169 research outputs found
Recommended from our members
Invertebrate Justice ::Extending The Boundaries of Non-Speciesist Green Criminology /
No full textInvertebrates are the neglected majority of the animal world. Even though they make up over 95% of animal life, they rarely feature in discussions of speciesism, animal ethics or species justice. This book aims to extend the work of non-speciesist criminologists to argue for the idea of 'invertebrate justice'. Utilizing green criminologist Rob White's (2013) eco-justice perspective, the book demonstrates how our interactions with invertebrate species (insects, crustaceans, molluscs and so forth) cause a significant amount of harm to those animals themselves (species justice), the ecosystems in which they are embedded (ecological justice), and ultimately to humans (environmental justice). Across three sections, it provides an overview of the ways in which humans and invertebrates interact across a diverse range of contexts and reviews the literature on both invertebrate biodiversity and invertebrate sentience; builds a theoretical framework that can help us understand what invertebrate justice might mean; and tackles the difficult question of how best we can promote invertebrate justice in the future. It appeals to academics, environmental scientists, activists and policymakers. Russil Durrant is Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the Institute of Criminology, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand/Aotearoa. His research interests range over a number of different subject areas including green criminology, species justice, the global food system, criminal and forensic psychology, and evolutionary behavioural science. He is the author or co-author of four previous books
Religion, Crime and Punishment
No full textThis book provides a critical discussion of the way in which religion influences: criminal and antisocial behaviour, punishment and the law, intergroup conflict and peace-making, and the rehabilitation of offenders. The authors argue that in order to understand how religion is related to each of these domains it is essential to recognise the evolutionary origins of religion as well as how genetic and cultural evolutionary processes have shaped its essential characteristics. Durrant and Poppelwell posit that the capacity of religion to bind individuals into socially cohesive 'moral communities' can help us to understand its complex relationship with cooperation, crime, punishment, inter-group conflict and forgiveness. An original and innovative study, this book will be of special interest to criminologists and other social scientists interested in the role of religion in crime, punishment, intergroup conflict and law.
Dehumanisation and attitudes toward the punishment and rehabilitation of child sex offenders: A New Zealand study
No full textChild sex offenders are a group often regarded as dangerous and high risk, leading to increased support for offender registration policies which monitor the whereabouts of offenders after release. These policies have the intended aim of increasing public safety, however a wide body of research supports the idea that negative attitudes towards offenders underlie the creation of these policies more than empirical evidence of their success. Dehumanisation is a psychological process that deprives others of characteristics unique to both human beings and human nature, which has been established to predict increased support for punishment and decreased support for rehabilitation for child sex offenders. The current study aimed to examine the role of dehumanisation in support for punishment and rehabilitation of child sex offenders throughout two studies: first via the undertaking of an online survey using a sample of 228 university students and members of the public, second throughout three focus groups containing a total of 22 university students and members of the public. Dehumanising attitudes in relation to preference between the RNR and GLM models, two key frameworks for child sex offender rehabilitation, were also examined for the first time in the current study. Findings indicated that: 1) both moral outrage and dehumanisation predicted support for harsher forms of punishment and withdrawn support for rehabilitation, 2) victim age did not impact dehumanisation scores, 3) type of offense impacted both dehumanisation and support for post-release monitoring and 4) dehumanisation did not predict RNR over GLM preference. Limitations of the current study and implications for policy and practice, future research regarding uniquely human characteristics, victim age and RNR/GLM preference are discussed
The Role of Dehumanisation on Attitudes Towards the Punishment and Rehabilitation of Offenders
No full textRecidivist offenders are often regarded by the public as extremely dangerous and unrepentant, leading to the endorsement of policies that encourage their incapacitation and harsh punishment (e.g., “Three strikes and you are out”). Research has suggested that public attitudes towards offenders, punishment and rehabilitation not only influence sentencing policy, but also the legal outcomes of offenders. Therefore understanding the psychological mechanisms underpinning public attitudes towards repeat offenders is paramount.
The current thesis explored one possible explanation, the dehumanisation of offenders. Dehumanisation describes the process where people perceive a person, or group of persons, as lacking the fundamental characteristics of humanness. Little research has investigated dehumanisation in a forensic context, however emerging research has found that dehumanisation predicts harsher punishments and reduced support for rehabilitation. The current thesis sought not only to build on this research, but also to provide a unique extension from decades of research pertaining to dehumanisation. It achieved this by investigating whether providing people with information about an offender’s criminal history influenced how they perceived that offender’s human-status. It also investigated the role of dehumanisation on attitudes towards the punishment and rehabilitation of offenders. Across two studies, 609 student and non-student participants voluntarily completed an online survey. Findings indicated: 1) People did not differentially dehumanise sexual and violent offenders, 2) Emerging evidence that people appeal to the criminal history of individuals when they make judgements about their human-status, 3) Dehumanisation was associated with the endorsement of harsher punishments, but was not related to rehabilitation, 4) Dehumanisation mediated the relationship between moral outrage and punishment and 5) Dehumanisation mediated the relationship between perceived crime seriousness and punishment. Limitations of the current thesis, practical implications and future research is discussed
Moral Foundations Theory and Attitudes Towards the Punishment and Criminalisation of Drug Offenders
No full textResearch on punitive attitudes has generally found some level of consensus on the relative seriousness of different offence types. However, how to approach the issue of drug offending is often a heavily debated issue, with some portions of society supporting harsh punishments for drug offenders, and others arguing for no sanctions at all. The current study, using both a student and general population sample, aimed to identify the underlying moral reasons behind these attitudes. Participants completed the Moral Foundations Questionnaire, a scale measuring the factors that influence a person’s moral judgment, as well as numerous other scales that measured their punishment responses towards a variety of drug, harm, and ‘taboo’ sexual offences and practices. The endorsement of binding moral foundations, those relating to group-based moral concerns, was found to be a predictor of increased overall levels of punitiveness, while the endorsement of the foundation of purity was found to predict punitive attitudes towards drug offences and ‘taboo’ sexual practices, but not harm offences. Additionally, there were significant links between participants’ levels of moral outrage, their preference for punishment, and their support for the criminalisation of the various offences. The results of this study suggest that punishment responses towards both drug offences and ‘taboo’ sexual practices rely on a similar moral reasoning process, one that relies on perceptions of impurity to inform the wrongfulness of an offence
Perceptions of procedural justice and police legitimacy: A life history perspective
No full textPrior research on attitudes towards the police has largely focused on the relationship between demographic factors and perceptions of the police. These studies have produced inconclusive results, and there is no general consensus why and how demographic factors account for individual differences in attitudes towards the police. Life history theory, a “middle-level” evolutionary theory, is one that has largely been neglected in mainstream criminology, but has been used in the current research to explain individual differences in attitudes towards the police. Two studies, both using an online survey, were conducted to explore the extent to which life history strategy explained individual attitudes towards procedural justice, police legitimacy and police socialization after controlling for demographic factors, previous police interaction and prior arrest. Study one, a university sample of 305 participants and study two, a general population sample of 75 Wellington residents both found support for the application of life history theory being used to explain individual differences in attitudes towards the police. Overall, the current research showed that those with a slower life history strategy were more likely hold more positive perceptions of police legitimacy, procedural justice and police socialization regardless of demographic factors, previous police interaction, and prior arrest
Tracing Motivations: A Comparative Analysis of Lone-Actor Terrorism and Rampage Shootings in North America and Europe Between 2010-2018
No full textLone-actor terrorism and rampage shooting events attract a substantial amount of interest and concern from scholars, the public, and the media. Empirical research on lone-actor terrorism from a criminological perspective to date is limited, and it is crucial to investigate what is known about these incidents to further our understanding of these relatively rare but extremely high-impact events. The current research aims to investigate key differences between lone-actor terrorists and rampage shooters on a wide range of characteristics, and seeks to explore whether there are similar underlying mechanisms for these events. Little is known about the comparative nature of these events worldwide, and the present study addresses this gap in knowledge by offering the first quantitative analysis of lone-actor terrorism and rampage shooting incidents in North America and Europe within the recent time period of 2010-2018. An open-source data collection strategy was employed and searches of online databases and additional materials were undertaken to gather information on incidents, which resulted in a comprehensive sample of 155 perpetrators who were responsible for 134 incidents. To compare characteristics between groups, a series of bivariate and multivariate tests were conducted through SPSS, which allowed for conclusions to be drawn based upon statistical analysis of the data. The current study found significant differences between groups on a wide range of variables. Results revealed that the majority of lone-actor terrorism incidents occurred across Europe, whereas rampage shootings were more likely to occur within North America. Rampage shootings were more likely to involve the use of firearms compared to lone-actor terrorism incidents, whereas lone-actor terrorism incidents were more likely to involve the use of explosives and vehicles. Additionally, lone-actor terrorists were more likely to commit an attack as a result of political and/or religious motivations, whereas rampage shooters were more likely to be motivated by emotional triggers, relationship and/or domestic issues, and personal grievances. These findings offer insights into the underlying mechanisms of these events and the various behaviours and experiences of lone-actor terrorists and rampage shooters. Future research into these areas could lead to important prevention implications, and could be used to monitor and reduce lone-actor terrorism and rampage shooting events
Developing a Typology of Child Sexual Exploitation Material Offending in New Zealand
No full textExisting typologies of child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) offending are significantly limited as many have not been empirically developed or tested for their validity or reliability. Furthermore, their practical utility is limited, as many typologies classify individuals based only on the type of CSEM offending they engage in or are limited to a small number of variables. The current research addresses these issues by developing an exploratory typology of individuals who have engaged in CSEM offending using a data set of 557 individuals in New Zealand, who have been identified by the Department of Internal Affairs. A latent class analysis was conducted using their offence characteristics to identify distinct subgroups within the sample. Follow-up tests were conducted to evaluate how these groups differed on various individual characteristics to develop a more detailed understanding of the individuals within each group. Results found four distinct subgroups of individuals who varied according to their level of engagement with the material, technical capability, type of CSEM offending, and the type of material they searched for. Post-hoc tests also revealed significant differences in access to children, previous sexual offending, and previous CSEM offending between groups. Implications for practice and future research are discussed
THE ROLE OF EVOLUTIONARY EXPLANATIONS IN CRIMINOLOGY Corresponding Author
No full textABSTRACT Criminology is widely accepted to be an interdisciplinary subject. However, evolutionary approaches are conspicuous by their absence in mainstream criminological contexts. Although the reasons for this theoretical lacuna are no doubt varied, we argue that the time is apposite for a measured consideration of the role of evolutionary explanations in criminology. By drawing on the idea of vertical integration and through recognition of how different theories are typically pitched at different levels of analysis we describe how evolutionary approaches might be integrated with mainstream criminological theories. The integration of evolutionary approaches with strain, control, and developmental approaches are given specific consideration. We illustrate how this integrated perspective can inform our understanding of one substantive area in criminology, the nature of punishment. We conclude that the growing literature in evolutionary forensic psychology and recent developments in the application of evolutionary theory to human behavior provide a valuable opportunity for criminologists to broaden their theoretical horizons and more fully consider how evolutionary approaches may contribute to their discipline
Sentencing consistency in the New Zealand District Courts
No full textThis thesis examines the consistency of sentencing between the circuits of the New Zealand District Courts. Four predictions based on a sequence or chain of theories incorporating the concept of bounded rationality from decision making theory, the influence of formal and substantive rationalities on sentencing decisions, court community theory, and personal construct psychology were tested. The circuit in which sentencing took place was expected to affect the likelihood of incarceration and to affect the length of incarceration. If these predictions were met, it was further predicted that the weight applied to some or all of the sentencing factors would vary between circuits. It is understood to be the first study controlling for a wide range of sentencing factors examining the consistency of sentencing between locations in New Zealand and one of the first from anywhere outside of the United States.
The four predictions were tested using sentencing data from the two years 2008-2009 for three high volume offences (aggravated drink driving, male assaults female and burglary). Sentencing was treated as a two part decision process, with the selection of a sentence type followed by the determination of the sentence amount. Each prediction was separately modelled for each offence. Different types of model were chosen as being more suitable for the specific predictions: logistic regression for the likelihood of incarceration; linear regression for the length of incarceration; multi-level generalised linear regression with random co-efficients to determine if the weight applied to specific factors varied by circuit in the determination of whether or not to incarcerate; and multi-level linear regression with random co-efficients to determine if the weight applied to specific factors varied by circuit in the determination of sentence length.
The logistic regression and linear regression models demonstrated that there were statistically significant and substantively significant differences between circuits in the likelihood and length of incarceration. The extent of inconsistency varied by offence type with the most marked differences occurring for aggravated drink driving and burglary. Offence seriousness and criminal history factors were found to be the principal influences on both sentence decisions for all three offences. The multi-level models for aggravated drink driving and burglary revealed a core of seriousness and criminal history factors whose influence varied across the circuits. The models for male assaults female were less informative, highlighting the likelihood that these models were limited by the omission of key sentencing variables and the narrow scope of this particular assault type within the wider spectrum of assaults.
The findings should not be interpreted as if they are a critique of the sentence imposed in any individual case or of the sentencing by any judge or in any circuit. It is a critique of sentencing guidance in New Zealand and its ability to achieve a fundamental tenet of justice: the similar treatment of similar offenders being sentenced in similar circumstances.
In addition to testing the predictions the multi-level models were extended to address whether the observed variation in sentencing was associated with variations in circuit context. Due to the limited number of circuits (17) and multi-collinearity between the contextual variables, bivariate analyses had to be employed. The modelling revealed a consistent difference between provincial and metropolitan circuits; the two categories of circuit were distinguished from one another by many of the other more specific variables that had a significant association with sentencing approaches. The provincial circuits were more likely to incarcerate and to impose longer sentences. However, the small number of circuits and multi-collinearity between the variables precluded more detailed analysis to identify which of the contextual variables distinguishing metropolitan and provincial circuits had the greatest influence.
These findings have significant implications for the judiciary and for sentencing policy makers. Urgent attention should be given to addressing opportunities to increase the availability of sentencing guidance to reduce the degree of inconsistency. More detailed offence based sentencing guidance is required; in the current context there are two options that could be used. The Court of Appeal could issue a broader range of guideline judgments or the legislation for the Sentencing Council and the process for developing and promulgating guidelines could be implemented. For logistical and public policy reasons the Sentencing Council approach is preferred. There is a risk that failure to address the levels of inconsistency will result in the sentencing system falling into disrepute
- …
