Is Tattooing a Risk Factor for Adolescents' Criminal Behavior? Empirical Evidence from an Administrative Data Set of Juvenile Detainees in Taiwan

Juvenile crime affects not only the victims of the crime but also the delinquents' future. How to prevent adolescent criminal behavior has become an important public policy issue. This study contributes to this interesting issue by examining the relationship between tattooing and adolescents' criminal behavior. In particular, this study investigates whether or not having a tattoo/tattoos is connected to the incidence of various criminal activities, including: larceny, robbery, fraud, assault, drug use, and homicide. 

A unique sample of 973 juvenile detainees drawn from the administrative profiles in Taiwan and the coarsened exact matching method were utilized. Results show that compared to their nontattooed counterparts, tattooed juvenile detainees were significantly more likely to commit fraud, assault, drug abuse, and homicide by 3%, 13%, 9%, and 9%, respectively. In contrast, tattooing was not significantly associated with larceny or robbery. 

From a policy perspective, given the significant link between tattooing and criminal behavior, the presence of a tattoo in adolescents may serve as a valuable indicator regarding adolescents' high probability of committing crimes.

Via:  http://ht.ly/SP0Yh Purchase full article at: http://goo.gl/v2jCTo

By: Liao PA1, Chang HH, Su YJ.

• 1Department of Economics, Shih Hsin University, Taipei, 11645, Taiwan.

http://twitter.com/Prison_Health

Crime and Punishment in Darwin

Via: http://ht.ly/SyJTu

The Effect of Temperature on Arson Incidence in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Studies of crime and weather have largely excluded arson from empirical and theoretical consideration, yet weather could influence arson frequency over short time frames, influencing the motivation and activity of potential arsonists, as well as the physical possibility of fire ignition. This study aims to understand the role of weather on urban arson in order to determine its role in explaining short-term variations in arson frequency. 

We use data reported to the Ontario Fire Marshall's office of arson events in the City of Toronto between 1996 and 2007 to estimate the effect of temperature, precipitation, wind conditions and air pressure on arson events while controlling for the effects of holidays, weekends and other calendar-related events. 

We find that temperature has an independent association with daily arson frequency, as do precipitation and air pressure. In this study area, cold weather has a larger influence on arson frequency than hot weather. There is also some evidence that extremely hot and cold temperatures may be associated with lower day-time arson frequency, while night-time arson seems to have a simpler positive linear association with temperature.

Via:  http://ht.ly/Sw1lf Purchase full article at: http://goo.gl/gn9GTm

By: Yiannakoulias N1, Kielasinska E2.

• 1School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S4K1, Canada.
• 2School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S4K1, Canada.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Violent Crime: A Cohort Study

From Swedish national registers we extracted information on 856,493 individuals who were prescribed SSRIs, and subsequent violent crimes during 2006 through 2009. We used stratified Cox regression analyses to compare the rate of violent crime while individuals were prescribed these medications with the rate in the same individuals while not receiving medication. Adjustments were made for other psychotropic medications. Information on all medications was extracted from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register, with complete national data on all dispensed medications. Information on violent crime convictions was extracted from the Swedish national crime register. 

• Using within-individual models, there was an overall association between SSRIs and violent crime convictions. 
• With age stratification, there was a significant association between SSRIs and violent crime convictions for individuals aged 15 to 24 y. 
• However, there were no significant associations in those aged 25–34 y, in those aged 35–44 y, or in those aged 45 y or older. 
• Associations in those aged 15 to 24 y were also found for violent crime arrests with preliminary investigations, non-violent crime convictions, non-violent crime arrests, non-fatal injuries from accidents, and emergency inpatient or outpatient treatment for alcohol intoxication or misuse. 
• With age and sex stratification, there was a significant association between SSRIs and violent crime convictions for males aged 15 to 24 y and females aged 15 to 24 y . 
• However, there were no significant associations in those aged 25 y or older. 
• One important limitation is that we were unable to fully account for time-varying factors.

The association between SSRIs and violent crime convictions and violent crime arrests varied by age group. The increased risk we found in young people needs validation in other studies.

Read more at:  http://goo.gl/ALGxLh

By: Yasmina Molero, Clara Hellner Gumpert

Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

Paul Lichtenstein, Johan Zetterqvist

Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

Seena Fazel

Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

A Longitudinal Study of Resting Heart Rate and Violent Criminality in More Than 700 000 Men

Low resting heart rate is a well-replicated physiological correlate of aggressive and antisocial behavior in children and adolescents, but whether low resting heart rate increases the risk of violence and other antisocial and risk-taking behaviors in adulthood has not been studied in representative samples.

To study the predictive association of resting heart rate with violent and nonviolent criminality and with fatal and nonfatal injuries owing to assaults and unintentional injuries in the population.

We conducted a study of data from several Swedish national registers on 710 264 Swedish men in the general population born from 1958 to 1991, with a follow-up of up to 35.7 years. Outcome data were available and analyzed from January 1, 1973, through December 31, 2009. Resting heart rate was measured together with blood pressure at mandatory military conscription testing at a mean (SD) age of 18.2 (0.5) years.

In models adjusted for physical, cardiovascular, psychiatric, cognitive, and socioeconomic covariates, compared with 139 511 men in the highest quintile of the distribution of resting heart rate (≥83 beats/min), 132 595 men with the lowest quintile (heart rate, ≤60 beats/min) had a 39% (95% CI, 35%-44%) higher hazard of being convicted of violent crimes and a 25% (95% CI, 23%-28%) higher hazard of being convicted of nonviolent crimes. The corresponding hazard was 39% higher for assault injuries (95% CI, 33%-46%) and for unintentional injuries (95% CI, 38%-41%). Further adjustment for cardiorespiratory fitness in a subset of 572 610 men with data from an exercise test did not reduce the associations. Similar associations were found between low systolic blood pressure and violent and nonviolent criminality and for assault injuries when systolic blood pressure was studied instead of resting heart rate in more than 1 million men.

Among men, low resting heart rate in late adolescence was associated with an increased risk for violent criminality, nonviolent criminality, exposure to assault, and unintentional injury in adulthood. Most of these results were replicated with low systolic blood pressure. Resting heart rate and other autonomic measures merit further study in the development and prevention of violence and antisocial behavior.

Via:  http://ht.ly/S89W9

By: Latvala A1, Kuja-Halkola R2, Almqvist C3, Larsson H2, Lichtenstein P2.

• 1Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden2Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
• 2Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
• 3Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden3Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Lung and Allergy Unit, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

Association Between Number of Psychiatric Disorders and Violent Reoffending in Male Released Prisoners

Error bars are 95% CIs.

Read more at: http://ht.ly/S88T2

By: Chang Z1, Larsson H2, Lichtenstein P2, Fazel S3.

• 1Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
• 2Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
• 3Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

Probability of Violent Reoffending by Sex, Time After Release, and Psychiatric Disorder Status

Error bars are 95% CIs.

Read more at: http://ht.ly/S88T2

By: Chang Z1, Larsson H2, Lichtenstein P2, Fazel S3.

• 1Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
• 2Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
• 3Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

Psychiatric Disorders & Violent Reoffending: A National Cohort Study of Convicted Prisoners in Sweden

Reoffending and presence of psychiatric disorders are common in prisoners worldwide. However, whether psychiatric disorders are risk factors for reoffending is still unknown. We aimed to examine the association between psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorder, and violent reoffending.

We did a longitudinal cohort study of 47 326 prisoners who were imprisoned since Jan 1, 2000, and released before Dec 31, 2009, in Sweden. We obtained data for diagnosed psychiatric disorders from both inpatient and outpatient registers, and sociodemographic and criminological factors from other population-based registers...

Diagnosed psychiatric disorders were associated with an increased hazard of violent reoffending in male and female prisoners, and these associations were independent of measured sociodemographic and criminological factors, and, in men, remained substantial after adjustment for unmeasured familial factors. However, findings differed between individual diagnoses and sex. We found some evidence of stronger effects on violent reoffending of alcohol and drug use disorders and bipolar disorder than of other psychiatric disorders. Alcohol use disorder seemed to have a greater effect in women than in men. The overall effects of psychiatric disorders did not differ with severity of crime. The hazard of violent reoffending increased in a stepwise way with the number of diagnosed psychiatric disorders. Assuming causality, up to 20% of violent reoffending in men and 40% in women was attributable to the diagnosed psychiatric disorders that we investigated.

Certain psychiatric disorders are associated with a substantially increased hazard of violent reoffending. Because these disorders are prevalent and mostly treatable, improvements to prison mental health services could counteract the cycle of reoffending and improve both public health and safety. National violence prevention strategies should consider the role of prison health.

Read more at: http://ht.ly/S88T2

By: Chang Z1, Larsson H2, Lichtenstein P2, Fazel S3.

• 1Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
• 2Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
• 3Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

Low Self-Control and Crime in Late Adulthood

This study investigates whether low self-control theory explains self-reported criminal activity in late adulthood. Cross-sectional survey data from telephone interviews conducted with individuals aged 60 years and older in Arizona and Florida (N = 2,000) are used. 

Regression analyses show that low self-control is related to criminal offending. The relationship between low self-control and offending persists after the introduction of potential mediators (e.g., unstructured socializing, negative emotions, and familial ties) and is even observed across different stages of late adulthood (i.e., young-old, old-old, and oldest-old) characterized by declining physical and cognitive abilities. 

Robustness checks using alternative measurement and modeling strategies also provide empirical support. Although strong causal inferences are limited by the nature of the data, the findings generally support the notion that low self-control theory partially explains criminal offending in late adulthood.

Via: http://ht.ly/S7tv4 

By: Wolfe SE1, Reisig MD2, Holtfreter K2.

• 1University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA swolfe@mailbox.sc.edu.
• 2Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA.

Culture in the Courtroom: Ethnocentrism and Juror Decision-Making

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a culturally-based argument in a non-insane automatism defense would be detrimental or beneficial to the defendant. We also examined how juror ethnocentrism might affect perceptions of such a defense. Participants read a fictional filicide homicide case in which the defendant claimed to have blacked out during the crime; we manipulated whether culture was used as an explanation for what precipitated the defendant’s blackout. We conducted path analyses to assess the role of ethnocentrism in predicting lower defendant credibility, and harsher verdict decisions. Results revealed an interaction between ethnocentrism and defense type, such that ethnocentrism related to lower perceived defendant credibility in the cultural condition, but not in the standard automatism condition. This study marks a starting point for empirically investigating the role of culture in the courtroom, which may aid scholars in discussing the merits of a standalone cultural defense.

Below:  Hypothesized relationship between ethnocentrism and three-category verdict decision via credibility, with defense type moderating the association between ethnocentrism and credibility

Read more at: http://goo.gl/YCiBwe

By: Evelyn M. Maeder

Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Susan Yamamoto

Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Does Child Maltreatment Predict Adult Crime? Reexamining the Question in a Prospective Study of Gender Differences, Education, and Marital Status

Bivariate analyses of adult crime and child maltreatment showed that individuals who had been maltreated as children, according to child welfare reports, subsequently committed more crime than others who had not been maltreated. Analyses of crimes by category-property, person, and society-provided further evidence of a link between child maltreatment and crime at the bivariate level. 

Tests of gender differences showed that crime generally is more prevalent among males, although females with a history of maltreatment were more likely than those in a no-maltreatment (comparison) group to report having had some prior involvement in crime. 

Surprisingly, multivariate analyses controlling for childhood socioeconomic status, gender, minority racial status, marital status, and education level showed that, with one exception (crimes against society), the significant association between child maltreatment and crime observed in bivariate tests was not maintained. 

Via:  http://ht.ly/RXPnp

By: Jung H1, Herrenkohl TI2, Klika JB3, Lee JO4, Brown EC5.

• 1University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA hzjung@uw.edu.
• 2University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
• 3University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA.
• 4University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
• 5University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.

An "Immigrant Paradox" for Adolescent Externalizing Behavior? Evidence from a National Sample

PURPOSE:

Recent decades have witnessed a rise in the number of immigrant children in the United States (US) and concomitant concerns regarding externalizing behaviors such as crime, violence, and drug misuse by immigrant adolescents. The objective of the present study was to systematically compare the prevalence of externalizing behaviors and migration-related factors among immigrant and US-born adolescents in the US.

RESULTS:

Compared to their US-born counterparts, immigrant adolescents-particularly those between the ages of 15 and 17 years-are significantly less likely to be involved in externalizing behaviors. In addition, later age of arrival and fewer years spent in the US were associated with reduced odds of externalizing behavior. Supplementary analyses indicate that the link between nativity and externalizing behavior may be primarily driven by differences between US-born and immigrant youth who self-identify as non-Hispanic black or Hispanic. Immigrant adolescents are also more likely to report cohesive parental relationships, positive school engagement, and disapproving views with respect to adolescent substance use.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study extends prior research on the "immigrant paradox" to externalizing behavior among adolescents using a nationally representative data source. Findings highlight the importance of examining age, age of arrival, duration, and race/ethnicity in the study of nativity and externalizing.

Via: http://ht.ly/RX2zL

By: Salas-Wright CP1, Vaughn MG, Schwartz SJ, Córdova D.

• 1School of Social Work, The University of Texas at Austin, 1925 San Jacinto Blvd D3500, Austin, TX, 78712-0358, USA, salaswright@utexas.edu.

Offenders with Cognitive Deficits in a Canadian Prison Population: Prevalence, Profile, and Outcomes

Impaired cognitive function has been associated with criminal behavior. In Canada it is unknown the extent to which this disorder affects federal inmates or its impact on key correctional outcomes. In this study, 488 incoming male offenders were assessed on the Cognistat, a neuropsychological screening tool. 

Twenty-five percent of offenders were found to have some level of cognitive deficit. Lower levels of educational achievement, unstable employment history, learning disability, serious alcohol problems, and symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were significantly associated with the presence of cognitive deficits in this sample. 

Although there was a significant trend for offenders with cognitive deficits to have more admissions to segregation, level of cognitive deficit was not consistently related to rates of institutional charges or rates of completion of required correctional programs. On release, cognitive deficits were not related to returns to custody or returns to custody with an offence. 

These results indicate that while offenders with cognitive deficits may require assistance with educational upgrading and employment to improve their reintegration potential, they do not pose a particular management problem in the community after release relative to offenders without cognitive deficits.

Via: http://ht.ly/RTPny

By: Stewart LA1, Wilton G2, Sapers J3.

• 1Correctional Service of Canada, 340 Laurier Ave W, Ottawa ON, Canada, K1A 0P9. Electronic address: lynn.stewart@csc-scc.gc.ca.
• 2Correctional Service of Canada, 340 Laurier Ave W, Ottawa ON, Canada, K1A 0P9. Electronic address: geoff.wilton@csc-scc.gc.ca.
• 3Correctional Service of Canada, 340 Laurier Ave W, Ottawa ON, Canada, K1A 0P9.

Bank Robberies In America Last Year: When, Where And How They Happened

Last Year There Were 3,961 Bank Robberies, Burglaries And Larcenies

More at:  http://ht.ly/RNTpC HT https://twitter.com/dadaviz

Most Americans support rehabilitation compared to ‘tough on crime’ policies

Below:  Where Americans Prefer Criminal Justice Resources Allocated

Below:  Percentage of Americans Who Prefer Rehabilitative to Punitive Policies

Below:  Effect of Significant Factors on Preference for Rehabilitative versus Punitive Policies

Read at:  http://bit.ly/1Ubofo4  HT https://twitter.com/LSEUSAblog

The Link Between Community-Based Violence and Intimate Partner Violence: The Effect of Crime and Male Aggression on Intimate Partner Violence Against Women

Below:  Analytical strategy for the study

Both intimate partner violence (IPV) and community violence are prevalent globally, and each is associated with serious health consequences. However, little is known about their potential links or the possible benefits of coordinated prevention strategies. Using aggregated data on community violence from the São Paulo State Security Department (INFOCRIM) merged with WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence data, random intercept models were created to assess the effect of crime on women’s probability of experiencing IPV. The association between IPV and male aggression (measured by women’s reports of their partner’s fights with other men) was examined using logistic regression models. We found little variation in the likelihood of male IPV perpetration related to neighborhood crime level but did find an increased likelihood of IPV experiences among women whose partners were involved in male-to-male violence. Emerging evidence on violence prevention has suggested some promising avenues for primary prevention that address common risk factors for both perpetration of IPV and male interpersonal violence. Strategies such as early identification and effective treatment of emotional disorders, alcohol abuse prevention and treatment, complex community-based interventions to change gender social norms and social marketing campaigns designed to modify social and cultural norms that support violence may work to prevent simultaneously male-on-male aggression and IPV. Future evaluations of these prevention strategies should simultaneously assess the impact of interventions on IPV and male interpersonal aggression.

Read more at:  http://ht.ly/QXsm8 HT @LSHTMpress 

Blame Conformity: Innocent Bystanders Can Be Blamed for a Crime as a Result of Misinformation from a Young, but Not Elderly, Adult Co-Witness

This study examined whether or not exposing an eyewitness to a co-witness statement that incorrectly blames an innocent bystander for a crime can increase the likelihood of the eyewitness subsequently blaming the innocent bystander for the crime. It also examined whether or not the perceived age of the co-witness influences this effect. Participant eyewitnesses first watched a video of a crime featuring a perpetrator and an innocent bystander. They then read one of six bogus co-witness statements about the crime. All were presented as having been written by a female co-witness and they differed in terms of her age (young adult or elderly) and who she blamed for the crime (the perpetrator, the innocent bystander, or nobody). One week later the participants were asked who committed the crime. When the young adult co-witness had blamed the innocent bystander just over 40% of participants subsequently did the same. Few participants (less than 8%) in the other conditions subsequently blamed the innocent bystander. The elderly co-witness was also rated as less credible, less competent, and less accurate than the younger co-witness suggesting eyewitnesses were less likely to be influenced by her incorrect statement as they perceived her to be a less reliable source of information. The applied implications of these findings are discussed.

Below:  Percentage of trials on which participants attributed blame for a crime to the innocent man, innocent woman, guilty woman, or responded don’t know after reading a co-witness statement where a young adult or elderly co-witness blamed either nobody (control statements), the innocent woman (incorrect statements), or the guilty woman (correct statements).

Below:  Participants’ perceptions of the young adult and elderly co-witness’s accuracy, confidence, honesty, credibility, and competence

Via:  http://goo.gl/74IlhP HT @livuni 

Homicide-Suicide and Duty to Warn

Via: http://ht.ly/K4Fol HT @BostonCollege 

Alcohol Outlets and Neighborhood Crime: A Longitudinal Analysis

This article examines the relationship between the number of alcohol outlets in block groups and the number of incidents of street crimes in Norfolk, Virginia. Cross-sectional and longitudinal panel designs are used to explore the relationship. Results were corrected for spatial autocorrelation and controlled for variation in size of population, socioeconomic disadvantage, and a dummy variable for being the downtown area. The cross-sectional analysis revealed a strong relationship between the number of alcohol outlets and the number of street crimes for on-premises and off-premises outlets. A panel design was then used to examine the effects of newly established outlets on the change in the number of street crime events over three periods. All three panels showed significant relationships between the number of alcohol outlets and the number of street crime events controlling for prior levels of crime, socioeconomic disadvantage, population size, and a spatial lag.

Via:   http://ht.ly/QjjgO HT @OldDominionUniv