AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE “THREAT OF VICTIMIZATION:” CONSIDERING FEAR OF CRIME,PERCEIVED RISK,AVOIDANCE, AND DEFENSIVE BEHAVIORS

Rader (2004 Rader Nicole E. 2004 . “The Threat of Victimization: A Theoretical Reconceptualization of Fear of Crime.” Sociological Spectrum 24 : 689 – 704 .[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) has called for a reconceptualization in the study of fear of crime, arguing that fear is one of several dimensions of the “threat of victimization,” with fear of crime, perceptions of risk, and avoidance (i.e., limiting or changing activity) and defensive behaviors (i.e., performing a specific action to allay fear of crime) as interrelated pieces. We use data from adult residents of a midsouthern state to provide qualified support for the threat of victimization concept in a series of multivariate linear and logistic regression models. Implications for future fear of crime research are also discussed.     

RELIGIOSITY,PEERS, AND DELINQUENCY: DOES RELIGIOSITY REDUCE THE EFFECT OF PEERS ON DELINQUENCY?

Do peer influences have the same effect on religious and nonreligious youth, or does religiosity reduce the effect of peers on delinquency? Using data from the National Youth Survey, we examined the interaction of religiosity and peer influences on marijuana use, alcohol use, hitting, and property offenses. The results suggest that, for marijuana use and alcohol use, three measures of peer influence—peer attitudes, behaviors, and pressure—have weaker effects on religious adolescents. Thus, even when religious youth are exposed to peers who encourage substance use, religiosity may serve as a protective factor that reduces the effect of peers. In contrast, religiosity does not seem to condition the effect of peers on hitting and property offenses.     

‘IT'S TIME IT ENDED AND YET I HESITATE,I HESITATE TO END IT’: THE EMOTIONAL WORLD OF AN OLD PEOPLE'S HOME

Institutionalized responses to human care have been prone to developing unhelpful practices. Inquiries into malpractice often generate recommendations focusing on improving protocols or procedures, while neglecting the emotional experiences of both clients and staff. In this study, we aimed to address why and how complex and challenging emotions enter into care work. We explored the emotional world of a residential home for older people, using a psychosocial observational approach based on the Tavistock method. We have presented four themes: attacking–defending, living–dying, paralysis–movement and emptiness–fullness, which illustrate the complex existential challenges faced both by residents and staff in such a context. Our observations revealed how a range of defensive processes operated to protect the observer from experiencing painful feelings and emotions. Throughout the observation period an increasingly complex understanding developed of the emotional life of the home. This process was made possible by reflective supervision sessions. Our findings generate implications for the type of support that may be needed by care staff in such environments.     

INNOVATION, ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING AND THE MANAGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: What of digital piracy?

This article aims to analyse the effects of piracy on the management of intellectual property (IP) and innovation. The first section discusses the problems associated with digital technologies that are confronting rightholders, and highlights the view that the versatility of these technologies constitutes a major asset for the growth of both electronic publishing and piracy. The effect of piracy on the management of IP and innovation will be discussed in terms of (1) how IP is created; (2) the resources required to stay in the business and the difficulties in maintaining market presence; (3) the means of protection of IP, and (4) the entry barriers to the electronic publishing sector. The analysis is based on an interview sample of thirty-one small- and medium-sized UK-based electronic publishers. The article concludes that while it is right for legislators and those within the industry to seek enhanced copyright protection, it is less clear whether piracy is a material threat to investment in electronic publishing, as it is widely posited to be by the industry.     

SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION: THE AVAILABILITY OF ALCOHOL‐RELATED COURSE CURRICULUM AND SOCIAL WORKERS' ABILITY TO WORK WITH PROBLEM DRINKERS

An explanatory cross‐sectional investigation was employed to assess how well masters‐level social work (MSW) programs in the State of New York prepare students for practice with problem drinkers. The following areas were explored: (1) the incorporation of alcohol‐related coursework and field placement opportunities within MSW programs; (2) the relationship between students' completion of alcohol‐related courses and field placements and their subsequent ability to diagnose clients with alcohol problems, their willingness to work with problem drinkers, and their levels of alcohol‐related knowledge; and (3) subjects' levels of alcohol‐related knowledge in relation to their diagnostic ability and their willingness to work with problem drinkers. The sample consisted of 89 MSW‐level social work practitioners, who were active members of the New York State Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) during the fall of 2005. Fewer than 3% of the sample reported the completion of an alcohol‐related course as a mandatory degree requirement and only 29.5% of the sample acknowledged the completion of an alcohol‐related field placement. These findings suggest that a possible gap exists in what social workers are being taught and what they need to know to successfully work with problem drinkers. The findings indicate that clients with alcohol problems are at risk of going untreated due to social workers' inability to correctly diagnose them as a result of insufficient training in the area of alcohol studies.     

RELIGIOSITY,MORAL BELIEFS,AND DELINQUENCY: DOES THE EFFECT OF RELIGIOSITY ON DELINQUENCY DEPEND ON MORAL BELIEFS?

Does the effect of religiosity on delinquent behavior depend on moral beliefs? For example, will religious adolescents refrain from using marijuana, even if they do not believe using marijuana is wrong? We addressed this question using data from the third and fourth waves of the National Youth Survey. The results indicated a significant interaction between religiosity and moral beliefs for marijuana use and getting drunk, but not for hitting or property offenses. Religiosity has a stronger effect on marijuana and alcohol use when adolescents also believe these behaviors are wrong. Conversely, when it is not accompanied by strong moral beliefs, religiosity has less of an effect on marijuana use and drinking.