Road traffic offences: socially acceptable crimes?

Statistics on road fatalities, injury, and costs associated with road traffic accidents make grim reading and yet generally law-abiding people confess to breaking driving laws at one time or another. This paper examines the role media play in ‘normalising’ poor driving behaviours. Using media analysis, we examined the mixed messages in institutional (news reports, editorials), non-institutional (letters and texts to the editor) articles, and the Road Traffic Act (Queensland, Australia). We found there is ambivalence to this type of criminal behaviour and public safety messages. Police and road organisation warnings have little to no effect, and general community attitude to law breaking is attenuated by majority opinion

Responding to violent assaults against police

This research was the result of a partnership between a multidisciplinary team from James Cook University and staff from Queensland Police Service (QPS). The two year project stemmed from conversations about concerns relating to the high incidence of assaults against front line QPS officers from members of the general public. This led to the generation of the research question of "What are the main reasons why police officers in Queensland are assaulted in the course of executing their official duties?" Specifically the project focused on the five aims: 1. To gain the perceptions of Queensland Police Service (QPS) officers regarding the emotional social and physical impacts as a result of being assaulted by members of the community. 2. Identify the precipitating factors which resulted in assaults against QPS officers from as well as how police respond to potential conflict situations with members of the public. 3. To compare the nature and frequency of the types of assaults against police from urban regional and remote locations. 4. Identify gaps in the training and professional development of police officers in terms of responding to potential conflict situations. 5. To gain the perceptions, beliefs and attitudes of offenders who have been convicted of assaulting police concerning their self-esteem, attitudes to aggression, impulsivity, behavioural and self-control, as well as attitudes to authority, in order to identify the precipitating factors which led to these conflicts with police. To address the research question and aims, a mixed methodology was adopted consisting of qualitative data including semi-structured interviews with police who had been the victims of assaults as well as prisoners who had been charged with assaulting police. In addition, quantitative date was obtained from police and prisoners through the use of a series of psychological scales which measured behavioural and attitudinal characteristics of individuals. Finally, interpretive data relating to the analysis of five cases recorded from police body worn cameras was obtained to identify factors which increase the likelihood of police being assaulted. The triangulation of the data from each source allowed for the formulation of a number of informed observations which contributed to the key recommendations outlined in the this report including mandatory sentences for offenders, better police communication training, a public education programme and support for officers who were the victims of assaults

Human rights in the Indian criminal justice system: women and children

[Extract] The fundamental rights in the Indian Constitution are meant to guarantee its citizens individual rights common to most liberal democracies, such as equality before the law, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of association and peaceful assembly, freedom of religion and the right to constitutional remedies for the protection of civil rights. In the most ideal context, while rights remain enshrined in the Constitution, the realisation of many of these is set out in the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) as well as the fundamental duties contained in the sections of the Constitution of India that prescribe the obligations of the various states within the Union of India to its citizens, and the duties of the citizens to the state. Although, the DPSP sections are pivotal elements of the Constitution, they remain ironically unenforceable. These fundamental duties are sometimes described as the moral obligations of all citizens to help promote a spirit of patriotism, and to hold the country's unity

Coping Strategies Adopted by Migrant Female Head-load Carriers Who Experienced IPV

The physical, sexual and reproductive, and mental health complications posed by Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) raise problems that must be addressed by victims. This study presents qualitative data on the coping strategies employed by 20 head-load carriers (females who carry loads in a saucepan on the head for a fee) who were survivors of IPV. The findings indicate that the head-load carriers adopted strategies such as apologizing or fighting back (interpersonal coping); remaining silent (intrapersonal coping); seeking support from family, friends, or institutions (socio-personal coping); engaging in prayer and hope; and leaving the relationship. Future research and policy implications are also discussed