This thesis presents an investigation of sensemaking within emergency response command and control (C2) systems. Sensemaking is considered from a novel perspective – that of sensemaking as distributed cognition – which proposes that sensemaking is a technologically mediated and socially distributed cognitive activity. This qualitative study adopted a multi-method approach and used two case studies to examine sensemaking in response to ‘routine emergencies’ and multi-agency major incidents. During routine emergencies, agents within the C2 network appear to function as a distributed Community of Practice, making use of rapid, highly compact, formalised communications – mediated by formal (designed) and informal (adapted) artefacts – in order to frame the problem. In contrast, whilst multi-agency major incidents display many of the features of Exploration Networks, the responding agencies were initially found to maintain their individual Communities of Practice, with inter-agency collaboration apparently hampered by the lack of shared artefacts to represent the ‘problem space’. In addition to presenting a comprehensive description of emergency response C2, the thesis supports the assertion that – in this domain at least – sensemaking is a systems-level activity that is supported by artefacts and collaborative processes. The thesis also suggests future directions for sensemaking, distributed cognition and C2 research.

This thesis investigates the application of crime linkage to sexual assaults with an adult sample where the offender is a stranger to the victim. Chapter 1 gives an overview of crime linkage and sexual offending. Additionally, it examines the theories that crime linkage is based on, with focus on situations that may impact on the effectiveness and usefulness of crime linkage. Chapter 2 compares serial and one-off sexual offenders; finding that there is almost little difference between the behaviours during an offence. Chapter 3 tests the two basic assumptions of crime linkage; behavioural consistency and distinctiveness. Using a larger sample than most current research, and then extending the dataset to include one-off offenders, excellent levels of predictive accuracy were achieved, thus providing support for the assumptions underpinning crime linkage. Chapter 4 test if the stage during the sexual offences has an impact on the predictive accuracy of the behaviours. However, the complete sample of behaviours still performed best. Chapter 5 investigates the performance of five different similarity coefficients with crime linkage analysis. None of the coefficients significantly outperformed the current one. Chapter 6 concludes the thesis, summarises the findings, and discusses the implications on both academic and practical applications of crime linkage.

This thesis examines sex offender treatment for those from ethnic minority backgrounds. In order to explore this area, the methods used were a systematic literature review (N = 1067), empirical research (N = 84) and a psychometric critique. Chapter one provides the context to the thesis. The outcomes from the literature review are presented in Chapter two. These were that treatment was less effective for ethnic minority sex offenders on a range of outcome measures with the exception of psychometric test results. Whilst psychometric testing did not indicate poorer treatment outcomes for ethnic minority offenders, higher levels of denial were found in the ethnic minority group. The research project in Chapter three compared treatment outcomes of Asian and White sex offenders who had undergone a community treatment programme. The results indicated higher levels of Self-Deception Enhancement in Asian offenders (as measured by the Paulhus Deception Scale), however, there were no other significant differences found between the two groups. The effectiveness of the treatment overall showed mixed findings and the results are discussed in relation to the existing research. Chapter four provides a critique of Richard Beckett’s Children and Sex Questionnaire; a measure utilised in chapters two and three of this thesis. Chapter five draws the thesis together and outlines the practical and theoretical implications of the thesis and its limitations. Ideas are suggested for development of this area of study in terms of both research and practice including the use of a framework for working with sex offenders and the potential integration of the Good Lives Model principles within the Risk Need Responsivity model. It is proposed that both have the potential to improve responsivity and target those from ethnic minority backgrounds more effectively with the aim of tackling the problem of their under-representation within sex offender treatment.

This thesis aims to further psychological understanding about Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Child Maltreatment (CM) and the overlap in risk factors for both forms of family violence. In order to explore this, a systematic literature review, psychometric critique and empirical study are presented. Chapter One provides the context for this thesis while Chapter Two provides a systematic review of the current literature regarding risk profiles of perpetrators of concurrent IPV and CM. This review found that perpetrators of concurrent abuse had a higher prevalence of substance abuse, mental health difficulties, convictions for violence outside the family home, childhood victimisation and lower levels of education. Chapter Three provides a critique of the Danger Assessment Revised (Campbell, Webster & Glass, 2009), an IPV risk assessment tool used to assess the risk of Intimate Partner Homicide and IPV in Chapter Four. The empirical research project in Chapter Four investigated how effective, reliable and valid the Multi-agency Joint Screening process and the Barnardo's Multiagency Domestic Violence Risk Identification Threshold Scales (MDVRITS) are in identifying the risk and needs of children who reside in a family where an incident of IPV has been reported to the police. This study found that the Multi-agency Joint Screening process was effective, particularly in relation to the intervention and management of higher risk cases. Recommendations were made regarding the management of lower risk cases as well as more consistent adherence to the MDVRITS scale guidelines. Chapter Five draws the thesis together and outlines research and practice implications of the thesis. Recommendations are made regarding the adoption of a holistic approach to family violence that views IPV and CM as interactive and dynamic family issues rather than isolated issues.

Adolescents are especially vulnerable to mental health difficulties (Collip et al, 2008; Bhardwa, 2013; Costello et al, 2003). The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Review (DCSF & DoH, 2008) highlighted barriers to support including capacity difficulties, stigma, young people’s lacking knowledge and a lack of tailored services. Research, demonstrates weaknesses within young people’s knowledge and beliefs regarding mental health and mental health support and historically accumulated stigmatising attitudes. A paucity of research also exists on young people’s wishes for support (Dogra, 2005; Worall-Davies & Marino-Francis, 2008). The aim of this study is to use a mental health literacy framework (Jorm, 2000) to explore the knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and wishes of a community sample of young people regarding mental health and mental health support. This is to inform prevention and intervention within Hightown Local Authority and Highfields school(1). Adopting critical realism, focus groups and thematic analysis (Guest et al, 2012; Boyatzis, 1998) were used. Main findings illustrate the young people’s broad knowledge-base, largely appropriate beliefs and attitudes. Opportunities were revealed for educationally-based, preventative support which enhances detail and security of knowledge, and addresses attitudes in gender sensitive ways. At the intervention-level, preferences were indicated for tiered support, with professional support delivered externally to school. In terms of delivery of support, feeling well-supported was important, along with confidentiality, accessibility, empathy and tailored support to their needs. In carrying forward these findings, the role of the EP, alongside the school and other stakeholders, is exemplified as integral.

The thesis consists of two volumes: Volume I This volume comprises three chapters. The first chapter is a literature review exploring the impact of working with clients diagnosed with BPD on therapists. The second chapter is the empirical paper, exploring writing online, specifically relating to people who blog about their mental health. The third chapter is the public domain briefing. Volume II Five Clinical Practice Reports (CPRs) are presented in this volume. The first report focuses on ‘Psychological Models’, formulating the experiences of Rose from both a Cognitive Behavioural, and a Systemic, perspective. The second report details a small scale service evaluation assessing how four Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) meet the needs of local black and ethnic minority (BME) populations. The third report details the case study of Rita, a 78 year old client detained under section 3 of the Mental Health Act. The report focuses on the assessment, formulation, and intervention regarding physical aggression (‘behaviour that challenges others’). The fourth report outlines the case of Alexa and her son, Callum, attending a child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) for support with tics. The intervention is evaluated as a single case experimental design. The fifth report is an abstract for a verbal case study presentation. The abstract introduces Anna, a 71 year old lady referred for psychoanalytic psychotherapy for support with past trauma. *All names and identifying features have been changed to maintain confidentiality.

Offending in people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) though rare requires specialist knowledge of the risk factors involved, to adapt interventions effectively. A review of the somewhat sparse literature suggests that empathy impairments and social skills deficits are frequently cited risk factors, indicating that attachment security may be a mediating factor. Due to ‘common’ impairments in empathising abilities, offenders with ASD and Psychopathic Disorder are sometimes thought of similarly, but evidence suggests they show differing cognitive and affective empathy deficits (Blair, 2010). The Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI: Davis, 1983) was used to measure cognitive and affective empathy in this study. A secure website was designed and created to access participants and collect data over the Internet. Regression analyses were carried out to investigate how the empathy levels and attachment styles varied with psychopathic and autistic traits in a community sample of 46 male and 34 female participants, of whom 13 had a diagnosis of an ASD and 17 had committed offences. These results are discussed with regard to implications for risk and risk management in offenders with ASD.

The complexities of the developmental, cognitive, and neurobiological aspects of sexual offending pose a challenge to those working with convicted sexual offenders. This thesis aims to contribute to the evidence of the links between neurobiology and the practice of mindfulness, to established theories of early abuse and sexual offending. A systematic review of the literature explored differences between sexual offenders with child or adult victims to isolate affective or neurobiological differences. The outcome suggested that neurobiological evidence should be considered as a factor. The Affective Neuroscience Personality Scale (Davis, Panksepp & Normansell, 2003; Davis & Panksepp, 2011) and the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (Feldman, Hayes, Kumar, Greeson & Laurenceau, 2007) indicated utility within this population. Affect and mindfulness did not differ significantly between the two offending groups. Mindfulness correlated positively with measures of positive affect in offenders. Both groups differed from non-offending norms on affect scales linked to social interaction and autonomy. A lack of positive affect was more notable than increased negative affect among sexual offenders. This outcome is consistent with theories of early attachment, suggesting a deficit in positive affect may provide a link to reduced social interaction, autonomy, and subsequent sexual offending.

A good deal of attention has been paid to the question of recidivism in sex offenders, with a particular emphasis on identifying those variables which might best predict future risk. Despite growing interest in developmental variables, such as attachment and trauma, their relationship to risk in sex offenders has not yet been established. The aim of this thesis was to establish the extent to which developmental variables may contribute to a risk assessment model in sex offenders- based on fixed variables with particular reference to treatability and failure in the community. A complete urban sample of 310 convicted sex offenders (child molesters and rapists) were studied, and followed up after an average period at risk in the community of four years. It was found that key developmental variables - childhood victimisation (sexual, physical and emotional), emotional/behavioural difficulties, and insecure attachments to primary caregivers - were significantly associated with a higher risk of recidivism and treatment non-compliance. An enhanced prediction model is proposed, which postulates that the presence of a combination of two or three of these key developmental variables - considered in conjunction with a static risk prediction level - is the key to determining risk of community failure.

This thesis, based on empirical evidence and documentary analysis, critically evaluates the systems under the regulatory oversight of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), the Office of the Ombudsman, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in respect of the handling of police complaints. Comparisons will be drawn from the system under the control of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) in England and Wales in order to provide alternative perspectives to the Thai police complaints system. This thesis proposes a civilian control model of a police complaints system as a key reform measure to instill public confidence in the handling of complaints in Thailand. Additional measures ranging from sufficient power and resources, complainants’ involvement, securing transparency and maintaining police faith in the system are also recommended to enhance the proposed system.