<p> This study analyzes the psychosocial aspects of narcoterrorism reflected by two of the most notorious drug lords in recent Columbian and Mexican history: Pablo Escobar and Joaquin &ldquo;El Chapo&rdquo; Guzman. It questions whether the psychological factors which influenced and shaped their criminal identities are, in fact, based entirely on psychoanalytic theory (narcissism, borderline personality, etc.) or if they are also products of cultural ideology. This research examines the social and political concept of &ldquo;narcoculture&rdquo; as the main premise to view the context in which criminal psychopathy may be fostered and developed. As part of a historical analysis of the narcoculture phenomenon, Escobar and &ldquo;El Chapo" will be analyzed, diagnosed and compared in order to clarify the psychological and cultural parallels that reflect a distinct psychological profile. By referencing psychological, social, political, and cultural studies, the aim of this project is to reveal specific psychological characteristics as correlates of extreme and violent criminal behavior.</p><p>

<p> Professionals have a tendency to employ treatment-based approaches or palliative care with little regard for removing the causes of conditions using preventive interventions or behavior-change programming efforts. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between the parenting style received in childhood and the potential for criminal behavior as an adult in order to aid in preventative interventions to help at-risk youth. The research design of the current study was based on the secondary analysis of data from the NLSY97 data set. One MANOVA was conducted to assess the impacts of parenting style and race on deviant, delinquent, and criminal involvement. A second MANOVA was conducted to assess the impact of parenting style on deviant, delinquent, and criminal behavior over time. When examined separately, total number of arrests and delinquency scores were highest for children of parents with neglecting or authoritarian parenting styles. Total number of arrests and total number of incarcerations were higher for Black respondents than for Hispanic or White respondents, while White respondents had significantly higher mean delinquency scores than Black respondents. A measure of criminal and delinquent behavior was summed across three timeframes; results showed no significant impact of parenting style on any of the three timeframes or on the combined dependent variables. Parenting style is one of the many factors of juvenile delinquency, and it is hoped that this study will inform all individuals interacting with children of the importance of implementing early intervention, awareness, and respect across multi-disciplinarians.</p><p>

<p>This counseling project examines the issue of recidivism and the need to realign the current system of retribution in favor of rehabilitative services in the United States prison system. Theoretically, this project reviews attachment theory as developed by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth and ties the central constructs inherent to attachment theory to equine-assisted prison-based programs. Support and evidence of animal-assisted interventions as agents of healing and psychological growth is found in connection between theory and practice in the case study involving the selected hypothetical inmate, Robert. Robert explores his traumatic past using attachment theory based personal therapy sessions in conjunction with working with the horses through the prison-based animal program. Dialogue exchanges in therapy elucidated how Robert&rsquo;s attachment to the horses and with his therapist developed. The resulting progression and insight building abilities he acquires may serve as preventative measures with respect to re-offense after release. </p>

<p>In forensic psychology, adolescents who display psychopathic traits could be distinguished from other peers by the early onset of their violent criminal behaviors and repetitiveness of unlawful actions. These adolescents tend to demonstrate expressions of psychopathic traits such as manipulative tendencies, deceitfulness, lack of empathy and remorse, impulsiveness, and irresponsibility in relations with others. Examining early expressions of psychopathy may help clinicians better understand how psychopathy manifests and develops, and perhaps identify the developmental period when the traits are least stable and potentially more responsive to treatment. It is still unclear if psychopathic traits in adolescent females can be measured by the same factor structures present in current measurement tools, and whether or not psychopathic behaviors seen in adolescent males are the same in adolescent females. Interpersonal and affective deficits within psychopathy also overlap with several forms of relationally aggressive behaviors seen in adolescent females; therefore, relationally aggressive behaviors could contribute to or correlate with psychopathy. This study examined the relationship between relational aggression and psychopathic traits amongst a sample of incarcerated adolescent females. An exploratory factor analysis was executed to determine the reliability and validity of the Youth Psychopathic Inventory (YPI) and Diverse Adolescent Relational Aggression Scale (DARAS) with an incarcerated adolescent female population. Correlational analyses were completed to demonstrate a positive relationship between relational aggression and psychopathic traits. Finally, a factorial MANOVA was performed to demonstrate no distinguishable significant differences with age and race/ethnicity in regard to relational aggression and psychopathic traits within this population. </p>

<p> Female youth are a growing population in the juvenile justice system; however, research on female justice-involved youth is lacking relative to male counterparts. As research suggests this population has experienced higher rates of trauma, the purpose of this study was threefold: first, to describe the extent of complex trauma exposure and sequelae, second, to evaluate the utility of the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument&ndash;Version 2 (MAYSI-2) Trauma Experiences (TE) scale related to complex trauma, and third, to analyze the relationship between complex trauma and comorbid diagnoses of incarcerated adolescent females, using a developmental trauma framework. The present study used archival data from the records of 229 adolescent females, ages 13 to 20, who were remanded to a maximum security juvenile justice facility in Illinois. Scores from the MAYSI-2 TE scale were collected as well as Clinical Needs Assessments that provided demographic information and data regarding trauma exposure and sequelae. A developmental trauma rubric was specifically designed for this study based on the DSM-5 proposed developmental trauma disorder (DTD) diagnosis. Trauma-related data was mapped onto the rubric for the purpose of identifying youth with complex trauma reactions and comparing this data with MAYSI-2 TE scale scores. Exploratory analyses laid a foundation for understanding complex trauma exposure and sequalae among incarcerated female adolescents. As expected, over three fourths of participants were exposed to repeated interpersonal traumas with youth experiencing an average of five different types of trauma exposure. Contrary to the first hypothesis, the MAYSI-2 TE scale was significantly correlated with complex trauma exposure. The second hypothesis was supported, which was contrary to the literature on the subject, and indicated that the MAYSI-2 TE scale scores decrease upon re-assessment after re-admission to the facility. Finally, the third hypothesis revealed nearly universal comorbid diagnoses among the sample (97.4%) and a relationship was found between the proposed developmental trauma disorder diagnosis and diagnoses of personality, bipolar and related, neurodevelopmental, and trauma and stressor related disorders. These results suggest that screening for trauma should be a high priority in juvenile justice settings and that while the MAYSI-2 TE scale score is related to complex trauma exposure, added screening is warranted to identify trauma-related symptoms. Additionally, alternative screening strategies may be useful for those returning to the facility as these youth&rsquo;s TE scale scores were found to be lower than those initially incarcerated as well as lower than their previous scores. Finally, the field would benefit from the adoption of a complex trauma diagnosis to prevent inadequate and inaccurate diagnoses being given when the etiology of symptoms is trauma-based.</p>

<p> Historically, juveniles have been viewed by society as less mature and less blameworthy than adults (Scott &amp; Grisso, 1997). Since its inception, the juvenile justice system has taken on a parenting role for juveniles and has attempted to rehabilitate juvenile offenders instead of punishing them. However, during the 1980s and 1990s, as a result of a perceived increase in violent juvenile offending, American society began to treat juveniles as adults based on the severity of their crimes (Grisso, 1997). The current study examined whether evidence regarding a juvenile&rsquo;s competence to stand trial and crime committed have an effect on potential jurors&rsquo; verdicts of guilty or not guilty. This study also examined the participants&rsquo; perceptions of a juvenile&rsquo;s level of responsibility based on evidence regarding competency and crime outcome. Participants consisted of members of the general public who were jury-eligible. Participants received one of four randomly assigned vignettes varying only by competency to stand trial (not mentioned, incompetent and restored, or competent) and outcome of crime (death or serious injury). After reading a given vignette, participants were asked whether they would find the juvenile guilty or not guilty. They were also asked to rate the juvenile&rsquo;s level of responsibility on a scale of 1 (<i>not at all responsible</i>) to 5 (<i>very responsible</i>). This study found that a juvenile&rsquo;s competence to stand trial and the results of the crime committed (injury versus death) have no effect on potential jurors&rsquo; verdicts of guilty or not guilty. The results did suggest that the participants&rsquo; perceptions of a juvenile&rsquo;s level of responsibility based on evidence impacts a verdict of guilty versus not guilty. Further, a competent juvenile who was found guilty of an offense resulting in death was found highly responsible for the act. In contrast, a juvenile who was not competent and was found not guilty of an offense resulting in death was perceived to be less responsible.</p>

<p> Homicides linked to serial killers comprise a small percentage of the total number of murders committed in the United States, as well as overseas; however, there has always been an immense interest in these type of killings due to the mysterious nature of their perpetrators and their motives for killing. This small percentage could be due to the decreased incidence of the mental illnesses usually associated with serial killers (i.e., Antisocial Personality Disorder and Psychopathy), and advances in police investigative methods such as DNA matching that have resulted in a higher rate of solved murders, and consequently fewer serial killers still at large. Many theories have been proposed to try to explain why serial killers murder their victims. The most popular of these theories is the organized and disorganized dichotomy of serial killers&rsquo; methods. By using this theory and linking it with both Alfred Adler&rsquo;s (1928) theory of birth order and Michael Kirton&rsquo;s (1976) adaptor and innovator theory the relationship between a serial killer&rsquo;s birth order and the types of victims he chooses can be explored. </p>

<p> Utah public defenders (<i>n</i> = 96) completed a survey tool that provided data on their sources and extent of occupational stress. The data also indicated any differences in job-stressors scores, perceived stress scores, and occupational burnout scores when comparing public defenders by their demographic factors. Having too many cases is the most stressful of 35 job stressors and is moderately more stressful for female public defenders than for male public defenders, <i>t</i>(94) = &ndash;2.98, <i> p</i> = .004, <i>d</i> = .67. The most stressful of six job-stressor categories is structural/systemic, followed closely by prosecutors. </p><p> The PSS-10 indicated that a total of 74% of the Utah public defenders perceive themselves as having moderate or high perceived stress. In addition, female public defenders perceive themselves as experiencing more stress than do the male public defenders, <i>t</i>(94) = &ndash;3.53, <i> p</i> = .001, <i>d</i> = .80. ANOVA and Games-Howell post hoc indicated that public defenders aged 60 years or older experience minimally less perceived stress than do public defenders ages 30&ndash;39 and 50&ndash;59 years old, <i>F</i>(4,18.64) = 4.748, <i>p</i> = .008, &eta;²<i>_p</i> = .104. The MBI-HSS indicated that Utah public defenders are experiencing moderate (inching towards higher) levels of occupational burnout. ANOVA and Tukey post hoc indicated that public defenders age 60 years or older experience minimally less emotional exhaustion than are public defenders ages 30&ndash;39 and 50&ndash;59 years old, <i> F</i>(4, 91) = 2.833, <i>p</i> = .029, &eta;²<i>_p</i> = .111.</p><p>

<p> Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) are conditions characterized by frontal lobe deficits. Past research has shown increased violent and aggressive behavior in both conditions; however, few studies have examined the mechanisms driving this relationship, particularly in non-athlete or non-veteran populations. The current study examined the neurodegenerative effects of repeated mTBI over time on cognitive flexibility and stability deficits in a homeless population. Additionally, we investigated the mediating effects of these deficits on the impact of both repeated lifetime mTBI and presence of an SSD on violent crime. Consistent with expectations, the number of lifetime mTBIs positively predicted violence levels across multiple measures of violent crime, however cognitive flexibility and stability deficits did not mediate this relationship. Furthermore, comorbidity of mTBI and SSD increased the frequency of violent crimes greater than either condition alone. Implications for risk assessment, intervention strategies and violence reduction are discussed.</p><p>

<p> In criminological research, scholars present learning and social control theories as competing explanations for criminal behavior. While this has extended to specific offenses and analogous behaviors, it has less frequently been related to ideologically-motivated extremist behavior. This study considers the explanatory power of these two schools of criminological thought as they predict individual participation in violent ideologically motivated extremist behaviors using a recently collected individual-level dataset. A combination of Multivariate Imputation through Chained Equations (MICE), Exploratory Factor Analysis, and logistic regression is used to examine the relationship between theoretical measures and the probability of violent extremist behavior. Ultimately, this thesis finds: (1) having stronger social bonds is associated with a lower probability of violent ideologically motivated behavior, (2) the social learning of violence is associated with a higher probability of violent ideologically motivated behavior, and (3) these relationships depend somewhat upon the ideological milieu of the individual.</p><p>