Exploring the Drugs-Homicide Connection

Although research generally assumes a close relationship between drugs and violence, very little is known about the many different roles drugs can play in criminal events. Drug related as an event classification scheme is relatively common in homicide research, as well as other areas of inquiry, and is usually understood to be an important component in the causal processes of criminal events. Yet such classification schemes often suggest a simple, unidimensional construct. In reality, drug-related crimes are com-plex events. The purpose of this researchwas first to disaggregate the concept of drug-related homicide by providing an event classification scheme that conceptualizes the diverse roles drugs play in drug-related events.Acategorical coding scheme is presented that is similar to that proposed by Goldstein (1995) and later tested by Brownstein and colleagues (Brownstein & Goldstein, 1990; Brownstein, Baxi, Goldstein, & Ryan, 1992) that specifies three distinct types of homicide events. Included among these are (a) events that involved no evidence of illicit drugs associated with the homicide event, (b) those that involved the presence of drugs or drug use at the scene as well as events where either the victim and/or offender were buying or selling drugs (we term this peripherally drug-related homicides), and (c) events where the sale or use of drugswas the motivating feature of the homicide event. In some situations, there may be overlap between categories b and c; however, category c is distinct in that it includes features of motivation. The second purpose was to determine the relative importance of various situational and contextual characteristics of homicide events in understanding different types of drug-related events. Delineating these features will be an important step in filling in the gaps of knowledge about the assumed relationship between drugs and violence

Bullying, Cyberbullying and Suicide

Empirical studies and some high-profile anecdotal cases have demonstrated a link between suicidal ideation and experiences with bullying victimization or offending. The current study examines the extent to which a nontraditional form of peer aggression-cyberbullying-is also related to suicidal ideation among adolescents. In 2007, a random sample of 1,963 middle-schoolers from one of the largest school districts in the United States completed a survey of Internet use and experiences. Youth who experienced traditional bullying or cyberbullying, as either an offender or a victim, had more suicidal thoughts and were more likely to attempt suicide than those who had not experienced such forms of peer aggression. Also, victimization was more strongly related to suicidal thoughts and behaviors than offending. The findings provide further evidence that adolescent peer aggression must be taken seriously both at school and at home, and suggest that a suicide prevention and intervention component is essential within comprehensive bullying response programs implemented in schools

Our Online World : An Overview of Cyberbullying Issues from 2009-2019

Color poster with text, maps, charts, and graphs.From the creation of the world wide web, our society has quickly woven the internet into our everyday lives. While it provides countless resources, the internet has also become a tool for those who seek to put others down. "Cyberbullying" emerged as a real issue that has finally begun to be addressed in the past years. We studied many aspects of cyberbullying and the effects it has on individuals. As its prevalence grew, cyberbullying became illegal in many states. Seeking to truly find if the internet has "destroyed the minds of a generation" and if cyberbullying has gotten worse, we looked at the changes in apps, laws, and effects (depression and suicide rates) over the span of a decade. Our analysis shows that cyberbullying is an issue, but that it is no more prevalent than bullying itself, and the internet should not take the brunt of the blame. We aim to educate on cyberbullying with facts and provide an empirically backed explanation for the trends of the time.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Program

Online Abuse on a Popular Social Media App : What it Looks Like and How to Stop it

Color poster with text, images, charts, and graphs.A popular social media app partnered with the Cyberbullying Research Center to better understand online abuse and personal experiences of children on the app. This study’s purpose is to focus on the extent to which youth from the United States were being cyberbullied on a popular social media app. Surveys were sent for users to report the occurrence. Twenty percent of US Youth experienced online bullying on the app. Sixty percent of those youth said the experience negatively impacted their life and were less likely to use the app because of it. The most common reason for bullying was because of appearance. Forty-four percent of users said they were aware of tools to report bullying. The hope is to educate users and reduce the number of online bullying experiences to zero.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Program

Digital Teen Dating Violence : A Literature Review

Color poster with text and graphs.According to Hinduja and Patchin (2011), romantic partners can cause harm to one another, including cyberbullying, in many different ways. Where traditional forms of dating violence include physical, psychological, and sexual, modern technology such as text messaging, emailing, and social media has enabled teens to employ new techniques of dating violence. Although the prevalence of digital dating violence varies by study, it is none-the-less a significant source of violence among adolescents. For that reason, many researchers promote programs to inform youth of the dangers of technology and teach them healthy communication skills.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Program

Prevalence Rates of Politically Charged Bullying among College Students Following the Election of 2016

Color poster with text, charts, and graphs.The polarization of United States politics gained significant attention during the 2016 election cycle. Technological advancements have allowed people a new medium to express their political frustrations; however, the academic research on politically charged traditional and cyberbullying is scarce. Past research indicates that anywhere between 8% and 21% of college students have experienced cyberbullying. Additionally, one study of almost 300 participants from a western university found that 52% of college students engaged in cyberbullying behaviors. The current study seeks to understand what populations tend to be targeted by both traditional and cyberbullies, as well as if the political situation has had an impact on the way students are interacting on college campuses.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Program

The Empirical Status of Cyberbullying Research

Poster with text, images, and graphs.Empirical investigation into the topic of cyberbullying among adolescents has exploded in the last few years. Despite this expanded attention, inconsistencies in definitions, methodologies, and samples obfuscate any meaningful conclusions that could be drawn. The current project seeks to build on two earlier efforts in 2010 and 2013 to collect, review, and synthesize all of the empirical research that has been published regarding cyberbullying, with a particular focus on comparing and contrasting research that has been done outside of the United States. Scholarly inquiry into the issue of cyberbullying in the United States has generally outpaced other countries, though it is clear that important work is being done abroad. This study seeks to evaluate the attributes of quantitative studies conducted abroad to determine relevant differences that might be useful for researchers studying this problem in the U.S.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Program

Beyond the Numbers : Exploring More Completely the Cyberbullying Experiences of Adolescents

Color poster with text and bar graphs.The current project seeks to evaluate qualitative responses to questions about the nature of cyberbullying experiences among a national sample of 5,500 middle and high school students. Consistent with thematic analysis, researchers reviewed responses to several open-ended questions about cyberbullying victimization and perpetration, created a rubric, and categorized the respondent's experience based on the rubric. Preliminary results show wide variation in experiences with cyberbullying, with some students significantly impacted and others not so much. Implications for intervention will also be discussed.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

Exposure to Community Violence and Childhood Delinquency

Community-level factors such as disadvantage, disorder, and disorganization have been linked to a variety of antisocial and illicit activities. Although crime and deviance tend to concentrate in areas with these characteristics, not all residents of disorganized neighborhoods participate in proscribed activities. This study examines the relationship between exposure to community violence and involvement in assaultive behavior and weapon carrying among a sample of at-risk youth. Findings demonstrate that controlling for the effects of neighborhood disadvantage as well as other common correlates of delinquency (e.g., family supervision and structure, school attachment, and peer delinquency), youth who witnessed more violence in their neighborhoods were more likely to self-report assaultive behavior and weapon carrying. This research has important implications for the study of delinquency by further identifying the social costs of community violence