International Journal of Law Crime and Justice 

About: International Journal of Law Crime and Justice is an academic journal published by Elsevier BV. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Criminal justice & Prison. It has an ISSN identifier of 1876-763X. Over the lifetime, 471 publications have been published receiving 4534 citations.

Muslim communities, counter-terrorism and counter-radicalisation: A critically reflective approach to engagement

Abstract: In a post 9/11 context, Muslims' responsibilities as active citizens are being increasingly framed by anti-terror measures, which encourage internal community surveillance so that the responsible Muslim citizen is expected to work with the authorities to help reduce the risk of terrorism. However, in the aftermath of a series of bombings and attempted bombings in the UK, there has been little reflection about how, and the ways in which, Muslim communities can be engaged for the purposes of counter-terrorism, including counter-radicalisation, and certainly no substantial academic research. The following article sets out a brief framework that might serve to set out the main components of a critically reflective approach to engaging with Muslim communities for the purposes of counter-terrorism and counter-radicalisation.

The status of women police officers: An international review

Abstract: This paper reports on a survey of English-language police department websites, annual reports and other reports in order to identify key aspects of the status of women police internationally. Findings are reported for England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Eire, the United States, Canada, Australia (eight departments), New Zealand, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji. Data on the proportion of female officers were available from 18 of 23 locations, with a range between 5.1% and 28.8%. Recruit numbers were available for six locations, and ranged between 26.6% and 37.0%. Limited data on rank and deployment indicated overall improvements. Available longer-term trend data suggested that growth in female officers was slowing or levelling out. Overall, the study showed an urgent need to improve gender-based statistics in order to better inform strategies aimed at maximising the participation of women in policing.

The new integrationism, the state and Islamophobia: retreat from multiculturalism in Australia

Abstract: Since their introduction to Australia in the early 1970s, the politics of multiculturalism have entailed a degree of state control over the cultural affairs of (principally immigrant) ethnic communities. This was largely obtained by consent rather than coercion, and this consent was often purchased with various forms of state resourcing for community needs, with a measure of coercion attached to the threat, where necessary, of funding withdrawals. Beyond the basic framework of liberal-democratic norms, very little of the ground rules for the acceptable practice of minority culture were inscribed in legislation or state pronouncements. The pursuit of the ‘War on Terror’ since 9/11 has increasingly seen the intrusion of the state into cultural, and especially religious, matters of minority populations, overwhelmingly among Muslims, in Australia. Pronouncements are now routinely made by political leaders of what is acceptable in a sermon, for example, and what is ‘extreme’, ‘radical’ or unacceptable. Religious leaders themselves have been identified by state actors as exemplary or beyond the pale and to be replaced. The government has involved itself in the process of selection of religious representatives, and made strong representations about the selection of leaders and their necessary attributes, such as fluency in English, attitudes favouring ‘integration’, beliefs in women's rights, positive disposition towards the alliance with the United States, and so on. There have also been government demands for ethnic/religious schools to teach ‘Australian values’. At present there is no legal basis for such prescription and proscription, which operates rather by hectoring and harassment and the implied conditionality of the remnants of multicultural funding. All of this action can be shown to be discriminatory, in that it is directed only towards Muslims. It also represents a dangerous trend in terms of undermining the right to religious freedom, enshrined in a number of international treaties to which Australia is a signatory.

Colonialism, legitimation, and policing in Ghana

Abstract: Most existing historiographies of colonial and post-colonial policing in Ghana have focused nearly exclusively on providing a basic understanding of managerial issues—that is, organisational and administrative structure, functions and modes of operation. Our knowledge of issues of police legitimation, and of the ‘quality of policing’ remains very limited. This article discusses these issues and establishes the vital importance of history to understanding the contemporary quality of policing in Ghana. Human rights violations, police corruption and police impunity are established as salient characteristics of the police service; these characteristics are traced to the operating philosophy of the former colonial police, and the failure of successive post-colonial governments ideologically to transform the police. Such a transformation is necessary to address and overcome the challenges that are posed by the contemporary liberal-democratic political environment.

A systematic review of juries' assessment of rape victims: Do rape myths impact on juror decision-making?

Abstract: Despite major reforms in rape law and criminal procedure, a number of reports suggest that conviction rates, which are generally low, either remained similar or in some cases they even decreased. Acceptance of rape myths has been identified as one of the main barriers to progress within any law reform and in terms of convictions rates. Studies investigating jurors' decision-making have relied on public attitudes using various methods such as mock trials. A systematic review was conducted to investigate whether juror decision-making is influenced by rape myths. The review identified 9 studies. Meta-analysis supported the hypothesis that rape myths impact on juror decision-making regardless of study quality. The relationship between rape myths and juror decision-making were significantly different between studies conducted in the USA and Europe. The review provides a coherent evidence base to support recent efforts to highlight rape myths as a problem for prosecutors and discusses findings in the light of recent initiatives to introduce educational guidance for jurors.