International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology最新文献

This study explored emotional patterns in relation to the Offence Paralleling Behavior and the schema mode frameworks. The study retrospectively assesses schema modes in the events prior and during criminal and institutional violent behavior. It draws upon observer-ratings of schema modes by 42 male patients who received mandated clinical care in a forensic hospital in the Netherlands. Wilcoxon Signed Ranked tests showed no differences between events prior crimes and incidents with regard to schema modes that relate to universal childhood needs with the exception of impulsive child mode. States of intoxication were more prevalent prior and during the crimes than during the incidents. Furthermore, modes tended to be less activated during incidents, particularly low self-control, conning and manipulating, and self-aggrandizer modes. It is hoped that criminal justice institutions and their staff would benefit from being more aware of schema mode in order to prevent and deal with incidental violence.

Deviant puberty timing has been shown preceding antisocial behavior in adolescence. Within this association, the aim of the present study was to consider the co-occurrence and potential interaction of callous-unemotional (CU) traits, sensation seeking, and parental hostility. In a community based high-risk cohort of adolescents (N = 522; mean age = 14.6; SD = 0.73) puberty timing, level of callous-unemotional traits, sensation seeking, and parental hostility were tested in a cross-sectional design for each sex separately with self-reported delinquent, rule-breaking behavior, and aggressive behavior as outcomes. Additionally, moderation analyses were performed on the associations found. Sex-specific effects were found for different types of puberty timing measurement. This study adds to the knowledge of separate and mutual effects of puberty timing and callous-unemotional traits. Pubertal timing is a relevant aspect of mental health functioning, and its assessment may contribute to identifying youngsters at risk of developing antisocial behavior problems.

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) among adolescents is a prime public health concern worldwide. Research found that IPV victimization and peers' IPV perpetration could increase the likelihood of IPV perpetration. In contrast, healthy partner attachment, forgiveness, shame management, and family harmony could serve as protective factors for IPV. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the risk and protective factors of IPV perpetration among adolescents in Hong Kong. The present study recruited 1,815 full-time secondary school students in Hong Kong aged 11 to 19 years. Healthy partner attachment, forgiveness, shame management, and family harmony were negatively correlated with IPV perpetration. IPV victimization and peers' IPV perpetration were positively correlated with IPV perpetration. Specifically, peers' IPV perpetration partially mediated the effect of IPV victimization on IPV perpetration. Thus, the effectiveness of intervention programs targeting IPV could be enhanced by resolving the traumatic experience of IPV victimization and promoting positive peer networks and support.

Commonly referred to as the "hidden victims" of incarceration, children with a parent who is intermittently or repeatedly incarcerated face various challenges that exacerbate behavioral and psychological development. Using a baseline adaptation of the Multi-site Family Study on Incarceration, Parenting and Partnering (MFS-IP), we sought to clarify how peer influence and neighborhood quality can predict the extent of an incarcerated father's attachment to the focal child and partner. Results showed a negative association between negative peer influence and poor neighborhood quality. Conversely, incarcerated fathers' relationship with their biological mother and fathers produced a significant positive association. These findings propose that risk and protective factors can directly influence attachment levels with the focal child, as suggested by Social Control Theory. This article provides a basis for a more comprehensive understanding of clinical support that can be offered to children and families who bear the systemic societal mechanisms of incarceration.

The mechanism(s) through which child contact can lead to more positive mental health and romantic relationship outcomes among incarcerated fathers are not sufficiently studied. The present study tests whether the associations between frequency of child contact and later psychological distress and conflict in romantic relationships are mediated by perceived social support. Self-reported longitudinal data from a sample of incarcerated men who participated in a fatherhood education program (n = 2,096) were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Variables were assessed pre- and post-program participation. As hypothesized, more frequent child contact was associated with greater perceived social support, which predicted reduced psychological distress and reduced partner conflict. There were significant indirect effects of child contact on psychological distress and partner conflict via perceived social support. The findings may inform policies aiming to help incarcerated fathers to better manage psychological distress and conflictual relationships, preparing them for a more successful return to society.

Expanding on the largely omitted concept "frustrated desistance," the paper approaches desistance as an ambiguous, non-linear and contradictory experience. Qualitative interviews conducted with case managers and participants of a voluntary Swedish desistance and gang defector program were analyzed to add nuance to desistance derailment in an offender rehabilitative setting. While ostensibly a "hook for change," the program struggled to provide appropriate assistance. Rather than facilitating desistance, various contrarian (and occasionally contradictory) institutional practices were found to undermine such efforts, subverting the very notion of a hook. When torn between conflicting motivations, treatment engagement is disincentivized rather than encouraged, creating dissonance and turmoil. Placed against these contradictions and weighed down by the many burdens of liminality, the agent may "loosen" or "slip off" the hook. Illegal debts accrued from involvement in drug trade ("street debts") and interrelated security concerns constitute two hitherto unrecognized frustrations that complicate desistance efforts. The findings underscore how desistance is always situated in the context of other concerns and demands, with practical implications for offender rehabilitation.

Juvenile delinquency is a concerning issue in society as it can have negative impacts on individuals, families, and the broader community. Understanding the correlates of such behavior is crucial for developing effective strategies to reduce its prevalence. One theoretical framework that may aid in understanding youth deviance is Agnew's General Theory of Crime, which emphasizes the central life domains of individuals and their influence on deviance. This research offers a partial test of Agnew's theory to explain deviance among a sample of 1,300 juveniles from Albania. The findings indicate that key theoretical constructs related to Agnew's life domains (self, family, peers, school, and community) effectively predict delinquency. Specific findings, theoretical implications, study limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.

For women in prison, having safe and supportive relationships is the greatest predictor of staying safely out of custodial systems, post-release. We describe the development and delivery of 'Strengthening Connections': an in-prison family therapy service in Victoria, Australia that supported women to strengthen their relationships with family and allies to reduce recidivism risk. We piloted a stepped-care model comprising three levels of service delivery to support women's relational health: 1) group-level sessions, 2) single-session family therapy, and 3) systemic family therapy approaches involving women along with their family or allies. We developed a trauma-informed, culturally safe approach to practice, and evidence-enriched resources for use in service delivery. During the three-year service pilot, we continuously improved on the service based on clinical consultations and process evaluation findings. This article describes the development, refinement and delivery of the service with reflections on potential for broader application.

Latin America remains one of the most violent regions in the world, with El Salvador reporting among the highest homicide rates globally. Much of the existing research emphasizes structural inequality, civil conflict, and transnational gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) as contributors to this violence. Yet little attention has been paid to whether demographic shifts, particularly youth bulges, also contribute to lethal violence. This study examines whether the age distribution of El Salvador's population helps explain homicide trends between 1995 and 2018. Drawing on the criminological concept of the age-crime curve, we assess the relationship between the proportion of youth aged 15-19 and annual homicide rates, while also accounting for inequality and the implementation of militarized policing strategies under Mano Dura. Data were compiled from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations World Population Prospects, and the World Bank. Analyses include descriptive statistics, contour plots, and regression models using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) with Newey-West heteroskedasticity and autocorrelation-consistent (HAC) standard errors. Findings indicate that demographic structure matters: increases in the youth population are positively associated with homicide. However, militarized policing also contributes to heightened violence, suggesting that punitive policies may exacerbate rather than mitigate homicide. Policy implications are discussed, with the findings contributing to broader debates about youth, security policy, and the limits of Mano Dura or militarized policing tactics as a sustainable response to crime in El Salvador and abroad.

This phenomenological study explores how individuals in long-term recovery from substance use disorders (SUD) cope with problematic music (PM). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 people in sustained recovery after attending treatment centers. Thematic analysis identified three distinct groups. The alternative group received no guidance on music consumption, experiencing three phases: recognizing and avoiding PM's, adopting alternative music genres, and currently remaining susceptible to PM while exclusively listening to alternative genres. The ambivalent group were told regarding PM's dangers and went through two phases: informed regarding the danger and avoiding PM, followed by developing ambivalence toward PM. The tolerant group participated in group music therapy, undergoing four phases: recognizing PM's danger, avoiding PM and adopting alternative genres, developing tolerance by forming new associations with PM, and maintaining this tolerance during recovery. The study highlights the importance of music therapy in addressing musical triggers and supporting sustained recovery in individuals with SUD.