By Brandon C. Welsh , Steven N. Zane ,Daniel P. Mears 

The present state of calls for and efforts to implement evidence-based policy provide a powerful foundation for propelling a movement toward bringing about rational, cost-efficient, and humane policies for reducing aggression, crime, and violence. The main aim of this article is to report on new developments in evidence-based policy (EBP)—what we view as giving rise to a new era in crime and violence prevention and social justice. The article describes major advances, both in research and policy, and discusses pressing challenges that confront EBP in crime/violence and justice, drawing on key findings from a new, comprehensive book project. The overall conclusion of the findings is heartening and yet sobering. Research and policy have made substantial progress, but there is much more to be done. The specific details of this work are organized around three questions that are foundational to evidence-based crime/violence and justice policy today: (a) How is research contributing to and guiding EBP? (b) What are productive and new ways to think about EBP? and (c) What are strategies for pro moting greater use of EBP?    

Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume 77, July–August 2024, 101940

By David Weisburd, Taryn Zastrow  , Kiseong Kuen  , Martin A. Andresen

Our paper reports on a systematic review of crime concentration studies over the last 35 years. We identify 47 papers that report on crime concentrations at a micro geographic unit of analysis. These papers produced 49 estimates of general crime concentration for crime incidents at streets segments for a specific cumulative proportion of crime. The median concentration for these estimates is 50 % of crime found at 4.5 % of streets, and 25 % of crime at 1.25 % of streets. The bandwidth for 50 % crime concentration is 9.3 % (1.7–11.0 %), and for 25 % crime concentration 3.0 % (0.4–3.4 %). Using the interquartile range to exclude outliers, we found a bandwidth of 2.5 % (3.2–5.7 %) for 50 % of crime, and 1.4 % (0.8–2.2 %) for 25 % of crime. Crime concentration was generally stronger for specific types of crime, and bandwidths of concentration were generally smaller. Using alternative measures of crime and different micro geographies produces similar conclusions regarding strong crime concentration at place with narrow bandwidths. Our review shows that a general framework of a law of crime concentration applies across a large number of cities across many regions around the world. 

Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume 78, September–October 2024, 101979

By The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

Focus on Illicit Payments: The document examines transnational bribery in the context of international investment agreements (IIAs) and other related instruments, highlighting efforts to combat corruption at various levels.

Legal Definitions and Jurisdiction: It discusses the legal definition of bribery, the role of public officials, and the complexities of jurisdiction and international cooperation in addressing transnational bribery.

Enforcement and Sanctions: Emphasis is placed on the enforcement of anti-bribery laws and the sanctions imposed on those involved incorrupt practices, including the responsibilities of transnational corporations (TNCs).

Policy Options: The document outlines policy options for addressing illicit payments in IIAs, ranging from non-inclusion to substantive provisions that tackle transnational bribery issues comprehensively.

United Nations, 2001 , 101 pages

May Contain Markup

By Susan Pozo

Types of Underground Economy: The underground economy includes unrecorded legal activities,illegal activities, and uncompensated legal activities.

Measurement Methods: Various methods are used to estimate the sizeof the underground economy, such as the income-expenditure approach,tax compliance studies, and labor market studies.

Illegal Markets: The document discusses the price behavior in illegal markets, including drug markets and black markets in foreign exchange.

Illegal Immigration: It covers the geographic distribution,wage volatility, and exploitation of illegal immigrants.

Avebury, 1996, 103 pages

May Contain Markup

Developed by Wesley G. Skogan & William R. Klecka

Purpose and Development: The module "The Fear of Crime" was developed by Wesley G. Skogan and William R. Klecka, using victimization survey data collected by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. It aims to study crime and public fear of crime using survey data.

Historical Context: The document references President Johnson's 1965 initiative to combat crime, noting significant increases in crime rates and public fear of crime over the following decade.

Survey Methodology: The surveys used to gather data included both victimization and attitude questionnaires, focusing on personal attributes, crime experiences, and perceptions of crime.

City Comparisons: The module compares data from New York City andSan Diego, highlighting differences in crime rates, victimization, and public fear of crime between the two cities.

American Political Science Association, 1977, 82 pages

May Contain Markup

By Matthew Talbert & Jessica Wolfendale

Definition and Causes of War Crimes: The book explores what constitutes war crimes and critiques the situationist view, which attributes war crimes to external pressures like battlefield conditions and military culture.

Dispositional Account: The authors propose an alternative dispositional theory, emphasizing the role of individual character traits and moral agency in the commission of war crimes.

Moral Responsibility: The book argues against excusing perpetrators based on situational pressures, advocating for a theory of responsibility that considers the attitudes and beliefs expressed through their actions.

Prevention and Punishment: It discusses strategies for preventing war crimes, including better military ethics training and understanding the social and moral frameworks that lead to such crimes

Oxford University Press, 2018, 168 pages

May Contain Markup

Biological Contributions to Crime Causation Edited by T.E. Moffitt and S.A. Mednick

Biological Factors: The document explores various biological contributions to criminal behavior, including genetics, neuropsychology, and psychophysiology

Research Evolution: It highlights the progress in biological crime research from 1982 to 1986, noting increased acceptance and reduced criticism.

Interdisciplinary Approach: Emphasizes the importance of combining biological, psychological, and social factors to understand criminal behavior.

Focus on Violent Behavior: Several chapters specifically address the biological underpinnings of violent behavior

Springer Science & Business Media, 2012, 332 pages

By The Wisconsin O ffice of Justice Assistance S tatistical Analysis Center

Seriousness of Drug Abuse: Wisconsin residents view drug abuse as a very serious issue, closely linked with other social problems like poverty and crime.

Preferred Anti- Drug Methods: Residents favor aggressive law enforcement against drug importers and manufacturers, but also believe in the importance of family and educational influences.

Perceptions of Risk: There is a strong awareness of the risks associated with drug use, particularly with cocaine and heavy alcohol consumption.

Social Problems: More than two -thirds believe that addressing other social issues is essential for making progress in the war on drugs.

Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance: Statistical Analysis Center, 1992, 36 pages

By Leonard V. Harrison & Elizabeth Laine

Nature of Study: The book, "After Repeal," by Leonard V. Harrison and Elizabeth Laine, examines the administration of liquor control in the U.S. post-Prohibition, focusing on the effectiveness of various systems and policies.

Federal and State Roles: It discusses the roles of federal and state governments in liquor control, including licensing systems, state monopolies, and taxation.

Administrative Challenges: The study highlights the administrative challenges in liquor control, emphasizing the need for efficient management and the impact of local and state cooperation.

Revenue and Enforcement: It provides detailed analysis on revenue generation from liquor taxes and the enforcement efforts against illegal liquor activities.

Read-Me.Org, 1236, 296 pages

By Christopher J. Smith & Robert Q. Hanham

Alcohol Abuse in the U.S.: The document highlights the significant economic and social costs of alcohol abuse in the United States, including health care, accidents, and crime.

Geographical Perspectives: It explores the geographical aspects of alcohol consumption and abuse, including regional variations and cultural influences on drinking behavior.

Prevention and Control: Various strategies for preventing and controlling alcohol abuse are discussed, emphasizing the role of policy and community efforts.

Research and Data: The document includes empirical research and data on alcohol consumption patterns, prevalence of alcoholism, and related social issues.

Association of American Geographers, 1982, 84 pages

Compiled by Sara Lake

Focus on Youth: The guide primarily addresses drug and alcohol abuse among elementary and secondary school students in the United States, highlighting the impact on youth and the role of schools.

Comprehensive Coverage: It includes various aspects of drug abuse such as societal impact, medical research, rehabilitation methods, legislation, and educational approaches.

Educational Resources: The guide provides extensive references and resources for drug education, including program descriptions, instructional materials, and inservice training for educators..

Research and Reports: It cites numerous studies and reports on drug usage patterns, attitudes, and correlations with other behaviors, focusing on different populations and cross-cultural comparisons.

Oryx Press, 1980, 79 pages

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By Theodor Reik

Psychology of Crime: The book explores the deep psychological forces driving criminal behavior and the unconscious need for self-punishment.

Role of Psychoanalysis: Reik applies psychoanalytic methods to understand the motives behind crimes, emphasizing the importance of unconscious guilt and the compulsion to confess.

Historical and Social Context: The book discusses the evolution of criminal investigation techniques and the psychological aspects of crime detection.

Freud's Influence: Sigmund Freud's views on capital punishment and his correspondence with Reik are included, highlighting the intersection of psychoanalysis and criminology

Books for Libraries Press, 1972, 493 pages

May Contain Markup

By C.W. Topping

New Penology: The book discusses the concept of the new penology, which focuses on a comprehensive system of treatment and prevention, starting from childhood and continuing throughout life.

Crime Prevention: Emphasizes the importance of family counseling, community organization, and social group work in preventing crime.

Prison Reform: Contrasts old and new prison systems, highlighting the need for modern facilities, educational programs, and rehabilitation efforts.

Scientific Approach: Stresses the role of scientific research and the involvement of psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers in understanding and treating criminal behavior..

Saddlebag Books, 1960, 82 pages

Edited by Ugljesa Zvekic

Crime and Development: The essays explore the complex relationship between crime and development, highlighting how social transformations impact crime rates and criminal justice systems.

Theoretical Frameworks: There is no universal theory linking crime and development. The essays call for more flexible and context-specific research.

Internationalization of Crime: The essays discuss how globalization and economic interdependence contribute to the spread of organized crime and corporate crime.

Formal and Informal Control: The importance of both formal and iInformal social control mechanisms in managing crime is emphasized, particularly in developing countries

United Nations International Crime and Justice Research Institute, 1990, 377 pages

May Contain Markup

By Russil Durrant & Tony Ward

Evolutionary Criminology: The book argues for integrating evolutionary theory with criminology to enhance understanding and management of criminal behavior.

Interdisciplinary Approach: Criminology should incorporate insights from sociology, psychology, anthropology, and evolutionary biology.

Human Behavior: Understanding criminal behavior requires considering evolutionary processes, cultural history, and developmental factors.

Practical Applications: The book discusses how evolutionary theory can inform punishment, prevention, and rehabilitation strategies in criminal justice.

Academic Press, 2015, 331 pages

By Theodore N. Ferdinand

Purists vs. Empiricists: The document discusses the debate betweenPurists, who believe delinquency is rooted in social processes, andEmpiricists, who consider multiple factors, including psychological and physiological, in explaining delinquency.

Types of Typologies: It outlines three kinds of typologies:Logical,Empirical, andIdeal, each serving different functions in understanding delinquency.

Social Class and Delinquency: The document examines how different social classes, from the upper upper-class to the lower lower-class,exhibit distinct patterns of delinquent behavior.

Psychological Typologies: Various psychological typologies of delinquency are explored, including those by Alexander and Staub,Abrahamsen, and others, highlighting different psychological profiles of delinquents.

Random House, 1966, 246 pages

By Alex Armand, Paul Atwell, Joseph Gomes, Giuseppe Musillo, Yannik Schenk

This paper investigates the role of mass media in shaping racial tolerance and advancing civil rights in the post-WWII United States. We study the first attempt in the history of mass media to use a radio broadcast targeted at children to promote an inclusive American society. In 1946, amid persistent racial divisions, the popular radio series The Adventures of Superman launched Operation Intolerance, a sequence of new episodes promoting equality, rejecting racial discrimination, and exposing the KKK's bigotry. Using digitized historical data on U.S. radio stations and state-of-the-art radio propagation models, we compute geographic exposure to the broadcasts. Exploiting exogenous exposure to the broadcasts, we employ a cohort study design to analyze individual-level data from 1964 to 1980–a crucial period for civil rights activism and legislation in the United States. We find lasting impacts on those exposed as children, including increased support for civil rights, improved interracial relations, and more progressive political attitudes. These effects translate into greater alignment with the Civil Rights Movement, evidenced by increased support for protests and diminished institutional trust, and further manifested by reduced participation in the Vietnam War. Additionally, county-level panel data illustrate how areas covered by the broadcast in 1946 evolve towards less segregationist attitudes, a lower presence of the KKK, and an increase in civil rights activism and prominence in discourse.

Bonn: Institute of Labor Economics, 2024.

By Institute for Strategic Dialogue

From mainstream to extreme, from far left to far right, and large platforms to fringe ecosystems, antisemitism on social media is a universal challenge. For many years and across different events, geographies, and languages, ISD has sought to understand, track, and analyze online antisemitism. This document aims to synthesize ISD’s findings, providing a summary of relevant literature as a tool for informing the work of ISD’s Coalition to Counter Online Antisemitism.

London: Institute for Strategic Dialogue, 2024. 17p.

By The Institute for Strategic Dialogue

In the last year, a loose network of actors from Bordeaux to Toulouse to Paris targeted drag events aimed at all-ages audiences for protest, harassment, and abuse. The behaviors and dynamics observed among these actors echo and mirror those observed in other parts of the world, particularly the US. While anti-drag action in France remains marginal compared to the activity witnessed in the US, UK, and Australia, it nonetheless emerged as a phenomenon from a standing start in 2022. March 2023 saw the nation’s first in-person protest at an all-ages drag event in Paris, and two months later a far-right group protested with banners and a smoke bomb outside of a library hosting a drag queen story hour (DQSH) for children in the small village of Saint-Senoux. A seemingly unlikely group of actors is leading this charge. The French anti-gender movement, which was at the heart of the movement against equal marriage in the early 2010s, has been joined by far-right parties and politicians, extremist groups, COVID-19 skeptics, and assorted conspiracy theorists. All are seeking to cancel drag events through tactics of protest, petitions, harassment, misinformation, and intimidation. This briefing provides an in-depth analysis of five cases of anti-drug mobilization in the period December 2022 – May 2023, using a combination of ethnographic methods and social media data analysis to examine activity related to each case. The first was in Bordeaux, the second in Lamballe-Armor, the third in Toulouse, the fourth in Paris, and the fifth in Saint-Senoux. While the earlier campaigns largely manifested online with limited in-person mobilization, the two most recent events saw increased offline activity. This report aims to summarise the key narratives, tactics, and actors involved in anti-drag action in France, and how these mobilizations are tied to anti-LGBTQ+ activity in France more broadly. However, given the small number of instances of anti-drug activism in France, the conclusions of this report are indicative and tentative.

London: Institute for Strategic Dialogue, 2024. 24p.

By The  Institute for Strategic Dialogue

The rapidly evolving online extremist landscape in New Zealand means new strategies for intervention are needed. This playbook – developed in consultation with New Zealand’s rich tapestry of civil society, communities, and practitioners engaged in prevention – offers practical frameworks for projects promoting positive online interventions to tackle online extremism. Based on an analysis of the rapidly evolving landscape of online extremism, the playbook takes stock of established and emerging intervention models. It brings together domestic and international best practices and suggests potential avenues for new positive intervention approaches. Finally, it reflects on practical considerations for programming, including monitoring and evaluation, safeguarding, operational security, and ethical considerations. This playbook examines the shift from violent groups to online extremism, highlighting digital literacy, audience communication, and proactive engagement with at-risk individuals.

London: Institute for Strategic Dialogue, 2024. 37p.