The "epidemic within the pandemic”: meeting the needs of racially minoritised women experiencing domestic abuse during the Covid-19 pandemic

PurposeIn March 2020, the UK entered its first lockdown responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. In the same month, the Domestic Abuse Bill had its first reading in Parliament. Charities and non-governmental organisations critiqued the Bill for failing to protect migrants from domestic abuse, and not complying with the Istanbul Convention. Drawing on interviews with staff from Southall Black Sisters, this paper aims to foreground the experiences of practitioners within the women's sector to explore the unique experiences and challenges migrant and racially minoritised women encountered when seeking support from domestic abuse during the Covid-19 pandemic. It highlights how the pandemic-related lockdowns created barriers to accessing support services and housing, creating an epidemic within the pandemic, and how minoritised women and the organisations that supported them had to overcome structural barriers and racism.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with staff from a leading women's organisation that supports migrant and racially minoritised women. Four participants were asked questions within four themes: domestic abuse before and during the pandemic;accessing support from and reporting domestic abuse;accessibility of resources;and post-pandemic challenges. A phenomenological approach was used to analyse the transcribed interviews.FindingsParticipants consistently highlighted the unique threats and barriers migrant and racially minoritised women faced when seeking support. Barriers included racism, language barriers, cultural constraints, the triple threat of destitution, detention, deportation, and political resistance to protect migrant women from destitution/homelessness.Originality/valueThis paper provides a unique insight into the experiences of staff members within a specialist by and for women's support organisation in England and their perspectives on the barriers racially minoritised and migrant women experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. It offers rare insights into how service users' needs changed during the lockdowns and how the pandemic affected their ability to operate.

U.S. HATE CRIME TRENDS: WHAT DISAGGREGATION OF THREE DECADES OF DATA REVEALS ABOUT A CHANGING THREAT AND AN INVISIBLE RECORD

When prejudice-related data are combined and analyzed over time, critical information is uncovered about overall trends, related intermittent spikes, and less common sharp inflectional shifts in aggression. These shifts impact social cohesion and grievously harm specific sub-groups when aggression escalates and is redirected or mainstreamed. These data, so critical to public policy formation, show that we are in such a historic inflection period now. Moreover, analysis of the latest, though partial Federal Bureau of Investigation hate crime data release, when overlaid with available data from excluded large jurisdictions, reveals hate crimes hit a record high in 2021 in the United States that previously went unreported. This Essay analyzes the most recent national data as well as various numerical and policy milestones that accompanied the historic, yet incomplete, implementation of hate crime data collection and related statutes over recent decades. This analysis of emerging trends in the United States is undertaken in the context of bigoted aggression broken down over time.

COVID-19 and Gun Violence: Keeping Unknown Shocks and Volatility in Perspective

The current study estimates the varying effects of the pandemic on gun violence by social distancing type, fatality, and location. Interrupted time series analyses are used to examine weekly crime data from 2016 to 2020 in New York City. Box-Cox power transformation and GARCH techniques are used to address the problems of non-normality and heteroscedasticity in the models. There were significant increases in fatal and non-fatal shootings during the relaxation of social distancing. The impact of the BLM protests and depolicing is significant for non-fatal shootings. The pandemic led to greater increases in gun violence in The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, as opposed to Staten Island. In addition, there is some evidence of increases in the volatility of gun violence during the pandemic. High volatility implies crime rates are in severe flux, which then leads to greater uncertainty and fear for public safety. This paper surfaces useful information for guiding policy and practice.

De‐prosecution and death: A reply to an imprecise and ideological critique

In an original article, I analyzed a potential causal link between the policy of de‐prosecution in Philadelphia and an increase in homicides. Utilizing the traditional synthetic control method with extensive descriptive data and a donor pool of the other 99 largest cities in the United States, the results demonstrated a statistically significant increase of over 74 homicides per year in Philadelphia during 2015‐19 associated with de‐prosecution (p<.05). A reaction essay addressing the original article on de‐prosecution has been submitted. In this reply, I correct inaccuracies in the reaction essay, explain the validity of methodological choices, discuss the reaction's misunderstanding of certain quantitative issues, and expose the ideological purposes of the reaction. In addition, I have included updated parallel research addressing the issue of de‐prosecution and examine the theoretical impact of the Covid‐19 pandemic on the interaction between de‐prosecution and homicides.

CARES and crime

Purpose>The US signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March 2020 to alleviate the harsh economic effects of the pandemic and related shutdowns. A substantial part of the bill expanded and increased unemployment insurance payments, where a growing area of research estimates strong anti-poverty effects. The authors examine the effect of these policies on crime.Design/methodology/approach>The authors use new event study and difference-in-differences techniques to estimate the effect of increasing unemployment insurance payments on property crime and violent crime. Then, the authors estimate the effect of expanded unemployment qualification programs on crime. The authors use a rich set of controls including unemployment, contemporaneous policies and mobile device tracking data to estimate the degree to which people stayed at home.Findings>They find that increasing unemployment insurance payments decreased crime by 20%, driven by a 24% decrease in property crime. The authors also find suggestive evidence that expanding unemployment qualifications decreases crime.Practical implications>The authors find a new and substantial benefit of expanded unemployment insurance beyond their antipoverty effects.Originality/value>To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that directly examines the impact of the CARES Act on crime.

Understanding crime in the context of COVID-19: The case of Saldanha Bay Municipality

South Africa faces high levels of crime. The Saldanha Bay Municipality, the setting of this study is laden with poverty, unemployment and gangsterism that deprive quality of life and contribute to social ills. While crime management and prevention strategies require information regarding crime trends, this information for the Saldanha Bay Municipality area is limited. Hence, the study aimed to illustrate the spatial distribution and trends of crime in the Saldanha Bay Municipality, focusing on the period January 2017 to June 2020, and to indicate the recent impact of COVID-19 on these crime trends. The results of the study are presented by means of graphs and tables, and hotspot mapping was done using the ArcGIS Getis-Ord Gi· statistics tool. These results indicate that crime has increased over the past three years and that criminal activities are linked to urban hubs where most people stay and work. In terms of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown regulations on crime, it is interesting to note the variations in crime rates during the first three months of lockdown (from April 2020 to June 2020) when compared to the rest of the period under investigation. Amongst the five towns investigated, the town of Vredenburg which has the highest population total and was ranked highest in terms of crime rates prior to the lockdown, moved from first to third, behind Langebaan and St Helena Bay. Similarly, Saldanha Bay with the second highest population total moved down to fourth. Hopefield was still the town with the lowest mean crime rate.

Guest editorial: Policing in the aftermath of the 2020 protests: Lessons learned and evolving strategies for reform

Statistical evidence from both countries document that this increased public scrutiny of POC, by police, repeatedly occurred in the absence of substantiated criminal activity (Delsol and Shiner, 2015;White and Fradella, 2016) [8], and in the US, was ultimately deemed by state and federal authorities to have produced persistent constitutional violations [9]. According to reports and statistical data released by the New York City Police Department (NYPD), from 1994 to 2000, the deployment of BWP led to unprecedented reductions in crime and substantial improvement in the quality of life experienced by New Yorkers across varying social strata (Bratton and Knobler, 1998;Zimring, 2011) [10]. Though George Floyd was killed in the United States, the papers in this special issue help build our understanding of how intersecting global social dynamics both, internal and external to police agencies, lead to and can lead away from the next incident that will fuel serious calls for sweeping change to the policing profession. In the US, there are no reports of serious police violence against the protestors associated with the Coronavirus protests, but investigations have revealed considerable complaints of police use of force against individuals who engaged in peaceful protests against the killing of Black men, women and children (Amnesty International, 2020) – deaths that extended back several years and with perpetrators that included police officers and civilians claiming to act in a law enforcement capacity [19].

Assessing law enforcement websites: a comparative analysis exploring types, quantity and quality of information available

Purpose>The purpose of this study is to explore the availability of information on law enforcement websites in the state of Wisconsin.Design/methodology/approach>The study conducted a content analysis of all 179 county and municipal local law enforcement agency websites within Wisconsin. The authors then implemented a comparative analysis that explored whether the quantity and quality of information available on law enforcement websites are similar to those of local governments and school districts. The authors then estimated models to test whether there is a relationship between the population size served and gender distribution of law enforcement departments to the availability of information on law enforcement websites.Findings>Law enforcement websites contain a noticeable lack of information. The finding is even more apparent when comparing law enforcement websites to the websites of local governments and school districts. Finally, the authors show a positive link between information sharing on law enforcement websites and the proportion of the civilian staff at an agency that are women.Originality/value>Past studies that reviewed the make-up of law enforcement websites analyzed large law enforcement departments rather than local law enforcement departments, which notably represent the majority of most law enforcement departments. The authors also explicitly demonstrate that the commitment to information sharing is lagging within law enforcement websites compared to local-level governments. Future scholarship and law enforcement departments may benefit from exploring the employment of female civilians.

Confiscation of proceeds and property related to crimes: international standards and the ECHR practice

Organized crime and corruption in the context of globalization pose a huge threat to the security of all countries without exception. Therefore, the common European and national crime prevention systems pay great attention to criminal activity economic sense deprivation. This is achieved through the application of confiscation of property and proceeds related to crime. For transitive legal systems development the reference points are the international standards and ECHR practice which are studied using dialectical, formal legal and comparative legal methods. The study showed that the international standards and ECHR practice make it possible to find a balance between public and private interests, ensure maximum seizure of proceeds and property related to crimes, and guarantee the protection of property rights as an essential human right. On the example of Ukraine the peculiarity of the confiscation regulation in countries with a transitive legal system is shown and the perspectives for domestic law improving in this aspect are outlined.

A systematic study on stock theft contributory factors during the South African lockdown

Undoubtedly, stock theft increased in most South African provinces during the lockdown period, thus, the objectives of this study were to provide a systematic discourse using news aggregators and seminal authors on this subject to showcase stock theft realities, and to establish the contributory factors thereof. The non-empirical research design: Systematic review methodology was used to analyse grey literature and primary research studies peer-reviewed and published, restricted from 2019-2020, as the Coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19) pandemic swept South Africa by an elusive heavy storm, with 1998-2022 directed studies on this scourge, however, none sequential preference was adopted. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Critical Appraisal Skill Programme (CASP) were employed to ensure trustworthiness of the findings of this study. This study establishes that the current nature of policing in South Africa is regarded as one of the notable root causes of the stock theft problem and this crime will continue to hike during the lockdown and post-lockdown periods if concerted steps are not taken urgently by the top echelons of the South African Police Service (SAPS), their actions against this practice is currently compromised or emasculated, and the consequences are clear to see. This study recommends that to effectively respond to the identified study themes;an active discourse relating to the contributory of stock theft during lockdown should be prioritised by the South African government. This multi-agency approach should include reporting of this crime, brand-marking and tattooing of livestock, embracing technological advancements to combat it effectively.

TOURISM SECURITY AND TAKING RESPONSIBILITY IN THE SHADOW OF THE COVID19 PANDEMIC - WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

Today's tourism is undergoing radical changes. Until 2020, the number of people participating in tourism had grown steadily, and no one would have thought that the globally dominant economy would experience such a shock. Many tourism businesses were forced to suspend their activities and not all of them could continue in the future as they had to look for other sources of livelihood. But businesses that succeed in surviving the economic collapse must be prepared to meet the changing needs of tourists after a reopening. The aim of our research is to assess the attitudes of potential tourists towards the issue of tourism security. Within the topic, we sought answers to what responsibilities, if any, they assume related to health security. In our research, we also looked at whether potential tourists expect them to provide their security. Responsible behaviour, as an expectation, is directed primarily at service providers or they may feel safe in a destination due to actions taken by other actors (including the travellers themselves). In a study based on an online questionnaire survey of almost a thousand people, the results were processed by statistical data analysis. Those wishing to travel do not even see the situati on created by the current pandemic as a barrier to traveling. When it comes to security, public safety is considered to be paramount, and the public sector is expected to create it. Health security is only in second place, but the results suggest that the responsibility lies with service providers in this regard. Based on the obtained results, both tourism service providers and destination management organizations can place more emphasis on tourism security and its marketing communication.

Detection of Eight Cannabinoids and One Tracer in Wastewater and River Water by SPE-UPLC–ESI-MS/MS

The consumption of illicit drugs represents a global social and economic problem. Using suitable analytical methods, monitoring, and detection of different illegal drugs residues and their metabolites in wastewater samples can help combat this problem. Our article defines a method to develop, validate, and practically applicate a rapid and robust analytical process for the evaluation of six naturally occurring cannabinoids (CBG, CBD, CBDV, CBN, THC, THCV), two cannabinoids in acidic form (CBDA, THCA-A), and the major cannabis-related human metabolite (THC-COOH). After SPE offline enrichment, we used a UPLC–ESI-MS/MS system, which permitted the determination of several by-products. Studied matrices were samples of different origins: (i) effluent water from a wastewater treatment plant in the Porto urban area;(ii) environmental water from Febros River, the last left-bank tributary of the Douro River. The multi-residue approach was substantiated and successfully employed to analyze the water samples collected in the above locations. The rapid and precise quantification of nine different cannabinoids in different water samples occurred within nine minutes at the ng L−1 level. The appearance of dozens of ng L−1 of some cannabis secondary metabolites, such as CBD, CBDA, CBN, THCA-A, indicates this plant species’ widespread usage among the general population in the considered area.

INFLUENCE OF POLICE, THE WELFARE OFFICE AND THE COURT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN LAGOS STATE

The management of victims of sexual violence has been underreported due to the stigma associated with the report of sexual violence, therefore this study examined the influence of the police, welfare system and the court in the management of victims of sexual violence in Ikeja local government area of Lagos State. The study used a mixed method of both quantitative and qualitative method. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the data. A total number of one hundred and fifty (150) respondents were used. Fifty (50) respondents each from the three agencies. Also, ten (10) respondents were used for the in-depth interview. A standard questionnaire titled 'Sexual Violence Wellbeing Questionnaire' (SVWQ) was used. Three null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance and all were rejected. The study concluded that provision of rehabilitation services by the state government has greatly helped the victims of sexual violence that reported their case at the police force. Therefore, the study recommends there should be 24/7 helplines for people experiencing sexual violence and each state in Nigeria should create a safe-house for victims of sexual violence as Lagos State did.

Barriers and Determinants of Active Commuting to School in Slovenia

There is a growing body of literature reporting the health benefits of active commuting to school. This study investigated barriers and determinants of active commuting in children in Slovenia living within walking or cycling distance to school, i.e., 3 km. The sample consisted of 339 children (163 girls) aged 11–14 years who reported their mode of commuting, as well as their parents who described the socioeconomic environment of the family. Every third child in this study traveled to school exclusively by car/public transport, while every fifth participant used a passive means of transport when returning home from school. Potential household poverty, education of the mother and parental encouragement for physical activity were not associated with the commuting mode. In addition, conformist family barriers dominated among reasons for not choosing active commuting. A distance to school that was perceived to be too long was the most frequently cited barrier (72% of participants who passively commuted in both directions), followed by concern about being late for school (38% of participants who passively commute in one direction). Parents from all social strata who drive their children to school in either one or both directions while living in a walking or cycling range are a promising target population for active commuting interventions.

Corporate Crime and Punishment: An Empirical Study

For many years, law and economics scholars, as well as politicians and regulators, have debated whether corporate punishment chills beneficial corporate activity or, in the alternative, lets corporate criminals off too easily. A crucial and yet understudied aspect of this debate is empirical evidence. Unlike most other types of crime, the government does not measure corporate crime rates;therefore, the government and researchers alike cannot easily determine whether disputed policies are effectively deterring future incidents of corporate misconduct. In this Article, we take important first steps in addressing these questions. Specifically, we use three novel sources as proxies for corporate crime: the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), consumer complaints made to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and whistleblower complaints made to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Each source reveals an increase in complaints or reports indicative of corporate misconduct over the past decade. We also examine levels of public company recidivism and find that they are likewise on the rise. And we document a potential explanation: recidivist companies are much larger than nonrecidivist companies, but they receive smaller fines than non-recidivist companies (measured as a percentage of market capitalization and revenue). We conclude by offering recommendations for enforcement agencies and policymakers. In particular, our results suggest that enforcers are unlikely to achieve optimal deterrence using fines alone. Enforcement agencies should therefore consider other ways of securing deterrence, such as by seeking penalties against guilty individuals and the top executives who facilitate their crimes.