Child Abuse (Sexual And Physical)

Organisms respond to cyclical environmental conditions by entraining their endogenous biological rhythms. Such physiological responses are expected to be substantial for species inhabiting arid environments which incur large variations in daily and seasonal ambient temperature (Ta). We measured core body temperature (Tb) daily rhythms of Cape ground squirrels Xerus inauris inhabiting an area of Kalahari grassland for six months from the Austral winter through to the summer. Squirrels inhabited two different areas: an exposed flood plain and a nearby wooded, shady area, and occurred in different social group sizes, defined by the number of individuals that shared a sleeping burrow. Of a suite of environmental variables measured, maximal daily Ta provided the greatest explanatory power for mean Tb whereas sunrise had greatest power for Tb acrophase. There were significant changes in mean Tb and Tb acrophase over time with mean Tb increasing and Tb acrophase becoming earlier as the season progressed. Squirrels also emerged from their burrows earlier and returned to them later over the measurement period. Greater increases in Tb, sometimes in excess of 5°C, were noted during the first hour post emergence, after which Tb remained relatively constant. This is consistent with observations that squirrels entered their burrows during the day to \u27offload\u27 heat. In addition, greater Tb amplitude values were noted in individuals inhabiting the flood plain compared with the woodland suggesting that squirrels dealt with increased environmental variability by attempting to reduce their Ta-Tb gradient. Finally, there were significant effects of age and group size on Tb with a lower and less variable Tb in younger individuals and those from larger group sizes. These data indicate that Cape ground squirrels have a labile Tb which is sensitive to a number of abiotic and biotic factors and which enables them to be active in a harsh and variable environment. © 2012 Scantlebury et al

College Students\u27 Lifestyles And Self-Protective Behaviors: Further Considerations Of The Guardianship Concept In Routine Activity Theory

Routine activity theory has traditionally emphasized identifying victimization risks and suitable targets for crime. Assessments of the role of guardianship in criminal events are less emphasized. Explorations of who uses guardianship to attempt to reduce their chances for victimization have been developed only minimally, typically relying on demographics. This research goes further in assessing who uses self-protective strategies, considering lifestyles related to proximity to motivated offenders, the suitability of individuals as targets, and how these characteristics influence the use of self-protective devices. Results show the most influential lifestyle characteristics and behaviors on use of self-protective measures are exposure to potential offenders and neighborhood characteristics. Fear of crime, substance use, and individual demographics show only small relationships to guardianship

Parole Board Members\u27 Views Of Sex Offender Registration And Community Notification

Little is known about how criminal justice officials perceive fairness, efficacy or scope of sex offender registration and community notification procedures, despite their importance in implementing such policies. There is also scant literature regarding parole board members and their attitudes or approaches to their work. This study addresses both issues by examining the attitudes and beliefs regarding sex offender registration and community notification among members of state parole boards. Using a survey methodology, including the Community Attitudes Toward Sex Offenders (CATSO) scale (Church, Wakeman, Miller, Clements, & Sun, 2008), parole board members are shown to hold moderate views of the importance of such practices and to frequently question the efficacy and scope of registration and community notification. Additionally, the CATSO is shown to not be of assistance for understanding the views of parole board members. © 2011 Southern Criminal Justice Association

Transforming Potential Offenders Into Motivated Ones: Are Sex Offenders Tempted By Alcohol And Pornography?

One of the primary concerns of scholars of routine activity theory is the explication of the three core elements necessary for crime to occur. Using sex offenders as a sample of offenders, the present analysis examines the element potential offender and considers whether or not there are differences among offenders and their locations that may transform potential offenders into actively motivated ones. Until recently, most routine activity scholars took potential offenders as a given and used the terms potential and motivated interchangeably. This analysis shows that there is a distinctive difference between the presence of potential offenders and the idea that there may be offenders who are more actively motivated, particularly by the presence of community temptations (e.g., factors that attract or draw offenders to offending). We find that for sexual victimization rates, the presence of potential offenders is insignificant, whereas the presence of potential offenders in combination with the presence of community temptations is significant. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Residential Relegation Of Registered Sex Offenders

This study builds on existing research (Hughes and Kadleck 2008; Mustaine et al. 2006a; Tewksbury and Mustaine 2006) that shows registered sex offenders are more likely to live in undesirable and socially disorganized communities. We extend such analyses to a geographically and demographically different community and employ more sophisticated measures of social disorganization concepts to assess the validity of the claim that registered sex offenders are relegated to socially disorganized communities. Data from Orange County, Florida, including measures of violent crime and the social disorganization concepts of concentrated disadvantage, residential instability and immigrant concentration are used to examine the distribution of residential locations for registered sex offenders. Results show that higher concentrations of sex offenders are found in communities with more concentrated economic disadvantage, more residential instability and higher rates of robbery and child sexual abuse. Implications of these findings for public policy are discussed. © Southern Criminal Justice Association 2011

Registered Sex Offenders, Residence, And The Influence Of Race

The current research assesses the characteristics of neighborhoods where registered sex offenders (RSOs) reside and whether or not race influences the locations of these RSOs. Drawing on data from 2,290 RSOs in five urban counties, analysis focuses on assessing the characteristics of census tracts where Black and White RSOs reside, as well as assessing characteristics of census tracts with high concentrations of RSOs in residence. Findings show that census tracts where sex offenders reside display more social disorganization than communities and the nation as a whole. Census tracts where Black RSOs reside are generally more socially disorganized than those where White RSOs reside. Additionally White RSOs are more likely to reside in census tracts with high concentrations of RSOs. © 2008 by The Haworth Press. All rights reserved

Routine Activities And Vandalism: A Theoretical And Empirical Study

Using routine activity theory this paper examines vandalism victimization rates among a sample of 1,513 American college students at nine institutions. Relying on a sophisticated set of measures of community structures, conditions, victims’ alcohol, drug and other illegal activities, lifestyle activities, and security precautions, there is strong support found for the theory. Significant predictors of vandalism victimization risks include measures of target suitability, exposure to potential offenders, victim\u27s offending behaviors, and measures of community structure, organization and cohesion. © 2000, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

A Survey Of Social Science Journal Editors For Behind-The-Scenes Data On The Publication Process

Conducting and publishing research is at the heart of the academic social scientist\u27s job. Understanding the publication process is critical for any scholar looking for a successful career. The current study draws on survey data from 117 editors of social science journals to identify how editors experience their jobs, how manuscript reviews are processed, and what aspects of editors, journals, and manuscripts are most important to editors\u27 publication decisions. Results suggest that editors relied on their editorial boards and associate editors to do reviews and give advice, that the greatest challenge editors faced in dealing with manuscripts was slow reviewers, and that rarely did editors face allegations of plagiarism or have to deal with inappropriate reviews they did not want to send to the author(s). Quality of writing and strength of findings are the most influential factors in journals\u27 acceptance rates

Southern College Students\u27 Cheating Behaviors: An Examination Of Problem Behavior Correlates

Understandings of cheating behavior by college students have focused on identifying rates at which students cheat and the identification of demographic characteristics. This paper focuses on demographic and other problem behaviors associated with cheating. Male and female samples from 12 southern colleges/universities are examined separately. Results show that males who cheat are more likely to be involved in four of seven other problem behaviors; females who cheat are likely to be involved in only one of seven other problematic behaviors. These findings suggest that cheating may be part of a larger problem behavior orientation for males but not females. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Inc