Derek Chadee

Fear of crime and the media: Assessing the lack of relationship

A review of available international evidence indicates that crime features regularly in the media. New data shows that this is also true for Trinidad. Elsewhere, it has been shown that newspaper crime news concentrates heavily on infrequently occurring crimes involving sex and/or violence. Crime news on television and radio has not been subject to as much scrutiny, although it has been shown that televised crime drama is noticeably violent. Data from a representative sample of Trinidadian respondents (n = 705) undertaken in 2000 indicate no relationship between media consumption and fear of crime.

Trinidadian and U.S. Citizens’ Attitudes Toward Domestic Violence and their Willingness to Intervene Does Culture Make a Difference?

In this study, Trinidadian (n = 194) and U.S. (n = 290) citizens were compared on their attitudes toward domestic violence (DV) as well as their willingness to intervene in five distinct DV contexts (when the DV involved an immediate family member, extended family member, a friend, neighbor, and a coworker). The results indicated that Trinidadians were modestly, albeit statistically significantly, more tolerant of DV compared to U.S. citizens—a finding that was accounted for primarily by age differences between the two national groups. Also, Trinidadians reported being significantly less willing to intervene in DV involving a friend, neighbor, and coworker than U.S. citizens, even after controlling for differences in sociodemographic variables. Regarding gender, women expressed significantly less tolerance for DV than men across nationality. Diverse interpretations of these findings are discussed in the context of culture.

Prevalence of self-reported diabetes, hypertension and heart disease in individuals seeking State funding in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies

Objective: Diabetes, hypertension and heart disease inflict a heavy health burden on the Caribbean Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. This study assessed the prevalence of self- reported diabetes, hypertension and heart disease in lower socioeconomically placed individuals accessing welfare grants. Method: Data collected between July 2008 and June 2009 were analyzed from 14,793 responses. The survey sought information on education, average monthly income, health, housing, and household facilities. Results: Self-reported disease prevalence was 19.5% (95% CI: 18.9–20.2) for diabetes mellitus; 30.2% (95% CI: 29.5–30.9) for hypertension; and 8.2% (95% CI: 7.7–8.6) for cardiac disease. Diabetes and cardiac disease had equivalent gender frequency; hypertension was more prevalent in women (p < .001). Disease prevalence was highest in Indo-Trinidadians, married and divorced subjects, non-Christians and increased with age. Those with primary education alone were at greatest risk. Conclusion: Trinidad and Tobago have a high prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. Hypertension showed gender specificity in women. Prevalence was highest in Indo-Trinidadians, increased with age, and primary education alone was a risk factor. Interventions to arrest the high prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases to promote wellness are needed in Trinidad and Tobago.

The stability of global and specific measures of the fear of crime: results from a two wave Trinidadian longitudinal study

The ‘fear of crime’ is a politically important measure, and much is made of year to year changes in levels when generated by repeat cross-sectional national surveys such as the British Crime Survey. Data from the first two waves of a longitudinal survey of the fear of crime undertaken in Trinidad indicate that identical year on year fear levels regularly conceal considerable gross changes in reported fear, many of which are mutually cancelled in the calculation of net year-on-year fear levels. These results question either or both of the stability of the fear of crime, and of measures used to assess it.

Fear of Crime Quantitative Measurement Instability Revisited and Qualitative Consistency Added: Results from a Three Wave Trinidadian Longitudinal Study

A previous article (reporting the first two waves of the three reported here) generated from this longitudinal Trinidadian data base indicated that, for each question on general feelings of safety or on specific worry about crime, some individuals changed their response when asked the same question 12 months later, and some did not. Data in this paper indicate that some of those who had not changed their minds the first two times they were asked, had changed it by the third time, and some still had not. Some who had changed their minds by wave 2, had changed it back again by wave 3, and some stayed with their wave 2 answer. However, when some triple wave respondents were interviewed qualitatively, many had good reasons for changing their minds, for not changing their minds and even for changing it back again. This suggests that there may be two dimensions of change at work. First, some confirmed instability of response at the quantitative level; but second, and cross-cutting the first, there is some consistency with reported experience when considered qualitatively.

Preventive and punitive criminal justice policy support in Trinidad: The media’s role:

An unresolved research question regarding crime and justice policy is the relationship between an individual’s media consumption and their support for punitive and preventive criminal justice policies. The relationship between media, crime, and justice is under-examined in countries other than the United States and Britain and the relationship between media and criminal justice policy support remains less than fully understood in all locales. In response, an examination of a media— policy relationship in a Western democracy not previously studied was conducted. Based on data from an October 2005 national telephone survey of Trinidad and Tobago residents, this study measured support for punitive and preventive criminal justice policies in association with crime and justice media consumption and worldviews. Multivariate analysis showed that, for Trinidadians, support for punitive policies was significantly related to perceiving television crime dramas as realistic and crime news as accurate. For preventive policy support, the same media factors plus the level of exposure to crime dramas on television were significant. Overall, media were found to play similar but not especially strong roles in support levels for both punitive and preventive criminal justice policies.

Fear of Crime: The Influence of General Fear, Risk, and Time Perspective.

Prior research on fear of crime has focused less on psychological causes than on sociological and demographic factors. This study, however, introduces time perspective (TP) as an important psychological variable in the understanding of fear of crime. Specifically, the article assesses the relationship between TP as a stable personality factor and the mediation of risk and general fear on fear of crime levels. Data were collected using the survey method from a sample of 375 respondents utilizing the following scales: Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI) consisting of five TP subscales, Ferraro’s perceived risk of victimization and fear of crime scales, and a general (non-crime) fear scale measuring pragmatic and abstract fear. Path analysis shows no significant direct relationships between the five TP subscales and fear of crime. However, indirect effects are observed for Past Negative TP and Present Fatalistic TP, with general fear (pragmatic and abstract) and risk of victimization mediating the relationship, and pragmatic fear having the greatest significant effect size. Results are discussed in the context of risk and general fear sensitivity and construal level theory. We conclude with recommendations for future research.

Copycat crime dynamics: The interplay of empathy, narrative persuasion and risk with likelihood to commit future criminality.

Prior research on media and violence suggests that youths with low empathy and high sensitivity to narrative persuasion are at particular risk of criminogenic media. The motivation to copycat behavior and level of risk criminality are predictors of the likelihood to commit future criminality (LCFC). This study assesses the relationship among empathy, narrative persuasion, risk, media influence, need for cognition (NFC), copycat motivation, and the LCFC. Utilizing a sample of 373 respondents across three categories, detention center, high- and low-risk schools (Mage = 16.5, SD = 1.6), face to face interviews were conducted with a standardized questionnaire. Findings from a structural equation model (SEM) indicate that risk and copycat motivation have the strongest positive direct relationship with LCFC. Empathic concern and narrative persuasion were inversely and positively related, respectively, to copycat motivation. Findings are discussed in context of their implications and past research.

Effects of punishment, social norms, and peer pressure on delinquency: Spare the rod and spoil the child?

Parental behavior regulation and delinquency is well established in the literature. While the precise direction of the relationship seems elusive, delinquency remains a recurring behavioral outcome of punitive forms of discipline. Opponents of punishment propose that it leads to a greater likelihood of conduct issues in adolescence and adulthood. The present study assessed the influence of punishment, social norms, and age on delinquency while examining peer pressure as a mediator. Further, gender and ethnicity were controlled. A random sample of 2011 participants from a southern Caribbean island responded to a questionnaire administered by field interviewers. Data were analyzed using path analysis, multiple group analysis, and one-way analysis of variance. Results showed that all independent variables were significant in predicting delinquency while peer pressure mediated these relationships. Further, gender and ethnic differences were observed with males and African-Trinidadians rating highest on delinquency. Findings are discussed within the theoretical frameworks of social bond theory, PARTheory, and in relation to previous research. Limitations and future research are also highlighted.

Time for Time Perspective

Time is an asset we all wish to possess, the value of which cannot be compared to any other asset (Zimbardo & Boyd, 2008). Time is an essential part of life, a medium in which we spend our life. At the same time, it is one of several essential dimensions of our observable world that significantly influences the shaping of our existence. It is quite clear why time attracts and keeps the attention of scientists who wish to understand and explore nature, role, and significance of time during the human life cycle.