Jacqueline Mary Drew

Establishing additionality: fraud vulnerabilities in the clean development mechanism

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the clean development mechanism (CDM) which creates carbon credits from emission abatement projects in developing economies. The paper aims to examine the operation of the CDM with specific reference to fraud vulnerabilities regarding the additionality of a project. An examination of the process of establishment, certification and verification of additionality (confirmation that emissions post-implementation of the CDM project are lower than those that would have occurred under the most plausible alternative scenario) is used to highlight the need for particular vigilance in respect to sustaining and improving the integrity of future market-based mechanisms post-Kyoto. Design/methodology/approach - The study takes a case study approach, examining the CDM project cycle and associated key entities. Findings - The study posits that the processes associated with establishing and verifying additionality of a project are potentially key areas of systemic weakness that must be addressed. This case study explores the design features of the CDM that may afford greater opportunities for fraudulent or deceptive practices. Originality/value - The CDM takes a project-by-project approach to establishment, verification and certification of additionality. Whilst conceptually this design may be appropriate from an operational perspective, it potentially provides opportunities for fraudulent outcomes. The individualised approach is, by its very nature, highly resource-intensive and inherently difficult to verify.

The Identification of Ponzi Schemes: Can a Picture Tell a Thousand Frauds?

There is voluminous commentary on the origins of the global financial crisis (GFC), international attempts to limit the contagion and the Herculean effort to stop the global economy sliding into a depression. However, in the fast-moving world of the GFC, the debate shifted to the search for answers to the most challenging question: can we stop this from occurring again? To date, a number of responses have been formulated, including the need for a more holistic approach to regulating the global financial system, more stringent controls on banks and new financial products and reform of executive remuneration practices that encourage excessive risk-taking. This article suggests that an additional issue in the reform debate warrants consideration. The adequacy and implementation of fraud-detection systems in the financial services industry must be addressed. The monthly returns from the largest feeder fund in the US

Police Responses to the Methamphetamine Problem: An analysis of the Organizational and Regulatory Context

65 billion Ponzi scheme overseen by Bernard L Madoff are analysed to demonstrate how the performance characteristics of investment schemes can be used as a potential ‘red flag’ indicator in a broad system of fraud detection. It is argued that performance characteristic analysis is likely to play an important role as one tool within a collection of quantitative and qualitative assessment controls able to identify fraud perpetration in the financial services industry.

Women Police in Post-Fitzgerald Queensland: A 20 Year Review

This article focuses on the operational adoption and implementation of partnership policing strategy as applied to the methamphetamine problem. The study involves drug law enforcement officers employed in State-based, law enforcement agencies across three Australian police organizations. Using innovations and organizational change perspectives, the study examines the contextual factors that influence the translation of partnership strategies into operational drug law enforcement practice. The research found that partnership policing is influenced by factors across organizational, operational, and regulatory contexts. The process of partnership policing implementation can be better understood through an analysis of the legislative- versus voluntary-based operation of police partnerships and the commitment by organizations to providing resources, management support, performance systems, and organizational structure and policies that support these strategies.

Policing advance fee fraud (AFF): Experiences of fraud detectives using a victim-focused approach

The Fitzgerald report was the catalyst for major reforms to Queenslands system of government and criminal justice, and included explicit recommendations related to women in policing. Reforms led to the removal of discriminatory barriers and significant improvements in the recruitment and promotion of women. However, these changes provoked a backlash in the 1990s that led to reductions in female recruitment. A return to less discriminatory policies eventually ensued, with steady improvements on key equity indicators. This paper provides a historical perspective on developments over the two decades since Fitzgerald, and includes a critical analysis of the implementation of contemporary equity and diversity strategies within the policing context. Recruitment of women police in Queensland has plateaued at one-third and progress in the overall number of sworn women and women in management is slow. The paper concludes by emphasising the wider lessons for a more developed and proactive gender equity program in public sector employment and policing.

Work family conflict as a predictor of turnover intent in male and female police officers

Advance fee fraud (AFF) involves an offender using deceit to obtain a financial gain from the victim. The victim believes that by forwarding a sum of money, there will be a future ‘pay-off’. The most commonly witnessed forms of AFF perpetrated via the Internet include classic ‘Nigerian’ or ‘419’ scams, investment fraud and romance fraud. Because of the largely transnational nature of AFF offending, where the victim and offender typically reside in different parts of the world, police are adapting their traditional and reactive approaches to more innovative strategies to combat this crime more effectively. This article utilises a qualitative, semi-structured interview design to explore the experiences of police detectives involved in the implementation of an early intervention model with victims of AFF. The study highlights the challenges involved in developing effective police strategies to proactively reduce the duration and severity of this type of financial victimisation.

Online victimization risk and self-protective strategies: developing police-led cyber fraud prevention programs

This paper will discuss the Supervision Training and Accreditation Program (STAP), initiated by the Psychologists Board of Queensland, which registers psychologists in Queensland. The development of the relational model of supervision training, based on the literature and interviews with APS College chairs, will be discussed in light of the complexities involved in developing a generic model suitable to a range of specialties in psychology. An overview of content and process of training will include how the program addresses a range of essential aspects in supervision practice using both didactic and interactive practice skills training. Also described and discussed will be the format of an evaluation of the supervisor’s knowledge and skills as a requirement for accreditation. Information regarding the effectiveness of the program, to date, will be provided based on feedback from participants and evaluation of participant change as a result of training. Professional issues which have been raised in relation to training of supervisors will also be considered.Maximising the efficacy of treatments for psychiatric disorders in older adults is of increasing importance, given their increasing prominence as a percentage of those seeking mental health services. Older adults are prescribed more medication than any other age group; while adherence levels among older patients are similar to younger adults, adverse consequences of non-adherence may be more severe and less easily detected or resolved in this group. Similarly, compliance with homework assignments in CBT is a major predictor of efficacy in psychotherapy treatment, but adapting homework structure and process for older adults has only begun to be discussed in the literature, and little empirical work in this area exists. This presentation will review empirical compliance findings in both pharmacological and psychological treatment approaches with older populations. The difficulties involved in actually running medication compliance studies will be discussed and illustrated with issues and data emerging from a small pilot study in New Zealand on medication compliance in older adults. Finally, suggestions for maximising efficacy of homework assignment use with older populations in a range of settings, including those with mild cognitive impairment, will be offered.Asian communities in New Zealand is growing rapidly, with Asian people now forming a significant part of the New Zealand population. Research suggests that Asian people have high levels of gambling participation. However, little is known about gambling practices and the potential for problem gambling among Chinese people living in New Zealand. People seeking counselling services for their gambling problems often say they use gambling as a form of release from stress. This paper assesses gambling participation and experiences among Chinese people working in food industry who comprise a particular group that is exposed to stress and the potential for problem gambling. The research draws on findings from a quantitative survey and follow up interviews with participants to document reasons for gambling among this group, the prevalence of problem/pathological gambling, and help seeking patterns.Instead of sowing the seeds for ongoing disability, distress and disconnection, an adversity such as a disaster is more often just a “bump in the road” to be navigated. This was clearly demonstrated in the community responses to the Newcastle Earthquake. What can we, as psychologists, do to facilitate resilient responses? I draw on work that I am currently undertaking with children following traumatic injury, and work of Kevin Ronan, to provide some possible guidelines for the promotion of recovery. I will address initial intervention and outreach, screening and stepped care.Whilst job satisfaction and organisational commitment are consistently linked to turnover cognitions, the difficulties employees have balancing work and family lives is increasingly recognized as a potential contributor to turnover intention (Haar, 2004) and may be particularly problematic for employees in high demand occupations such as policing. This study examines whether work family conflict (WFC) makes an independent contribution to turnover cognitions above job satisfaction and job commitment, and whether gender moderates relations between WFC and turnover cognitions, in police officers. The sample consisted of 1,044 officers (690 males, 351 females) from an Australian police organisation. WFC was conceptualized bi-directionally as Work -family conflict (WIF) and Family-work conflict (FIW). Turnover intent was measured by thoughts of quitting, perceived probability of alternative employment, search for alternative employment, and intention to quit. Women perceived more WIF, and men, more FIW. The hypotheses were tested via moderated regression, and found WFC added to the prediction of turnover cognitions, with FIW being more problematic. Gender moderated the relation between WIF and search for alternatives; the relationship was stronger for females. Difficulties balancing needs of family with work are significant in predicting officers turnover cognitions.Behavioural patterns are determined in part by sociocultural factors such as values, expected behaviours and sociopolitical organisation. This paper presents the patterns of physical activity reported by Tongan and Fijian females aged 12-18 years and possible explanations for these patterns. The paper draws on interviews conducted in a wider study of adolescents patterns of eating, physical activity and body size in Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia. The study examined sociocultural factors that could promote or protect against obesity from the perspective of adolescents in order to develop culturally-appropriate strategies for healthy lifestyles. Twenty four indigenous Fijian and 24 Tongan females aged 12-18 years were interviewed by females who were fluent in participants first languages. Researchers from Australia, Tonga and Fiji analysed the data separately and then together in order to capture cultural nuances and enhance cultural validity. This analysis revealed similarities and differences in both cultural groups. Limitations to physical activity identified by Tongan and Fijian girls included the time spent in household chores and parental restrictions.Fijian girls also identified concern about personal safety as a constraint. These findings are examined in relation to sociocultural factors that appear to limit opportunities for young females to be physically active.This presentation details research evaluating the efficacy and cultural acceptability of a group behavioural family intervention program (Group Triple P – Positive Parenting Program) tailored for Australian indigenous families. This preventively oriented, early intervention program incorporates parent education groups, print and video materials, which aim to promote positive parent-child relationships, and to help parents develop effective management strategies for common behaviour problems and developmental issues. Cultural tailoring involved broad community consultation in relation to program resources and format. A pilot randomised controlled trial showed that, compared waitlist controls, group participants reported significantly lower rates of problem child behaviour and lower reliance on dysfunctional parenting practices of authoritarian discipline, anger and irritability, with a further significant reduction found for lax or permissive discipline by 6-month follow-up. There were high rates of consumer satisfaction and positive comments about the cultural acceptability of the program. Also presented is an update on an effectiveness evaluation of program implementation in regional and remote community health services across Australia. The need for culturally appropriate parenting programs, issues experienced by indigenous Health Workers, and implications for the dissemination of family interventions in indigenous communities are discussed.Measures to assess anxiety and depression separately often incur difficulties due to overlap of these constructs, especially in older individuals. Using the Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale (GADS) we aimed to confirm the factor structure of the instrument in a large cohort of older Australian women, to validate the instrument against other selfreport information. Participants were 7264 women (aged 75-82 years) enrolled in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. Measures of anxiety and depression included the GADS, the mental health components of the SF-36, and self reported information on mental health diagnoses, symptoms and medications.In a variety of disciplines, particularly the social sciences and health sciences, but in areas spanning the arts and sciences, interest among students in ageing issues, and interest among professionals in ageing as a focus of research and practice, is increasing. Yet many undergraduate students (and even some postgraduate students) receive little exposure to research and theories regarding ageing. This talk aims to convey a sense of how ageing can be integrated into existing course structures across a variety of areas in psychology (for example, in clinical, health and research methodology areas). The presenter will offer suggestions as to how such material can be incorporated, even if the lecturer has little direct training or experience in ageing.

Approaches to Improving Organizational Effectiveness: The Impact of Attraction, Selection and Leadership Practices in Policing

ABSTRACT The prevalence and impact of cyber fraud continues to increase exponentially with new and more innovative methods developed by offenders to target and exploit victims for their own financial reward. Traditional crime reaction methods used by police have proved largely ineffective in this context, with offenders typically located outside of the police jurisdiction of their victims. Given this, some police agencies have begun to adopt a victim focused, crime prevention approach to cyber fraud. The current research explores with a sample of two hundred and eighteen potential cyber fraud victims, the relationship between online victimization risk, knowledge and use of crime prevention strategies. The study found those most at risk of cyber fraud victimization despite accurate perceptions of risk and knowledge of self-protective behaviors in the online environment underutilise online prevention strategies. This research has important implications for police agencies who are designing and delivering cyber fraud education. It provides guidance for the development of effective prevention programs based on practical skills development.

Predicting turnover of police officers using the sixteen personality factor questionnaire

The performance of police has come under increasing scrutiny in the previous few decades. The expectations placed on police organizations and their employees, driven by the goals pursuing optimal effectiveness and efficiency, have shifted along with demands for significant programmatic, technological, administrative and strategic innovation (Braga & Weisburd, 2006; Moore, Sparrow, & Spelman, 1997). Analogous with changes in police practice, modern police organizations must embrace contemporary standards of organizational functioning, leadership and performance management. In essence, police organizations need to operate according to accountability and governance frameworks, similar to other complex organizations (Casey & Mitchell, 2007): The extent to which police executives and operational police officers create beneficial changes within their organizations to accommodate the evolving demands will not only determine the ultimate success and failure of policing as an institution, but will say a great deal about the quality and determination of police leadership…. (Henry, 2003, p. 151)