Gambling harm and crime careers

Incarcerated populations across the world have been found to be consistently and significantly more vulnerable to problem gambling than general populations in the same countries. In an effort to gain a more specific understanding of this vulnerability the present study applied latent class analysis and criminal career theory to gambling data collected from a sample of English and Scottish, male and female prisoners (N=1057). The analysis found six clusters measured by responses to the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), primarily distinguished by loss chasing behaviour. Longitudinal offending data drawn from the Police National Computer database found four criminal career types, distinguished by frequency and persistence over time. A significant association was found between higher level loss chasing and high rate offending in criminal careers. High rate offenders whose offending peaked in their mid 20’s were 5.3 times more likely to be higher level loss chasers and high rate chronic persistent offenders 3.7 times more likely than other criminal career types. Theories that link gambling, offending and impulse control are discussed and targeted interventions are proposed

Study on comprehensive policy review of anti-trafficking projects funded by the European Commission:HOME/2014/ISFP/PR/THBX/0052

This report addresses four objectives: 1. To conduct a comprehensive review of European Commission (EC) funded anti-trafficking projects so as to enhance coordination, avoid duplication and provide a solid basis for coherent, cost-effective and strategic planning, including potentially for the further development of anti-trafficking policies at EU level, thereby supporting the dual aims of enhanced coordination and cooperation among key actors and policy coherence. 2. To map and analyse the distribution of EC-funded anti-trafficking projects according to their scope of intervention, geographic areas of intervention, fields, actors, target beneficiaries, funding level, types of output, policy recommendations and other relevant aspects. 3. To identify and assess the common, unique or complementary contribution of the impact and results of these funded projects to the objectives of the EU anti-trafficking strategy, including whether their contribution has yet been taken into account. 4. To identify trends, emerging research and policy question