Katharine A. Boyd

Opinions toward suicide: Cross-national evaluation of cultural and religious effects on individuals

This study evaluates the role that religious and cultural values have on individual opinions toward suicide worldwide. Using multilevel modeling with data from the fourth wave of the World Values Survey (42,299 individuals in 43 countries), the current study is designed to analyze the effect of individual (i.e., micro-level), and country (i.e., macro-level) characteristics on opinions toward suicide. Specifically, cultural values, religious affiliation, religious importance, and church attendance are analyzed at both the individual and country levels to evaluate the impact of individual and country level effects on opinions toward suicide. The results show that individual opinions toward suicide are influenced by individual belief as well as by the cultural and religious characteristics of their country. The results suggest that evaluation of individual opinions toward controversial behavior should account for the unique and cross-interaction effects of micro- and macro-level effects.

Influence of Individual- and National-Level Factors on Attitudes toward Intimate Partner Violence:

The study evaluated if individual- and national-level factors influence intimate partner violence (IPV) attitudes. Using Demographic and Health Surveys’ data, multilevel modeling was used to analyze 506,935 females nested in 41 nations. The results indicated that the respondents in nations with higher levels of gender inequality, measured by the Social Institutions and Gender Index, were more likely to agree a husband is justified to abuse his wife when she argues with him. National-level attitudes toward IPV and decision making at the individual level were significant predictors of IPV attitudes. The presence of another female while the survey was administered and differences across nations in question wording significantly affected IPV attitudes. The results confirm that both individual- and national-level factors shape individual IPV attitudes. National policies and programming should address gender inequality and patriarchal attitudes.

The impact of breathalysers on violence and attitudes in the night-time economy:

The current study evaluates the efficacy and acceptability of a month-long pilot breathalyser scheme for pubs and clubs implemented in the UK. During the initiative 818 people were breathalysed. The number of violent crimes (excluding domestic abuse) decreased by almost 40 percent compared with the previous year, while violent incidents increased in a comparison location. The Assault Related Injuries Database (ARID) of admissions to Accident and Emergency showed there were fewer alcohol-related injuries during the initiative. Over 75 percent of respondents to an online survey (n = 310) supported the breathalyser scheme. Results suggest the breathalysers may promote moderate drinking and result in less violence. However, the number of crimes is small and fluctuates over time, so more research is needed to demonstrate whether this initiative is effective.

Exploring the crime‒terror nexus in the United States: a social network analysis of a Hezbollah network involved in trade diversion

Abstract This exploratory study examines the nexus between crime and terrorism through a social network analysis of an American-based Hezbollah network involved in trade diversion of cigarettes for self-financing purposes. The study has three goals: (1) to explore the structural characteristics of an Islamic extremist network involved in trade diversion; (2) to identify key actors in the network and their links to other network participants; and (3) to compare these findings with the depiction of the network and its structure provided by US public authorities. The study used court documents and open source information to identify network participants and all the links existing among them were coded. It used the software package “Pajek” and also provided visual representations of the networks through sociograms. The findings reveal important features of a so-called “dark network” and provide practical implications for policy-makers involved in counterstrategies, improving their understanding of the relational aspects and dynamics among network participants that can sometimes be overlooked. First, only six out of 34 participants in the conspiracy were identified as supporters of Hezbollah, thus supporting the so-called “crime‒terror nexus” theory. Second, while previous research has tended to neglect the existence of lower-level interactions occurring outside static and predetermined organizational settings, evidence was found that links between extremists and non-extremists occurred within fluid and dynamic structures that form part of broader social networks. This key point questions the validity of simplistic labels such as “terrorist cell” or “criminal organization” when used with reference to entities that involve both extremists and non-extremists. This finding has policy implications, given that this type of “hybrid” network may require a different investigative and prosecutorial approach combining strategies and tools from both organized crime and terrorism investigations. Finally, our actor-centered analysis showed interesting similarities as well as differences between our findings and the way prosecutors classified suspects based on their role in the conspiracy.

Making Sense of Evidence: Using Research Training to Promote Organisational Change

Abstract Many have argued that the development of evidence-based policing (EBP) depends on those in law enforcement agencies receiving appropriate training in research methodologies and data analysis. Despite this, there are few detailed accounts of such training and its delivery. This paper describes and evaluates the contribution of training workshops for police officers and staff in driving forward EBP. The workshops, developed based on a model used in healthcare, sought to provide attendees with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to engage with research evidence during their work, and sat within a wider plan for organisational change within one force in England. We outline the development and delivery of the workshops, which were undertaken using an action research approach, and assess their impact including subsequent changes to practice. Finally, we consider the role these workshops played within organisational change, and reflect on how EBP can be promoted within academic-police collaborations.

Modeling Terrorist Attacks: Assessing Statistical Models to Evaluate Domestic and Ideologically International Attacks

ABSTRACT Many prior studies have analyzed how country characteristics affect the rate of terrorist violence and there is a growing literature on how group traits influence terrorist violence. The current study expands on this literature by using multilevel modeling to assess both these units of analysis on the rate of domestic attacks and the rate of attacks against foreign targets. Using data from the Big Allied and Dangerous and the Global Terrorism Database, a cross-national sample of 224 terrorist groups are modeled in relation to their countries of origin to assess rates of domestic attacks. In this cross-sectional study many of these terrorist groups target multiple foreign countries. Multiple membership random effects modeling (MMREM) is used to assess the impact of multiple countries targeted by a group. The results of the study indicate that multilevel modeling provides an improved statistical fit and the MMREM model provides an improved measurement for analyzing attacks targeting foreign countries.