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Showing papers in "Security Journal in 2018"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The threat of UAVs to the security of nuclear facilities is of great importance and is the focus of this work, and a gap analysis in existing approaches and technologies is presented in the form of potential technological and procedural areas for research and development.
Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are among the major growing technologies that have many beneficial applications, yet they can also pose a significant threat. Recently, several incidents occurred with UAVs violating privacy of the public and security of sensitive facilities, including several nuclear power plants in France. The threat of UAVs to the security of nuclear facilities is of great importance and is the focus of this work. This paper presents an overview of UAV technology and classification, as well as its applications and potential threats. We show several examples of recent security incidents involving UAVs in France, USA, and United Arab Emirates. Further, the potential threats to nuclear facilities and measures to prevent them are evaluated. The importance of measures for detection, delay, and response (neutralization) of UAVs at nuclear facilities are discussed. An overview of existing technologies along with their strength and weaknesses are shown. Finally, the results of a gap analysis in existing approaches and technologies is presented in the form of potential technological and procedural areas for research and development. Based on this analysis, directions for future work in the field can be devised and prioritized.

70 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors advocate for a change from questions of system to questions of pedagogy and present a model of representative learning design, whose analytical and practical use is presented.
Abstract: Within public and academic spheres, the question of how civilians and police officers can effectively deal with violent assaults is discussed above all as a question of the “right self-defense system.” In the current paper, we advocate for a change from questions of system to questions of pedagogy. Based on the paradigm of nonlinear pedagogy and the underlying theories of complex dynamic systems, we present a model of representative learning design, whose analytical and practical use is presented. We conclude with a discussion of the role of nonlinear pedagogy for the professionalization of self-defense training in the civilian and law enforcement domains.

41 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a sample of 22 prolific burglars from three prisons (England) were asked to describe their response to 16 images of residential housing and the results confirm that the design of residential houses influenced burglar decision making, but that the principles of CPTED should be re-examined, with surveillance and physical security a clear deterrent, yet management and maintenance and defensible space not considered as important in offender decision making.
Abstract: Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) represents a multi-faceted approach to crime reduction that draws upon theories from urban design, psychology and criminology. Yet there remains a lack of clarity regarding CPTED’s definition and scope. CPTED has been defined by, amongst others Crowe (Crime prevention through environmental design: applications of architectural design and space management concepts, Butterworth–Heinemann, Oxford, 2000), Ekblom (Eur J Crim Policy Res 17:7–28, 2011) and Armitage (Crime prevention through housing design: policy and practice, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, 2013), and the principles upon which it is based have seen even greater discrepancy. Conscious that these principles have primarily been defined by academics and policy-makers, this research aims to rectify this imbalance. A sample of 22 incarcerated prolific burglars from three prisons (England), were asked to describe their response to 16 images of residential housing. The results confirm that the design of residential housing influences burglar decision making, but that the principles of CPTED should be re-examined, with surveillance, and physical security a clear deterrent, yet management and maintenance and defensible space not considered as important in offender decision making.

41 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The concept of near-repeat patterns illustrates how crimes are clustered in space and time, with a crime event often shortly followed by another crime nearby as discussed by the authors, with a significantly increased risk of a new shooting in all three cities, but were weaker in Gothenburg.
Abstract: The concept of near-repeat patterns illustrates how crimes are clustered in space and time, with a crime event often shortly followed by another crime nearby. This study aims first to describe the frequency in shootings; second, to analyse the patterns of near-repeat shootings; and third, to validate a near-repeat calculator in the three largest cities in Sweden. Data were geocoded from three registries on shootings administered by the police departments in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo from 2011 to 2015, and were analysed using a free near-repeat calculator. There were 948 shootings, 378 of which involved at least one injury or death (40%). The relative risk of firearm-perpetrated homicides was almost 2.5 times higher in Malmo compared to Stockholm, but almost half of the shootings occurred in Stockholm. Near-repeat patterns were found with a significantly increased risk of a new shooting in all three cities, but were weaker in Gothenburg.

33 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
Abstract: Corruption of all types including occupational corruption causes immense damage to society. Though a number of guides have been published which offer prevention advice, there is very little original criminological research which connects theory to best practice. This paper demonstrates that Clarke’s situational crime prevention framework provides a mechanism for operatively analysing specific situations to design and implement prevention methods. The study analyses a variety of techniques, based upon a survey and interviews with counter-corruption professionals, to offer insights into their utilisation and effectiveness. To achieve meaningful implementation of the techniques, counter-corruption managers need the delegated power and support of the executive leadership.

33 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used a sample of 523 students from a leading university in Nairobi, Kenya, and found that females, older students, and prior crime victims are more fearful of crime at school, of crime in the community, and of overall crime.
Abstract: Crime victimization and fear of crime have been studied extensively in the extant literature, but very few studies have been carried out in sub-Saharan Africa. Using a sample of 523 students from a leading university in Nairobi, Kenya, we found that females, older students, and prior crime victims are more fearful of crime at school, of crime in the community, and of overall crime. In addition, we found that incivility, measured as the perceived prevalence of drug use among Kenyans, was also statistically significantly related to fear of crime at school, fear of crime in the community, and the overall measure of fear of crime. These findings are consistent with findings from the extant literature, mainly from the United States. Thus, we argue that the correlates of fear of crime appear to be similar in different geopolitical contexts. The implications of the findings for campus safety and security are discussed.

23 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the impact of civilian interventions in counterterrorism in Africa has been examined using stabilization theory to examine both civilian contributions and impact of their partnerships with the military on counterterrorism, and they concluded that the civilian and military synergy should extend beyond the use of force to include a political settlement, which will address some of the grievances of Boko Haram.
Abstract: This paper assesses the impact of civilian interventions in counterterrorism in Africa. The existing literature on terrorism has not sufficiently interrogated this aspect of counterterrorism within the African context. Utilizing civilian defence forces in counterterrorism appears to be widespread today unlike in the past, but most existing literature glosses over the critical contributions of civilian forces to the management of security environments, intelligence-gathering networks and combat reservoirs. This article uses stabilization theory to examine both civilian contributions and the impact of their partnerships with the military on counterterrorism. Data for this study was drawn from multiple qualitative and quantitative sources. The statistical analysis includes descriptive procedures (frequency tables and summary statistics); correlations using the Pearson coefficient and comparative analysis using the independent samples t test. For the purpose of comparative analysis, we categorized the study into two periods: pre-Civilian Joint Task Force (Civilian-JTF) intervention and post-Civilian-JTF involvement. We compared the consistency and intensity of Boko Haram attacks and Troop Responses (TRs) at pre-civilian and post-civilian involvements in counterterrorism. We found that the mean number of Boko Haram attacks was significantly higher before (M = 11.83, SD = 4.926) than after (M = 5.35, SD = 4.248) civilian intervention (t = 5.186, df = 59, p = 0.000). The effect size for this significant difference was estimated to be large (eta squared (η2) = 0.313). The main contributory factor was the shift in active and passive supports of the civilian population to the military, which increased the strategic and operational intelligence gathering, combat strength, and more proactive military in counterterrorism. We conclude that the civilian and military synergy should extend beyond the use of force to include a political settlement, which will address some of the grievances of Boko Haram.

23 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored the specific crime patterns and fear of crime in two neighbourhoods, Queenswood and Kilner Park, in the north-east of the City of Tshwane.
Abstract: South Africa is characterised by high levels of crime and fear of crime that manifests in various ways at a local community level. The fear of crime is influenced by levels of social and physical disorder and the nature of the built environment, while the actual crime incidents are influenced by the land-use patterns and presence of specific built environment elements such as the railway line. This paper explores the specific crime patterns and fear of crime in two neighbourhoods, Queenswood and Kilner Park, in the north-east of the City of Tshwane. The findings show that despite relatively high numbers of crime, and contrary to the view of law enforcement agents in the area, most community members do not display high levels of fear of crime. In addition, the use and avoidance of places in the neighbourhood do not always relate to the local crime hot-spots.

19 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined data for five football stadia for a 6-year timeframe (2005-2010) using non-parametric permutation tests and found that there is a higher risk of crime and incidents in the areas immediately around stadia during the hours when matches take place.
Abstract: Inspired by theories of environmental criminology, this paper is concerned with the criminogenic potential of football matches. Do matches generate patterns of crime within grounds and beyond them? If so, over what period and over what distance are these effects produced? Police-recorded data for five football stadia for a 6-year timeframe (2005–2010) are examined using non-parametric permutation tests. The spatial extent of any patterns are quantified and used to further examine differences in the temporal distribution of crime and incidents. Change in the spatial distribution of crime and incidents occurred around all five stadia and did so during those periods when the ambient population was elevated on match days. The results provide further support for theories of environmental criminology, suggesting that there is a higher risk of crime and incidents in the areas immediately around stadia during the hours when matches take place.

19 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a realist evaluation of an initiative called "Report It To Stop It" (RITSI) implemented in London, UK, to tackle underreporting of unwanted sexual behaviour (USB) on public transport.
Abstract: Tackling unwanted sexual behaviour (USB) on public transport is a concern for transit authorities across the world. However, high rates of underreporting mean a lack of reliable information about USB, presenting a key barrier to prevention. This paper presents a realist evaluation of an initiative called ‘Report It To Stop It’ (RITSI) implemented in London, UK, to tackle underreporting. RITSI aimed to encourage victims to report details of USB incidents to police and transit authorities through media campaigns. Results show that the initiative did increase reporting of USB and that this increase was not due to a rise in the prevalence of USB. Crucially, there was no evidence of any increase in passengers’ fear of crime during the campaign activity. However, the impacts of this campaign were more pronounced in earlier waves, and on certain modes of transport. These findings demonstrate the importance of the context in motivating reporting behaviour change.

18 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated repeat and near-repeat victimization in a large Brazilian city and found that repeat victimization occurs within a short time frame and near repeat victimisation occurs within an even shorter time frame, but the magnitude varies by crime type.
Abstract: Criminological research has consistently found that crime clusters in both space and time. A subset of this research has investigated repeat victimization (same victim re-victimized within a short period of time) and near-repeat victimization (places near the original victimization are at risk of victimization within a short period of time). Generally speaking, this research has found that repeat victimization occurs within a short time frame and near-repeat victimization occurs within a short distance and a short time frame. We contribute to this literature through an investigation of repeat and near-repeat victimization in a large Brazilian city. Studying five crime types we find strong support for repeat and near-repeat victimization, but the magnitude varies by crime type.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a content analysis of over a half-million scam emails reveals that references to trust language are most common in larger award claims and those claiming to be from Africa, however, experimental evidence suggests that trust language within scam letters has minimal influence on respondents' perceptions of the letter.
Abstract: How do scammers invoke trust within the Nigerian email scam and how do recipients interpret such trust-laden offers? Rather than view the email content as static, this article suggests that the emails strategically appeal to trust as a means to enhance susceptibility. Content analysis of over a half-million scam emails reveals that references to trust language are most common in larger award claims and those claiming to be from Africa. However, experimental evidence suggests that trust language within scam letters has minimal influence on respondents’ perceptions of the letter. This analysis expands our understanding of the psychology behind the scam letter format and suggests means to further combat email fraud.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Using verbal protocol analysis (VPA) alongside semi-structured interviews, the authors investigated the situational dynamics that inform the decision-making and target selection of residential burglars and revealed a series of cues, encapsulated in the "PAUSED" model, that are drawn upon by burglars to assess the suitability of a target; determining whether it is profitable, accessible, uninterruptible, surveillable, escapable, or dishonourable.
Abstract: Using verbal protocol analysis (VPA) alongside semi-structured interviews, this research aimed to explicate the situational dynamics that inform the decision-making and target selection of residential burglars Focusing on the VPA method, novel to criminological research, the paper considers the contribution of this empirical approach for studying the decision-making of offenders in situ The findings reveal a series of cues, encapsulated in the ‘PAUSED’ model, that are drawn upon by residential burglars to assess the suitability of a target; determining whether it is profitable, accessible, uninterruptible, surveillable, escapable and/or dishonourable The PAUSED model is unpacked to articulate a collection of visual stimuli that serve to disrupt and suspend the otherwise rapid flow of target appraisal Discussion of the strengths and limitations of the VPA method, and how it can compliment other approaches to understanding the decision-making of residential burglars, is provided

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors examined the relationship between correctional officers' perceptions of boundary violations and work stress and found that higher levels of work stress were reported by respondents who perceived that coworkers behaved inappropriately with inmates, who reported higher role strain, who feared victimization, and who reported closely following organizational rules.
Abstract: While most correctional officers are professional in their interactions with inmates, some employees cross the line and engage in boundary violations, which potentially put everyone at risk. Using questionnaires collected from 501 correctional officers employed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, this study examined the relationship between correctional officers’ perceptions of boundary violations and work stress. Ordinary Least Squares regression results indicated that higher levels of work stress were reported by respondents who perceived that coworkers behaved inappropriately with inmates, who reported higher role strain, who feared victimization, and who reported closely following organizational rules. Female officers and officers who viewed inmates as amiable rather than manageable were also found to experience high levels of work stress. The findings suggest that correctional supervisors are likely to be more effective than line staff in developing and sustaining a culture of professionalism and civility, which can lessen the stressors for those working behind prison walls.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined perceptions of students and other members of the campus community about these laws and their passage, with a focus on demographic variations in such attitudes and found that both region and gun ownership strongly predict attitudes favorable of such laws, but do so independent of one another.
Abstract: In the aftermath of the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings, policymakers have sought ways to improve safety on college and university campuses nationwide, such as proposing to permit concealed carry license holders to carry on campus. To date, nine states—with Texas being the most recent—have enacted legislation implementing this measure. A limited body of research examines perceptions of students and other members of the campus community about these laws and their passage, with a focus on demographic variations in such attitudes. The present study extends this by considering the potential variation in attitudes by location. The results indicate that both region and gun ownership strongly predict attitudes favorable of such laws, but do so independent of one another. Additional findings, as well as limitations of the study, also are discussed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored how previously clean persons are recruited to corrupt schemes and identified common recruitment techniques used by corruptors and proposed pathogen network analysis as a novel method for enhancing bribery prevention.
Abstract: This paper explores the rarely researched areas of co-offending and bribery. Based upon interviews with six persons convicted of bribery-related offences and other cases in the public domain, the paper explores how previously ‘clean’ persons are recruited to corrupt schemes. In doing so, the paper draws on Reason’s resident pathogen theory on safety and uniquely applies it to bribery. The paper also identifies common recruitment techniques used by corruptors and proposes pathogen network analysis as a novel method for enhancing bribery prevention.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper explored whether visitation significantly influences inmate misconduct within a jail population, and found that visitation did not influence minor infractions but did significantly influence inmate participation in incidences of serious misconduct.
Abstract: Although state and federal prison populations are larger than jails, the annual number of individuals moving through America’s jails far exceeds those passing through its prisons. Jail inmates arguably experience many of the same pains of imprisonment as prison inmates (see Sykes in The society of captives: a study of a maximum security prison, Princeton University Press, Princeton 1958). Inability to adjust to these deprivations can influence inmate misconduct, and visitation has been shown to reduce imprisonment pains and reduce inmate misconduct within prison populations, but no identified studies have examined the impact of visitation on misconduct within a jail. This population warrants further analysis and this research hopes to fill this gap by exploring whether visitation significantly influences inmate misconduct within a jail population. The results indicated that visitation did not influence minor infractions but did significantly influence inmate participation in incidences of serious misconduct. Implications for theory, research, and policy are further discussed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine the work undertaken by Canada's National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC) under the auspices of the Public Safety Canada and suggest that this is a rather narrow definition of crime prevention and that it may not necessarily be an optimal strategy for all crime preventions in Canada.
Abstract: This study examines the work undertaken by Canada’s National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC) under the auspices of the Public Safety Canada. NCPC operates with a social development approach to preventing crime, focussing largely on small pilot projects that work with at-risk youth. We suggest that this is a rather narrow definition of crime prevention and that it may not necessarily be an optimal strategy for all crime preventions in Canada. In particular, many international crime and safety organizations suggest the need for integrated approaches in crime prevention. In addition, there is an array of evidence-based situational crime prevention (SCP) strategies from which Canada might benefit. SCP has a history of success in designing out a wide range of crimes from credit card fraud to car theft and burglary. It is proposed that, at minimum, a more inclusive crime-prevention programme that incorporates SCP would produce a significant net benefit to the safety of Canadians.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors evaluate the effectiveness of a hot spots policing strategy using automated license plate readers at roadblocks in Buffalo, New York, and find that the limited intervention at one time may be less effective than focusing on a single location multiple times over an extended period.
Abstract: This article evaluates the effective of a hot spots policing strategy: using automated license plate readers at roadblocks in Buffalo, NY. Different roadblock locations were chosen by the Buffalo Police Department every day over a two-month period. We use propensity score matching to identify a set of control locations based on prior counts of crime and demographic factors. We find modest reductions in Part 1 violent crimes (10 over all roadblock locations and over the two months) using t tests of mean differences. We find a 20% reduction in traffic accidents using fixed effects negative binomial regression models. Both results are sensitive to the model used though, and the fixed effects models predict increases in crimes due to the intervention. We suggest that the limited intervention at one time may be less effective than focusing on a single location multiple times over an extended period.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored both house and street level in a fixed-effects model and, using tangible CPTED measures, took a wider perspective to assess vulnerability to burglary, finding that dwelling type, visibility and boundary height have significant effects, and that street type and indicators of antisocial behaviour also have strong effects.
Abstract: Environmental research on residential properties’ vulnerability to burglary usually focuses either on the houses that have been burgled or on the streets in which they are located. This research explores both house and street level in a fixed-effects model and, using tangible CPTED measures, takes a wider perspective to assess vulnerability to burglary. The results indicate that dwelling type, visibility and boundary height have significant effects, and that street type and indicators of antisocial behaviour also have strong effects. Furthermore, these street-level variables appear to strengthen some of the house-level vulnerabilities. We argue that both house and street levels should therefore be included in any assessment of the risk of burglary.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored the factors that influence whether individuals take precautions against crime, while other work has explored residents' perceptions about what effectively protects homes from burglary, using data from a mail survey.
Abstract: Some research has examined the factors that influence whether individuals take precautions against crime, while other work has explored residents’ perceptions about what effectively protects homes from burglary. However, prior studies have not assessed whether the perceived effectiveness of a protective measure affects the likelihood of its use. The present study explored that question using data from a mail survey; other independent variables included fear, perceived risk, prior victimization, and demographic factors. The analyses indicated that perceived effectiveness was the most frequently significant predictor, while other variables were generally insignificant.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors derived hypotheses from the criminological and organizational literatures to understand why places of worship vary in their security and assessed those hypotheses using data generated from a survey of places of worships located in the United States.
Abstract: Many law enforcement agencies and religious communities are trying to bolster the security measures taken by places of worship. While research has examined the effectiveness or consequences of organizational security, little research has attempted to understand variation in the adoption of security measures. This study derives hypotheses from the criminological and organizational literatures to understand why places of worship vary in their security. The study then assesses those hypotheses using data generated from a survey of places of worship located in the United States. The analysis shows that a place of worship’s perception of future victimization risk significantly increases the odds of security measures being present. Organizational variables, such as size, resources, and role specialization, however, also have significant effects on the odds of a place of worship having security measures. These findings show the importance of considering both organizational and criminological dynamics when examining security and crime in organizational populations.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors employ Routine Activities and Crime Pattern theories to explore the factors that lead to increased risk of bike theft, focusing on Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority Metrorail (Metro) property.
Abstract: This article employs Routine Activities and Crime Pattern theories to explore the factors that lead to increased risk of bike theft, focusing on Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority Metrorail (Metro) property. Utilizing the Metro bike census and other data, we use negative binomial regression analysis to model the relationship between bike thefts and various station- and neighborhood-level risk factors that can either create or close off opportunities for bike thefts. The findings indicate that bike thefts around Metro stations are positively influenced by the number of targets, as measured by the number of bikes per station, and the presence of likely offenders, as measured by the volume of auto-related larcenies. Stations that have greater guardianship, as measured by the number of nearby businesses, are less likely to experience bike theft. The implications of these findings for theory, methodological considerations, and crime prevention are discussed. We suggest that bike racks can be placed in locations with greater informal guardianship, and discuss ways our findings can inform traditional interventions such as bike locking campaigns.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate the problem of women-only parks in the Indian subcontinent and propose a solution to solve it by investigating the natu-tional nature of WOPs.
Abstract: Women-only parks (WOPs) are gender-exclusive spaces. In the Indian subcontinent, they have been a social norm for centuries, and they are widespread today. This article aims to investigate the natu ...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a survey of 637 airport police officers in Turkey found that while rewards and autonomy influence officers' job satisfaction, autonomy, task significance, and feedback clearly affect motivation.
Abstract: The subject of job satisfaction and motivation of personnel employed in law enforcement and order maintenance has received some attention from researchers in recent years. Despite the transformation experienced in the area of airport security post-9/11 terrorist attacks, our understanding about job satisfaction and motivation as it relates to airport police officers engaged in aviation security is limited. The aim of this article is to explore our understanding of police officers assigned to aviation security by examining factors that influence their motivation and job satisfaction. We employed Hackman and Oldham’s (Org Behav Hum Perform 16(2):250–279, 1976, Work redesign, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1980) job characteristics model to examine the predictors of job satisfaction and motivation in this context. Our findings from a survey of 637 airport police officers in Turkey suggest that while rewards and autonomy influence officers’ job satisfaction, autonomy, task significance, and feedback clearly affect motivation. The overall findings offer important insights and implications, both theoretically and practically, to the field of aviation security and policing, suggesting a practical framework for managers to enhance officers’ motivation and job satisfaction more generally.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Estimating the carbon footprint associated with the most widely used burglary prevention measures, door locks, window locks, burglar alarms, lighting and CCTV cameras, allows us to identify those measures that are both low-carbon and effective in preventing burglary.
Abstract: There has been limited study to date on the environmental impacts of crime prevention measures. We address this shortfall by estimating the carbon footprint associated with the most widely used burglary prevention measures: door locks, window locks, burglar alarms, lighting and CCTV cameras. We compare these footprints with a measure of their effectiveness, the security protection factor, allowing us to identify those measures that are both low-carbon and effective in preventing burglary. Window locks are found to be the most effective and low-carbon measure available individually. Combinations of window locks, door locks, external and indoor lightings are also shown to be effective and low-carbon. Burglar alarms and CCTV do not perform as strongly, with low security against burglary and higher carbon footprints. This information can be used to help inform more sustainable choices of burglary prevention within households as well as for crime prevention product design.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the feasibility of opportunity-, deprivation-and market-value-based explanations for COT patterns and found that COTs are likely perpetrated by rational motivated offenders and suggest that situational crime-prevention and market-reduction approaches show promise in proactively curtailing criminal opportunities.
Abstract: This research sought to investigate patterns and correlates of the under-researched crime of crude oil theft (COT) in the context of the Niger Delta. The aim was to examine the feasibility of opportunity-, deprivation- and market-value-based explanations for COT patterns. A total of 1039 incidents of COT recorded by the Nigerian Oil Producers’ Trade Section during 2012–2014 were analysed. The results indicate that even when controlling for clustering of the oil pipeline infrastructure, spatial clustering of COT was statistically significant indicating manipulation of vulnerable situational contexts. No significant correlation was found between COT and the local unemployment or poverty rate. Finally, there was a moderate, significant positive temporal association between the volume of crude oil stolen and the international market price. The findings provide evidence that COTs are likely perpetrated by rationally motivated offenders and suggest that situational crime-prevention and market-reduction approaches show promise in proactively curtailing criminal opportunities.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored public opinion about the public and private security sectors in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, based on data obtained from a survey and found evidence that state providers were viewed more favourably than non-state providers.
Abstract: The article explores public opinion about the public and private security sectors in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, based on data obtained from a survey. The analysis finds evidence that state providers were viewed more favourably than non-state providers. The respondents considered the police and police officers in Sao Paulo state to be more important, more trustworthy, and better prepared than private security companies and professionals. About two-thirds of the respondents also expressed a preference for police officers providing security services in large venues/events. The implications of these findings for the policing system are discussed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An analysis of legal framework and findings from online survey suggest that there are identifiable but limited elements of private intelligence and counterintelligence, with the latter primarily limited to passive protective measures, mostly performed by private detectives and private security companies.
Abstract: The article explores elements of private intelligence in the Republic of Slovenia (hereinafter Slovenia) using a combination of theoretical, legal, and practical aspects. The theoretical aspects define and explain intelligence through its fundamental elements and concepts. These fundamental elements are then further utilized in the context of legal aspects to identify the main private intelligence actors in Slovenia. Finally, the practical aspects of private intelligence were researched with an online survey among companies dealing with private detective investigations, private security, information security, and security consulting. The exact spread and impact of private intelligence and counterintelligence in Slovenia is definitively not easy to assess. However, an analysis of legal framework and findings from online survey suggest that there are identifiable but limited elements of private intelligence and counterintelligence, with the latter primarily limited to passive protective measures, mostly performed by private detectives and private security companies. Although it is likely difficult, further research of corporate use of intelligence and counterintelligence in Slovenia would be needed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors empirically tested if facility-level risk factors can account for jail escapes and examined county-level characteristics to account for the macro-level explanations, finding that the jails which had reported an escape during the study year were relatively larger, had higher populations relative to their rated capacities, and employed fewer correctional officers per inmate than their control facilities which did not report an escape.
Abstract: There is a dearth of research on the factors that make some jails more prone to escapes than others. Clarke and Eck’s (Understanding risky facilities, US Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Washington, DC, 2007) risky facilities framework posits there are seven key factors which predict a facility’s risk to crime and disorder. Using data from 88 county jails in eight contiguous states, this study empirically tests if facility-level risk factors can account for jail escapes. Additionally, this research examines county-level characteristics to account for the macro-level explanations. Jails which had reported an escape during the study year were relatively larger, had higher populations relative to their rated capacities, and employed fewer correctional officers per inmate than their control facilities which did not report an escape. This research discusses policy implications in light of these findings.