Showing papers in "European Journal of Criminology in 2016"

Wearing body cameras increases assaults against officers and does not reduce police use of force: Results from a global multi-site experiment:

Abstract: This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Sage via https://doi.org/10.1177/1477370816643734.

Female desistance: A review of the literature:

Abstract: To examine whether, and if so how, male-based theories of desistance also apply to female offenders, this article reviews 44 studies on female desistance. Where available, gender differences in desistance are considered. Having children and supportive relationships is found to be important for females, in addition to economic independence, the absence of drugs and individual agency. Gender differences are found for the influence of children, supportive relationships, employment and the absence of criminal peers. This review shows that male-based theories of desistance seem applicable to females as well. Furthermore, results underscore the importance of considering how individual and social factors interact during the process of desistance. Implications for future research and for strategies for promoting desistance are discussed.

A self-control/life-course theory of criminal behavior

Abstract: This article presents an integrated self-control/life-course theory of criminal behavior. Coming in the form of 10 propositions, the broad message is that these two seemingly incompatible theoretic...

How is parenting related to adolescent delinquency? A between- and within-person analysis of the mediating role of self-control, delinquent attitudes, peer delinquency, and time spent in criminogenic settings

Abstract: We examined how parenting is directly and indirectly associated with adolescent delinquency. We derived four possible mechanisms from major criminological theories and examined their relative contr...

Doing dirty work: stigma and esteem in the private security industry

Abstract: This article draws upon two different ethnographic studies – one based in Sweden, the other in the United Kingdom – to explore how private security officers working in a stigmatized industry constr...

‘Gain with no pain’: Anabolic-androgenic steroids trafficking in the UK:

Abstract: Anabolic-androgenic steroids are performance and image enhancing drugs (PIED) that can improve endurance and athletic performance, reduce body fat and stimulate muscle growth. The use of steroids has been studied extensively in the medical and psychological literature, as well as in the sociology of sport, health and masculinity. From the late 2000s, the worldwide trade in steroids increased significantly. However, trafficking in steroids remains a largely under-researched criminological phenomenon with a few notable exceptions. Currently in the UK there are only small and fragmented pieces of information available relating to steroids trafficking in autobiographical accounts of professional criminals. Drawing on original empirical data, the purpose of this article is to provide an account of the social organization of the steroids trafficking business in the UK. The trade in steroids is decentralized, highly flexible with no hierarchies, and open to anyone willing to either order the merchandise online o...

Understanding police officers’ trust and trustworthy behavior: A work relations framework

Abstract: In recent years, theorization and research on citizens’ trust in the police have expanded enormously. Compared with citizens’ trust, police officers’ trust – both in citizens and in supervisors – has attracted very little attention. Further, it is striking that, although scholars have pointed to police officers’ procedural justice as a key factor for building public trust in the police, the question of how trustworthy police behavior can be achieved has hardly been theorized. To help fill in these gaps and understand police officers’ functioning, I offer a work relations framework. The building blocks for this approach come from different scientific disciplines: criminology, psychology, management, and political science/public administration. Theoretical elements and empirical indications from different fields are combined into a framework that aims at widening the scope of police research. More specifically, it identifies origins and consequences of police officers’ trust and origins of officers’ trustwo...

The interaction between self-control and morality in crime causation among older adults

Abstract: Situational Action Theory (SAT), a recently developed explanation of criminal conduct, is becoming increasingly studied. Hitherto, however, nearly all tests of the theory and its hypotheses have be...

The Italian mafias in the world: A systematic assessment of the mobility of criminal groups:

Abstract: This study complements existing literature on the mobility of criminal groups (mainly based on country case studies) with the first systematic assessment of the worldwide activities of the four main types of Italian mafias (Cosa Nostra, Camorra, ’Ndrangheta and Apulian mafias) from 2000 to 2012. Drawing from publicly available reports, a specific multiple correspondence analysis identifies the most important associations among mafias, activities, and countries. The results show that the mafias concentrate in a few countries; drug trafficking is the most frequent activity, whereas money laundering appears less important than expected; a stable mafia presence is reported in a few developed countries (mainly Germany, Canada, Australia, and the United States). The mafias show significant differences: the ’Ndrangheta tends to establish structured groups abroad, whereas the other mafias mainly participate in illicit trades.

Human trafficking for sexual exploitation from Nigeria into Western Europe: The role of voodoo rituals in the functioning of a criminal network:

Abstract: This study is a content analysis of wiretapped conversations and police interviews concerning the criminal case of ‘Operation Koolvis’: an investigation into a Nigerian human trafficking ring for s...

Female pathways to crime and prison: Challenging the (US) gendered pathways perspective

Abstract: Because the gendered pathways perspective was developed and tested primarily in the United States, the applicability of the model in European contexts remains questionable. Also, it is unclear how adult-onset female offenders fit the pathways perspective. In this article we explore the life histories and the pathways to crime and prison of female prisoners in Belgium. Because many participants were late starters, our findings are particularly informative for female adult-onset pathways. These adult-onset pathways show both similarities to and differences from the US gendered pathways perspective. Hence, this pathway might be considered as another gendered pathway to crime and prison, alongside those put forward in mainly US research.

School as a space of socialization and prevention

Abstract: As one of the primary agents of socialization during adolescence, schools have become an important place for crime prevention. Many programmes have been developed but many of them lack a theoretical basis. Therefore criminological learning theories are examined for possible starting points for successful school-based crime prevention. Theses derived from these theories concerning the direct and indirect impact of student–teacher relationships on students’ attitudes and later self-reported delinquency are analysed with the first four waves (ages 13 to 16) from the German prospective panel study Crime in the Modern City. The findings suggest that the quality of the student–teacher relationship is a causal link in the generation of adolescent delinquent behaviour and hence a promising starting point for crime prevention measures.

Outlaw biker affiliations and criminal involvement

Abstract: This study investigates the effect of being an outlaw biker on criminal involvement in Denmark. Using a unique dataset, 297 outlaw bikers are matched on various background characteristics with 181,931 control individuals and effects are estimated in difference-in-difference regressions. This approach reduces the risk of selection bias and helps isolate the effect of affiliation on criminal involvement. The results suggest that affiliation with an outlaw motorcycle club may increase involvement in overall crime, specifically property crime, drug crime, and weapons crime. Results regarding violent crimes are inconclusive. It is concluded that an outlaw biker affiliation may increase criminal involvement.

Community support for sex offender rehabilitation in Europe

Abstract: It is assumed that the public holds negative attitudes towards sex offenders, yet an increasing number of European volunteers are involved in sex offender rehabilitation programmes through Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA). Public attitudes and their correlates have been mainly studied in Anglo-Saxon countries; research in European countries other than the UK is scarce. To fill this gap, a web-based survey was held among web-panels in nine European countries (n = 200 per country). Measures included awareness and knowledge about sex offenders, community attitudes towards sex offenders in the community (CATSO), attitudes towards the treatment of sex offenders (ATTSO), public attitudes towards sex offender rehabilitation (PATSOR), support for CoSA, and attitudes towards volunteers working with sex offenders. Results indicated that clear misperceptions were held by a minority. Attitudes tended to be negative, but not extremely, and differences between countries were significant. The amount of support for CoSA was considerable and mean attitudes towards volunteers working with sex offenders were positive. The lower educated held more negative attitudes. Since webpanels were probably not representative on key demographic markers, the results are only indicative. Professionals should especially address the lower educated, correct key misperceptions about recidivism of sex offenders, and provide information about processes of change in convicted sex offenders

Violence in youth custody: Risk factors of violent misconduct among inmates of German young offender institutions:

Abstract: Inmate-on-inmate violence is a serious problem in prisons and young offender institutions. However, most studies on predictors of violent misconduct have focussed on adult inmates. This study exami...

Basic human values and white-collar crime: Findings from Europe:

Abstract: The aim of this article is to investigate the relationship between values and white-collar crime. The analyses draw on pooled survey data covering 14 European countries. The value constructs are de ...

Proliferation of crime causation theories in an era of fragmentation: Reflections on the current state of criminological theory

Abstract: In this presidential address I reflect on the theme of the 2015 annual European Society of Criminology meeting by addressing and discussing the issue of the overwhelming number of crime causation t...

Explaining attrition: Investigating and confiscating the profits of organized crime:

Abstract: In this article, we provide insight into a common but scarcely researched problem in the process of confiscating criminal earnings: attrition, that is, the gap between estimated criminal profits on...

Mediated and moderated effects of violent media consumption on youth violence

Abstract: Violent media consumption is often thought to lead to more aggression and violence, especially in juveniles. Social cognitive theories assume a pivotal role for cognitive functions, such as normative beliefs, in the explanation of human behaviour (including violence) and see violent media as a possible and potent learning environment. Although many studies have analysed the relationship between violent media consumption and violence, only a few are longitudinal and apparently no study has analysed mediator effects of violence-approving normative beliefs with data from a Western country at more than two points in time. Some researchers assume that violent media consumption can only aggravate an already existing disposition for violence due to other experiences such as parental maltreatment (double-dose or intensifier effect, which is methodologically described as a moderator effect). Both assumptions – mediation and moderation – are tested with structural equation models using cross-sectional and longitudi...

Crime among young Moroccan men in the Netherlands : Does their regional origin matter?

Abstract: High crime rates among second-generation immigrants are usually attributed to the ethnic group’s weak socioeconomic position in the host society. The causes of crime can, however, also be sought in...

Correlates of bullying in Switzerland

Abstract: This article addresses the strongest variables related to bullying, taking into account personal background, personality characteristics and social context. A survey of self-reported juvenile delin...

Importation and deprivation correlates of misconduct among Romanian inmates

Abstract: Correctional literature on determinants of prisoner misconduct is largely focused on the situation in the USA or West European countries. This study expands the research in this field by presenting...

The impact of introspection and resilience on abstention and desistance from delinquent behavior among adolescents at risk

Abstract: This study examines the subjective processes of introspection of three groups of adolescents at risk and in distress and analyzes their perceived impact on the development of resilience and, consequently, the abstention and desistence from criminal conduct or, alternatively, the intensification of delinquent behavior. The three groups are: stable normal adolescents with neither past nor current involvement in criminal behavior; persistent criminal adolescents with past and current involvement in criminal activities; adolescents limited to temporary delinquent behavior with a criminal past but no current involvement in delinquent behavior. Our main findings are that (a) the processes of introspection and self-exploration of risk and distress factors have a perceived positive impact on current and future modes of thought and behavior among stable normal adolescents and juveniles limited to temporary delinquent behavior; (b) processes of introspection have a positive impact on the development of resilience and internal change among adolescents limited to temporary delinquent behavior. We conclude that, first, processes of introspection assist in the development of resilience among various groups of adolescents at risk and, consequently, in the desistence and abstention from crime; second, periods of crises and distress among adolescents at risk may serve as opportunities for introspection and possible shift from a criminal lifestyle to a normal one; and, third, failure to assume responsibility for their involvement in delinquent behavior may lead criminal adolescents at risk to develop deterministic attitudes toward numerous distress and risk factors in their lives and, consequently, continue with their criminal lifestyles. Keywords: Juvenile justice; Language: en

Popular uprisings in Turkey : Police culpability and constraints on dialogue-oriented policing in Gezi Park and beyond

Abstract: The policing of riots and uprisings poses severe challenges to the police. Yet the police are often culpable in the disturbances touched off by a precipitating incident of police violence or a crac...

Riots in the welfare state : The contours of a modern-day moral economy

Abstract: This article accounts for the tacit politics of the 2013 Stockholm riots. Based on interviews with local residents and a study of the parliamentary debate, it is suggested that the post-war Swedish...

The 2011 England riots in European context: A framework for understanding the ‘life-cycle’ of riots:

Abstract: This paper examines the 2011 England riots and seeks to place them in their recent comparative context. Briefly, it sets out a ‘life-cycle’ model for(historical and comparative) analysis, and then uses this as the basis for contrasting the English experience with the rioting witnessed in other European countries in recent times – in particular the riots in France in 2005 and in Sweden in 2013. Using a range of sources, the analysis identifies a number of similarities and differences between the aetiology, nature and aftermath of the riots in the different countries, and argues that this illustrates both the potential of comparative analysis and the importance of moving beyond an examination of their aetiology, to study riots ‘in the round’.

Homicide–suicides in Romania and the role of migration

Abstract: Homicide–suicides are the term for homicides followed by the suicide of the offender. This study utilized police statistics, information from the penal files and an online search of news reports to establish the prevalence of homicide–suicides in Romania. We compare characteristics of homicide–suicides among current or former Romanian emigrants and Romanians who never emigrated. The estimated homicide–suicide rate was 0.005–0.146 per 100,000 inhabitants in Romania between 2002 and 2013. Intimate partners committed significantly more homicide–suicides among emigrants than non-emigrants. Emigrant homicide–suicides also had significantly more reports of prior abuse than non-emigrant homicide–suicides. The findings of this study call for improvements in intimate partner violence prevention in Romania and among Romanian migrant communities abroad.

Re-examining the relationship between religion and punitiveness : evidence from Germany

Abstract: Research has shown that punitive attitudes are influenced by denominational affiliation, religious participation and images of God. However, most of the research so far has been conducted in the Un...

Like two peas in a pod? Explaining friendship selection processes related to victimization and offending:

Abstract: In this paper, we examine the similarity between friends with respect to experiences with crime among a sample of Dutch individuals. We investigate the extent to which offenders, victims and victim-offenders (de)select friends differently and, subsequently, who (de)selects whom and why. We use data from the annual Dutch panel survey CrimeNL, which includes ego-centered network measures at each wave for more than 500 participants, ranging from 16 to 45 years old. Results show that offenders terminate friendships more often than non-offenders, and they have a higher likelihood of selecting new friends, regardless of prior victimization experiences. Furthermore, homophily with respect to crime involvement exists; both offenders and victims are more likely to select new friends who are similarly involved in crime. Risky lifestyles to a large extent explain why people select offenders as friends, whereas third parties (that is, parents and the pre-existing network of individuals) influence people’s decision to engage in friendships with victims of crime. Nevertheless, after taking individual preferences, meeting opportunities and third parties into account, offenders and victims are still more likely to select friends with similar crime experiences.

‘I’d like to see your identity cards please’ – Negotiating authority in police–adolescent encounters: Findings from a mixed-method study of proactive police practices towards adolescents in two German cities

Abstract: Next to exclusionary and discriminatory practices in other live domains, tense police–adolescent relations and the treatment of ethnic minority adolescents by the police are discussed as the foremo...