No description available.

The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on September 11, 2009). Thesis advisor: Dr. Charles M. Borduin, Includes bibliographical references.

Gun violence and violent injury are major concerns in our society today, especially in urban settings. Research has demonstrated that there are specific risk factors for violent gun injury among men, but literature in this area has historically disregarded women. Previous research on men found that participation in criminal activities significantly increases risk of violent injury, but it is unknown whether criminal behaviour increases the risk of violent victimization in women. This study aims to determine whether criminal arrests differ significantly between violently injured women and women in the general population. To pursue this aim, rates of gun, drug, property, violent, and prostitution crime arrests were compared between women treated for violent injuries at a Level I Trauma Centre and women in the community at large. Chi-square analyses found that violently injured women are significantly more likely to have criminal arrests than women in the comparison population, indicating that criminal behaviour may be an important risk factor for violent injury in women. Supplementary analyses found that violent crimes contribute uniquely to the risk of violent injury in comparison to other crimes. Implications for female victims of violence are discussed. / 1 / Samia Lalani

No description available.

This study provides an initial analysis of how effective commonly used risk assessment and psychological tests are in postdicting the severity of the index offense and the individual’s most severe offense in a forensic inpatient sample. The study involved a chart review of risk assessment measures, cognitive and personality tests, and criminological data for 65 patients at St. Joseph’s Hamilton Mountain Centre for Mental Health Care. The results found a significant correlation between the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (Wechsler, 1997) and index offense severity. Moreover, an aggression typology (Nussbaum, Saint-Cyr, & Bell, 1997) showed promising signs in differentiating severity by offender type. The study also suggests that further research is necessary in this area, given the limited relationship found between risk instruments and severity of violence, though the risk assessment measures did show good concurrent validity.

This study provides an initial analysis of how effective commonly used risk assessment and psychological tests are in postdicting the severity of the index offense and the individual’s most severe offense in a forensic inpatient sample. The study involved a chart review of risk assessment measures, cognitive and personality tests, and criminological data for 65 patients at St. Joseph’s Hamilton Mountain Centre for Mental Health Care. The results found a significant correlation between the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (Wechsler, 1997) and index offense severity. Moreover, an aggression typology (Nussbaum, Saint-Cyr, & Bell, 1997) showed promising signs in differentiating severity by offender type. The study also suggests that further research is necessary in this area, given the limited relationship found between risk instruments and severity of violence, though the risk assessment measures did show good concurrent validity.

Social Work professionals are recognizing the problematic trend among young offenders who have a history of being cruel to animals. / A sample of 118 files from a youth serving agency were examined to determine the potential relationships between demographics and background variables, selected items from the Child Behavior checklist (Achenbach, 1991), types of crimes and styles of aggression and animal cruelty. Reported styles of aggression consisted of proactive aggression (violent youth who planned their offences) and reactive aggression (youth who commit less serious crimes and would overreact to problems). / In a stepwise regression analysis of a theoretical model, two significant predictors of cruelty toward animals were found: (1) the youths' history of proactive aggression and (2) youths' exposure to physical abuse, this latter both directly, and also as a significant predictor of proactive aggression. / Further education and training for children, caregivers and professionals is needed to increase awareness of the link between animal cruelty and human violence.

Thesis (Ph.D)--Murdoch University, 2006. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Arts. Includes bibliographical references (leaves189-208).

Thesis (M.S.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 39-42).

Dissertation (Ph.D.) -- The Institute for Clinical Social Work, 2002. / A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the Institute of Clinical Social Work in partial fulfillment for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.