摘要:

Purpose. To investigate whether and to what extent the thematic structure of crime scene actions in arsons identified in Canter and Fritzon (1998) is replicated for juvenile firesetters and to explore whether any associations between the crime scene action themes and offender characteristics would be evident.Methods. The crime scene actions and offender characteristics of 61 male and 5 female juvenile firesetters (aged 6‐17 years) were examined. The data were drawn from a larger database originally collected and content analysed in Fritzon (1998). In total, 43 dichotomous crime scene actions, 17 offender background characteristics and offender criminal record variables had been coded. Smallest space analysis was employed to examine the configuration of crime scene action and offender characteristic variables. The associations between the crime scene actions and offender characteristics, as well as the criminal record variables, were analysed using the correlation.Results. Distinct structural themes for crime scene actions were found in juvenile firesetting, similar to those identified in Canter and Fritzon (1998). Contrary to Canter and Fritzon, only two groups of background characteristics were identified, depressed and delinquent, the latter being more common and related to an instrumental form of firesetting. The expressive form of firesetting was associated with offenders' psychopathology and female gender. The presence of a crime scene action theme was associated with the offender's age.Conclusions. The structural themes of firesetting behaviour appear to transpire early. The background characteristics of juvenile firesetters indicate that juvenile firesetting is often associated with antisocial behaviour and psychopathology, deserving, therefore, disparate prevention, intervention and investigation programme

ISSN:1355-3259    

DOI:10.1348/135532503762871200

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2003

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Purpose. The first set of aims of the present study concerned event recall and examined; (1) whether the cognitive interview (CI) would enhance event recall when used with children, (2) which category(ies) of event recall might be affected, and (3) where in the interview any CI effect emanates from. The second set of aims concerned suggestibility issues and set out to determine whether (1) the CI increased the resistance of children to suggestive questions, and (2) whether scripts had a role in susceptibility to suggestion.Methods. Eighty‐four 8‐10‐year‐old children were shown a video recording of a magic show. A day later they were interviewed individually using either the CI or a structured interview. A pre‐set list of suggestive questions was also given to the children either before or after being interviewed.Results. Those children interviewed using the CI recalled significantly more correct details pertaining to persons and actions, with no increase in the reporting of erroneous information. These effects were found to emanate from the questioning phase of the CI. In addition, those children interviewed with the CI were more resistant to subsequently asked suggestive questions, especially misleading script‐consistent questions.Conclusions. The CI has been found to be a reliable interviewing technique which not only enhances recall but helps to inoculate children against the effects of misleadin

ISSN:1355-3259    

DOI:10.1348/135532503762871219

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2003

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Purpose. This study examined the usefulness of contextual cues in enhancing the accuracy of children's narrative accounts of an occurrence of a repeated event.Method. Children aged 6 to 7 years took part in the same staged event four times whereby 16 target details varied in each occurrence (e.g. the colour of a cloak varied each time). Three days later, the children's free recall of the final occurrence was elicited. This occurrence was identified in one of two ways. Either it was identified via the temporal term ‘last’, or else the term ‘last’ was combined with a feature related to the environmental context or setting that was unique to the occurrence (i.e., the interviewer referred to a new object that was worn throughout the occurrence or a new person who carried out the event). For each condition, performance was compared to that of children who experienced the event only once.Results. Children's memory of details specific to the target occurrence was better after the single than the repeated event. However for both event types, children who were given the contextual and temporal cue performed better than those who were given the temporal cue only. The benefit of using a contextual cue did not result in an increase in errors.Conclusion. Contextual cues (generated by an interviewer) can facilitate children's recall of an occurrence of an event. However, further research needs to determine whether this finding would generalize to a more practical situation where the child (rather than the interviewer) generates t

ISSN:1355-3259    

DOI:10.1348/135532503762871228

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2003

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Purpose. Sensational interests (e.g. an interest in the occult or the methods of violence) in mentally disordered offenders are claimed to signify greater risk of psychopathology, but evidence to support this view is slight.Methods. The relationships between self‐reported DSM‐IV personality disorder (PD), general personality traits and sensational interests were examined in 155 of 167 consecutively referred offenders to a forensic psychology service. The subscales of the PD and personality trait measures were reduced to the four basic PD/trait dimensions (asocial, antisocial, anxious and anankastic) using confirmatory factor analysis.Results. Those high on the ‘antisocial’ factor (which was primarily defined by low Agreeableness, low Conscientiousness, and substantial elements of Paranoid, Antisocial and Borderline PD) were more interested in ‘violent‐occult’ and militaristic topics.Conclusions. The aspects of the antisocial factor primarily associated with an interest in sensational and potentially violent topics cover a wide range of putative disorders. However, the factors reflecting asocial, anxious or anankastic disorders do not show a reliable association with measures of sensational interests. These results suggest that the personality dimensions reflecting an interest in ‘sensational’ topics in mentally disordered offenders are re

ISSN:1355-3259    

DOI:10.1348/135532503762871237

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2003

数据来源: WILEY

ISSN:1355-3259    

DOI:10.1348/135532503762871246

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2003

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Purpose. This study assessed the short‐term impact of offending behaviour programmes in relation to certain key features of programme delivery identified by an accreditation system. The aim was to further inform the debate on ‘What Works’ in practice by establishing whether well‐delivered programmes are more effective.Method. The sample consisted of 5,255 offenders serving custodial sentences in prisons across England and Wales who completed one of two accredited cognitive skills programmes during the financial year 2001/2002. The relationship between a battery of assessment measures, tutor experience, drop‐out rates, audit observations and the quality of programme delivery was explored.Results. A positive short‐term impact was observed on the majority of assessment measures across both programmes. Patterns of change were broadly similar across gender, age, and ethnic groupings. This short‐term impact of the programmes was significantly greater for a group of high‐need prisoners and at those sites where tutors were delivering more frequently. Tutor delivery rates were also found to be related to drop‐out rates and the quality of programme delivery. Attempts to establish a relationship between ratings of tutor performance from video‐monitoring and the short‐term impact of the course were unsuccessful. However, at the programme site level, positive correlations were observed between the quality of delivery and other measures of the site's performance.Conclusion. This study shows that programmes do have a short‐term impact and that this is greater for higher‐need prisoners and at sites where tutors were delivering more frequently. Furthermore, the accreditation system has highlighted key aspects of programme delivery which do appear to influence the short‐term effe

ISSN:1355-3259    

DOI:10.1348/135532503762871255

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2003

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Purpose. Previous research has suggested that cognitive skills programmes completed by offenders may be more effective in reducing reconviction with nonacquisitive than acquisitive offenders. This study investigates whether a similar pattern is present with offenders who have completed accredited cognitive skills programmes in prisons in England and Wales.Method. Questionnaires measuring the cognitive deficits targeted by the programmes were administered to 8,303 offenders participating in cognitive skills programmes while in custody. A checklist on the individuals' behaviour was also completed for each participant. The questionnaires and the behaviour checklist were completed before, after, and at 8 weeks after the end of the course. Participants were assigned to one of three groups dependent upon the number of convictions they had received for acquisitive offences; non‐acquisitive, medium acquisitive and high acquisitive.Results. Offenders in the high acquisitive group showed greater need in the cognitive deficits at the pre‐course stage than the other two groups, for both the self‐completion questionnaires and the behaviour checklist. A comparison of preand post‐course scores on the questionnaires and the behaviour checklist showed positive effect sizes for all three groups. Some of the variables showed a greater change from pre‐ to post‐course in the groups that had been convicted of more acquisitive offences.Conclusion. Cognitive skills programmes appear to be as effective with offenders convicted of acquisitive crime as non‐acquisitive crime, although highly acquisitive offenders may benefit from an additional intervention. Further studies are needed to investigate whether this same result is upheld when the outcome measure is

ISSN:1355-3259    

DOI:10.1348/135532503762871264

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2003

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Purpose. The effectiveness of prison‐based cognitive‐behavioural treatment programmes was evaluated using reconviction as the outcome measure.Method. Reconviction rates were compared between two groups of adult male offenders who were serving a custodial sentence of 2 years or more in Her Majesty's Prison Service, England and Wales. The treatment group (N=667) consisted of offenders who had voluntarily participated in one of two treatment programmes that targeted 'cognitive deficits' related to offending behaviour. The comparison group (N =1,801) was made up of offenders who had not participated in the treatment programme but were “matched” to the treatment group on a number of empirically relevant variables.Results. Treatment produced a robust reduction in the probability of reconviction (p<.001) when other relevant variables were controlled for. For treated offenders, the percentage point reduction in reconviction was 14% in medium‐lowrisk offenders and 11% in medium‐high‐risk offenders.Conclusion. These outcome results demonstrate that the principles of effective practice in the field of offender rehabilitation, which were identified through meta‐analytical research predominately in North America, can be applied to a UK offender population to

ISSN:1355-3259    

DOI:10.1348/135532503762871273

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2003

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Purpose. This paper describes an integrated model for the evaluation of offending behaviour programmes in order to assess their real impact.Arguments. To date there has been an over‐reliance on reconviction data as the sole measure of treatment efficacy. Reconviction has a fundamental role to play but cannot be considered in isolation from other empirically related treatment and re‐settlement factors. A rigorous reconviction study requires an adequate comparison group but few papers describe with transparency how this has been achieved. There is also the assumption that participation in treatment renders an individual offender as treated. A treated profile is contingent upon the treatment climate, the quality of programme delivery and how the individual responds to treatment. The influence of life‐style or dynamic risk factors must also be acknowledged in terms of their effect on reconviction.Conclusions. It is recommended that researchers use an integrated approach to the evaluation of accredited offending behaviour programmes. In order to establish a broad balance of treatment outcomes, a shift away from reconviction rates is needed. This paper presents an integrated model for the evaluation of offending behaviour progr

ISSN:1355-3259    

DOI:10.1348/135532503762871282

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2003

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Book reviewed in this article:The treatment and rehabilitation of offenders By Iain CrowHandbook of offender assessment and treatment By Clive R. HollinPunishment and purpose: From moral theory to punishment in action By Jan W. de KeijserCrime and criminology: An introduction By Rob White and Fiona HainesMental illness and violence: The importance of a neighborhood context By Eric Silver

ISSN:1355-3259    

DOI:10.1348/135532503762871291

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:2003

数据来源: WILEY