Ryan Randa

Cyberbullying Victimization and Adaptive Avoidance Behaviors at School

Abstract Using data from the 2009 National Crime Victimization Survey, School Crime Supplement (NCVS-SCS) the current study explores the relationships between traditional bullying victimization, cyberbullying victimization, and victim adaptive avoidance behaviors. Like traditional forms of bullying, the cyberbullying literature base is developing and growing into a targeted area of emphasis in 21st century victimology. We explore the effects of these online victimization experiences, net of the impacts of traditional bullying and fear of victimization at school. Based on logistic regression analysis the results indicate that cyberbullying victimization experiences are significantly related to avoidance behaviors at school.

The influence of an empathetic adult on the relationship between bullying victimization and fear at school

This study examines the influence of an empathetic adult at school on the consequences of bullying victimization. Specifically, this work explores the impact of an empathetic adult on the relationship between bullying victimization, school fear, and avoidance behaviors. These questions are addressed with data made available in the 2011 National Crime Victimization Survey-School Crime Supplement.The current literature suggests that bullying victims behavior can be shaped by victimization; victims tend to be more fearful and more likely to avoid people, places, and activities if they have been previously victimized. Other research indicates that supportive adults at school are beneficial in the lives of the students; teachers have the potential to help students achieve academic success and make positive life decisions, for example. The current study bridges these two themes through an examination of the potentially mitigating effects the presence of an empathetic adult can have on the fear and adaptive behaviors related to bullying victimization. Results indicate that students exposed to empathetic adults at school experience lower rates of fear and avoidance that may occur after bullying victimization.

The Effects of Police Satisfaction on Fear of Crime in a Semirural Setting

This study examines the relationship between citizen’s police satisfaction and fear of crime. Fear of crime and police satisfaction are often studied in major cities and in separate analyses. Our study contributes to and adds updated context to the existing literature by examining the impact of these variables in a small semirural city. Multivariate analyses revealed that police satisfaction and fear of crime were related and that lower levels of police satisfaction were associated with higher levels of fear. Results also indicated that women, older individuals, and those who perceive greater levels of physical disorder had greater levels of fear. The data used for this project were collected via telephone survey. The implications of these methods and findings are also discussed.

Measuring the Effects of Limited and Persistent School Bullying Victimization Repeat Victimization, Fear, and Adaptive Behaviors

Extant research on school bullying has largely focused on the incidence rather than the modality of the experience, leaving key questions about impact unexplored. With a nationally representative sample of more than 3,000 cases, the present study explores the utility of expanding the classification scheme of bullying victimization to include limited victimization and persistent victimization experiences. By examining the differences in victimization, fear of victimization, and avoidance behaviors, the present study establishes that significant differences in fear of future victimization and adaptive avoidance behaviors do exist between the groups classified as limited and persistent. Furthermore, the present study explores the potential differences in the moderating influence of fear of future victimization on the relationship between limited/persistent bullying victimization and adaptive avoidance behavior. Ultimately, the evidence suggests that differentiating between limited and persistent bullying victimization is important for understanding the impact of bullying on students.

From WWII to the World Wide Web A Research Note on Social Changes, Online “Places,” and a New Online Activity Ratio for Routine Activity Theory

From online banking to social networking sites, the advent of the Internet has revolutionized the manner in which society carries out their online routine activities. Although the Internet continues to be an invaluable resource, it also provides a unique medium for offenders to engage in crime and delinquency. Although criminologists have begun to explore the application of traditional theories into virtual environments, less is known about trends in the application and growth of cybercrime at the macro-level. Expanding on the core elements of Cohen and Felson’s seminal work, we hypothesize that increases in rates of cybercrime are the result of technological social changes occurring post-commercialization of the Internet. A variety of data are presented to substantiate our hypothesis, along with a discussion of an online household activity ratio that holds promise in explaining trends in financial cybercrime victimization.

Explaining Cyberstalking Victimization Against College Women Using a Multitheoretical Approach: Self-Control, Opportunity, and Control Balance:

The foci of the present study are to estimate the extent of cyberstalking victimization, and develop, specify, and test a theoretically based model of cyberstalking victimization among college women. A pursuit- and fear-based measure of victimization was utilized, and three leading theories—self-control, opportunity, and control balance—were tested as explanations of cyberstalking victimization. Key concepts from each theoretical perspective were operationalized using primary survey data from a probability sample of college women (N = 1,987) from two large universities. Results show that approximately 3.4% of female students were victims of cyberstalking during the academic year. Findings from a path model revealed significant direct effects for opportunity and having a control deficit on cyberstalking. The effects of self-control were indirect through these two measures, whereas having a control surplus was not related to victimization risk. Overall, findings support the application of these three theoretical approaches to predicting and explaining cyberstalking victimization.

Victim Reporting Behaviors Following Identity Theft Victimization Results From the National Crime Victimization Survey

The current study investigates the decision by victims to report the crime to the police following identity theft victimization. Potential influences on the reporting decision are framed around two criminal justice theories—focal concerns theory and Gottfredson and Gottfredson’s theory of criminal justice decision making. The data used to examine this decision were collected from a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults as a supplement to the 2012 National Crime Victimization Survey. Results suggest that the decision to contact law enforcement is based on the seriousness of the offense, the victim’s knowledge of who committed the crime and how it was perpetrated, as well as practical considerations. These findings parallel other research into victim decision making generally, while also highlighting factors that may be unique to identity theft, notably the effects of income. The results also support the use of criminal justice theory to study and understand victim decision making.

Parts Unknown: Risk Factors of Intimate Partner Violence in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Moldova

Extant research has argued that there are variations in predictors of intimate partner violence (IPV) across nations and it is necessary to examine country-specific correlates of IPV. Much remains unknown about factors that affect risk of IPV in transitional countries. Specifically, we explore risk factors for IPV among four former nations of the Soviet Union-Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Moldova-with data from the nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys. Rates of physical abuse were similar within Tajikistan (18.96%) and Moldova (18.38%), while Kyrgyzstan (20.62%) had the highest prevalence and Azerbaijan (9.29%) had the lowest prevalence. In contrast, the prevalence of sexual abuse was very similar across the four countries and was much lower (between 1.00% and 3.50%) than cross-national estimates of physical abuse. Findings suggest that many of the same risk factors of IPV in developing and developed nations influence risk of IPV in transitional nations. Across the four former Soviet nations included in analyses, the experience of controlling behaviors, husbands alcohol use, and witnessing IPV or experiencing abuse during childhood were all significantly associated with risk of physical and sexual abuse later in life. Indeed, the intergenerational transmission of violence may be a cross-national phenomenon. In addition, equality in decision making did not have an effect on risk of physical and sexual violence, except for risk of physical abuse in Moldova. This may be due to the historical context of these nations. Taken together, findings suggest that country context may influence individual risk factors of IPV.

Vulnerability, context, and fear of victimization: Exploring race and ethnicity

ABSTRACT The importance of individual- and structural-level factors in predicting fear of victimization has been a source of many empirical evaluations. Theoretical predictors that influence these associations such as those outlined in the vulnerability thesis on fear of crime regularly find that age, race, and gender are predictors of fear. We explore whether adolescent populations, not yet having internalized vulnerability, are more influenced by contextual factors. To explore this hypothesis, we employ the National Crime Victimization Survey: School Crime Supplement to examine the role of vulnerability on fear of victimization at school. Logistic regression suggests that contextual school-level factors may mediate the relationship between fear of victimization at school and individual characteristics such as age, race, and gender.