Exploring demography and sociological factors underlying decisions to join gangs among Indians

In general, gang can be described as a group of friends with identifiable leadership with certain internal organization that engage in various illegal activities such as crimes and drug trafficking. Although voluminous studies have been conducted in the West regarding gangs and gangsterism but very few studies were actually explored this issue in Malaysia. With this in mind, this study sought to provide some evidence for reasons behind decisions to join gangs as there is a lack of local qualitative research on the phenomenon of gangsterism. This lack is largely due to the vulnerability of people coming forward to share their experiences. The specific aim of this study was to explore demography and sociological factors behind gangsterism among Malaysian Indians. This study utilised a qualitative research design (semistructured interview) based on the inductive approach. Ex-gangsters and police personnel were interviewed individually. Thematic analysis was used to extract main themes and sub-themes. Three demography factors were identified: age, gender, and educational level. Four sociological factors were generated: poor parenting style, family members who were also gangsters, gang culture in the neighborhood, and financial difficulties. Two new factors emerged from the informants: social power and to experience gangster lifestyles. The outcome of this research is useful for proactive crime prevention in the form of evidence-based knowledge about demography and sociological factors behind gangsterism. This paper also briefly discussed intervention, prevention, and suppression strategies that can be used to curb this gangsterism issue effectively

Aggression profiles of incarcerated Malaysian male murderers

Criminological and psychological researches have highlighted aggressive behavior as the basic ingredient of violent crime, including murder. Increased concerns about the rate of murder in Malaysia have called for studies examining aggression profiles of the Malaysian murderers. The present study intends to explore the aggression profiles of Malaysian male prisoners convicted of murder, utilizing Buss and Perry’s Four Structure Aggression Model. A cross-sectional methodology was adapted as a research design of the present study. A guided self-administered questionnaire was distributed among 71 Malaysian male prisoners convicted of murder using purposive sampling method. The entire aggression profiles are assessed using Aggression Questionnaire-12 items (AQ-12). Descriptive item analyses were carried out to elicit the level of responses for each item in the AQ-12 while bivariate analyses were used to ascertain associations among aggression subscales. The aggression profiles indicated that the mean score of anger (8.10, SD = 2.93) was higher than other forms of aggression traits. The least mean score was noted for verbal aggression (6.24, SD = 2.45). Among the respondents, 54.9% of them scored above the mean score (8.10) for anger subscale. This was followed by 52.1% who scored above the mean score (7.77) for physical aggression subscale. The correlations among all the aggression subscales had indicated positive and significant associations which in turn, may enable it to be a platform to inspire other researches in this field. In conclusion, this ground-breaking study among male murderers has successfully explored aggression profiles using AQ-12

Psychological and Criminogenic Factors Underlying Gangsterism Among Indians in Malaysia From the Perspective of Ex-Gangsters and Police Personnel

In recent years, gangsterism and gang related activities among Indians are perplexing and alarming. Although this issue is considered as an old phenomenon, researches related to underlying factors for gangsterism are still lacking. With this in mind, this study aimed to explore psychological and criminogenic factors behind gangsterism among Indians in Malaysia. This study utilized a non-experimental research design. This study is a qualitative research (semi-structured, face-to-face individual interview guide) that makes use of the inductive approach based on a combination of subjectivism and interpretivist philosophies. Six ex-gangsters and four police personnel were interviewed; and their experiences of gangsterism were used to gain a reality-based understanding regarding the factors underlying gangsterism. The thematic analyses generated three psychological factors (negative emotional responses, low self-control, and high impulsivity) and three criminogenic factors (substance abuse, having antisocial peers, and dysfunctional families). One new theme emerged: monetary gain, with three sub-themes (ease of obtaining money, amount and immediacy, and benefits derived from illegal monetary gains). The outcome of this explorative research provides insight to the growing body of knowledge on gangsterism in Malaysia and is useful for community leaders and law enforcement agencies to strategize appropriate intervention, prevention, and suppression efforts to combat gangsterism

Association between Self-control and Aggression: An Analysis among Low Socioeconomic Status Individuals in East Coast of Malaysia

Low socioeconomic status (Low SES) is often linked to aggressive and violent behaviour. However, there is a lack of studies in Malaysia that ascertain the relationship between Low SES, self-control and aggression. Therefore the aim of this present study was to identify the association between self-control and aggression levels among Low SES individuals. 140 adult Low SES males voluntarily participated in this quantitative study. A convenience sampling method was used to recruit the respondents in this study. The present study was an observational cross sectional study using self-administrated questionnaires carried out in the East Coast of Malaysia. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation test were employed for the purpose of analyses. The result evidenced statistically significant correlation between self-control and aggression levels (r = 0.444, 95% CI: 0.30, 0.57; p < 0.001). The findings of this study would provide some insights on the correlations of self-control and aggression among Low SES individuals from statistical and psychological perspectives

Penilaian dan Pengurusan Psikologi Pemandiri Trauma

Artikel ini menghuraikan cara penilaian dan pengurusan psikologi untuk pemandiri trauma. Penilaian yang sesuai amat penting untuk mempastikan bahawa psikoterapi, rawatan tingkah laku dan rangkaian sokongan adalah mencukupi untuk keperluan jangka masa panjang pemandiri trauma atau sehingga individu tersebut mampu berfungsi secara normal. Sejajar dengan misi Persatuan Psikologi Amerika (APA) Bahagian 56 (Psikologi Trauma), artikel ini mencadangkan garis panduan yang praktikal untuk ahli psikologi, kaunselor, dan pekerja kesihatan sosial. Isu yang dibincangkan termasuk takrifan trauma, gejala selepas kejadian dan pemulihan trauma. Antara jenis trauma yang diperiksa adalah kanser, kematian mengejut, penderaan seksual dan AIDS. Satu model bekerja untuk memulakan penilaian dibentangkan bersama-sama dengan modaliti rawatan projeksi. Sebagai tambahan, artikel ini juga mengandungi pengetahuan tentang pendidikan profesional dan umum mengenai penguraian (disoksiasi), trauma dan kecelaruan berkaitan trauma di samping memperkasakan pengetahuan mengenai trauma, penguraian serta kecelaruan berkenaan trauma kronik. Artikel ini juga menyokong komunikasi dan kerjasama sesama ahli klinik dan profesional lain dalam bidang penguraian dan trauma selain merangsang projek penyelidikan kebangsaan serta antarabangsa. Individu yang berlainan bertindak balas secara berlainan terhadap peristiwa yang sama. Seseorang berkemungkinan mengalami trauma sebagai reaksi terhadap peristiwa tersebut namun seseorang yang lain mungkin tidak. Bukan semua individu yang mengalami peristiwa yang berpotensi mengakibatkan trauma akan mengalami trauma secara psikologi

The psychology of murder concealment acts

The escalating trend of murder victim concealment worldwide appears worrying, and literature does not reveal any specific study focusing on victim concealment amongst convicted male Malaysian murderers. Therefore, this study was aimed at investigating the psychological traits that may underlie the act of murder concealment in Malaysia via mixed method approaches. Male murderers (n = 71) from 11 prisons were selected via purposive sampling technique. In the quantitative analysis, a cross-sectional study design using the validated questionnaire was used. The questionnaire contained murder concealment variables and four Malay validated psychometric instruments measuring: personality traits, self-control, aggression, and cognitive distortion. The independent sample t-tests revealed the significantly higher level of anger in murderers who did not commit concealment acts (8.55 ± 2.85, p < 0.05) when compared with those who did so (6.40 ± 2.64). Meanwhile, the Kruskal–Wallis H test revealed that anger and the personality trait of aggressivenesshostility significantly varied across the different groups of murder concealment acts (p < 0.05). The qualitative data obtained via the in-depth interviews revealed two important themes for the murderers to commit murder concealment acts: (1) fear of discovery and punishment and (2) blaming others. These findings discussed from the perspectives of the murderers within the context of criminology and psychology may provide the first ever insight into the murder concealment acts in Malaysia that can benefit the relevant authorities for crime prevention and investigation efforts

Characterisation and computational analysis of a novel lipase nanobio-based reagent for visualising latent fingerprints on water-immersed glass slides

Considering the significant evidential values of fingerprints in underwater criminal investigations and the need to visualise them using a user- and environmentally-friendly reagent, development of a novel, rapid and relatively greener nanobio-based reagent (NBR) is deemed beneficial. Lipase from the commercial Candida rugosa immobilised onto acid-functionalised multi-walled carbon nanotubes (NBR) was used as the safer and cheap lipid-sensing reagent to visualise groomed whole/split fingerprints on non-porous objects immersed in stagnant tap water for up to 30 days under a laboratory-controlled setting. Attenuated Total Reflectance – Fourier Transform Spectrometry, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy and bioinformatics (molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations) were employed to characterise and confirm the attachment of NBR onto the lipid constituents of wet fingerprints. Chromatographic results further confirmed the presence of n-hexadecanoic and octadecanoic acids on fingerprints up to 30 days of immersion. Thus, NBR may potentially be useful as the future state-of-the-art fingerprint visualisation technology

100 Tips keselamatan jenayah pocket book: 100 crime safety tips

Buku Poket: Buku 100 Tips Keselamatan merupakan hasil nukilan penyelidik dan pelajar dari bidang forensik dan sains forensik. Objektif utama buku ini adalah untuk menyampaikan beberapa tips keselamatan jenayah kepada warga Malaysia untuk menghindarkan diri daripada menjadi mangsa jenayah. Sahutan ini selaras dengan matlamat Program Transformasi Kerajaan (GTP) dalam mengurangkan kadar jenayah di Malaysia