By Brian Taehyuk Keum,  Lianne Wong & Jung Yun Na

Social media is a major vehicle that can facilitate people’s exposure to gun violence and polarized attitudes that favor gun ownership, yet little research has examined how such exposure affects people’s mental health in today’s digital era. To advance empirical research in this area, the current study developed the Gun Violence on Social Media Scale (GVSMS) using best practices in measure development. Items were developed via a literature review, a survey of social media platforms, and an expert review. Exploratory (N = 277) and confirmatory (N = 241) factor analyses yielded a 2-factor structure with the following subscales: (a) Gun Violence Content (4 items); mediated exposure to gun violence through social media content, and (b) Pro-Gun Attitudes (3 items); exposure to polarized pro-gun attitudes on social media. The initial psychometric properties of the GVSMS were adequate. Internal consistency estimates were adequate, and construct validity was established with positive associations with other gun-related measures, negative mental health outcomes (depressive, anxiety and trauma symptoms), and non-significant associations with impression management. Implications for research practice are discussed.

Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma

By Hannah S. Laqueur & Colette Smirniotis

Using firearm transaction and crime gun recovery records from California (2010–2021), we employ machine learning to identify dealers who sold the largest number and highest fraction of guns recovered in crimes within 1 year of sale. This short “time-to-crime” (TTC) is a well-established indicator of potential illegal activity by dealers or traffickers. We developed two primary prediction models: the first classifies dealer-years in the top 5% of 1-year crime gun sales volume (prediction model 1), the second identifies dealer-years in the top 5% based on the fraction of sales recovered within a year (prediction model 2). Both models demonstrated strong discriminative performance, with areas under the receiver operating curve (AUCs) of 0.95 and 0.86, respectively, and areas under the precision-recall curve (AUC–PRs) of 0.72 and 0.43. By comparison, a random classifier would be expected to achieve an AUC of 0.50 and an AUC-PR of 0.05. Prediction model 1 was particularly effective at identifying the highest risk dealers: Those with predictions exceeding 0.90 consistently ranked in the top 5% across multiple years, averaging 33 1-year crime gun sales annually. The machine learning models generally outperformed simpler regression and rule-based approaches, underscoring the value of data-adaptive methods for prediction. Key predictors included prior-year crime gun sales, the average age of purchasers, the proportion of “cheap” handgun sales, and the local gun robbery and assault rate.

Firearms dealers may engage in behaviors that facilitate the diversion of guns to criminal markets. Combining detailed transaction and recovery records with machine learning could help efficiently identify high-risk retailers for targeted enforcement to disrupt the flow of firearms to gun offenders. Future research is needed to determine whether a high number of short TTC sales as compared to a high fraction is a more reliable predictor of law evasion.

Criminology & Public Policy Volume 24, Issue 3 Aug 2025 Pages307-497

By Jingyuan Yu, · Aliya Andrich, · Max Schindle

This exploratory study investigates the potential gender differences in research priorities, driven by factors such as established sexual stigma and traditional gender norms surrounding pornography. Using temporal and thematic analyses, we identify and examine research topics of 6,145 pornography studies published between 2001 and 2024. Our findings suggest that the lead author's gender may influence topic selection, with women exploring topics that have historically been underrepresented or overlooked. Furthermore, female-led publications have engaged with internet and web-related research earlier and more prominently. Additionally, our analyses outline the evolution of male- and female-led publication patterns in the feld, highlighting a trend toward more balanced representation. This study aims to serve as a foundational basis for future research, encouraging more thorough investigations into gender disparities and their underlying causes within this domain. We also highlight the importance of longitudinal research to uncover potential gender disparities over time.  

Archives of Sexual Behavior (2025) 54:1995–2003 

By Siobhán Healy‑Cullen,   Kris Taylor,   Tracy Morison

Purpose of Review - In this article, we dig more deeply into the assumptions underpinning common-sense understandings about youth “exposure” to pornography and the ostensible “effects” of this exposure, specifically “pornography addiction”. We trace the emergence of the notion of “pornography addiction”, highlighting how cultural conditions have allowed for its realisation as a socially recognisable and intelligible narrative. Recent Findings:  Media effects research on the issue of youth “exposure” to pornography is not conclusive, nor is pornography addiction officially recognised as a diagnosable disorder. Moreover, an emerging body of multidisciplinary qualitative research, which, importantly, includes the perspectives and experiences of young people themselves, raises questions about some of the assumptions and conclusions of effects-focused research. Summary:  Despite inconclusive and contrasting findings, the social narrative of pornography addiction persists both within and beyond academe. We make sense of this persistence in relation to the broader problematization of youth sexuality, which includes unease and moral objection to young people viewing pornography. It is important to recognise the broader socio-cultural systems supporting the cultural narrative of pornography addiction, and the social functions that this narrative serves, that is, the need for adult intervention into the sexual lives of youth.  

  Current Addiction Reports (2024) 11:265–274

By Whitney Bragagnolo, Yanei Lezama

Sextortion, a distinct form of sexual misconduct intersects with both sexual violence and corruption. Within the sphere of sport, marked by inherent power diferentials and hierarchical structures, cases of sexual abuse and corruption persist, with sextortion emerging as a concerning manifestation of these pervasive issues. While sextortion shares commonalities with other forms of sexual abuse, such as harassment and assault, a distinguishing feature lies in how coercion is leveraged through authority or power imbalances. Unlike more overt forms of abuse, sextortion often involves subtle or implicit threats, where compliance is sought in exchange for perceived privileges or opportunities within the sporting environment. Leveraging Institutional Theory and Applied Ethics, this study aims to provide a comprehensive exploration of sextortion in sport. Despite increasing awareness, research on sextortion in sport remains limited. Previous studies lack data specifc to this elusive misconduct, primarily relying on empirical data related to sexual abuse. This study represents the first empirical investigation into sextortion in sport, drawing on data collected from 49 countries and endeavours to quantifiably communicate the scale of sextortion. Through data analysis of over 500 elite athletes, community sport practitioners, and sport industry professionals aged 17 and above, the research sheds light on experiences related to abuses of entrusted power for sexual gain. Results found 20% (n=96) of global respondents experienced sextortion, including 37 minors at the time of the incident, encompassing diverse genders, abilities, and identities. Sextortion was identified across 41 of the 49 surveyed nationalities and within 19 of 26 sport categories from grassroots to elite levels. This research deepens the understanding of sport-related sextortion and underscores the importance of addressing this pervasive issue through further theoretical and empirical inquiry. It emphasises the critical role of good governance, clear safeguarding protocols, increased awareness of power dynamics, consent, and the importance of diverse regional data in effectively combating sextortion in the sporting domain.     

  Crime, Law and Social Change (2025) 83:13  

By Catherine Schittenhelm , .  Christine Weber , Maxime Kops , Sebastian Wachs 

The ubiquitous use of information and communication technologies among adolescents carries the risk of exposure to online victimization during this vulnerable stage of development, including cybergrooming as a form of sexual victimization. Although established in traditional abuse research, studies on disclosure processes in the specific context of cybergrooming victimization are still pending. The present study exploratively investigated reasons for and against disclosure following cybergrooming victimization in the subsample of n = 400 victims (44.1%; Mage = 15.48 years, girls: 57.5%) from N = 908 adolescent participants. Most victims disclosed to someone (86%), with peer disclosure being more frequent (73%) than disclosure to adults (55%). Findings indicated differences of small effect sizes in reasons for and against disclosure depending on the confidant (peers vs. adults; for example, the reporting of similar experiences by others was more relevant in peer disclosure). However, gender had almost no influence on the assessed reasons. In structural equation models, latent factors of reasons against, and intra- and interindividual reasons for disclosure predicted peer and adult disclosure to varying degrees, with reasons against disclosure being the most predictive in both cases. Disclosure to adults could be better explained than disclosure to peers (R2 peers = 28.6%, R2 adults = 46.9%). In open-ended items, participants provided further reasons, which were grouped into categories (e.g., help-seeking, warning/prevention, fear of bullying/social exclusion). Practical implications like the aspired congruence between reasons for disclosure and confidants’ reactions, and limitations such as the neglect of the processual character of disclosure are outlined.  

Youth Adolescence (2025).

By Anamika Madhuraj, Francesca Batault, and Sofia Rivas 

Sexual violence in conflict settings is often framed in narrow terms—strategically deployed, militarized, and perpetrated by armed actors. Yet, this framing can obscure more complex realities. Drawing on the Managing Exits from Armed Conflict (MEAC) Project’s evidence from the North West of Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin (LCB), and Colombia, this brief interrogates and expands upon six common assumptions about conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). It assesses whether these assumptions hold in the settings where MEAC conducts studies, or whether the reality is more nuanced and varied than often understood. In fast-moving humanitarian and policy environments, simplified narratives about CRSV may take hold out of necessity. But when these narratives become entrenched, they risk obscuring survivor experiences and misdirecting support. By critically examining these common conceptions, this brief surfaces key tensions, contradictions, and overlooked dynamics that challenge some dominant understandings of CRSV. Rather than reinforcing a singular narrative, the findings point to the need for more contextualized and survivor-informed responses. Effective prevention and response efforts must grapple with the full complexity of CRSV—the diversity of perpetrators, hidden forms, and lasting consequences—in order to prevent CRSV and meaningfully support those affected. 

Geneva, SWIT: United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research UNIDIR, 2025. 25p.

By Alishya Dhir

In this paper, I argue that a new term, ‘thematic discretion’, can help us understand police decision-making in cases of youth image-basedsexual abuse (YIBSA). YIBSA can be defined as harmful image-sharing practices amongst young people, inclusive of the non-consensual sharing of private sexual images, upskirting and cyberflashing,alongside other actions. I will be drawing on findings from a doctoral research project investigating YIBSA, which utilised a mixed methods approach, comprising of quantitative analysis of freedom of information requests from 40 police forces in England and Wales, as well as 26qualitative interviews with police and non-police practitioners, also based within England and Wales. Research findings established thatYIBSA is highly complicated, and as a result, police officers utilised discretion at a considerable rate, alongside crafting their own guidelines to direct their decision-making, which is argued to be steeped in sexistand victim-blaming narratives

Policing and Society, An International Journal of Research and Policy, Volume 35, 2025 - Issue 2

By Isangelo Senna, Fabio Iglesias, Lucas Heiki Matsunaga

Abstract Despite decades of research on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), the specifc impact of its dimensions on fear of crime (FoC) remains under-examined. This study investigates these efects by analyzing responses from 460 participants who evaluated photographs and completed the Situational Fear of Crime Scale for Public Spaces (SFS-Scale). The fndings reveal that defciencies in natural surveillance, followed by a lack of territoriality, are linked to heightened FoC. Moreover, natural surveillance emerged as a more signifcant predictor of FoC compared to territoriality. Additionally, police ofcers and military personnel reported lower levels of FoC than the general public. The study highlights the importance of understanding how CPTED dimensions shape public perceptions of safety. It also ofers practical insights for the development of targeted public security policies. These fndings suggest that CPTED principles can play a crucial role in reducing fear of crime and enhancing public safety in urban settings.

Crime Prevention and Community Safety (2025) 27:1–17 

By Elia Acciai, Michele Belloni, Marina Della Giusta

This paper provides evidence of a consistent gap in the value of cultural goods exported from Italy and the value declared by its trading partners in official trade statistics for the period 1994-2021 and discusses it in the context of the literature on illicit trafficking in cultural property, a phenomenon that plights a number of both developing and developed countries rich in cultural heritage. Differences between the four categories of cultural goods recorded (archaeological goods, antiquities, paintings, and sculptures) are exploited to highlight potential areas where trafficking might be expected to be larger. We construct a panel dataset to estimate a gravity model of the gap including market size, extent of trade, level of corruption and adoption of protective legislation (UNESCO and UNIDROIT) and discuss results indicating further questions to be investigated in this important and to date under researched policy area.

IZA Discussion Paper No. 16282

Bonn: IZA – Institute of Labor Economics . 2023. 18p.

By Rigissa Megalokonomou and Chrysovalantis Vasilakis

Recent political instability in the Middle East has triggered one of the largest influxes of refugees into Europe. The different departure points along the Turkish coast generate exogenous variation in refugee arrivals across Greek islands. We construct a new dataset on the number and nature of crime incidents and arrested offenders at island level using official police records and newspaper reports. Instrumental variables and difference-in-differences are employed to study the causal relationship between immigration and crime. We find that a 1-percentage-point increase in the share of refugees on destination islands increases crime incidents by 1.7-2.5 percentage points compared with neighboring unexposed islands. This is driven by crime incidents committed by refugees; there is no change in crimes committed by natives on those islands. We find a significant rise in property crime, knife attacks, and rape, but no increase in drug crimes. Results based on reported crimes exhibit a similar pattern. Our findings highlight the need for government provision in terms of infrastructure, social benefits, quicker evaluation for asylum, and social security.

IZA DP No. 16502

Bonn:  IZA – Institute of Labor Economics, 2023. 66p.

By Eric Halford

Crime linkage is a systematic way of assessing behavioural or physical characteristics of crimes and considering the likelihood they are linked to the same ofender. This study builds on research in this area by replicating existing studies with a new type of burglar known as optimal foragers, who are ofenders whose target selection is conducted in a similar fashion to foraging animals. Using crimes identifed by police analysts as being committed by foragers this study examines their crime scene behaviour to assess the level of predictive accuracy for linking crimes based on their ofending characteristics. Results support previous studies on randomly selected burglary ofence data by identifying inter-crime distance as the highest linking indicator, followed by target selection, entry behaviour, property stolen and ofender crime scene behaviour. Results discuss distinctions between this study and previous research fndings, outlining the potential that foraging domestic burglary ofenders display distinct behaviours to other forms of ofender (random/marauder/commuter). 
Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology (2023) 38:127–140 

By Matthew T King-Parke, Ross M Bartels, Tochukwu Onwuegbusi

Burglary is a high-volume and frequently repeated offense. However, little is known about the cognitive scripts that may facilitate first-time burglaries. Thus, this paper reports three studies that examined burglary scripts within community participants. Study 1 (N = 113) involved developing two versions of a Burglary Script Assessment; one that assesses burglary scripts with different motivations and one that does not stipulate a specific motivation. Despite having never committed a burglary, many participants were found to hold a burglary script containing expert-like knowledge. Also, more detailed scripts were associated with a proclivity to enact the script. Study 2 (N = 44) examined whether the four motivated scripts correlated with a relevant construct (i.e. burglary-specific distortions, sensation-seeking, anger rumination). Burglary scripts motivated by desperation and thrill were correlated with burglary distortions and sensation-seeking, respectively. Using an experimental design, Study 3 (N = 146) showed that engaging in mental imagery about burglary increased script detail, relative to a no imagery group. However, phenomenological characteristics of the imagery and criminal attitudes were unrelated to script scores. Collectively, the findings offer new insights into burglary scripts, offering implications for understanding the risk of committing burglary. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Deviant Behavior Volume 45, 2024 - Issue 11

By Iris van Sintemaartensdijk & Jean-Louis van Gelder & Jan-Willem van Prooijen & Claire Nee & Marco Otte & Paul van Lange 

Objectives This study investigates the deterrent effects of incremental levels of guardianship on residential burglary and assesses how burglars differ from non-burglars in terms of their perceptions of opportunities for burglary. Methods In a virtual reality experiment, 181 incarcerated burglars and 172 nonburglars (university students) were tasked to appraise a virtual neighbourhood in search of a burglary target. During the appraisal process, participants were exposed to different levels of guardianship, ranging from the mere presence of a guardian to an intervening guardian. Results The presence of a guardian deterred both burglars and non-burglars alike, with only negligible incremental effects for levels of guardianship. For burglars, guardianship increased the perceived likelihood of being caught and the perceived level of social cohesion, whereas it decreased neighbourhood attractiveness. The burglars differed from the non-burglars in terms of how they appraised the virtual neighbourhood, clearly reflecting differences in expertise between both groups. Conclusions With respect to residential burglary, the results suggest that guardians—in line with the original notion of guardianship developed by Cohen and Felson (American Sociological Review, 44(4), 588–608, 1979)—serve as a deterrent simply by being present.

Journal of Experimental Criminology (2021) 17:657–676

By Claire Nee, Jean-Louis van Gelder, Marco Otte, Zarah Vernham, and Amy Meenaghan

In this article, we describe a quasi-experiment in which experienced incarcerated burglars (n = 56), other offenders (n = 50), and nonoffenders (n = 55) undertook a mock burglary within a virtual neighborhood. We draw from the cognitive psychology literature on expertise and apply it to offending behavior, demonstrating synergy with rational choice perspectives, yet extending them in several respects. Our principal goal was to carry out the first robust test of expertise in offenders by having these groups undertake a burglary in a fully fledged reenactment of a crime in a virtual environment. Our findings indicate that the virtual environment successfully reinstated the context of the crime showing clear differences in the decision making of burglars compared with other groups in ways commensurate with expertise in other behavioral domains. Specifically, burglars scoped the neighborhood more thoroughly, spent more time in the high-value areas of the crime scene while traveling less distance there, and targeted different goods from the comparison groups. The level of detail in the data generated sheds new light on the cognitive processes and actions of burglars and how they “learn on the job.” Implications for criminal decision-making perspectives and psychological theories of expertise are discussed.

Criminology Volume 57, Issue 3Aug 2019 Pages373-574

By Robyn Lunt & Matthew Talbot

Research has highlighted gaps in the publics ‘awareness of burglar behaviour and their perceptions of vulnerability, perhaps indicating a need for further prevention training. No such research exists examining students’ awareness, but is vital given students’ relatively high levels of burglary victimisation. To provide this research, students were asked to complete a mock burglary in a simulated environment, with burglary awareness inferred based on their performance relative to previous experienced burglars. Further context was added by qualitatively analysing participants’ verbalisations during the task. Performance was also compared between frst and third year undergraduates to further examine diferences in awareness across student populations. No signifcant diferences were found between the behaviour of frst and third years. Nevertheless, both groups showed an overall limited understanding of burglary behaviour through their performance and verbalisations. Results demonstrate that raising awareness of victimisation and burglary behaviour is integral to improve the safety of University students.  

Crime Prevention and Community Safety (2025) 27:18–34

By Benjamin Ang and Muhammad Faizal

AI-generated disinformation in the form of deepfakes, comprising digitally manipulated video, audio, or images, has hit the headlines in Singapore. Cases from around the world demonstrate that AI-generated deepfakes combined with cyberattacks are not only a threat to the integrity of elections and scam victims but are also a threat to national security and defence. COMMENTARY Deepfake videos of Singapore’s political leaders have been circulating since at least last year, when manipulated video and audio impersonating Senior Minister (then Prime Minister) Lee Hsien Loong circulated online, appearing to promote a cryptocurrency scheme in a TV news interview. Similar videos impersonating Prime Minister (then Deputy Prime Minister) Lawrence Wong were also circulated. This year, more deepfake videos of Senior Minister (SM) Lee have been circulating online, this time showing him commenting on international relations. SM Lee described them as having “malicious intent” and was “dangerous and potentially harmful to our national interests”. To deal with this problem of deepfake videos, the Minister for Digital Development and Information, Ms Josephine Teo, is considering ways to regulate it by proposing a labelling scheme for tools and contents and even discussing a temporary ban to counter such videos, which are anticipated ahead of future Singapore general elections. The earlier cases were commercially motivated scams, but the recent ones have severe national security and defence implications. In SM Lee’s case, the deepfake made it look as if he was commenting on foreign policy, and foreigners unfamiliar with him could be misled, thereby sowing distrust. There is evidence that hostile information campaigns are used to weaken national cohesion or disrupt society in the lead-up to hostilities or as part of geopolitical contestation. 

S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, NTU Singapore , 2024. 4p.

By Cassandra Cross, Thomas Holt 

Data breaches, or the unauthorized access of personal information, are increasing globally as are the number of victims affected. Existing studies restrict their focus on fraud and identity theft as principal consequences of data breaches for individuals, limiting our knowledge of the extent of other harms associated with victimisation. This article assesses the impacts of third-party data breaches within a sample of 552 Australian victims. The findings note specific behavioural factors and data losses were associated with emotional, health, relationship, and financial harms. This article advocates recognition of data breach impacts beyond the financial losses of fraud and identity crime, and expanding support offered to victims in response to such incidents.

Journal of Crime and Justice, 1–24

By Rose Tingate , Rachael Fullam , and Margaret Nixon

Research has largely neglected the intersection of gender and disabil-ity in reintegration, resulting in a poor understanding of the reintegra-tion needs of women with cognitive disabilities. This paper useda systematic review of research published between 1995 and 2024 todevelop a profile of formerly incarcerated women with cognitive dis-abilities and their needs on reentry. Twelve studies met inclusioncriteria, and a content analysis revealed themes of disadvantage, dis-connection from family and support networks, mental illness, andunmet criminogenic needs. The limited research on the reintegrationneeds of formerly incarcerated women with cognitive disabilities high-lights significant challenges, including service gaps and specificvulnerabilities.

Victims & Offenders, 1–24.

By Gianluca Cafiso and Marco Ferdinando Martorana

We investigate the extent to which crime, and the inability to effectively suppress it, affect the performance of local banks in terms of credit extension, asset quality, and profitability. The analysis focuses on cooperative banks in Italy, typically small institutions with strong ties to their local communities, over the period 2013–2023. The findings suggest that both crime and judicial inefficiency, even when considered separately and after controlling for banks’ operational efficiency, significantly influence credit extension and the incidence of non-performing loans. While their impact on overall profitability appears limited, non-interest income is significantly reduced.

Working Paper No. 12025, 

Munich:  Munich Society for the Promotion of Economic Research - CESifo GmbH, 2025. 37p.