This thesis provides an exploration into the extent to which different types of care environment are criminogenic. It investigates: kinship; foster; and residential care, from the perspectives of care leavers, members of the Leaving Care Team [LCT] and carers. The research looks at experiences: before; during; and after care, with quantitative risk assessment and semi structured interviews. The overall aim of this thesis is to evaluate the extent to which different types of care environments have the propensity to be criminogenic and highlight what can be changed to improve life chances of looked after children, free from offending. In order to do so, the following research questions were central: are care environments criminogenic?; to what extent does the Risk and Protective Factors Paradigm [RPFP] successfully measure this?;to what extent does attachment to significant others help answer this question?; and what, if anything, can be done to reduce criminogenic risk in care?The main findings within the risk assessments showed residential placements to be the most criminogenic, with the highest increase of risk ‘during care’ and reduction after care. Foster placements had constant risk levels, showing concerns with the ability of foster care to reduce risk. With kinship placements being seen as the least criminogenic. All participant groups, showed Living arrangements, Emotional/Mental Health and Family/Personal Relationships to be the biggest influence to offending. The central findings from the semi structured interviews were as follows: attachment underpins the experience of risk; Clear differences within institutional versus family settings, with long term foster care offering same outcomes as kinship; having ‘no one to let down’ was the most cited reason for offending. The recommendations were as follows: Recommendations for research: urgent prospective longitudinal studies focused on attachment in care and its consequences on risk and offending. Recommendations for practitioners: focus on attachment; listen to the cared-for and carers more closely and consistently. Recommendations for policy makers: invest in and plan for high quality care for all placements; transform residential care, moving away from authoritarian parenting practices; have a 'care-revolution' in terms of attachment-focussed training, monitoring and practice; mainstream family preservation/early intervention programmes (alternatives to care) and massively recruit foster- and kin-carers.

No description available.

The prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) for youth in residential facilities is greater than youth in the general population and those in other justice settings. Despite recent advancements in the literature on ACEs and treatment for justice-involved youth, an expansion of this inquiry continues to be warranted. The Risk, Needs, and Responsivity framework has not conceptualized the influence of trauma across youth sex and race/ethnicity in rehabilitation efforts. Therefore, the current study has two primary objectives: (1) to explore the presence of ACEs in the lives of youth in residential facilities, and (2) examine the association between ACEs and changes in a youth’s dynamic needs during residential placement. The current study utilized a sample of justice-involved youth in residential facilities in Florida who were administered the Residential Assessment for Youth (RAY) between May of 2019 and June of 2023. Descriptive analyses revealed that the majority of the youth in the sample had been exposed to some form of trauma, and that parental incarceration and parental separation/divorce were the two most common ACEs. Overall, White youth had a greater number of ACEs in comparison to Hispanic and Black youth. However, females across all racial/ethnic groups displayed greater ACE exposures compared to males. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression was used to assess for changes in dynamic needs based on ACEs. Analyses were also conducted separately for each sex, race/ethnicity, and sex/race/ethnicity subgroup (i.e., Black girls, Hispanic boys) to assess for possible differences. In general, ACEs were not associated with changes in dynamic needs across the majority of the models. Still, some variation across sex and race/ethnicity did occur and ACEs played a role some domains (e.g., Family, Skills for Dealing with Difficult Situations, Techniques for Controlling Aggression). Explanations for findings as well as policy implications and theoretical implications are discussed.

This study employed convergent parallel mixed methods design to examine the transformative effect of education programmes as perceived by ex-offenders within the South African Department of Correctional Services (DCS). The DCS delivers education programmes to incarcerated people in compliance with Section 29 (1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. The theoretical framework which underpins this study is the Good Lives Model (GLM) of offender rehabilitation.This research was influenced by John Dewey’s Pragmatic Paradigm. Inquiry was conducted in two Regions; Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal. A convergent parallel mixed methods approach was adopted throughout this study. In-depth interviews and questionnaires were utilized as data collection instruments in the research field. Pilot testing of a questionnaire form was conducted to five (5) exoffenders with demographic characteristics similar to the research sample. A total of fifty-two (52) ex-offenders who attended education programmes in the DCS; forty (40) questionnaires and twelve (12) in-depth interviews) were involved in this study. Both data types; quantitative and qualitative were collected concurrently or parallel and given equal status during data collection (Molina-Azorin & Cameron, 2010, Small, 2011, Creswell, 2013, Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007). Analysis of questionnaires and in-depth interviews data were performed independently. Data integration was performed at design, methods, results and discussion levels (Fetters & Freshwater, 2015, Ivankova, 2015). The main research findings demonstrate that education programmes promote offender transformation, reduce recidivism rate, improve quality of life, improve literacy levels and a criminal record is a barrier to ex-offenders’ employment in communities. Based on the research findings, this study concludes that education programmes enhance offender transformation, reduce recidivism rate, improve quality of life, improve literacy levels and ex-offenders struggle to secure employment opportunities in communities due to a criminal record. This study recommends further research on the transformative effect of education programmes in other Regions, the DCS should prioritize implementation of technical, vocational and entrepreneurial education programmes and a policy which facilitates ex-offenders’ employment to reduce recidivism rate should be developed. Finally, this study proposes a Student Transformation Model for guiding implementation of education programmes within the South African Department of Correctional Services. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Humanities Education / PhD / Unrestricted

No description available.

Negalima teigti, kad nužudymą padarę asmenys ir jų nusikaltimas nesulauktų tyrėjų dėmesio. Atvirkščiai, tiek Lietuvoje, tiek pasaulyje šia problema užsiiminėjo daugelis labiausiai žinomų kriminologų, buvo atliekami platūs tyrimai, buvo parašyta daug darbų, taip pat ir padariusių didelį poveikį visai kriminologijos mokslo raidai. Mūsų tyrimas pirmą kartą vykdė sisteminę nužudymo veiksnių, apibūdintų pagrindinėse kriminologinėse teorijose ir išaiškintų vykdant tyrimus kitose šalyse, tyrimą Lietuvoje. Disertacijoje pirmą kartą atlikta sisteminė nužudymų teorijų ir tyrimo rezultatų apžvalga ir sisteminimas, ištirtas jų pasireiškimas Lietuvos sąlygomis. Disertacijos indėlis į bendrąjį kriminologijos mokslo vystymąsi siejamas su asmenų, padariusių nužudymus, raidos retrospektyvos tyrimu bei jų asmenybės raidos ir ypatumais įvairiais vystymosi etapais išaiškinimu. Disertaciniame darbe išnagrinėta žudikų gyvenimo retrospektyva, įvertintas jų gyvenimo kelias, išskiriami esminiai jų gyvenimo kelio faktoriai, turintys įtakos galimam nužudymų padarymui, retrospektyvinio tyrimo metu gautų duomenų pagrindu sukurta asmenų, padariusiųjų nužudymus (žudikų), tipologija. Tipologijos pagrindu gali būti kuriamos smurtinio nusikalstamo elgesio prevencijos programos. Tyrimo rezultatai gali būti panaudoti tolesniems šios srities tyrimams kitų nusikaltėlių atžvilgiu, taip pat organizuojant asmenų, padariusių nužudymus ir nuteistų, resocializaciją. / One could not state that persons who committed murders and their crimes have been left aside without any regard of investigators. On the contrary, both in Lithuania and in the world this problem has been analyzed by a number of well-known criminologists, wide studies have been performed, many works written, including those with a great impact on the development of the criminology. Within this research, murder factors described in the major criminological theories and cleared in studies of other countries are systematically analyzed in Lithuania for the first time. The systematic review of murder theories and research results was performed in the dissertation for the first time; also their exhibition under Lithuanian conditions was examined. The contribution of the dissertation into the general development of the criminology is referable to a murderer, the analysis of the development retrospective and the exposition of their personal development and peculiarities in different stages of the development. The dissertation analyzes the life retrospective of murderers, also assesses their lives, and distinguishes key factors of their lives leading to a likely murder. The murderer typology was created on the grounds of the data of the retrospective study. This typology may be employed in creating the prevention programme of violent criminal behaviour. The study results can be used in further researches of this field in respect of other criminals, also in the resocialization of... [to full text]

No description available.

Denna studie syftar till att undersöka sambandet mellan kriminalitet, viktimisering och exponering för kriminogena situationer. Självrapporterad data samlades in vid tre tillfällen från 525 Malmöungdomar, varav 320 uppfyllde studiens inkluderingskriterier. Resultaten visar att mycket tid spenderad oövervakad, mycket tid ägnad åt ostrukturerade aktiviteter, mycket tid i sällskap med vänner samt alkoholkonsumtion samvarierar med brottslighet och viktimisering i varierande utsträckning. Sambanden varierar dock i förhållande till de båda utfallsvariablerna och deltagarnas ålder. Livsstils-rutinaktivitetsteorin kan förklara resultaten men behöver i framtiden ta större hänsyn till ålder. Studiens två slutsatser är att (1) brottslighet och viktimisering bör betraktas som två olika men klart relaterade företeelser i förhållande till exponering för kriminogena situationer och att (2) ålder måste tas i beaktande i forskning om exponering för kriminogena situationer eftersom sambanden mellan exponering och de båda utfallsvariablerna varierar från tidiga till sena tonår. / This study aims to examine offending and victimization in relation to situational criminogenic exposure. Self-reported data was collected at three occasions from a sample of 525 adolescents in Malmö, of which 320 fulfilled the study’s inclusion criteria. The results show that spending a lot of time unsupervised, pursuing unstructured activities, spending a lot of time with peers, and alcohol use, are associated with offending and victimization to various extent. However, the associations vary according to outcome and in relation to the participants’ age. Lifestyle-Routine Activities Theory may explain the findings, but needs to consider age as an important factor in the future. The two conclusions from this study are that (1) offending and victimization should be treated as two different, yet related concepts in relation to situational criminogenic exposure, and that (2) it is important to add an age dimension to the study of situational criminogenic exposure because the associations between the exposure variables and the outcome variables vary from early to late adolescence.

The aim of this study was to test whether criminogenic needs change over the course of a cognitive-behavioural sexual offender-specific treatment programme (ROS) within a group of adult, incarcerated or on probation, male sexual offenders in Sweden. To measure criminogenic needs 25 offenders completed Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale (LCB), 26 Hypersexuality Behavior Inventory-19 (HBI-19) and 25 respectively 27 completed Relationship Scale Questionnare (RSQ), 2-factor. Therapists rated 46 sexual offenders using The Therapist Rating Scale-2 (TRS-2). The results demonstrated that participants showed non-significant increased internal locus of control, significant decreased hypersexual thoughts and behaviours (small to medium effect size), but no change regarding attachment styles, post-treatment. Results from The Therapist Rating Scale-2 showed that therapists rated significant decrease in all criminogenic needs post-treatment with medium to large effect size. Conclusions are that ROS appears to be effective, inducing change in criminogenic needs. ROS’s specific elements targeting sexual self-regulation seems to be successful resulting in significant reduction of hypersexual thoughts and behaviours, especially for participants with severe problems. Implications of results are discussed and theoretically analyzed from a perspective of cognitive theory, learning theory, attachment theory and affect theory. / Studiens syfte var att undersöka förändring i kriminogena behovsområden hos en grupp sexualbrottsdömda män som under sin verkställighet på anstalt eller inom frivård medverkat i Kriminalvårdens KBT-baserade behandlingsprogram ROS. För att mäta förändringen fyllde 25 deltagare i Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale (LCB), 26 stycken Hypersexuality Behavior Inventory-19 (HBI-19) och 25 respektive 27 stycken Relationship Scale Questionnaire (RSQ), 2-faktormodellen, före och efter behandling. Behandlarna bedömde förändring hos 46 deltagare enligt The Therapist Rating Scale-2 (TRS-2). Resultaten från deltagarnas självskattningsformulär visade att deltagarna efter behandling fick en icke-signifikant ökning av intern kontrollokus. Tankar och beteenden kopplade till hypersexualitet minskade signifikant med liten till medelstor effekt. Det gick inte påvisa förändring vad gäller relationsstilar. Resultaten av TRS-2 visade att behandlarna bedömde att det hade skett en signifikant förändring i positiv riktning med medel till stor effekt vad gäller samtliga kriminogena behovsområden. Slutsatsen är att ROS verkar vara effektivt genom att åstadkomma förändring inom kriminogena behovsområden. De specifika element i ROS som adresserar sexuell självreglering tycks vara lyckosamma då tankar och beteenden kopplade till hypersexualitet reducerats signifikant, särskilt för deltagare med svårast problem. Implikationer av resultaten diskuteras och analyseras teoretiskt utifrån kognitiv teori, inlärningsteori, anknytningsteori och affektteori.

The prison system releases over 590,000 inmates annually, adding to the current 5 million ex-offenders on supervised release. The purpose of this study was to explore the problem of increasing recidivism by identifying ex-offenders' dynamic risk and criminogenic need factors using the Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R), coupled with or without mental health services during reentry in relation to recidivism. This quantitative, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study included data collected from a sample of 128 male recidivist and nonrecidivist federal ex-offenders currently on supervised release, who were recruited during probation office meetings within the South Texas region. Regression analysis yielded statistical significance for all 3 of the study's research questions (RQ). RQ1 was to determine whether a difference existed between the LSI-R scores of recidivist and nonrecidivist ex-offenders. RQ2 was to determine if there was a difference in the LSI-R scores of ex-offenders who have or have not attended mental health counseling during reentry. RQ3 was to determine whether there was a relationship between ex-offenders who have undergone counseling or not during reentry and recidivism. The analysis revealed a correlation between ex-offender's risk factors, counseling received, and recidivism. A recommendation from this study is to increase research and specialized training in forensic counseling in the counseling field, currently not required by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Furthermore, the findings of this study could contribute to positive social change for the prison officials, reentry agencies, and forensic mental health professionals in identifying higher-risk factors to help combat recidivism.