News

Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 444

Elizabeth Rowe, Tabor Akman, Russell G Smith and Adam M Tomison
ISSN 1836-2206
Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, December 2013

A new report by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) that uses recent corruption cases to analyse how organised crime may target vulnerable public officials has been released.

The government and law enforcement must always be alert to the risk and potential impact of criminals developing new methods to circumvent the police.

As the Government tightens laws, and law enforcement aims to prevent organised crime, criminal organisations will adjust their tactics in order to continue their activities without detection. For example they may use information from social networking sites to target public officials and their families which may lead to corrupt contact.

This report uses crime-script analysis to examine the ways they may target and corrupt public servants  

http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/tandi/441-460/tandi444.html

by Walter L. Perry, Brian McInnis, Carter C. Price, Susan Smith, John S. Hollywood

Predictive policing is the use of analytical techniques to identify promising targets for police intervention with the goal of preventing crime, solving past crimes, and identifying potential offenders and victims. These techniques can help departments address crime problems more effectively and efficiently. They are being used by law enforcement agencies across the United States and elsewhere, and these experiences offer valuable lessons for other police departments as they consider the available tools to collect data, develop crime-related forecasts, and take action in their communities. This guide is one in a series of resources sponsored by the National Institute of Justice to help police departments develop strategies to more effectively prevent crime or conduct investigations. It provides assessments of some of the most promising technical tools for making predictions and tactical approaches for acting on them, drawing on prior research, information from vendors and developers, case studies of predictive policing in practice, and lessons from the use of similar techniques in military operations. It also dispels some myths about predictive methods and explores some pitfalls to avoid in using these tools. Predictive policing is a topic of much enthusiasm and much concern, particularly with regard to civil liberties and privacy rights. As this guide shows, these tools are not a substitute for integrated approaches to policing, nor are they a crystal ball; the most effective predictive policing approaches are elements of larger proactive strategies that build strong relationships between police departments and their communities to solve crime problems.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR233.html

WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data :

Preventing violence: evaluating outcomes of parenting programmes.

1.Violence – prevention and control. 2.Parenting. 3.Child abuse. 4.Program evaluation – methods.

5.Family relations. I.World Health Organization. II.UNICEF. III.University of Cape Town.

ISBN 978 92 4 150595 6 (NLM classification: HV 6625)

This document was designed to help strengthen

the evidence for parenting programmes aimed

at preventing violence in low- and middle-income

countries. The intended audiences are:

• policy-makers;

• programme developers, planners and commissioners;

• high-level practitioners in government ministries,

such as health and social development;

• nongovernmental organisations;

• community-based organisations; and

• donors working in the area of violence prevention.

After going through this document, you should:

• understand the need for solid evidence of a

programme’s effectiveness;

• know about the current literature on parenting

programmes aimed at preventing violence;

and

• understand the process of carrying out outcome

evaluations of parenting programmes

aimed at preventing violence.

This document has a related appendix on the World

Health Organization’s web site at www.who.int/

violence_injury_prevention/publications/violence/

parenting_evaluations/. The appendix contains a

variety of evaluation resources, including links

to useful publications and web sites, and names

of evaluators who are experts in parenting programmes.

available on Public Safety Canada’s website

This tool is designed to guide public sector and civil society stakeholders to assess the nature and scope of human trafficking and related sexual/forced labour exploitation, and to develop an action plan that is responsive to their problems and local context. It exposes the factors that make particular groups in Canada far more vulnerable and explicitly considers gender and other intersecting factors. This tool sets out relevant international laws and standards related to trafficking and crime prevention, and provides examples of the range of prevention and intervention action that should be considered from local regulations and public awareness raising campaigns to targeted awareness-raising and interventions with at-risk populations.

http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/lcl-sfty-dtgd/index-eng.aspx

"This brief outlines opportunities for states and localities to improve public health and safety outcomes and reduce spending on corrections and health care services by maximizing the appropriate use of Medicaid coverage for people involved with the criminal justice system. 

People in prisons and jails often have complex and costly health care needs, and states and local governments currently pay almost the entirety of these individuals’ health care costs. In addition, as many as 70 to 90 percent of the some 10 million people released from prison or jail each year are uninsured. The majority of these individuals have little or no access to health care services and experience gaps in continuity of care, which are associated with poor health outcomes and increased recidivism, particularly among those with mental illnesses and substance use disorders."

Submitted by Andy Travis on 27th November 2013 - 9:34  

"We often cover stories on the huge growth in alcohol and tobacco promotion to young people via social media such as Twitter. Twitter has now responded to criticism by asking users to verify their age before following alcohol brands. This process takes followers to two different pages for verification of age above their national legal drinking age. However, there is nothing to prevent anyone entering a false age. As traditional areas of advertising are regulated or naturally decline in usefulness, social media provide amazingly profitable and often unregulated means of promotion, particularly to a young, digitally hyper-active, generation. A recent Australian study found that Heineken not only had nearly 59,000 followers, but that material was frequently re-tweeted to a much larger and younger audience, a process further accelerated by use of hash tags and association with cool social events such as rock concerts or sport."

http://preventionhub.org/prevention-update/can-twitter-control-under-age-alcohol-brand-followers

"The ninth consecutive Stockholm Criminology Symposium will be held June 9-11, 2014. Following the research interest of the prize winners, the main theme will be Punishment and Crime. The Design, Implementation and Effects of Criminal Sanctions. As usual, there is also a general theme on Contemporary Criminology. This theme covers a broad range of areas of criminology and crime policy and provides an updated overview of the current state of knowledge. Find complete call for papers and guidelines on how to submit an abstract on our website. Last day to submit papers is February 28."

http://www.criminologysymposium.com/symposium/participants/call-for-papers-2014.html

Center for Court Innovation

By Melissa Labriola, Emily Gold and Julia Kohn

The results from a survey of over 600 national criminal justice leaders provides a snapshot of the current state of innovation in criminal justice. It seeks to answer such questions as: Is innovation a priority? Are criminal justice leaders aware of emerging research? Do they use research to inform policymaking? What obstacles stand in the way of innovation? 

http://www.courtinnovation.org/research/innovation-criminal-justice-system

Corruption is a complex social, political and economic phenomenon that affects all countries. Corruption undermines democratic institutions, slows economic development and contributes to governmental instability. Corruption attacks the foundation of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, perverting the rule of law and creating bureaucratic quagmires whose only reason for existing is the soliciting of bribes. Economic development is stunted because foreign direct investment is discouraged and small businesses within the country often find it impossible to overcome the "start-up costs" required because of corruption.

On 31 October 2003, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption and requested that the Secretary-General designate the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as secretariat for the Convention’s Conference of States Parties (resolution 58/4).

The Assembly also designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it. The Convention entered into force in December 2005. 

http://www.un.org/en/events/anticorruptionday/

January 15-17, 2014

Vienna International Center (C-Building) 

The 2014 ACUNS Vienna Annual Conference will take a closer look at the evolution of UN policies over the past decades. Before an audience of experts, academics, and students, the Vienna-based UN agencies will present the changes of their policies and priorities in response to new understandings of issues they deal with, as well as the external environment. The aim is to shed light not only on the evolution of policies, but also to examine how new directions are decided upon and to evaluate how effectively existing challenges are being met. The Conference is hosted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and will be organized in cooperation with IAEA, CTBTO, UNCITRAL, UNHCR, UNIDO and UNIS. On the third day of the conference the closing session of the 2nd academic year of the Regional Academy on the UN (RAUN) will take place.

http://acuns.org/vienna2014/

Doctorate in Cultural and Global Criminology (DCGC), a European Union Erasmus Mundus funded doctoral training programme run collaboratively between the University of Kent, the University of Hamburg, Utrecht University and ELTE (Budapest).

Recognised by the EU Education Audiovisual Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) as a programme of 'outstanding quality', the DCGC provides the opportunity to undertake excellent research, structured training and international mobility.

They invite applications from all over the world for both Erasmus Mundus Fellowships and externally-funded places. For further information about this exciting opportunity read the brochure here or visit the website http://www.dcgc.eu/.

JUSTICE IN THE EU; REPORT

Fieldwork: September – October 2013

Publication: November 2013

Conducted by TNS Political & Social at the request of the European Commission, Directorate-General for Justice (DG JUST)

Survey co-ordinated by the European Commission,

Directorate-General for Communication

(DG COMM “Strategy, Corporate Communication Actions and Eurobarometer” Unit)

http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_385_en.pdf

"On 11 December 2013 this year’s European Crime Prevention Award (ECPA) was awarded in Vilnius, Lithuania during the Best Practice Conference (BPC). It was again a great success since 18 countries participated with their best national crime prevention projects, focusing on the theme ‘Prevention in domestic violence’. The winner received a check of 10 000 euro, while two other projects were also awarded with an honourable mention and a check of 5 000 euro each.

A large proportion of those who report domestic violence to the police either do not want to, or are afraid or don’t have the strength to participate in the police investigation, which makes the work of the police and the prosecutor more difficult. This leads to a large proportion of such police investigations being discontinued without prosecutions due to a lack of evidence.

The Relationship Violence Centre (RVC) was initiated in order to 1) provide support to the victims of domestic violence at the critical time subsequent to the registering of the police report so that they have the will and the strength required to participate in the police investigation 2) to facilitate the collaboration between the police, prosecutors and the social services in cases of domestic violence and 3) to ensure that more reported cases of domestic violence also result in prosecutions. The RVC is comprised of two trained social workers who, within 48 hours of a police report on domestic violence, contact the victim and provide support in the form of five counselling sessions. The RVC shares the premises of the police and works in close collaboration with the police, prosecutors and the social services. In the critical phase following the incident being reported, the RVC serves as a link between the agencies involved and provides contacts to protective accommodation, the subsequent police investigation, possible healthcare needs etc. The support provided by the RVC is intended to motivate the victim to participate in the police investigation and ensure that the victim receives the information she/he needs about the legal process."

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation recently released Guidelines for the Successful Transition of People with Behavioral Health Disorders from Jail and Prison. Developed in collaboration with the Council of State Governments Justice Center and with support from SAMHSA and the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the guidelines promote the criminal justice partnerships that are necessary to develop successful approaches for identifying individuals in need of services, determining what services those individuals need, and addressing these needs during transition from incarceration to community-based treatment and supervision. Written for criminal justice and behavioral health administrators and practitioners, the guidelines incorporate the principles outlined in Adults with Behavioral Health Needs under Correctional Supervision: A Shared Framework for Reducing Recidivism and Promoting Recovery; A Best Practice Approach to Community Reentry from Jail for Inmates with Co-occurring Disorders: The APIC Model; and evidence-based practices and programs (many of which can be found in the What Works in Reentry Clearinghouse).

  

National Reentry Resource Center

These facts sheets from SAMHSA’s GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation include recently updated briefs on evidence-based practices (EBPs). In the field of behavioral health, EBPs are interventions that have been rigorously tested, have yielded consistent, replicable results, and have proven safe, beneficial, and effective for most people diagnosed with mental illness and substance use disorders. Several years ago, SAMHSA’s GAINS Center convened expert panel meetings to assess the empirical evidence on the applicability of several key EBPs for people involved with the criminal justice system. The lead expert for each of these panels created summary EBP briefs subsequent to these meetings. Recognizing the ever-changing nature of the field and the rapid pace of research developments, the GAINS Center reached out to the same experts to update the following briefs 

Deadline January 17, 2014.

The ACUNS Dissertation Award recognizes emerging students of extraordinary potential who have reached the stage of writing an advanced graduate-level dissertation on a topic of direct and demonstrable relevance to the United Nations and/or the UN system. An important component of the Award for its winner is the recognition of excellence that this entails throughout ACUNS’ global community of scholars and practitioners. The Award also includes a monetary component in the amount of $1,500.00 US. Read More