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We explored the appropriateness and measurement properties of a suicidality assessment tool (SBQ-R) developed for the general population, in autistic adults--a high risk group for suicide. 188 autistic adults and 183 general population adults completed the tool online, and a sub-sample (n = 15) were interviewed while completing the tool. Multi-group factorial invariance analysis of the online survey data found evidence for metric non-invariance of the SBQ-R, particularly for items three (communication of suicidal intent) and four (likelihood of suicide attempt in the future). Cognitive interviews revealed that autistic adults did not interpret these items as intended by the tool designers. Results suggest autistic adults interpret key questions regarding suicide risk differently to the general population. Future research must adapt tools to better capture suicidality in autistic adults.

We explored the appropriateness and measurement properties of a suicidality assessment tool (SBQ-R) developed for the general population, in autistic adults-a high risk group for suicide. 188 autistic adults and 183 general population adults completed the tool online, and a sub-sample (n = 15) were interviewed while completing the tool. Multi-group factorial invariance analysis of the online survey data found evidence for metric non-invariance of the SBQ-R, particularly for items three (communication of suicidal intent) and four (likelihood of suicide attempt in the future). Cognitive interviews revealed that autistic adults did not interpret these items as intended by the tool designers. Results suggest autistic adults interpret key questions regarding suicide risk differently to the general population. Future research must adapt tools to better capture suicidality in autistic adults., Author(s): Sarah A. Cassidy [sup.1] , Louise Bradley [sup.2] , Heather Cogger-Ward [sup.1] , Rebecca Shaw [sup.2] [sup.5] , Erica Bowen [sup.6] , Magdalena Glod [sup.4] , Simon Baron-Cohen [sup.3] [...]

It is well established that personality pathology has been associated with the onset and continued perpetration of intimate partner violence, yet if and how this relates to the cessation of such behaviours remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether personality pathology differentiated 37 intimate partner violent men who had suspended the use of violence against their intimates ('desisters'), 50 persisters, and 49 non-violent controls using the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III subscales. Cluster A and Cluster B disorders at a diagnostic level were more often reported in men who had used violence against intimates compared to men in the control group. The rates and percentages of clinically meaningful traits and disorders were lower for the desisters than the persisters, with the desisters more like the controls than the persisters. The findings suggest that the initial stage of the desistance process may be related to personality pathology., Author(s): Kate Walker[sup.1] , Erica Bowen[sup.1] , Sarah Brown[sup.1] , Emma Sleath[sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) Faculty Research Centre in Psychology, Behaviour and Achievement, Coventry University, Priory Street, CV1 5FB, Coventry, [...]

To date, there have been few studies with victims of stalking in the United Kingdom, and this is the first to have been conducted following the clarification of stalking as a criminal offense in 2012. In 2016, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Inspectorate (HMCPSI) announced the first ever inspection into harassment and stalking in England and Wales. This article presents research commissioned by HMICFRS as part of the inspection. In particular, we explore how victims described the response of the police and situate this within the context of changing legislation and previous research in the field. In total, 35 people shared their experiences of reporting harassment and stalking, 14 people completed an online survey, and 21 participants were interviewed. Responses were analyzed thematically and a series of themes were identified. The analysis suggests that despite the clarification of stalking as a criminal office in 2012, the majority of participants described poor responses from the police—with many describing police inaction, or inappropriate action—in addition to feeling blamed and not being taken seriously. The article considers possible explanations for these issues and concludes by calling for harassment and stalking legislation in England and Wales to be clarified, and for police training to shift the focus of the investigation from the behavior of the offender, to the emotional impact on the victim. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hostage and crisis negotiation is one tactical option available to incident commanders when responding to critical incidents. Whilst several models of negotiation exist, there is limited research addressing negotiation from a United Kingdom perspective. This paper presents findings from semi-structured interviews with 15 negotiators from nine police forces in England. Data were analysed using grounded theory and 6 primary, 11 secondary, 19 tertiary, and 23 quaternary categories were identified to depict the procedural, operational and communicational aspects of negotiation. Findings indicate that negotiation takes place sequentially in three stages, with the core aspects being conceptualised using the D.I.A.M.O.N.D. mnemonic: 1) Deployment; 2) Information and intelligence gathering; 3) Assessment of risk and threat; 4) Methods of communication; 5) Open dialogue with subject; 6) Negotiator toolbox and repertoire, and 7) Debriefing procedures. The model represents the first attempt at modelling negotiation from an Anglo-centric perspective and provides insight into the entire critical incident management process, as opposed to focusing solely on the aspect of communication between negotiator and subject that has historically dominated the literature. The model highlights the breadth and complexity of the negotiator role and enables several recommendations to be made in relation to the training and operational support of negotiators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hostage and crisis negotiators serve a vital function within modern-day policing and can play a role in whether individuals live or die. As such, it is important for us to understand which police officers are more suited to this complex and challenging role, to ensure that the most effective negotiators are selected and trained. The current paper outlines the findings from interviews conducted with 15 negotiators from nine English police forces. Using a grounded theoretical approach, a conceptual model of the successful negotiator profile was developed comprising three primary and 19 secondary categories. The three primary categories consisted of: 'Negotiator entry requirements', 'Negotiator attributes', and 'Negotiator skills' which taken together, can be used to depict a profile of the successful hostage and crisis negotiator. The profile is discussed with reference to the potential implications for current hostage and crisis negotiator/police officer selection and training practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noncompletion of group offending behavior programs is a common problem, indicating barriers to engagement. While existing theoretical models have accounted for determinants of motivation, little focus has been directed towards barriers to engagement. The authors developed the program engagement theory (PET) which not only accounts for the determinants of engagement and the engagement process, it also considers the barriers to engagement. Interviews and session observations were used to collect data from 23 program facilitators and 28 offenders, which were analyzed using grounded theory. The barriers to engagement were classified as program and referral factors (uninformative referrals, offense-focused programs, rigid and abstract content, didactic delivery, and homework), facilitator characteristics (lack of control: contentious and nonassertive), and group member characteristics (unmotivated, pre-contemplative, and blaming others and young, chaotic, and disruptive). Suggestions as to the design and facilitation of group offending behavior programs, and facilitator training and supervision to overcome barriers to engagement are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United Kingdom, there is an increasing need to develop prevention programs for intimate partner violence and abuse (IPVA). However, this need has increased within a context of increasing financial pressure. Consequently, commissioners are expressing interest in models of prevention that are brief. This article first reviews the effectiveness of domestic violence (DV) prevention programs, including those from England and Wales. This article then describes the theoretical development of an emerging IPVA prevention program that combines solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) methods. The article addresses how CBT content is integrated within the SFBT approach and provides details of the intervention logic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hostage and crisis negotiation is well established as a police tool, and there is a growing body of literature that provides academic insight into the phenomenon. Academics have developed a corpus of literature to explain the way negotiators operate or how they can resolve incidents successfully. Whilst research in this area has originated from various countries and addressed negotiation from a variety of perspectives, there is limited research that has focused specifically on negotiation from an Anglo‐centric perspective. This article presents the findings from a detailed academic examination of negotiator experiences in England, whereby semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 negotiators from nine forces. Analysis using grounded theory revealed 12 deployment categories, situated within a recurring context involving subjects experiencing personal, emotional, or psychological crisis. These categories can be used to enhance our understanding of negotiator deployment in England and are discussed with reference to the implications for negotiator training and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the interaction between structure and agency for individuals in the first or early phase of primary desistance (1 year offending free) from intimate partner violence (IPV). Narrative accounts of perpetrators, survivors, and IPV program facilitators were analyzed using Thematic Analysis. Changes in the self and the contexts, structures, and conditions were necessary to promote desistance. Perpetrators made behavioral and cognitive changes taking on different identities (agentic role) by removing external stressors and instability within the confines of a supportive environment (structural role). Findings provide a theoretical framework of desistance from IPV that integrates social processes and subjective change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a shared understanding across the European Union (EU) that access to firearms by the general public should be restricted, detailed legislation regarding the ownership, use and trade of firearms varies between EU member states. It is unclear, however, how such variations impact on the policing of gun-enabled crime. By using qualitative data generated from interviews with police, policy and decision makers from 13 European countries, we aim to determine how stakeholders perceive that national variations in firearms legislation affect the policing of gun-enabled crime within and across EU countries. Four main themes were identified from the qualitative data: disparities in legislation, disparities in the priority given and the resources allocated to investigations into gun-enabled crime, as well as interventions. Owing to the aforementioned disparities, cross-national investigations into incidents of gun crime are at risk of remaining impaired in their effectiveness. Therefore, more legislative coherency as well as sustainable long-term interventions will be needed to successfully reduce ownership and use of firearms in the criminal world. In this context, a departure from an exclusive use of an economic model of gun crime is recommended to allow for a better understanding of the dynamics of the black gun market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offender engagement in group offending behavior programs is poorly understood and under-theorized. In addition, there is no research on facilitators' engagement. This article presents the first ever theory to address this gap. A Program Engagement Theory (PET) was derived from a constructivist grounded theory analysis that accounts for both facilitators' and offenders' engagement in group offending behavior programs (GOBPs). Interviews and session observations were used to collect data from 23 program facilitators and 28 offenders (group members). The analysis revealed that group members' engagement involved shared identities and moving on as a group. In turn, this was dependent on facilitators personalising treatment frameworks and establishing a hook to help group members move on. The PET emphasizes the importance of considering change during treatment as a process rather than simply a program outcome. Solution-focused (SF) programs were more conducive to engagement and the change process than offence-focused programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic communication technology (ECT), such as mobile phones and online communication tools, is widely used by adolescents; however, the availability of such tools may have both positive and negative impacts within the context of romantic relationships. While an established literature has documented the nature, prevalence, and impact of traditional forms of adolescent dating violence and abuse (ADVA), limited empirical investigation has focused on the role of ECT in ADVA or what shall be termed technology-assisted adolescent dating violence and abuse (TAADVA) and how adolescents perceive the impact of TAADVA relative to ADVA. In this article, the authors explore the role ECT plays in adolescent romantic relationships and psychologically abusive and controlling ADVA behaviors and its perceived impact. An opportunity sample of 52 adolescents (22 males and 30 females) between the ages of 12 and 18 years participated in the study. One all-female and seven mixed-gendered semi-structured focus groups were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to identify three superordinate themes, including (a) perceived healthy versus unhealthy communication, (b) perceived monitoring and controlling communication, and (c) perceived impact of technology-assisted abuse compared with that in person. While ECTs had a positive impact on the development and maintenance of adolescent romantic relationships, such tools also provided a new avenue for unhealthy, harassment, monitoring, and controlling behaviors within these relationships. ECT was also perceived to provide unique impacts in terms of making TAADVA seem both less harmful and more harmful than ADVA experienced in person. Adolescents' perceptions and experiences of ECT in romantic relationships and TAADVA may also vary be gender. Implications of the findings are discussed, and recommendations are made for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desistance from crime has been of increasing interest within criminal justice literature, but desistance from offending behaviour whilst in custodial environments has not yet been investigated. Violence within prison establishments continues to be a significant problem; therefore, this study investigated the factors that are associated with desistance from custodial violence in 63 UK Category C adult male prisoners with a record of violence in prison. Participants completed measures of eight social and subjective factors associated with desistance in community samples. Those who had desisted from prison violence for 12 months or more showed greater levels of pro-social attitudes, agency and resilience than those who persisted in violence. Agency independently predicted desistance and this was particularly the case for younger offenders. Internal shifts appeared to be supported by a positive work environment. It is concluded that in custody an internal shift in perspective is especially important for desistance, and that this can be supported by the social environment. Opportunities to intervene may be greater in younger prisoners. It is recommended that current initiatives in developing agency and positive social interaction, such as Psychologically Informed Planned Environments, are further developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the association between family relationships, anger, alcohol use, and self-reported intimate partner violence (IPV). Participants were 55 male prisoners who completed a survey about their family relationships, anger, alcohol use, and aggression. Exposure to parental IPV predicted rates of self-reported perpetration of IPV, suggesting the importance of understanding more about the developmental pathways to IPV if effective prevention, intervention, and assessment strategies are to be developed for use with this high-risk population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from persistence to desistance in male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) is an understudied phenomenon. This article examines the factors that initiate and facilitate primary desistance from IPV. The narratives of 22 male perpetrators of IPV (13 desisters and 9 persisters), 7 female survivors, and 9 programme (IPV interventions) facilitators, in England, were analysed using thematic analysis. In their accounts, the participants described how the change from persister to desister did not happen as a result of discrete unique incidents but instead occurred through a number of catalysts or stimuli of change. These triggers were experienced gradually and accumulated over time in number and in type. In particular, Negative consequences of violence and Negative emotional responses needed to accumulate so that the Point of resolve: Autonomous decision to change was finally realised. This process facilitated and initiated the path of change and thus primary desistance from IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mentoring has typically been used with young offenders. A pilot-mentoring project has been introduced in the UK for high-risk intimate partner violence (IPV) offenders.Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate how serial and high-risk IPV men engaged with mentoring and how change was initiated for this population.Methods: Interviews were conducted with two mentors, six mentees and four support workers, and file notes for 16 mentees were examined. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data.Results: The global theme, tools and techniques that facilitate engagement comprised two organising themes, building relationships and tenacity of the mentor, which explained how engagement was initiated and driven. Catalysts to initiate change with its two organising themes, hooks and focus on the future, captured factors that act as potential turning points or triggers for the mentees to address their use of IPV and start the process of change.Conclusions: Mentoring is an innovative and alternative approach for engaging intervention-resistant serial and high-risk IPV perpetrators, enabling them to identify their need to change and laying down the foundation that could facilitate this change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions, beliefs and abilities that support adult male prisoners in overcoming suicidality. Design/methodology/approach -- Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight male life sentenced prisoners in a Category B prison. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data and interpret how prisoners have overcome suicidality. Findings -- Five overarching themes were identified; sense of self, presence of meaning, connectedness, shift of perspective and re-establishing control. The themes were closely interconnected and revealed novel insights into the variables that supported prisoners to overcome suicidality. Research limitations/implications -- The themes were drawn from a specific prisoner population, which may not be representative of the wider prison population. Additionally, the sole focus on suicidality may be an oversimplification of self-destructive behaviours and could have affected the factors identified. Practical implications -- The results highlight the need to refine suicide prevention strategies in prisons; in the assessment of suicide risk, the improvement of supportive regimes and the development of psychological interventions. Originality/value -- This research is the first to qualitatively examine the factors involved in overcoming suicide in adult male prisoners. The research is of value to researchers and practitioners alike, as it extends previous research in prison populations and suggests avenues for the development of suicide prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A focus group methodology was used to examine attitudes toward dating violence among 86 adolescents (aged 12-17) from four northern European countries (England, Sweden, Germany, and Belgium). Four superordinate themes were identified from thematic analyses: gender identities, television as the educator, perceived acceptability of dating violence, and the decision to seek help/tell someone. Although violence in relationships was generally not condoned, when violence was used by females, was unintended (despite its consequences), or was in retaliation for infidelity, violence was perceived as acceptable. Adolescents indicated that their views were stereotypical and based solely on stereotypical television portrayals of violence in relationships. Stereotypical beliefs and portrayals generate barriers for victimized males to seek help because of fear of embarrassment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally evaluators of offending behaviour programmes have examined group-level mean change in treatment targets without acknowledging the potential variability of change at an individual level. Clinically significant change, although used widely in the therapy literature generally, has only recently been examined within forensic therapeutic contexts. This chapter provides an overview of key concepts, and the published literature in which clinically significant change has been examined within forensic samples is reviewed. It is concluded that although this technique has the potential to validate programme theory, it is yet to be used to its full potential within a forensic context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editors discusses various reports within the issue on topics including the use of theory in criminal justice evaluations, the critical features and implications of responsivity, and the range of methodological considerations.

This study examined the concurrent and prospective associations between children's ability to accurately recognize facial affect at age 8.5 and antisocial behavior at age 8.5 and 10.5 years in a sub sample of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children cohort (5,396 children; 2,644, 49% males). All observed effects were small. It was found that at age 8.5 years, in contrast to nonantisocial children; antisocial children were less accurate at decoding happy and sad expressions when presented at low intensity. In addition, concurrent antisocial behavior was associated with misidentifying expressions of fear as expressions of sadness. In longitudinal analyses, children who misidentified fear as anger exhibited a decreased risk of antisocial behavior 2 years later. The study suggests that concurrent rather than future antisocial behavior is associated with facial affect recognition accuracy. Aggr. Behav. 36:305–314, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]