bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of the Nature of Pillars in the Structural and Magnetic Properties of Magnetic Pillared Clays
Authors: Bachir Cherifa , Lan Yanhua , Mereacre Valeriu , Powell Annie K. , Koch Christian Bender , Weidler Peter G.
Published: February 2012

Pillared clays (PILCs) with magnetic properties have significant potential for application in industry and the environment, but relatively few studies of these types of materials have been carried out. The aim of the present work was to gain insight into the magnetic and structural properties of pillared clays by examining in detail the influence of the calcination temperature and the nature of different pillared clays on these properties.

Magnetic layered systems from different pillared clays were prepared and characterized. Firstly, Ti-, Al-, and Zr-pillared clays (Ti-PILCs, Al-PILCs, and Zr-PILCs, respectively) were produced at different calcination temperatures and then magnetic pillared clays (Ti-M-PILCs, Al-M-PILCs, and Zr-M-PILCs) were prepared at ambient temperature. The synthesis involves a reduction in aqueous solution of the original Fe-exchanged pillared clay using NaBH4. The structural properties of pillared clays and their magnetic forms were investigated using X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption, cation exchange capacity determination, and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurements. The properties of the magnetic pillared clays were investigated by superconducting quantum interference devices and Mössbauer spectroscopy. An evaluation of the data obtained allowed an estimation of the pillared structure in one PILC-model before and after magnetization. The model was determined on the basis of a simple geometric model and experimental data leading to the calculation of a filling factor (FF) which contained information about the number of intercalated pillared layers and the unaffected layers. In the case of Ti precursors, the best calcination temperature was 400°C, which maintained the highest specific surface area and pore volume with magnetic parameters suitable for magnetic application. Similar experiments with Al- and Zr-pillars have been discussed. A correlation between the XRF data, porosity, FF calculation, and magnetic properties led to the conclusion that the sample Al-M-PILC previously calcined at 500°C was the most stable material after the magnetization process. The same examination in the case of Zr materials suggested that the most stable sample had been calcined at 300°C (sample Zr-M-PILC-300).
Removal of Hg(II) from an Aqueous Medium by Adsorption onto Natural and Alkyl-Amine Modified Brazilian Bentonite
Authors: Guerra Denis L. , Silva Emiliano M. , Lara Weber , Batista Adriano C.
Published: February 2012

Mercury ion removal from waste-waters has been the subject of extensive research. The aim of the present investigation was to report the incorporation of the n-alkylamine molecules onto a bentonite surface and the capacities of these new chelating moieties on this modified bentonite surface for mercury removal from water. Bentonite collected from the Amazon region, Brazil, was used in an intercalation process with polar n-alkylamine molecules of general formula H3C(CH2)n-NH2 (n = 1 to 4) in 1,2-dichloroethane. The natural and modified bentonite samples were characterized by elemental analysis, Xray diffraction, helium picnometry, mercury porosimetry, and 29Si, 27Al, and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Because of the increasing size of the molecules attached to the pendant chains, the metal-adsorption capability of the final chelating materials was measured in each case. The adsorption of Hg(II) on natural and modified bentonites was determined under different conditions. The effects of concentration of Hg(II), contact time, and pH were investigated; batch and dynamic adsorption experiments of Hg(II) were conducted on bentonite samples under various conditions. The ability of these materials to remove Hg(II) from aqueous solution was assessed by means of a series of adsorption isotherms at room temperature and pH 4.0. In order to evaluate the bentonite samples as adsorbents in a dynamic system, a glass column was filled with clay samples (1.0 g each) and fed with 1.8 × 10−4 mol dm−3 Hg(II) at pH 4.0. The energetic effects caused by adsorption of metal cations were determined by means of calorimetric titrations. Thermodynamics indicated the existence of favorable conditions for such Hg(II)-nitrogen interactions.
Adsorption of Neutral Red Dye from an Aqueous Solution onto Natural Sepiolite Using Full Factorial Design
Authors: Çoruh Semra , Geyikçi Feza , Elevli Sermin
Published: February 2012

The main objective of factorial design is to construct an empirical model to understand complex phenomena such as a purification process up to a given level of accuracy. The present study aimed to investigate the adsorption of Neutral Red dye (NR) from an aqueous solution onto sepiolite using 24 full factorial design. The combined effect of initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage, pH, and particle size on adsorption of the dye was studied. The results were analyzed statistically using the student’s t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and an F-test to define important experimental factors and their relative levels of importance. A regression model which may be used to estimate the removal efficiency of NR without performing any experiments was suggested. The coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.9938) indicated that <1% only of the total variations remain unexplained by the regression model. The experimental factors selected were determined to influence the adsorption process, but their relative importance varied according to the following sequence: pH > adsorbent dosage > particle size > initial concentration. The magnitude of the effects measured in this work can be used as a guide for how to adapt the adsorption process for different process conditions. The results also indicated that natural sepiolite is a suitable adsorbent for NR.
The Common Law and the Constitution as Protectors of Rights in Australia
Authors: Gray Anthony
Published: February 2012

This paper considers the extent to which the common law does or should protect fundamental human rights. It begins with reference to suggestions in various jurisdictions that there are some rights that are deeply rooted in common law, and which could not be interfered with by Parliament. It considers the position of common law rights in jurisdictions such as Australia with a written Constitution, and the extent to which rights are found in the common law or the Constitution or both, and the relation between the common law and the Constitution. It considers the possible theoretical underpinning of such suggestions, from a social contract, sovereignty and rule of law perspective. In so doing, it is acknowledged that, contrary to Diceyan theory, Parliaments do in fact act to take away fundamental rights, and it is argued to be simplistic to assume that the remedy for such behaviour is to be found at the ballot box, and never in the courts. Finally, arguments against the notion of rights protected by the common law are considered, including Parliamentary supremacy, arguments about democracy, and suggestions of ‘judicial activism’.
Assisting Suicide, the Code for Crown Prosecutors and the DPP's Discretion
Authors: Williams Glenys
Published: February 2012

The House of Lords decision in Purdy compelled the Director of Public Prosecutions to produce prosecutorial policy guidelines in respect of cases of encouraging or assisting suicide. The document has effectively decriminalized assisted suicide and, as such, has usurped the legislative role of Parliament. Nonetheless, these developments have highlighted the distinctiveness of the assisting suicide offence which, when considered alongside certain criminological theories such as criminalization, victims, harm and punishment, should serve to inform the legislature in the debate these events will surely engender. They may also provide a basis by which the legislature can consider legalizing compassionate assisted suicide.
Court-Provided Trial Technology: Efficiency and Fairness for Criminal Trials
Authors: Jackson Sheryl
Published: February 2012

In Australia, trials conducted as ‘electronic trials’ have ordinarily run with the assistance of commercial service providers, with the associated costs being borne by the parties. However, an innovative approach has been taken by the courts in Queensland. In October 2007 Queensland became the first Australian jurisdiction to develop its own court-provided technology, to facilitate the conduct of an electronic trial. This technology was first used in the conduct of civil trials. The use of the technology in the civil sphere highlighted its benefits and, more significantly, demonstrated the potential to achieve much greater efficiencies. The Queensland courts have now gone further, using the court-provided technology in the high profile criminal trial of R v Hargraves, Hargraves and Stoten, in which the three accused were tried for conspiracy to defraud the Commonwealth of Australia of about $3.7 million in tax. This paper explains the technology employed in this case and reports on the perspectives of all of the participants in the process. The representatives for all parties involved in this trial acknowledged, without reservation, that the use of the technology at trial produced considerable overall efficiencies and costs savings. The experience in this trial also demonstrates that the benefits of trial technology for the criminal justice process are greater than those for civil litigation. It shows that, when skilfully employed, trial technology presents opportunities to enhance the fairness of trials for accused persons. The paper urges governments, courts and the judiciary in all jurisdictions to continue their efforts to promote change, and to introduce mechanisms to facilitate more broadly a shift from the entrenched paper-based approach to both criminal and civil procedure to one which embraces more broadly the enormous benefits trial technology has to offer.
‘New’ Environmental Liabilities: The Purpose and Scope of the Contaminated Land Regime and the Environmental Liability Directive
Authors: Lee Maria
Published: February 2012

Environmental liability as a part of administrative law is increasingly significant and controversial, and the proliferation of schemes creates difficult legal problems. This article examines in some detail the provisions of two of the most significant liability regimes, relating to contaminated land under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and to environmental damage under the Environmental Liability Directive. It concentrates on the different rationales of the two schemes, using those different rationales to examine the differences between the schemes. The most dramatic differences in purpose are the historic versus contemporary origin of the harm addressed, and this explains some of the most dramatic differences in approach. But the two schemes do not have entirely separate paths, and their purposes are neither self-contained nor exclusive.
The Importance of DNA Evidence to Juries in Criminal Trials
Authors: Wheate Rhonda
Published: February 2012

This article draws upon interviews of real jurors in criminal trials in the Australian Capital Territory about scientific evidence and expert witnesses, which revealed that jurors' expectations of scientific evidence, particularly DNA profiling evidence, play an important role in determining whether or not the jurors, and juries, are able to comfortably deliver a guilty ***verdict or an acquittal. Where their expectations of DNA evidence are not met, high levels of juror frustration and speculation may culminate in hung juries.
Effectiveness of Witness Preparation and Cross-Examination Non-Directive and Directive Leading Question Styles on Witness Accuracy and Confidence
Authors: Wheatcroft Jacqueline M. , Woods Sarah
Published: February 2012

There is presently little research that examines the effects of preparing witnesses to give the most accurate evidence in court. The aim of the investigation reported in this article was to explore whether witness preparation in the form of preparation statements would impact upon outcomes in respect of cross-examination questioning strategies employed in court. Specifically, the study focused upon familiarisation and leading question style effects upon witness accuracy and confidence.
Absent Witnesses and the UK Supreme Court: Judicial Deference as Judicial Dialogue?
Authors: Requa Marny
Published: February 2012

This article analyses the position of absent witness evidence under the UK Criminal Justice Act 2003 after significant European and domestic case law on the topic. It argues that flexibility in the hearsay regime under the 2003 Act and a permissive approach by appellate courts has increased the potential for fair trial violations in recent years. Moreover, the UK Supreme Court decision in R v Horncastle preserves domestic courts' authority to determine the meaning of European rights and selectively defer to Parliament. This area of the law demonstrates the scope that the domestic system retains for divergence from European standards.
Non-Conviction DNA Databases in the United States and England: Historical Differences, Current Convergences?
Authors: Campbell Liz
Published: February 2012

Collecting DNA from crime scenes and individuals and storing it in databases is regarded increasingly as critical for criminal investigation and prosecution. This article considers the development of non-conviction DNA databases in the United States and England and Wales, and examines why current legal trajectories are in opposite directions, with the United States becoming more permissive in terms of database expansion and England and Wales less so. It posits that any such trend is contingent on many factors. Political and cultural variables in England and Wales prompted database expansion, facilitated by the absence of robust constitutional protection for privacy. Nevertheless, the jurisprudence of the European Convention on Human Rights now limits this scheme. In contrast, classical liberal ideology and the construal of the norm of privacy provided a brake in the American context, yet it appears that non-conviction databases will become more common there given extant interpretation of the US Constitution.
Reforming the Rules of Evidence in Cases of Sexual Offending: Thoughts from Aotearoa/New Zealand
Authors: McDonald Elisabeth , Tinsley Yvette
Published: February 2012

Due to a number of high-profile cases of historical sexual offending by police officers making the headlines in 2006, reforming trial process and the admissibility rules in such cases is back on the political agenda in New Zealand. Public concern has resulted in the initiation and funding of a number of research projects aimed at reform. As members of one of those project teams, the authors discuss in this article some of the most contested rules of evidence in cases of sexual offending and possible changes to those rules, comparing the New Zealand provisions to those in other jurisdictions.
Examining the Validity of The Leadership Challenge Inventory: The Case for Law Enforcement
Authors: Vito Gennaro F. , Higgins George E.
Published: February 2012

The purpose of this study is to examine the validity of the Leadership Practices Inventory. Previous research has used exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency for this sort of analysis without specifying the validity for a specific group or sample. We propose to use confirmatory factor analysis — via structural equation modelling — of responses from police officers from around the country. This type of analysis will allow us to determine if the factors of the Leadership Practices Inventory provide valid measures of police leadership performance as an assessment tool. We determined that the measures were indeed valid and that differences of opinion existed between the police managers assessed and their observers regarding their perceived performance under the Leadership Challenge Model.
Policing the Changing Landscape of Rural Crime: A Case Study from Scotland
Authors: Smith Robert
Published: February 2012

Although the notion of rural crime has an idyllic aura to it, crime occurs in a changing social landscape and is affected by demographic changes, changing crime trends and by the introduction of new policing practices. Similarly, exactly what constitutes rural crime is also open to debate and changes over time. Likewise, we only have a fuzzy notion of the stereotypical rural criminal and find it difficult to acknowledge the existence of a rural criminal underclass. As a result, crime in a rural context is more difficult to police than crime in an urban landscape because it requires a different set of skills and practices from policing the urban landscape. The closure of rural police stations and the reallocation of scarce policing resources to urban hotspots have inevitably led to a deskilling of the archetypal ‘country bobby’. Consequently, this quasi-longitudinal case study examines changes in policing practices in a (fictionalised) subdivision in rural Scotland over a 40-year period. This enables consideration of the changing rural landscape of crime and from this mapping process implications and conclusions in relation to good practice on rural policing can emerge.
Profiling, Cajun Style: The FBI Investigation?
Authors: Ruiz James , Julseth Jason W. , Winters Kathleen H.
Published: February 2012

For over 30 years, the use of racial and/or demographic profiling by law enforcement personnel has persisted. Although numerous academic and governmental scholars have recognised the existence of profiling, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), America's premier law enforcement agency, is apparently either unable or unwilling to investigate these allegations proactively. In this article, the author will review a reactive investigation conducted by the FBI into allegations of profiling in South Louisiana that developed out of the furore surrounding two nationally televised NBC ‘Dateline’ broadcasts in January and August 1997. The data presented were gathered from official FBI documents acquired through the Freedom of Public Information Act (FOPIA), the ‘Dateline’ transcripts, and research conducted by the author. The results will suggest that the FBI may lack interest in profiling investigations for a variety of reasons.
Superleague Formula 2008: A Case Study in Managing Safety and Security Risks in Soccer-Themed Motor Racing
Authors: Frosdick Steve
Published: February 2012

This is a case study in five main sections. The introduction sets out the background as a commercial consultancy assignment involving the practical application of Grid Group Cultural Theory (GGCT). The second section outlines GGCT, a neo-Durkheimian theory which can be usefully applied for the assessment and management of risk. The paper then gives a brief overview of Superleague Formula, a new sporting series which combined motor racing and soccer. The bulk of the paper details an assessment of how soccer fans from 18 clubs around the world might behave as spectators at six soccer-themed motor racing events in Europe. The research was problematic because of time constraints and because of the new risk setting. The application of GGCT teased out eight key areas of threat, seven of which related to public order issues involving the fans. The eighth threat referred to fans as victims of indiscriminate policing. These threats were risk assessed for each of the 18 clubs at each of the six circuits — 864 assessments in all. The risks were evaluated with reference to a defined risk appetite. Appropriate control measures, including police tactical deployments, were devised for each of the races. The paper then highlights the safety and security risks which became realities at the events. As well as having set out a rigorous analysis derived from applied theory, the paper concludes that the eight key threats form a good basis for others to hypothesise how soccer fans might behave in a new setting.
Does Plural Suit Rural? Reflections on Quasi-Policing in the Countryside
Authors: Merritt Jonathan , Dingwall Gavin
Published: February 2012

It is widely accepted that the policing needs of rural areas can be very different from those of urban areas. Because of the concentration of population and (generally) higher crime rates, reforms in policing often appear to be driven by urban priorities, which raises questions about how they operate in the rural context. This article is concerned with one recent development in England and Wales: the introduction of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). Drawing upon interviews with rural PCSOs and the police officers who manage them, this study asks how PCSOs operate in country areas and what difficulties they face. A number of themes emerged: that lack of career development may hinder the formation of long-term ties to a particular community; that the size of beats requires transport; that PCSOs felt unable to respond effectively to minor road traffic offences which were of concern to local residents; that statutory powers to detain could be difficult to enforce; and that PCSOs might be particularly suited to bridge the gap with communities with which the police are having trouble engaging, such as migrant agricultural workers.
The Relevance of Spirituality in Policing: A Dual Analysis
Authors: Smith Jonathan , Charles Ginger
Published: February 2012

Operational policing is demanding and threatening. Repeatedly dealing with death, serious injury, horrific crime scenes, the need to be constantly alert whether on or off duty, and being ostracised by communities, friends and family, are only some examples of what officers encounter. All take their toll on police officers: on their health, fitness and well-being, and on their view of people and the world. The toll also extends to those who are served by these officers. While this toll is recognised, there are still high levels of sickness absence, ill health, alcohol/drug-related problems as well as suicides. These are clear illustrations of the challenging nature of policing. If we look at the deeper issues of these challenges — nature of policing and its struggle for good; not being recognised as whole people; not being treated as valuable parts of a community; the reality of facing death and destructiveness on a daily basis — we see that, at a fundamental level, these have a spiritual component to them. This is an important but often unrecognised aspect of policing. Forces emphasise the physical and mental well-being of officers but neglect their spiritual well-being. There are sound reasons for a greater focus on this area. It is morally appropriate to address this area. This paper draws from two PhDs. It identifies the issues related to coping strategies and officer fitness, highlights how the spiritual dimension may assist in the development of coping strategies, and identifies how these issues might be taken forward.
Examining the Factors That Differentiate a Car Key Burglary from a Regular Domestic Burglary
Authors: Shaw Sophia E. , Smith Lisa L. , Bond John W.
Published: February 2012

Since the mandatory introduction in 1998 of electronic immobilisers in all vehicles, new cars are impossible to start without their keys. Some offenders have thus resorted to stealing car keys during domestic burglaries in order to steal the car — a relatively new phenomenon referred to as ‘car key burglaries’. With these crimes becoming an increasing problem in the UK, it is imperative that they are recorded accurately in order to identify the true scope of this problem and tackle it effectively. As yet, no universal definition of a car key burglary exists according to which all police constabularies can work, leading to inconsistencies in the recording of these types of crimes. Car key burglary data recorded by Northamptonshire Police was examined and analysed, and significant differences were found between car key and regular domestic burglaries. These differences pertained to the time of day at which the offence occurred, the neighbourhood in which the offence occurred and the search of the property by the offender. The implications of these findings are discussed, as well as limitations of the study, and possible directions for future research that may allow the police to record a domestic burglary more accurately as a car key burglary.
Research Note: Psychological Profiling of Australian Police Officers: A Three-Year Examination of Post-Selection Performance
Authors: Lough Jonathan , Ryan Michael
Published: February 2012

The current study expands upon the authors' previous work. The performance of two groups of Tasmania Police constables was evaluated after their first three years of employment. Group membership was a function of initial selection process — one group undertook detailed psychological profiling as part of their pre-employment testing, and the other group did not. The screened group consistently outperformed the non-screened group, with three of the differences statistically significant. Additionally, the screened group had a lower dropout rate, and were less likely to make serious on-the-job errors resulting in formal disciplinary action or investigation. Implications for applied practice, and further research and development are also discussed.
Civilianising the ‘Blue Code’? An Examination of Attitudes to Misconduct in the Police Extended Family
Authors: Wright Barry
Published: February 2012

Despite the importance of integrity to policing, the extensive literature on police misconduct, police culture and the code of silence, a significant knowledge gap exists in respect of the integrity of police staff and their opinions of misconduct. Having identified these gaps, a methodology was developed that built on previous studies of policing integrity across the world. This methodology, which consisted of an anonymous electronic survey distributed to every employee of a police force in northern England, provided the means through which any variances between civilian police staff and police officers could be examined. The results of the survey showed that despite certain similarities between police officers and police staff, there were a number of significant differences in respect of their views and opinions on integrity. The key finding of this research project was that in spite of the literature affirming the strength of the ‘blue code of silence’ amongst police officers, police staff were actually less likely to report incidents of misconduct than officers. This indicated that the code of silence amongst police staff may actually be stronger than that of police officers. This paper also offers explanations as to why this might be the case.
Work Attitudes of Police Recruits: Is There a Family Connection?
Authors: Phillips Scott W. , Sobol James J. , Varano Sean P.
Published: February 2012

Policing scholars have long observed that many individuals entering into the policing profession have family connections to the field that may influence occupational choices and predispositions. Crank (1998) argued that family links to the profession provide a sort of pre-employment socialisation that fundamentally shapes officers' attitudes toward police culture, community residents and management strategies. The purpose of the current study is to build on this existing literature by determining how generational linkages to policing affect attitudes toward the policing profession. The focus of this study is on police recruits who recently entered formal academy training. Studying individuals at this point in professional development is valuable because it mitigates any effects of formal law enforcement employment experiences. The research utilised occupational predisposition and socialisation theories to assess the relationship between family connections to law enforcement and recruit attitudes. Using independent sample t-tests to examine mean differences, and regression models to study the impact of independent variables on outcome measures, the analyses examine the impact of family connections on a series of dimensions of professional orientation. The findings indicate that recruits with no family in law enforcement were more likely to hold a negative attitude towards their supervisor and that those with family in law enforcement were more likely to believe that assisting citizens was just as important as enforcing the law. Implications for larger and more systematic study of police recruits are discussed.
The NYPD's Compstat: Compare Statistics or Compose Statistics?
Authors: Eterno John A. , Silverman Eli B.
Published: February 2012

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) introduced Compstat in 1994. Since then, the NYPD and many other law enforcement agencies which have adopted Compstat, have declared dramatic decreases in reported index crime. Indeed, in New York City the claim is that index crime has decreased over 76 per cent. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, this research examines Compstat's managerial environment. Our main concern in this paper is examining the extent (if any) of pressures which managers believe they are exposed to at Compstat, as well as how those pressures might influence unethical crime reporting. Results indicate that managers perceive that they are subject to significantly greater pressure in the Compstat era especially, but not exclusively, with respect to decreasing index crime. Further, these pressures help explain unethical crime reporting in the Compstat era.
The Role of the Public Prosecutor with Treatment of Suspects Involving Suspended Prosecution Disposition in Accordance with the Crime Investigation Policy of Police in Japan
Authors: Yamamura Takehiko , Kinoshita Hiroshi , Hishida Shigeru
Published: February 2012

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the prosecution system granted only to public prosecutors (PPs), in regard to prosecution proceedings in accordance with the crime investigation policy of police in Japan. Using data generated by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the National Police Agency (NPA) in Japan during the last half century, the trends of numbers of suspects referred and the rate of disposition, prosecution, summary trial procedure, suspended prosecution (details of which are described in the text), were calculated by type of offence including non-traffic penal code offences (NTPC), negligence in the pursuit of social activities on the occasion of traffic accidents (NPSATA), special law offences (SLO) excluding violations of road traffic related laws (VRTRL) and VRTRL. The results of the study indicated that there are three major issues about prosecution policies and practices by the PPs, namely: crime investigation activities; monopolising discretionary decisions with prosecution and suspended prosecution; and disposition of traffic related crimes. Practical implications of the present results are discussed in the context of crime investigation policy by police.
Racial Profiling in Decisions to Search: A Preliminary Analysis Using Propensity-Score Matching
Authors: Higgins George E. , Jennings Wesley G. , Jordan Kareem L. , Gabbidon Shaun L.
Published: February 2012

The objective of the present study was to understand if racial and/or ethnic backgrounds are causal factors in a police officer's decision to search individuals during traffic stops. Using the Police-Public Contact Survey and propensity-score matching, the study results indicate that Blacks are significantly more likely to be searched than Whites. There were no differences, however, in searches between Hispanics and Whites. These findings suggest that race, but not ethnicity, appears to be a causal factor in a police officer's decision to search. The implications of this finding, along with directions for future research, are also discussed.
The British Police Service: Professionalisation or ‘McDonaldization’?
Authors: Heslop Richard
Published: February 2012

This article argues that there are two contrasting models for understanding developments in contemporary British policing. The first, which is an intended outcome of the reform and ‘workforce modernisation’ agenda, envisages increased professionalisation. The second, which is a perverse outcome of that same agenda, is the ‘McDonaldization’ of the British police. This article prefers the latter and argues that policing is increasingly becoming McDonaldized. According to the sociologist George Ritzer, McDonaldized institutions operate in accordance with four main principles: calculability, efficiency, predictability and control. Taken together, these four factors can be understood as the basic components of a rational system. However, the main problem with McDonaldized systems and a fifth characteristic of the process is the production of irrationalities (or what Ritzer terms the ‘irrationality of rationality’). A primary purpose of this article is to highlight some of the irrationalities of McPolicing.
Professional Responses to Contemporary Discourses and Definitions of Paedophilia
Authors: McCartan Kieran F.
Published: February 2012

This paper will discuss professionals' contemporary definitions and understandings of paedophilia, based upon empirical qualitative research with a range of professionals working within paedophilia, or in related fields (practitioners, academics and members of the media) (N = 28). The research used semi-structured interviews, interpreted through qualitative (thematic) content analysis. The findings reveal that in general the professionals seem to have similar, but differently nuanced understandings of paedophilia. The professionals believe that the current definition of paedophilia, as a result of a number of factors including disparate professional discourses, has become problematic as it does not reflect the complexity of the issue or the population in question. This disharmony in professional discourse and public discussion has led to the broader societal discourse surrounding paedophilia to become maladaptive and not fit for purpose. Therefore the professionals believe that the current discourse surrounding paedophilia, and its resulting definition, needs to be readdressed.
Public Order Events in the Headlines: The Media Construction of Threat and Dangerousness of Public Order Events in Israel
Authors: Sela-Shayovitz Revital , Hasisi Badi
Published: February 2012

This paper examines the role of levels of threat on the newspaper coverage of public order policing. We distinguished between macro/national and micro/local types of protest involving the Arab minority in Israel, and tried to illustrate how threat was constructed differently by the media. Following the protest paradigm and the threat hypothesis, we focused on the newspaper construction of the threat of two violent public order events in which police used live ammunition against members of the Israeli Arab minority: the October 2000 events (macro) and the Pki'in 2007 event (micro). Our analysis shows that the newspapers highly emphasised the perceived threat of the October 2000 events — much more than in the Pki'in 2007 event. Furthermore, in the October 2000 events the coverage was mainly episodic and profiled the Israeli Arab protesters as ‘an enemy within’, while in the Pki'in 2007 event, reporting was more thematic and contextualised the protest within the social problems of the Druze minority in Israel society. The fact that the Israeli Arab minority is perceived by the State as a dissident minority (‘the enemy within’), whilst the Druze Arabs are not, influenced the way public order events were covered by the media.
Eyewitness Identification of Multiple Perpetrators
Authors: Hobson Zoe J. , Wilcock Rachel
Published: February 2012

Following a question raised by members of a police force in England and Wales regarding the accuracy with which an eyewitness makes an identification of multiple perpetrators, this study explores presenting the line-ups in a novel way to eyewitnesses. Currently, there is little previous research into the accuracy of eyewitness identifications when witnesses have viewed multiple perpetrators for one crime event. With reference to theories of source monitoring, the novel procedure examines whether presenting all video line-up parades one after another before making any identification decisions increases accuracy compared with current police procedures in the UK. Furthermore, this study investigated whether instructing witnesses, prior to viewing the line-up parades, to identify the role that each perpetrator played in the event increased identification performance. Results reveal that overall total accuracy was affected by presentation style and, when instructed to, witnesses were more accurate at identifying the role that each perpetrator played in the crime. Future research needs to explore these techniques in more depth both in a laboratory and operational setting.
An Investigation into the Crime Scene Characteristics That Differentiate a Car Key Burglary from a Regular Domestic Burglary
Authors: Allcock Emma , Bond John W. , Smith Lisa L.
Published: February 2012

As a result of the mandatory introduction in 1998 of electronic immobilisers in all new vehicles, car crime has evolved so that criminals resort to stealing vehicle keys during domestic burglaries in order to steal the vehicle subsequently. This new offence is referred to as ‘car key burglary’. Building upon previous research (Shaw, Smith, & Bond, 2010), car key burglary data provided by Northamptonshire Police from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2009 was analysed to identify the crime-scene characteristics that can differentiate a car key burglary from a regular domestic burglary. Significant differences were found between car key burglaries and regular domestic burglaries pertaining to the security of the property and the types of items stolen, with secure premises and items likely to be left in a vehicle overnight (such as satellite navigation systems, in-car DVD players and mobile telephones) being more indicative of car key burglary. The implications of these findings are considered and the limitations discussed in terms of the current methods of recording police data. Suggestions as to how police data recording might be amended to facilitate a better understanding of car key burglary are considered.
Police Crime and Less-Than-Lethal Coercive Force: A Description of the Criminal Misuse of TASERs
Authors: Stinson Philip Matthew , Reyns Bradford W. , Liederbach John
Published: February 2012

This study explores and describes the nature and character of cases involving the criminal misuse of TASERs by police officers through a content analysis of newspaper articles. The news-based content analysis identified 24 police officers who were arrested for crimes involving inappropriate use of TASERs over a 65-month period from January 2005 to May 2010. Data on these cases are presented in terms of: (a) the arrested officer, (b) victim characteristics, and (c) the situational context of these events. The news-based content analyses were used to identify and describe some factors that were common among these events, especially with regard to the actions and motivations of the arrested officers and how the situational context appeared to influence the criminal misconduct of officers. The findings indicate that the cases examined did not involve much, if any, situational risk to the officer. The criminal misuse of TASERs seems more likely to involve suspects who are already handcuffed, or even citizens who are clearly not criminals at all.
‘Disrupting the Optimal Forager’: Predictive Risk Mapping and Domestic Burglary Reduction in Trafford, Greater Manchester
Authors: Fielding Matthew , Jones Vincent
Published: February 2012

This approach presents an adaptation from a scientific study which included an examination of the propensity of offenders to return to a familiar area and the potential placement of a ‘Capable Guardian’ into areas at the right time to disrupt the offending pattern of the ‘optimal forager’. The project involved using geographical mapping of previous domestic burglary locations and creating buffers, which were date-dependent on the colour-coded areas. The areas identified were used for police and external resource deployment to provide ‘Capable Guardian’ presence within areas at key times, providing a multi-agency response to domestic burglaries. This approach was originally run for a 12-month period (12 May 2010–10 May 2011) with results being favourable for the reduction of domestic burglaries and more effective and efficient use of resources. Trafford Basic Command Unit showed a 26.6 per cent (n-327 domestic burglaries) reduction compared with the previous 12 months prior to implementation, outperforming its most similar groups within Greater Manchester Police and nationally. These results give a preliminary indication that it can be successful adopting and adapting a scientific approach into a ‘real world’ situation. The improved and focused deployment of resources away from the previous ad hoc method will lead to a reductions in offences. The level, if any, of diffusion or the impact with which this project has had on associated crime types is not yet understood. However, the methodology in this project demonstrates a simple cost-effective approach to producing patrol plans using scientific research to aid the reduction of domestic burglary.
Promotion Aspirations among Male and Female Police Students
Authors: Fekjær Silje Bringsrud , Halrynjo Sigtona
Published: February 2012

A long research tradition has documented gender differences in career choices and outcomes in several professions, including the police. However, there is debate about whether such differences reflect initial preferences, socially constructed ideas about the incompatibility of family and working life or the objective constraints that men and women meet in their careers and family lives. This paper explores the initial preferences for career and promotion among male and female police students in Norway. Norwegian female police students are selected rigorously; they have chosen a traditionally male-dominated profession, and they live in a welfare society where the possibilities for combining work and family life are well developed. Under these circumstances, will the initial promotion aspirations of men and women differ? If so, will gender differences persist when family obligations and age are controlled for? These questions were explored using 2009 and 2010 data for first-year police students in Norway (N = 1,079). The results showed that male and female police students have remarkably similar aspirations for promotion, and this remained true when family obligations and age were controlled for. The results indicate that differences in initial preferences do not explain gender differences in career choices and outcomes.
Success Factors for Police Investigations in a Hybrid Environment: The Jämtland Police Authority Case
Authors: Borglund Erik A. M. , Öberg Lena-Maria , Slumpi Thomas Persson
Published: February 2012

Since information technology (IT) has been adopted in modern police work, it has become an important tool for increasing efficiency in police work. IT has also resulted in the phenomena of IT-related crimes and crimes that take place in both physical and digital worlds, ie, in what is defined as a hybrid environment. The hybrid environment forces police officers to collect information in both digital and physical worlds. This paper aims to gain new knowledge of police work practice in a hybrid work context. A case study approach is applied as the research method, and a large police investigation is used as the study object. In the police investigation, digital footprints played an important role in aggregating evidence. This research used the Synergy-4 model as an analytical lens to explain the multi-dimensions of IT use in a hybrid environment, and to increase knowledge on how police work is carried out in this environment. This research found that IT played an important role in the success of the investigation and in the management of digital footprints, but competence and management were as important.
To Prosecute or Not to Prosecute? A Reconsideration of the Over-Zealous Prosecution of Parents under the Fraud Act 2006
Authors: Monaghan Chris
Published: February 2012

The Fraud Act 2006 has received considerable public attention and press coverage as a result of the unsuccessful attempt to prosecute a mother for allegedly lying on her son's school application form. This article argues that it was inappropriate to begin proceedings using the Fraud Act 2006 in such circumstances. The use of fraud, which has become a catch-all offence under the Act, is dangerous. The prosecution attempted to stretch the statutory provisions of the Act and fell foul of the meaning of ‘gain’ or ‘loss' and the principle of ‘remoteness’.

This article submits that it is wrong to criminalise behaviour just because we find it morally or socially objectionable. Consideration will also be given to whether there are other, more appropriate sanctions which may be taken in such circumstances.
Anger and Fear as Justifiable Preludes for Loss of Self-Control
Authors: Edwards Susan S. M.
Published: February 2012

Following the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, s. 56, the common law defence of provocation, which depended on a sudden and temporary loss of self-control (following R v Duffy1), is now abolished, as is s. 3 of the Homicide Act 1957. In its place is substituted a statutory defence of loss of self-control, which relies on some of the principles that constituted the grounds for provocation, its predecessor. For the first time fear qualifies as a new ground for loss of self-control (2009 Act, s. 55(3)). This article examines the new partial defence of ‘loss of self-control’ and considers what distinguishes the new defence from its predecessor and the features which are retained. It also evaluates whether the overarching objectives of restricting the ambit of the earlier defence and providing a new defence for battered women, shared by both the Law Commission and the government, are well considered and likely to be achievable. The new partial defence will be considerably restricted both by the new criteria and by returning the power to the judge, as ‘gatekeeper’, to prohibit an un***meritorious defence from going to the jury (2009 Act, s. 54(6)). The inclusion of fear as a new ground for loss of self-control will continue to present difficulties as long as the definition of ‘extremely grave’, a requisite of the qualifying trigger to this loss of self-control, is a jury question, and also insofar as ‘justifiable sense of being seriously wronged’ is to be judged on objective grounds. Further difficulties are presented by the requirement that the capacity for self-control, now expressed as the ‘tolerance’ and ‘restraint’, required of the defendant, is to be decided on objective grounds.
Accountability for Deaths Attributable to the Gross Negligent Act or Omission of a Police Force: The Impact of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007
Authors: Griffin Stephen , Moran Jon
Published: February 2012

This article discusses the potential impact of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 (CMCHA) in the context of the Act's application to a police force for deaths caused by a gross negligent act or omission of a police officer(s). The article will consider the accountability of a police force as an organisational body, prior and subsequent to the CMCHA. Although legislative innovation is, in part, welcomed in relation to a police force's accountability for deaths in police custody, the focus of the article argues that, all in all, the accountability of a police force is not extended significantly by the CMCHA.