Louise Elizabeth Porter

The Liverpool Desistance Study and probation practice: opening the dialogue

The notion of ‘desistance’ (or ‘going straight’) is becoming a more prominent one in criminological discourse, and the Liverpool Desistance Study(LDS) aimed to provide a deeper understanding of this process from the perspective of the individuals taking this life path. However, the LDS was not intended to address how the research might be applied in practice. This article therefore briefly outlines the research and discusses some of the policy implications, in order to open a debate with practitioners and others about the way that the research might be relevant to everyday practice with people who offend. The papers that follow this article were written in response to the challenge of applying the findings of the LDS in probation practice.

A multivariate model of police deviance: examining the nature of corruption, crime and misconduct

The current study aimed to explore the multivariate nature of police deviance in order to identify a descriptive model of the features of behaviour that could potentially inform approaches to prevention. Fifty cases were coded from law reports to extract variables describing the deviant behaviour. These were analysed descriptively to obtain frequencies and then statistically using Multidimensional Scalogram Analysis (MSA) to explore the relationships between the variables. A three-way model similar to Punchs (2000) definition incorporating Police Crime, Noble Cause Misconduct and Corruption was identified, with Police Crime being the most frequent. This typically involved constables committing proactive single criminal offences alone for personal gain. The findings are discussed in terms of explanations for the behaviour and also prevention strategies such as increasing police accountability, (awareness of) consequences and transformational leadership.

Examining Group Rape: A Descriptive Analysis of Offender and Victim Behaviour:

Two hundred and twenty three group rape offences were collated from archival sources, with the majority of cases from US and UK law reports. This involved 739 separate offenders (722 male and 17 female). Descriptive analyses indicated that this sample of offences tended to be committed by young males (mean age 21 years old) upon approximately same-age female victims. These offences involved multiple sexual acts often accompanied by acts of violence, with just over one-fifth ending in the victim’s death. Victim resistance was relatively rare, although a range of verbal and physical reactions was apparent. The psychological implications of the results are discussed with respect to theories of co-offending.

An interpersonal comparison of lone and group rape offences

Abstract This study explores differences between group and lone sexual assaults, using a framework of interpersonal dimensions of dominance–submission and cooperation–hostility (Alison & Stein, Journal of Forensic Psychiatry, 12, 515–538, 2001). From archival sources, 120 cases (60 group and 60 lone offender assaults) were content analysed for offender, victim and context variables. A number of behavioural characteristics were found to differ between group and lone rape. Specifically, more hostile interactions were involved in group rape, including increased violence. Additionally, (pseudo-) submissive offender behaviour was more frequent in lone assaults, including the offenders use of a confidence approach and associated greater victim dominance. The psychological implications are discussed, with particular reference to the circumplex dimensions and principles, and how these can inform the treatment of both offenders and their victims.

A Partially Ordered Scale of Influence in Violent Group Behavior An Example From Gang Rape

The present study examined how decisions, actions, and orders combine to act as influence strategies that occur throughout different stages in gang rape. Thirty-nine gang rape cases, yielding 120 offenders, were coded according to each individual’s level of involvement at each stage in terms of decisions, actions, and orders. The various combinations of these were examined using a multidimensional scaling procedure. This revealed that the behaviors form a partially ordered scale of influence in which involvement in the approach and/or disposal of the victim were the most significant stages of the offense. Individual scores on this scale revealed that in 37 of the cases, one individual scored significantly higher on the scale than his co-offenders. The scale successfully identified leaders in 37 of the 39 groups, with leaders scoring significantly higher on the scale than followers (other group members). The results and implications are discussed.

Radicalization in Australia: Examining Australia's Convicted Terrorists

This article explores theories of radicalization by analysing the 21 individuals convicted to date under Australian anti-terrorism laws. All 21 are Australian citizens and so are discussed with reference to literature on home-grown terrorists. Open source data in the form of media and law reports were collected and analysed for descriptive features of the individuals and their involvement in terrorism-related activities. Themes consistent with elements of process models of radicalization were found, particularly identity issues, ideology, capability and group dynamics. The features analysed are discussed in relation to social attachments and rationalizations, as well as counter-radicalization initiatives.

Leadership and hierarchies in criminal groups: Scaling degrees of leader behaviour in group robbery

Purpose. The purpose of this paper was, firstly, to replicate Porter and Alisons (2001) leadership behaviour scale and, secondly, to extend this research through the use of a new sample of group robbery offenders. This will provide further support for the use of such a scale to identify potential criminal leaders and also offer insight into the dynamics and hierarchical structures among group robbery offenders. Methods. One hundred and five cases of group robbery, yielding 290 offender behaviour profiles, were coded according to each offenders level of involvement at each chronological offence stage in terms of decisions, actions and orders. A multidimensional scaling procedure examined the combinations of these, and produced a partially ordered scale of leadership behaviour with the defining aspects being initial decision making and involvement in the offence outcome. Results. The scale identified potential leaders in 103 of the 105 robbery groups, where these leaders scored higher than non-leaders on the leadership behaviour scale. Two-thirds of groups comprised a dichotomous leader/follower distinction, whilst the remaining third comprised more dispersed, linear and lieutenant hierarchies. Conclusions. These results further support the leader behaviour scale originally proposed by Porter and Alison (2001). The results also offer insight into the processes by which robberies evolve; namely, through a series of decisions of one individual who then either participates first or gives orders to his fellow group members to participate, although the former seems far more frequent.

Complaint reduction in the Tasmania Police

This article examines a case study of Tasmania Police to explore strategies for complaint reduction. The study uses quantitative complaints data and qualitative interviews to examine a 15-year period from 1994/1995 to 2008/2009. During this time, complaints against Tasmania Police reduced substantially. Most significantly, public ‘complaints against police’ dropped by nearly 77% from a peak of 162 in 1996/1997 to 38 in 2008/2009. Data show that repeat complaints against individual officers were reduced, as were numbers of assault and excessive force allegations. Initiatives that were implemented during the period that appear to impact on complaint numbers include complaint profiling and training, and improved complaint handling. These and other initiatives are considered in light of the data patterns and lessons for other jurisdictions are discussed.

The Primacy of Decision-Action as an Influence Strategy of Violent Gang Leaders

This study examined the relationship between decisions, actions, and orders as facets of influence, both over criminal events and group members, for 37 leaders of sexually violent gangs. The degree to which decisions, actions, and orders were employed during the offense (quantitative variation), as well as the combinations of these elements (qualitative variation), was examined to evaluate the range of different influence strategies. Two main combinations, or influence strategies, emerged: (a) decision and action and (b) decision and order, suggesting two predominant pathways that emerge with decision making as central to both, with the former path being far more frequent. The results are discussed in terms of the psychological processes involved in influence strategies as a effecting group activity.

Examining the relationship between sexual offenders and their victims: Interpersonal differences between stranger and non-stranger sexual offences

Abstract The present study examined the behavioural differences in sexual assault offences in relation to the offender–victim relationship (stranger versus non-stranger). These differences were examined specifically in the context of four interpersonal themes of interaction: dominance, submission, hostility and cooperation. The details of 100 sexual offence cases (50 stranger and 50 non-stranger) were content-analysed, generating 58 dichotomous variables, covering offender and victim behaviour during the offence. χ2 tests comparing the two samples found that offenders who were strangers to their victims were more likely than non-stranger offenders to display behaviours that indicate a hostile, violent offence style. In contrast, those offenders who knew their victims were more likely than strangers to display a less violent and more personal, compliance-gaining offence style. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for offender rehabilitation and victim support.