Christine A. Harrison and Stuart A. Kinner

Although mental health professionals have long been aware of the impact of traumatic events, it was not until 1980 that the term posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was introduced into the DSM-III. Since then, one major goal of research has been to identify factors associated with distress following trauma; as yet, few reliable indicators have emerged. Within the population of armed robbery victims, this is particularly true. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible correlates of posttrauma distress in armed robbery victims, and to assess the overall level of distress within this group. A questionnaire was mailed out to 57 robbery victims, aged 15 to 65, who were recruited as study volunteers via community outreach. Severity of the trauma, vulnerability attributions, and avoidant coping were significantly related to distress level, and victims exhibited a high level of distress.

Journal of Traumatic Stress, Vol. 11, No, 4, 1998

Marie Rosenkrantz Lindegaard , Wim Bernasco, and Scott Jacques

Objectives: Drawing on the rational choice perspective, this study aims at explaining why some robberies take place with physical force while others occur only with threat. The focus is how expected and observed victim resistance impact physical force by robbers. Methods: We draw on quantitative and qualitative data obtained from 104 robbers who described 143 robbery events. Based on the coding of behavioral sequences between offenders and victims, we distinguish between the use of physical force at the onset from the use of physical force during the progression of the event. Results: At the onset of robberies, physical force of offenders is influenced by whether they judge the victim to be street credible. During the progression of robberies, offenders are more likely to use physical force against a resistant than against a compliant victim. Conclusions: At the onset of the robbery, offender violence is related to expected victim resistance; during the progression, it is related to observed victim resistance. Future research should focus on behavioral sequences within robbery events including the meaning of victim characteristics and victim behavior in different phases of the event.

Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 1-30 ª The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permission: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0022427814547639

Vaˆnia Ceccato * and Dietrich Oberwittler

In this paper, we test hypotheses about the spatial variation in rates of robbery in West and East European cities (Cologne, Germany and Tallinn, Estonia). This comparison represents an interesting case study because Tallinn is an example of former socialist cities which have undergone a period of profound political and socio-economic change since the country’s independence in the early 1990s (including EU membership). These changes are expected to have implications for the level and composition of offences as well as their geographies. Using cross-sectional datasets, we examine whether or not levels and patterns of robbery in Tallinn follow similar processes to the ones found in Cologne applying GIS (Geographical Information System) and spatial statistical techniques. Findings show that although levels of robberies (rates) are higher in Tallinn than in Cologne, their geography (ratios) follows the same overlapping components of social contexts, as social disorganization and, particularly, routine activities.

Ó 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maj Hansen*, Cherie Armour and Ask Elklit

Background: Since the introduction of Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) into the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) research has focused on the ability of ASD to predict PTSD rather than focusing on addressing ASD’s underlying latent structure. The few existing confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) studies of ASD have failed to reach a clear consensus regarding ASD’s underlying dimensionality. Although, the discrepancy in the results may be due to varying ASD prevalence rates, it remains possible that the model capturing the latent structure of ASD has not yet been put forward. One such model may be a replication of a new five-factor model of PTSD, which separates the arousal symptom cluster into Dysphoric and Anxious Arousal. Given the pending DSM-5, uncovering ASD’s latent structure is more pertinent than ever.

Objective: Using CFA, four different models of the latent structure of ASD were specified and tested: the proposed DSM-5 model, the DSM-IV model, a three factor model, and a five factor model separating the arousal symptom cluster.

Method: The analyses were based on a combined sample of rape and bank robbery victims, who all met the diagnostic criteria for ASD (N404) using the Acute Stress Disorder Scale.

Results: The results showed that the five factor model provided the best fit to the data.

Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that the dimensionality of ASD may be best characterized as a five factor structure which separates dysphoric and anxious arousal items into two separate factors, akin to recent research on PTSD’s latent structure. Thus, the current study adds to the debate about how ASD should be conceptualized in the pending DSM-5.

European Journal of Psychotraumatology. 2012.

Dr. Stratos Georgoulas

This paper͛s hypothesis is that the press, through the presentation of criminal incidents, transmits an evaluative knowledge determining this way, desirable objectives and propagating for canonistic types of behaviour. The daily knowledge as a constitutive element of the daily reality is a condition of interaction between the members of a society. In that sense, the local press that transmits this daily knowledge constitutes a dominant structuring factor of this reality.

The research which is based on content analysis of newspaper articles of the whole local press of Mytilene (the capital of the prefecture of Lesbos in Greece) published between January March 2004 and additional interviews from journalists aims to illustrate the following:

a. The concept of criminality is being constructed both qualitatively and quantitatively through local press and not vice versa.

b. The local press evaluates negatively illegal behaviours, positively the austerisation of social control, while in most cases it cancels any relevance with the social frame of criminality.

c. The local press with the dramatic narrations that uses it causes fear of victimisation.

d. The journalists transmit evaluative knowledge in an attempt to cover the lack of knowledge of real criminological data.

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences November 2013, Vol. 3, No. 11 ISSN: 2222-6990.

Kenneth U. NNADI, 1 Theophilus C. NWOKEDI, 1 Ignatius A. NWOKORO, 1 Obed C. NDIKOM,

The Gulf of Guinea in the past 14 years witnessed serious challenges of maritime piracy and armed robbery attacks. The paper analyzed maritime piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea region from 2002 to 2015. Time series data of 14 years on the reported piracy and armed robbery attacks in the 15 Gulf of Guinea countries and nine coastal zones of Nigeria were obtained from International Maritime Bureau annual reports. Trend analysis model and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the data. It was found that there was significant variation in piracy and armed robbery attacks among the Gulf of Guinea countries, the greatest of attacks occurred in Nigeria. There was also a significant variation in piracy attacks among the coastal zones of Nigeria with attacks in Lagos ports and anchorages being highest within the period. There exists decreasing trend of attacks within the period.

Nnadi et al. / JEMS, 2016; 4(4): 271-287

Ogbette, Afamefuna Samuel

This study examined the impact of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Nigeria. It solely depended on the secondary source for information. SARS is one of the Nigeria Police Force units that is saddled with the responsibility of fighting crime in the society; specifically, robbery and kidnapping. The impact was examined in two ways: Positive and Negative impact. From the positive point of view, SARS has been able to reduce robbery and kidnapping to an extent but unfortunately, people now use them as bodyguards to intimidate, suppress, and harass other people. From our findings, SARS tortures people mercilessly, extort, beat, kill and jail people who are not forthcoming with their demands

International Journal of Human Resource Studies ISSN 2162-3058 2018, Vol. 8, No. 4

by Gary A. Mauser

The effect of the 1977 Canadian firearm legislation on robberies involving firearms is evaluated between 1974 and 1992 using a pooled cross-section, time series model. The results show that the 1977 legislation did not reduce robbery involving firearms, nor did it have a significant effect on the total robbery or armed robbery rates. The legislation may even have acted perversely in that it may have increased robberies with firearms. In general, these results are consistent with previous published findings but contrast with unpublished governmental studies. The implication that this legislation may have acted perversely is new and requires further investigation.

Unpublished.

: This study examined strategies adopted by relevant security agencies to curb sea robbery in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select respondents’. A Sample of 400 was derived using Taro Yamane sample size determination technique. Questionnaires and oral interview were the methods used for data collection, while data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results revealed that the joint task force (JTF) is selective in carrying out its constitutional mandate as their presence is felt only in critical facilities, which implies that security is porous and much is needed to guarantee safety of lives and properties on Nigeria territorial waters. Consequent upon this finding, crime-mapping as indicated on GIS map of sample states is recommended.

International Journal of Criminology and Sociology, 2019, 8, 75-90

This study explores the link between alcohol and drugs and robbery-based homicide victimization within the context of routine activities theory. Using 2001-2005 homicide and toxicology data from Trinidad and Tobago, the study considers the general context of robbery-related homicides by identifying common place, victim, offender, and time characteristics. Next, the study examines whether victims of robbery-based homicides were more or less likely to be using alcohol and/or drugs at the time of death than victims of domestic and “street” homicides. The results indicate that robbery-related homicide victims were less likely to test positive for alcohol or be intoxicated and were significantly less likely to test positive for marijuana and cocaine than victims of street homicides. Nevertheless, when considered within a broader context, Trinidad and Tobago robbery-based homicide victims test positive at higher rates for marijuana (13.6%), compared with homicide victims in other locations (6%). The results of this study suggest a firm link between victim substance use and homicide victimization in Trinidad and Tobago, which could help explain escalating violence levels in the country.

Criminal Justice Policy Review XX(X) 1–20.