image (T3; n = 137). We measured the click through to the site. Three quarters of the control group attempted to enter the pornography site, compared with 35 % to 47 % of the experimental groups. All messages were effective: D3 (odds ratio [OR] = 5.02), T1 (OR = 4.06) and T2 (OR = 3.05). Images did not enhance warning effectiveness. We argue that therapeutic and deterrent warnings are useful for CSAM-prevention.

The Role of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (BPA) in Reconstructing the Dynamics of Forensic Cases.

Background: Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (BPA) is a forensic scientific discipline used to resolve criminal events. By studying the size, shape, and distribution of the bloodstains that constitute one or more bloodstain patterns, it is possible to determine the physical events responsible for their creation, as well as the positions and movements of the victim and, in cases of homicide, the perpetrator during the act. Materials and Methods: BPA analysis was applied as a support in the reconstruction of the event dynamics in four forensic cases, in addition to the data collected during on-site inspections and instrumental investigations including PMCT, autopsies, histological, and toxicological analyses. Particularly laborious was its application in a case involving a decomposed body. In all cases, a thorough photographic analysis of the bloodstains found on the clothing worn as well as in the areas surrounding the location of the corpse was conducted. Conclusions: The combination of investigations, together with the data derived from the application of BPA, allowed events to be attributed to: homicide by blunt force trauma; homicide-suicide using a bladed weapon; homicide using firearms; unplanned complex suicide. The analysis of the cases presented highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach through the use of additional instrumental and specialist investigations such as the study of bloodstains present at the crime scene for the reconstruction of criminal events.

Homicide by drowning: a literature review and analysis of three cases.

Background: Homicide by drowning in adults is rare. Usually, marks of violence are found on both the victim and the perpetrator, unless the victim was under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or was unexpectedly forced or dragged into the water. Indeed, many cases of drowning in adults are believed to be accidental, but they may be the result of drunken fights or attempts to make the death appear ac-cidental. In order to define the manner of death, cooperation between the forensic pathologist and the investigators is mandatory. Indeed, the autopsy is important to distinguish homicide by drowning from other kinds of drowning. The purpose of this study is to highlight the features of homicide by drowning. Materials and Methods: Literature search was conducted using PubMed databases, using the following keywords: "(homicide) and (drowning)". 3 articles were included in the systematic review, in addition to 3 cases observed in our institute. Conclusions: Both external examination and autopsy findings and the results of the investigation are essential to differentiate a homicide by drowning from accidental ones. The low specificity and variability of external and internal findings, the possibility of atypical asphyctic and nonasphyctic pathophysiological mechanisms, whose nature is not detectable at postmortem examinations, makes the diagnosis of cause of death difficult and often based on exclusion criteria only. In complex cases only using a strict forensic method allows to use the essential tools to identify the real manner of death.

Hidden Hate, Hidden Violence: Dismantling Myths and Identifying Fresh Challenges for Research and Policy.

Hate crime has become an increasingly familiar term within global scholarship, with advancements in conceptual understanding and empirical knowledge helping to generate improved policy responses across many parts of the world. However, the continued demonization of 'other' identities, the escalating volume of hate incidents worldwide and the prevailing climate of rising tensions, decreasing resources and political de-prioritization all suggest that many urgent challenges remain. Contributors to this special issue have dismantled common stereotypes and misperceptions which hamper our collective capacity to address contemporary expressions of hate and violence. In doing so, they draw from their research evidence to identify "hidden" challenges which should be at the forefront of attempts to address the causes, effects, and prevention of all forms of violence. This call for reconfiguration is the unifying theme which runs through each article, and which paves the way for more nuanced analyses that offer new frameworks for responding to the diverse and changing patterns of violence. These are challenges which straddle disciplinary boundaries, geographical borders, and the physical/digital world, and which demand the international, intersectional, and interdisciplinary perspectives evident within this special issue.

Working "With" Not "On" Disabled People: The Role of Hate Crime Research within the Community.

For many disabled people, violence can become an unwanted, yet ordinary part of everyday life. Often, these crimes are attributed to understandings of disabled people as vulnerable and largely, passive victims. Attending to the aims of this special issue, this paper aims to dismantle these stereotypes and attend to the unique ways that disabled people can resist and respond to hate crime through creative and collaborative research practices. Building upon this, I argue that there is a pressing need for hate studies researchers to work "with" and not "on" those who have experienced targeted violence. Working in this way builds upon long-standing efforts of disabled activists and disabilities studies researchers to challenge reductive research practices by working in more collective and inclusive ways. To demonstrate this, I reflect upon a project working in partnership with disabled people to create a disability hate crime toolkit. The toolkit, now published, shares accessible and informative resources that can be used to raise awareness about disability hate crime. While the focus of this paper is disability, I consider methods of collaboration, co-production and participation that can be drawn upon by researchers to respond to hate crime and interpersonal violence more broadly.

Digital Reconstruction: A Critical Examination of the History and Adaptation of Ku Klux Klan Websites.

In response to the data revolution, academic research and media attention have increasingly focused on the technological adaptation and innovation displayed by the far right. The greatest attention is paid to social media and how groups and organizations are utilizing technological advancement and growth in virtual networks to increase recruitment and advance radicalization on a global scale. As with most social and political endeavors, certain technologies are in vogue and thus draw the attention of users and regulators and service providers. This creates a technological blind spot within which extremist groups frequently operate older and less well regarded technologies without the oversight that one might expect. This article examines the less well-studied traditional and official websites of the Ku Klux Klan, the most established and iconic of American far-right organizations. By incorporating non-participant observation of online spaces and thematic analysis, this research analyzes the evolution of 26 websites, from their emergence in the early 1990s to the present day. We examine the ways in which traditional printed communications and other ephemera have progressed with advances in technology, focusing on the following central elements of Klan political activism and community formation: Klan identity, organizational history, aims and objectives; technology and outreach, including online merchandise and event organization; and the constructions of whiteness and racism. The results add value and insight to comparable work by offering a unique historical insight into the ways in which the Klan have developed and made use of Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and Web3 technologies.

Lost in Translation? Applying the Hate Crime Concept to an Indian Context.

Hate crime is increasingly a familiar term within the domains of scholarship, policy, and activism as the harms associated with acts of targeted hostility continue to pose complex, global challenges. However, an exclusively Western-centric focus has done little to foster transnational conversations or to shape conceptual or legal frameworks in parts of the world where the challenges posed by hate and prejudice remain underexplored despite their devastating consequences. This article considers how the complexities and specificities of the Indian context disrupt the dominant assumptions of conventional hate crime frameworks. In doing so, it highlights the value of extending conventional Westernized models of thinking to different environments with different sets of challenges. Through its analysis of caste crimes and the factors that reinforce a prevailing institutional and cultural backdrop of political indifference, bureaucratic resistance, and public skepticism, the article illustrates why and how key elements of the Western framework remain ill-suited to the Indian context. The authors call instead for a creative translation of the hate crime concept, which accommodates the nature of violence within specific social contexts, and which emphasizes the institutional features that can mitigate the limitations of state capacity and intent. The process of translation has value in harnessing the benefits of the hate crime concept within countries, which lack a common framework to foster shared understanding and prioritization in relation to tackling contemporary expressions of hate. At the same time, this process enriches prevailing thinking, dismantles stereotypes, and challenges scholars of targeted violence to familiarize themselves with the unfamiliar.

Innovative Services for Survivors of Sexual Violence: Mapping New Pathways Forward.

Ensuring that support and services are meeting the needs of survivor-victims (SV) of sexual assault requires that policymakers, service providers, and advocates seek their insight directly. This article reports qualitative results on self-perceived needs from SV focus groups conducted in the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the United States (Phoenix, Arizona). Interviews with key informants (KIs) drawn from the service and justice sector were also obtained for system-level perspectives of SV priority needs. The major themes of the SV conversations demonstrated that they use a holistic wellness perspective. Their narratives mapped across the social-ecological model and demonstrated a wide range of wants and needs beyond justice. KI narratives identified options typically listed on a grant menu. SVs spoke of what they needed in their daily lives. Typically, KIs focused on increased funds to offer more of the same interventions currently available. The findings open opportunities to better align services with what SVs seek, and further underscore the need to engage them in planning and implementation.

"Whose help is on the way?": The importance of individual police officers in law enforcement outcomes.

Police discretion has large potential consequences for public trust and safety; however, little is known about the extent of this discretion. I show that arrests critically depend on which officer responds to a 911 call; 1 standard deviation increase in officer arrest propensity raises arrest likelihood by 40%. High arrest officers are more likely to be white and have less experience. I find mixed evidence that arrest propensity is related to arrest quality. High arrest officers use force more often and make more low-level arrests, while they also have a higher share of low-level arrests that result in conviction.

The role of operative protocols for the prevention of occupational infectious risk on the crime scene.

Background: Crime scenes are possible scenario of accidents for operators, despite those risks the are no operative protocols in literature. However, COVID-19 pandemic has affected in a positive manner the management of infectious risk, encouraging use of Personal protective equipment (PPE). The aim of the study is to deepen and examine the occupational risk of all health professionals involved in the analysis of the crime scene and biological material collection to develop an operational protocol that explains in detail all the strategies applicable to reduce it. Materials and Methods: We conducted a review of the literature researching among the main databases, such as: PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE introducing as keywords: crime scene, medico-legal investigations, occupational risk, infections. Subsequently, we developed an operational protocol that is currently applied during the activity of the Institute of Forensic Medicine "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro. Conclusion: The crime scene can show numerous dangers for operators, due to the presence of syringes, contaminated biological material or sharps or access to areas with poor hygienic and sanitary conditions. This paper shows various strategies that may be implemented to reduce the risk. The aim of this work is to focus on the occupational risk for operators by proposing an operative protocol showing in detail how to manage a crime scene by reducing the infectious risk for operators until the transfer of the body and the collected evidence to the morgue and to the laboratory.

Neighborhood Deprivation and Crime on Asthma Exacerbations and Utilization in Mild Adult Asthma.

BACKGROUND: Social determinants of health (SDOH) have a significant impact on asthma outcomes, with factors such as income level and neighborhood environment playing crucial roles. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the impact of Neighborhood Deprivation Index (NDI) and Total Crime Index (TCI) on acute asthma exacerbation (AAE) and asthma-related Emergency Department and urgent care (ED/UC) visits in adults with mild asthma. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study utilized administrative data from Kaiser Permanente Southern California among 198,873 mild adult asthma patients between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2018. Robust Poisson regression models, adjusted for age and sex, were employed to investigate the associations of NDI and TCI with AAE and asthma-related ED/UC visits. Data analysis included subgroup assessments by race and ethnicity and BMI categories to explore potential disparities in asthma outcomes. RESULTS: Among the cohort, 12,906 patients (6.5%) experienced AAE in one year, with Black patients having the highest AAE percentage (7.1%). Higher NDI quintiles were associated with increased AAE risk (aRRs: 1.11-1.27), with similar trends across BMI categories and race or ethnicity, except for Black patients. TCI showed weaker associations with AAE. Regarding ED/UC visits, 5.0% had such visits within one year. Higher NDI quintiles were associated with higher ED/UC visit risk (aRRs: 1.23-1.75), while TCI associations were weaker. CONCLUSION: Addressing socioeconomic disparities, as indicated by NDI, may be crucial in mitigating asthma exacerbations and reducing healthcare utilization, highlighting the importance of incorporating social determinants into asthma management strategies even in patients with mild asthma.

When Is Online Sexual Solicitation of a Minor Considered Sexual Abuse? Recommendations for Victim Prevalence Surveys.

Many new surveys have been developed to assess the prevalence of online sexual abuse. An important type of question asked in many of these surveys is about online sexual solicitation. However, not all sexual solicitations of children necessarily qualify as sexual abuse as it has conventionally been defined. Sexual solicitations from other same age youth may be legal and nonabusive. Solicitations of youth above the age of consent by adults may also be legal. At the same time, many true online sex offenses may not be identified with questions about solicitation wanted or unwanted. This article reviewed 25 online sexual abuse survey reports. It also examined episodes and narratives from the U.S. National Technology Facilitated Abuse (TFA) survey, which asked about online solicitation and other online sexual offenses. Among the surveys reviewed, 9 of 25 elicited and counted online sexual solicitation from adults only, but the rest counted other youth solicitors as well as adults. Eight of 25 asked about only "unwanted" solicitations, but the rest had no such qualification, possibly including solicitations with positive or neutral reactions. Analysis of the TFA survey showed that in over half of solicitation episodes, the recipients did not actually know the age or identity of the solicitor. Very large differences in prevalence rates can occur depending on what types of solicitation are counted and how missing information is classified. Recommendations are made about classifying and reporting on findings about online solicitation.

Does Escalating Violence and Associated Fear of Crime Worsen Psychological Well-Being in Community Dwellers Living in a Rural Setting? Results From the Atahualpa Project Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Escalating street violence and criminal homicides have an adverse impact on psychological well-being. However, these consequences have been difficult to evaluate. Using a recently validated scale, we aimed to assess the impact of fear of crime on the psychological status of middle-aged and older adults living in a rural setting afflicted by endemic violence. METHODS: Participants were selected from Atahualpa residents included in previous studies targeting psychological distress in the population. A validated scale was used to objectively quantify fear of crime in participants. Differences in symptoms of depression and anxiety between baseline and follow-up were used as distinct dependent variables and the continuous score of the fear of crime scale was used as the independent variable. Linear regression models were fitted to assess the association between the exposure and the outcomes, after adjusting for relevant confounders. RESULTS: A total of 653 participants (mean age = 53.2 ± 11.5 years; 57% women) completed the requested tests. We found a 13% increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety during the peak of violence in the village compared with previous years. Linear regression models showed a significant association between the total score on the fear of crime questionnaire and worsening symptoms of depression (ß = .24; 95% CI = 0.14-0.35) and anxiety (ß = .31; 95% CI = 0.24-0.37), after adjustment for relevant confounders. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows a significant aggravating effect of fear of crime on pre-existing symptoms of depression and anxiety and a deleterious effect of these conditions on overall well-being.

The full spectrum of clinical stages of psychosis at prison entry: prevalence and concurrent validity of symptom screening.

PURPOSE: Despite the high rates of psychotic disorders amongst people in prison, current prison mental health screening approaches have not included assessment of the full psychosis spectrum to capture those at-risk of an emerging psychosis as well as those with established illness nor assessed the concurrent validity of psychosis symptom screening. METHODS: Using a clinical staging approach to establish the prevalence of Ultra High Risk (UHR), first episode of psychosis (FEP) and established psychosis (EP) groups, 291 adults entering custody in two prison reception centres in NSW completed a two-stage (screening and validation) interview process. The Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States (CAARMS) was used to determine the clinical stages of psychosis and concurrent validity of symptom screening in identifying individuals on the psychosis spectrum was formally assessed. RESULTS: Amongst men and women entering prison, almost one quarter (24.1%) met UHR criteria, 5.1% met the FEP threshold and 10.6% had an established psychosis. Those on the psychosis spectrum reported greater disadvantage across sociodemographic and justice factors. The presence of perceptual disturbance and paranoid beliefs emerged as the two best screening items for identifying those with an underlying psychosis spectrum illness. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of psychosis spectrum illness, including the UHR state, amongst those entering prison is high. Current prison mental health approaches should include screening for the presence of perceptual disturbances and paranoid beliefs to improve the detection of psychosis spectrum illness.

Crime against women in India: district-level risk estimation using the small area estimation approach.

Background: The global prevalence of crimes against women has made it an enduring public health challenge that has persisted over time. The achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) is intricately tied to the actions taken to prevent these crimes as their repercussions directly affect progress across various SDGs. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive examination of the prevalence of crimes against women across districts and states in India, analyzing changes from 2020 to 2022, and subsequently identifying associated factors. Methods: The study is an ecological analysis conducted across all districts of India using the data on crimes against women for the period 2020 and 2022 obtained from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) of India. A small area estimation method was used to obtain district-level relative risks of crime against women for both periods. Hotspot analysis was carried out to identify the current hotspots and coldspots. Further spatial regression was used to identify the factors associated with crimes against women in the year 2022. Results: The results indicated a rise in the reported crime against women cases between 2020 and 2022. The rate of crimes against women at the national level was found to be 57 in the year 2020, whereas, in 2022, it increased to 67. The highest crime rate in the year 2022 was found to be 145 in Delhi, while Nagaland had the lowest crime rate of 5. The relative risk of crime against women varied from 0.046 to 4.68 in 2020, while in 2022, it spanned from 0.02 to 6.10. Significant hotspots were found in parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana, and Odisha. The results of the spatial error regression model showed that the sex ratio and the population density of the district have significant associations with the occurrence of crimes against women. Conclusion: The rise in the incidence of crime against women emphasizes the importance of tackling the spatial inequality in relative risk across Indian districts. By thoughtfully addressing this variation and conducting targeted studies in high-risk areas, we can enhance our understanding of the obstacles to implementing effective measures against violence targeting women.

Change in Depression Severity Among Depressed Older Crime Victims.

The crime rates in urban centers are rising. The psychological impact of crime can range from distress to longstanding mental health impairment. Despite the rising crime rates and psychological impact on victims, little research has been conducted on older adult crime victims' mental health. In this manuscript we describe the profile of older adult crime victims in New York City referred for mental health services, their rates of depression, and the preliminary outcome data from a brief therapy intervention (PROTECT) targeting depression among victims. Building on prior research demonstrating the efficacy of PROTECT for depressive symptom reduction in elder abuse victims, the present study hypothesized elder crime victims who completed PROTECT therapy would demonstrate clinically meaningful depression symptom reduction as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Additionally, it was hypothesized that these clinically significant depression symptom reductions would be demonstrated regardless of sex, gender, victimization type, victimization frequency, or living status. The results demonstrate that 67.7% (21/31) of participants had a clinically significant reduction in PHQ-9 scores (≥5 points) upon completion of PROTECT. There were no significant group differences in clinically significant depression symptom reduction, suggesting that PROTECT is an effective intervention for a diverse sample of elder crime victims. Future research should focus on the mental health impact of crime against older adults and explore reductions in anxiety and PTSD symptoms among crime victims. Through our partnerships we aim to bridge the divide between victim service providers, and mental health service providers to assist victims to recover, heal, and thrive.