Gang members are entangled in a web of violence that leads the gunman of today to become the victim of tomorrow

While the media often portrays a stark line between the victims of crime and offenders the reality is much more blurred. New research from David Pyrooz, Richard K. Moule, and Scott H. Decker find that this is especially the case for gang members who find that they are twice as likely to be both victims and offenders as non-gang members. They argue that gang membership is a large risk factor in this victim-offender overlap, as single acts of violence between gang members often lead to acts of retribution between gangs as a whole

Cynicism toward the law is linked to lower compliance with and support for COVID-19 mitigation measures

The COVID-19 pandemic saw the introduction of efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus by US state governments, including mask mandates, limits on large gatherings and stay-at-home orders. In new research Richard K. Moule Jr., George W. Burruss, and Chae M. Jaynes look at why members of the public both supported and defied strategies meant to combat the spread of COVID-19. They find that those who saw the virus as being deadly and highly contagious, and who were more fearful of contracting it, were more likely to support and comply with mitigation measures, while those who were cynical about the law, and felt that laws were not legitimate, were less likely to comply with and support these measures

Establishing a large prospective clinical cohort in people with head and neck cancer as a biomedical resource: head and neck 5000

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancer is an important cause of ill health. Survival appears to be improving but the reasons for this are unclear. They could include evolving aetiology, modifications in care, improvements in treatment or changes in lifestyle behaviour. Observational studies are required to explore survival trends and identify outcome predictors. METHODS: We are identifying people with a new diagnosis of head and neck cancer. We obtain consent that includes agreement to collect longitudinal data, store samples and record linkage. Prior to treatment we give participants three questionnaires on health and lifestyle, quality of life and sexual history. We collect blood and saliva samples, complete a clinical data capture form and request a formalin fixed tissue sample. At four and twelve months we complete further data capture forms and send participants further quality of life questionnaires. DISCUSSION: This large clinical cohort of people with head and neck cancer brings together clinical data, patient-reported outcomes and biological samples in a single co-ordinated resource for translational and prognostic research

Public support for police use of SWAT: examining the relevance of legitimacy

For five decades, law enforcement agencies have developed specialized units, such as Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams, for dealing with dangerous situations. In recent years, the uses of SWAT have expanded to a number of circumstances. The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing noted that improper use of SWAT may damage the publics’ relationship with police. The current study examines public support for police use of SWAT across a number of different situations, using a national sample of 702 American adults. Descriptive statistics indicate widespread support for the use of SWAT in circumstances associated with hostage situations and terror events, with lower levels of support for circumstances involving the serving of drug warrants, large-scale public events, and peaceful protests, among others. Results from a series of logistic regressions indicate that legitimacy has inconsistent effects on public support for police use of SWAT across circumstances. Implications for theory and policy are discussed

Legal socialization and selective exposure to “cop-watching” websites

Purpose: The legitimacy crisis faced by law enforcement has been suggested to be the result of a new media environment where citizens can record encounters with police and place these recordings online. The purpose of this paper is to examine the motives of individuals who cop-watch, or record the police, but not the factors influencing visiting cop-watching websites. Design/methodology/approach: Using a cross-sectional, national sample of 702 American adults, and drawing on theories of legal socialization and selective exposure, the current study examines the prevalence and correlates visiting “cop-watching” websites. Findings: Approximately 9 percent of the sample reports having ever visited these sites. Results from a series of logistic regressions indicate legal cynicism is positively associated with having ever visited these sites, having done so recently, following these sites on social media and visiting these sites more frequently after Ferguson. Police legitimacy reduced the likelihood that individuals had ever visited these sites, but was unrelated to other outcomes. Research limitations/implications: The cross-sectional nature of the survey precludes discussion of causality, but results are fairly consistent with theoretical expectations. Originality/value: The current study reflects an early attempt to understand correlates of public consumption of “cop-watching” material

Categorically complex: A latent class analysis of public perceptions of police militarization

Purpose: The events in Ferguson, MO in 2014 renewed national attention to the issue of militarization of law enforcement. Despite scrutiny from policymakers and community stakeholders, little is known regarding the public\u27s opinion on police militarization (PM), or the factors shaping these views. This problem is magnified because individuals may support or oppose PM for a variety of reasons, but the characteristics of these supporters and opposers is currently unknown. This study aims to examine the distinct types of individuals who support or oppose PM, and the normative, instrumental, and demographic factors that distinguish within- and between-groups of supporters and opposers of PM. Methods: Using a national sample of 702 American adults, a series of Latent Class Analyses were conducted using data on normative and instrumental characteristics of individuals who support and oppose PM. Results: Results indicate three unique sub-types of PM supporters and two unique sub-types of opposers, and each contain a distinct combination of normative and instrumental concerns and beliefs. Normative orientations distinguish between overall PM supporters and opposers. Within-group variations appear to be a function of additional characteristics. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the complexity of the public sentiment toward this controversial topic in contemporary American policing

Technology-Mediated Exposure to Police–Citizen Encounters: A Quasi-Experimental Assessment of Consequences for Citizen Perceptions

Anecdotal evidence suggests that recent video-recorded police–citizen encounters have undermined police legitimacy and fueled civil unrest across the United States. Drawing from the process-based model of policing, social cognitive theory, and past research on media effects, we assess the influence of viewing cell phone videos of police–citizen encounters on perceptions of law enforcement. Using quasi-experimental methods and video footage of an actual police–citizen encounter captured on cell phones, the effects of viewing these videos are assessed using a series of repeated measure ANOVAs. Results indicate that viewing cell phone videos of police–citizen encounters significantly impacts perceptions of law enforcement, though little evidence of differing effects based on point-of-view, number of video exposures, or ordering of video exposures was found. The process-based model of policing should consider further incorporating the contributions of technology to provide a more holistic account of the factors influencing perceptions of police

Is Seeing believing?:On the Content Validity of Video Recordings for Use in Criminological Research

Video recordings of police-citizen interactions are becoming increasingly commonplace and accessible to the public. The ability of these recordings to expose multiple individuals to a single encounter makes them ideal for use in criminological research, though little is known regarding the content validity of these videos. Given how open to interpretation these recordings are, it is necessary to ensure the validity of video content. To address this issue, we suggest and demonstrate a multi-stage approach for validating this content. Using this approach, and an expert panel of police officers, this paper seeks to examines a basic methodological challenge of analyzing video-recorded behavior. This paper examines the concordance of perceptions across officers and video content using a multi-stage validation procedure: directed closed-ended questions, subjective ratings, and qualitative responses. Directed closed-ended questions and subjective response ratings indicated higher agreement among respondents in their video assessments, and were in accordance with initial researcher video categorizations. Open-ended response options resulted in less agreement about the content of recordings. Focusing on the content validity of video recordings is the first step for their better integration into criminological research. Our findings highlight the utility of one method of ascertaining this validity

The Long Shadow of Ferguson: Legitimacy, Legal Cynicism, and Public Perceptions of Police Militarization

This study examines public perceptions of police militarization, specifically whether individuals believe police are too militarized, and support for practices associated with militarization. Drawing on concepts found in the legal socialization literature—legitimacy and legal cynicism—this study tests hypotheses regarding whether these constructs influence perceptions of militarization. Using a national sample of 702 American adults, a series of ordinary least squares regression models are used to analyze the relationships between legitimacy, cynicism, and perceptions of police militarization. Results suggested that higher levels of legitimacy reduced beliefs that police are too militarized while also increasing support for practices associated with militarization. Cynicism increased beliefs that the police are too militarized, but had no effect on support for militarization. Perceptions of militarization are thus influenced by legal socialization