title: Organised Crime: Combating an Elusive Transnational Threat

authors: Senior, Angus John Henry

subjects: organised crime

abstract: Since the end of the Cold War; wide spread political, economic, social and technological changes have enabled organised criminal groups to develop transnational activities. Encouraged by the United States, the world has conceived transnational organised crime as a 'new' and serious security threat. The international community has acknowledged the inherent incapability of national strategies, alone, to combat transnational organised crime. Therefore, concerted efforts have been taken to develop a global and uniformed response. 

Efforts to combat transnational organised crime have been underpinned by a perceived necessity to protect national borders. This reaction is based on traditional, inaccurate, conceptions of organised crime, which focuses on structured, ethnically defined 'outsider' groups as a serious threat to security and the very fabric of society. This concept of organised crime is overly simplistic and fails to grasp the complexity of modern organised crime and its interaction with legal and illegal markets. Organise crime is a multifaceted phenomenon, characterised by loose networks of criminals, who are primarily motivated by profit and operate based on particular 'opportunities'.

Strategies to combat organised crime have been preoccupied with traditional, repressive, criminal justice measures; at the expense of developing a comprehensive understanding of the root problems that allow illicit markets and organised crime to flourish, in communities and society in general. It is essential that the international community, through the United Nations, realistically assess the effectiveness of its current approach, to aid the development of comprehensive strategies for the future.

New Zealand has taken promising steps to combat transnational organised crime. Although in its infancy, NZ has developed a comprehensive strategy which not only utilises traditional criminal justice tools, but also seeks to engage with communities to develop effective prevention measures.

text: Organised Crime: Combating an Elusive Transnational Threat Since the end of the Cold War; wide spread political, economic, social and technological changes have enabled organised criminal groups to develop transnational activities. Encouraged by the United States, the world has conceived transnational organised crime as a 'new' and serious security threat. The international community has acknowledged the inherent incapability of national strategies, alone, to combat transnational organised crime. Therefore, concerted efforts have been taken to develop a global and uniformed response. 

Efforts to combat transnational organised crime have been underpinned by a perceived necessity to protect national borders. This reaction is based on traditional, inaccurate, conceptions of organised crime, which focuses on structured, ethnically defined 'outsider' groups as a serious threat to security and the very fabric of society. This concept of organised crime is overly simplistic and fails to grasp the complexity of modern organised crime and its interaction with legal and illegal markets. Organise crime is a multifaceted phenomenon, characterised by loose networks of criminals, who are primarily motivated by profit and operate based on particular 'opportunities'.

Strategies to combat organised crime have been preoccupied with traditional, repressive, criminal justice measures; at the expense of developing a comprehensive understanding of the root problems that allow illicit markets and organised crime to flourish, in communities and society in general. It is essential that the international community, through the United Nations, realistically assess the effectiveness of its current approach, to aid the development of comprehensive strategies for the future.

New Zealand has taken promising steps to combat transnational organised crime. Although in its infancy, NZ has developed a comprehensive strategy which not only utilises traditional criminal justice tools, but also seeks to engage with communities to develop effective prevention measures.

year: 2010

title: Further studies on the coordination chemistry of [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄] towards indium(III) substrates

authors: Henderson, William

subjects: Platinum complexes

abstract: The reactivity of the metalloligand [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄] towards a variety of indium(III) substrates has been explored. Reaction with excess In(NO₃)₃ and halide (KBr or NaI) gave the four-coordinate adducts [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄InX₂]⁺[InX₄]⁻ (X = Br, I). An X-ray structure determination on the iodo complex revealed a slightly distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry at indium. In contrast, reaction of [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄] with indium(III) chloride was more complex; the ion [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄InCl₂]⁺ was initially observed in solution (using ESI mass spectrometry), and isolated as its BPh₄⁻ salt. Analysis of [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄InCl₂]⁺[BPh₄]⁻ by ESI MS showed the parent cation when analysed in MeCN solution. However in solutions containing methanol, partial solvolysis occurred to give the di-indium species [{Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄InCl(OMe)}₂]²⁺ (proposed to contain an In₂(μ-OMe)₂ unit with five-coordinate indium) and its fragment ion [Pt₂ (μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄InCl(OMe)]⁺. Reaction of [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄] with InCl₃•3H₂O, 8-hydroxyquinoline (HQ) and trimethylamine in methanol gave the adduct [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄InQ₂]⁺, isolated as its PF₆⁻ salt. The same cationic complex is formed when [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄] is reacted with InQ₃ in methanol, but in this case the product is contaminated with the mononuclear complex [(Ph₃P)₂PtQ]⁺ formed by disintegration of the trinuclear complex [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄InQ₂]⁻ with byproduct Q⁻. [(Ph₃P)₂PtQ]⁺BPh₄⁻ was independently prepared from cis-[PtCl₂(PPh₃)₂] and HQ/Me₃N, and is the first example of a platinum 8-hydroxyquinolinate complex containing phosphine ligands.

text: Further studies on the coordination chemistry of [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄] towards indium(III) substrates The reactivity of the metalloligand [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄] towards a variety of indium(III) substrates has been explored. Reaction with excess In(NO₃)₃ and halide (KBr or NaI) gave the four-coordinate adducts [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄InX₂]⁺[InX₄]⁻ (X = Br, I). An X-ray structure determination on the iodo complex revealed a slightly distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry at indium. In contrast, reaction of [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄] with indium(III) chloride was more complex; the ion [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄InCl₂]⁺ was initially observed in solution (using ESI mass spectrometry), and isolated as its BPh₄⁻ salt. Analysis of [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄InCl₂]⁺[BPh₄]⁻ by ESI MS showed the parent cation when analysed in MeCN solution. However in solutions containing methanol, partial solvolysis occurred to give the di-indium species [{Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄InCl(OMe)}₂]²⁺ (proposed to contain an In₂(μ-OMe)₂ unit with five-coordinate indium) and its fragment ion [Pt₂ (μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄InCl(OMe)]⁺. Reaction of [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄] with InCl₃•3H₂O, 8-hydroxyquinoline (HQ) and trimethylamine in methanol gave the adduct [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄InQ₂]⁺, isolated as its PF₆⁻ salt. The same cationic complex is formed when [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄] is reacted with InQ₃ in methanol, but in this case the product is contaminated with the mononuclear complex [(Ph₃P)₂PtQ]⁺ formed by disintegration of the trinuclear complex [Pt₂(μ-S)₂(PPh₃)₄InQ₂]⁻ with byproduct Q⁻. [(Ph₃P)₂PtQ]⁺BPh₄⁻ was independently prepared from cis-[PtCl₂(PPh₃)₂] and HQ/Me₃N, and is the first example of a platinum 8-hydroxyquinolinate complex containing phosphine ligands.

year: 2011

title: Factors of desistance in violent offenders: Interpretative phenomenological analysis of the Tai Aroha programme

authors: Beattie, Christopher James

subjects: Desistance

abstract: The phenomenon of desistance from crime is central to the process of rehabilitation. This study examines desistance narratives from the Tai Aroha programme to identify the aspects of participation in a community-based special treatment unit that are effective from the perspective of participants. A review of desistance literature is presented in a New Zealand context. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to present common themes in 64 exit interviews of individuals who completed this programme over a period of 6 years. These themes were compared to the factors of desistance identified in the literature review. The three key concepts that emerged from this study as factors of desistance evident in the Tai Aroha programme were the Morphic Self, Family and Whanau, and Mindfulness. The concept of the Morphic Self is a perspective on the process of identity change as experienced by participants, and is a key product of this research. Three other factors were identified as prerequisites for successful completion of the programme that also therefore contribute to desistance: Motivation, Sobriety, and Peers and Support. Also identified from this research were aspects of the experience termed Elements of Influence, which are the facets of the participants, the programme and the interactions between the two that can be considered in order to improve the delivery of the programme and therefore promote desistance. A distinctive quality of the Tai Aroha programme that was influential in the successful promotion of desistance was its strong commitment to tikanga Māori and the incorporation of these cultural values into the lifestyle and therapeutic approaches adopted by the facilitators.

text: Factors of desistance in violent offenders: Interpretative phenomenological analysis of the Tai Aroha programme The phenomenon of desistance from crime is central to the process of rehabilitation. This study examines desistance narratives from the Tai Aroha programme to identify the aspects of participation in a community-based special treatment unit that are effective from the perspective of participants. A review of desistance literature is presented in a New Zealand context. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to present common themes in 64 exit interviews of individuals who completed this programme over a period of 6 years. These themes were compared to the factors of desistance identified in the literature review. The three key concepts that emerged from this study as factors of desistance evident in the Tai Aroha programme were the Morphic Self, Family and Whanau, and Mindfulness. The concept of the Morphic Self is a perspective on the process of identity change as experienced by participants, and is a key product of this research. Three other factors were identified as prerequisites for successful completion of the programme that also therefore contribute to desistance: Motivation, Sobriety, and Peers and Support. Also identified from this research were aspects of the experience termed Elements of Influence, which are the facets of the participants, the programme and the interactions between the two that can be considered in order to improve the delivery of the programme and therefore promote desistance. A distinctive quality of the Tai Aroha programme that was influential in the successful promotion of desistance was its strong commitment to tikanga Māori and the incorporation of these cultural values into the lifestyle and therapeutic approaches adopted by the facilitators.

year: 2018