Cambridge's Ph.D. Candidates' Criminology Blog

Jason in the Guardian

2012-02-01T09:04:00.000Z

Jason Warr (one of our PhD students) has made the news in a debate about whether prison education is working: Guardian 30 January.

"Did you actually read my article?" The 5 Species of Journal Reviewers

2011-12-13T11:40:00.000Z

Oh, the joys of peer-reviewed journals. I myself can give some hilarious and ludicrous examples where you start to doubt the usefulness and fairness of some reviews. Professor Robert A. Giacalone (Temple University) has written an article about his experiences: The 5 Species of Journal Reviewers. Let us know what your experiences are!

"Yet it is the nasty reviewer that many of us like the most because her vitriol is usually accompanied by an outright rejection, which means that we will not have to respond to the comments. We will not have to degrade ourselves by agreeing with her and "fixing" it. We will not need to mollify her lack of humanity with changes that will likely make the paper worse rather than better.
I just try not to think about how those reviewers must be treating their students."

Thanks to Amy for pointing us to this article!

Should academics blog?

2011-12-02T09:29:00.001Z

This blog post about whether academics should engage in the blogosphere is an interesting one. Personally I think it's an invaluable way of academics engaging with the public, breaking out of the ivory tower that we get accused of residing in, getting new ideas which helps mine and other's research and putting forward tentative ones for discussion. What do others think?

IoC alumnus Nathan Muwereza joins Gateway Challenge with his African Community Team Support

2011-11-24T19:06:00.002Z

Nathan Muwereza, an IoC-alumnus and now doing his Ph.D. at the Max Planck Institute in Freiburg, is also active founder of the African Community Team Support, a non-profit organisation in his home country Uganda, that wants to restore and empower victims of injustices such as war, rape and domestic violence, but also school dropout and forced marriage. By providing them with training in professions such as hairdressing, horticulture, and nursery school education they create opportunities to earn their own income and build their own economically independent lives. Furthermore, once they earn their own income, they contribute to training others so that they can sustain this empowerment an increase the number of people reached.

ACTS have now been accepted by GlobalGiving UK to participate in its Gateway Challenge, a fundraising opportunity for nonprofit organizations in which they get the chance to compete for bonus funding prizes.

To pass the Challenge, they must raise £2,000 from 50 donors between the 21^st November and the 21^st December. If they meet this target, they will get a permanent spot on GlobalGiving UK’s fundraising website, where they have the opportunity to benefit from corporate relationships, exposure to a new donor network, and access to dozens of online fundraising, support and training tools. In addition, they could earn up to £2,000 in bonus prizes if they raise the most money and get the highest number of donors!

Click here for more information about the project and to donate. If everyone reading this blog would give £12, it would be possible for ACTS to reach their benchmark of £2000 (based on the blog stats!). Most of all, it would allow them to do more of their valuable work.

As Nathan writes 'anything given by anybody will be a great help to us in this challenge.

"One candle lit will help light several others" So help light other candles for us wherever you are.'

This is our story: book on human trafficking

2011-11-22T12:15:00.000Z

Wendi Adelson, who writes a blog about human trafficking, has written a book about this topic: This is our story. Wendi studied for an MPhil in International Relations at Cambridge and now works as an attorney with the Center for Advancement of Human Rights at Florida State University. She has written the book as a way to communicate her clients' stories to the general public while protecting their confidentiality.

It's currently available on Kindle, but should soon be on paper as well. For more information on ordering the paperback version, contact Wendi. I haven't read it, but the reviews on amazon are extremely positive.

The exercise of discretion in the probation service and Bottoms’ model of compliance

2011-10-26T17:47:00.001+01:00

Jake writes about compliance in probation in the Early Career Academics Network Bulletin of the Howard League for Penal Reform. He concludes that "although the move towards compliance was seen positively by offender managers and there is evidence of them exercising discretion after a period of very limited discretion, the fact that the move thus far has been set within a managerialist framework means that the kind of compliance achieved is short-termist and might work against normative compliance as proposed by Bottoms."

Managing references

2011-10-26T12:52:00.000+01:00

Do you ever feel disorganized? Don’t know which paper you found so useful earlier? Do you dread the prospect of adding the reference list at the end of your paper or thesis? I felt like that last year. Then someone pointed me to this really useful program, called Mendeley. It helps you manage your pdfs and references and it really pays off if you start using it as early as possible.

Here is why I recommend it:

It’s FREE! (as opposed to EndNote, for example)

It has a lot of useful functions, including a pdf-viewer, the option to mark documents as ‘favorite’, ‘read’ or ‘unread’, or ‘needing review’

It can often extract the reference information from a pdf, such as author, title, year, etc. (Though I recommend reviewing the information of each article when you add it)

Your library is synchronized to an online storage space. When I bought a new laptop, I only had to re-install Mendeley and all my papers were there!

With a Word-plugin, you add citations and when you’re done, you can generate the bibliography with a click of the mouse, matching your preferred citation style! When I’ve done that, I copy the bibliography to WordPad, so that I can make changes (funny things happen when I try doing that in Word) and then I copy it back to Word

In addition there are online features, like groups and paper recommendations based on your library. It’s also useful for collaboration apparently, although I haven’t tried that myself.
That’s not to say that it’s a perfect program yet – they are working to make it better and compared to a year ago, it has improved a lot. Luckily you get the updates for free, and the developers welcome any feedback!

It’s worth trying out this program to see how it can help you. If you have any questions you can e-mail me (efjcv2 [at] cam [dot] ac [dot] uk), since I’m a Mendeley advisor (volunteer position, I have no commercial motivations to promote it!)

On Saturday 29 October at noon, I will be in the Clare Hall meeting room to give a brief demonstration of the program and provide some tips based on my own experience. This would be a good opportunity to ask questions. I would also like to invite people who have used other programs, or anyone who has tips on managing articles and references. Let’s help each other out!

For more information, you can check:

http://www.mendeley.com/compare-mendeley/ (A comparison of Mendeley to other reference managers)

http://www.mendeley.com/features/ (An overview of Mendeley’s features)

http://www.mendeley.com/download-mendeley-desktop/?_section=footer (Here you can download Mendeley!)

Happy writing!
Esther

Perception of Science: in popular culture vs. actual science

2011-10-26T11:15:00.003+01:00

What do you think of science and how does that stroke with the public perception? Wonderful comic

Festival of Ideas: does prison work?

2011-10-13T10:26:00.003+01:00

Next Tuesday the Festival of Ideas starts with several events, including two that are particularly relevant for us as criminologists! Hopefully there will be many of us to get involved in the debates:

036 Does prison work?
Friday 21 October, 6:00PM - 7:15PM
How can institutionalisation be prevented, are there effective alternatives to prison and what circumstances discourage repeat offending?
Speakers include Jennifer Rubin from RAND, John Podmore, Offender Health, Department of Health; Charles Young from the London Anti-Crime Education Service, Professor Larry Sherman, Institute of Criminology and the chair, Professor Hugh Wilmott from the Judge Business School.

071 How to stay out of prison
Saturday 22 October, 12:30PM - 1:30PM
Is it possible to deter people from crime? The London Anti-Crime Education Service gives a presentation of its work including a mock-up prison cell and talks by mentors who work with young people.
Charles Young from the innovative London Anti-Crime Education Service demonstrates the brutal reality of life in prison and how he and his mentors deter young people from committing crime with the aid of a pop-up prison cell.

No Place for Kids: The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration

2011-10-08T14:29:00.006+01:00

The Annie E. Casey Foundation, a private charitable organization, dedicated to helping build better futures for disadvantaged children in the United States, released their new report, No Place for Kids: The Case for Reducing Juvenile Incarceration. It presents evidence to demonstrate that incarcerating children does not work:
Youth prisons do not reduce future offending, they waste taxpayer dollars, and they frequently expose youth to dangerous and abusive conditions. The report also shows that many states have substantially reduced their juvenile correctional facility populations in recent years, and it finds that these states have seen no resulting increase in juvenile crime or violence. Finally, the report highlights successful reform efforts from several states and provides recommendations for how states can reduce juvenile incarceration rates and redesign their juvenile correction systems to better serve young people and the public.

Offender Desistance Policing and Operation Turning Point in West Midlands

2011-10-06T19:07:00.005+01:00

A new randomised control is about to start in the West Midlands. It is designed to test whether prosecution in the courts or a police managed contract to desist from offending will produce better and more cost effective reductions in offending behaviour. Offenders whom the police have decided to charge and put before the court, but who have no prior convictions, will be randomly assigned to prosecution or a "turning point" contract. For the latter group, there will be a very quick, same day, conversation with a trained police officer from the Offender Management team, which is aimed to explore the main reasons for the offending behaviour and arrive at a 'contract' to be signed by the offender. The contract will always have 2 key conditions attached - re-offending behaviour or failure to comply with the agreed conditions of the contract will always attract immediate prosecution for the original offence. Other conditions could include voluntary curfews, drug or alcohol treatment referrals, restorative justice processes and many more. Contracts will last for no more than 4 months. The Cambridge team - Peter Neyroud, Barak Ariel and Professor Lawrence Sherman - will be measuring the cost effectiveness of the approach and the level of crime harm from the treatment and control group over the following 2 years. The trial is linked to a wider programme which is also seeking to introduce a crime harm index as a triage tool in the custody process with the aim that lower risk offenders can be considered for alternatives to court sanctions, allowing Police and other criminal justice agencies to focus on the high harm few who pose greater risks. The Cambridge Stats Lab is supporting the team in the development of this part of the programme using a large sample of data which has been obtained from the Police National Computer. The whole programme is supported by the Monument Trust.
Peter Neyroud

Jake Phillips publishes about target, audit and risk assessment cultures in the probation service

2011-10-05T11:27:00.005+01:00

Jake has recently published his paper entitled "Target, audit and risk assessment cultures in the probation service " in the European Journal of Probation.

This article traces the rise of managerialism in the probation service in England and Wales before exploring the impact of these changes through reference to in-depth observation and interviews in probation. The article considers how national standards affect practice; how audits feature and their impact on accountability; and how the use of risk assessment tools are perceived and resisted in two probation teams in England Wales. The article then turns to changes implemented by the Coalition Government and highlights some tensions between managerialist occupational cultures in probation and what might occur in the near future.

Sytske Besemer publishes in Journal of Quantitative Criminology about specialisation in intergenerational transmission.

2011-09-29T15:30:00.000+01:00

Sytske's article entitled "Specialized Versus Versatile Intergenerational Transmission of Violence: A New Approach to Studying Intergenerational Transmission from Violent Versus Non-Violent Fathers: Latent Class Analysis" has recently been published online in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology.
The paper investigates whether fathers who have been convicted of a violent offense transmit criminal and violent behavior more strongly than fathers who were convicted, but never for violence. First, a more traditional approach was taken where offending fathers were divided into two groups based on whether they had a violence conviction. Secondly, Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was performed to identify two classes of fathers, one of which was characterized as violent. Sons of fathers in this class had a higher risk of violent convictions compared with sons whose fathers were in the other class.

Best 50 Criminology Blogs

2011-09-14T09:35:00.001+01:00

Forensic Science has created a list of their favourite criminology blogs. Below you can find their top 5 and what they write about it. Moreover, our blog features in their list as well!

General Blog of Crime: Ignore any thoughts of generality that may come up in your head when thinking about this blog. The graduate students who contribute well-wrought pieces to this site are incredibly in tune to the specifics of their criminological insights. The site is only general in that a myriad of topics that fall under the criminology umbrella are discussed and dissected here. The site balances nicely between contemporary crime stories and historical episodes of violence.
Why We Love It: An excellent blog example of a few graduate students passionate about criminology who write incisively on the subject.

CrimLaw: Readers will find little personal information about the blogger of this prolific and expansive page. Instead, they'll have to pull out a few forensic tools of their own by reading this writer's postings that are analytical but not too brainy. Even criminology newbies won't find themselves falling behind with the comprehensive material on offer here. The blog focuses a good deal on the state of Virginia, but readers everywhere will enjoy the site's appealing take on crime and the law.
Why We Love It: A super-factual Virginia-based criminal blog that provides readers with rich analysis of crime in both the state and around the world.

Women in Crime: Lady killers and femme fatales need not apply to contribute to this all-female blog. The women here all stand on the upright side of the law and provide cogent and thoughtful opinions on all sectors of the criminological environment. The writers boast a diversity of backgrounds: Some are current or former defense attorneys, others claim healthy careers as crime authors, and still more are criminal profiles and private investigators. Proof that though it's a man's world, women know best how to keep it in check.
Why We Love It: The ladies show the fellas how proper criminology writing is done: with heart, a big brain, and an appetite for justice.

Neurological Correlates: This is the perfect blog for anyone insatiable about uncovering the ins and outs of the human psyche, disturbances to which often lead to a life led in crime and violence. This site concentrates on what makes tick the brains of psychopaths and narcissists, among other prototypes of dysfunctional behavior. The writers then take the further step and clarify brain connections to criminal activity and violent tendency. A great site that helps you figure out the "why" after the "what" and "how" are known.
Why We Love It: This blog goes beyond a typical whodunit page and focuses on why it all took place in the first place.

The Innocence Project: There's more to the field of criminology than studying the minds of those who commit foul deeds. The science also delves into understanding the complexities of what happens when those so-called evildoers are discovered to have been themselves fouled. The law has consistently incarcerated incorrectly and unceremoniously scores of people who were simply caught in poor circumstances. This blog serves as a cleanser to the criminology blog scene, helping to make it right when the law does wrong.
Why We Love It: This blog does justice to the wrongfully jailed and helps to keep the criminology community accountable.

Criminal rehabilitation: a spotlight on Europe

2011-09-13T18:12:00.000+01:00

On the Cambridge University homepage, Johann Koehler talks about how a 'soft on crime' approach might be the way forward to break the cycle that 'career criminals' are in. Read the full article here.

Doing Time Together: LOVE AND FAMILY IN THE SHADOW OF THE PRISON

2011-09-09T17:19:00.000+01:00

Office Hours - conversations with top social scientists about their research and the social world - have recorded an interview with Megan Comfort, who conducted etnographic research in a Californian prison on intimate relationships and wrote the book Doing Time Together about it. She talks about the women who visit their partners in prison. Interesting! Here's the podcast.

About the book:
"By quadrupling the number of people behind bars in two decades, the United States has become the world leader in incarceration. Much has been written on the men who make up the vast majority of the nation’s two million inmates. But what of the women they leave behind? Doing Time Together vividly details the ways that prisons shape and infiltrate the lives of women with husbands, fiancés, and boyfriends on the inside.

Megan Comfort spent years getting to know women visiting men at San Quentin State Prison, observing how their romantic relationships drew them into contact with the penitentiary. Tangling with the prison’s intrusive scrutiny and rigid rules turns these women into “quasi-inmates,” eroding the boundary between home and prison and altering their sense of intimacy, love, and justice. Yet Comfort also finds that with social welfare weakened, prisons are the most powerful public institutions available to women struggling to overcome untreated social ills and sustain relationships with marginalized men. As a result, they express great ambivalence about the prison and the control it exerts over their daily lives.

An illuminating analysis of women caught in the shadow of America’s massive prison system, Comfort’s book will be essential for anyone concerned with the consequences of our punitive culture."

24/7 isn't the only way: A healthy work–life balance can enhance research

2011-09-06T09:27:00.003+01:00

A commentary in Nature describes exactly what I (and I know some others here too) think about a work-life balance: 24/7 isn't the only way: A healthy work–life balance can enhance research.

RISE Youth has won the Emerge Community Prize Competition

2011-08-11T14:52:00.003+01:00

RISE Youth, the program matching court-involved young people with adult coaches, led by Baillie Aaron and Daniel Marshall, has won the Emerge Community Prize Competition - They are extremely grateful to you for voting, and so happy to win. This is another big leap forward for them as they look to implement RISE Youth in the near future. They are building the website, and will be going through the charity registration process very soon. For now, they will enjoy the moment of winning the community prize!

"Over the last month, you - our community - have helped one of our teams get a little help on the way to success: Over 750 people put in their votes to decide which of the Emerge Fellows should receive the £1000 Emerge Community Prize. We are excited to announce today that you chose a lucky winner: RISE Youth, led by Baillie Aaron and Daniel Marshall, two entrepreneurs from Cambridge University. Congratulations to a great team!"

Congratulations and keep going like this Baillie and Daniel!

Prison Law Blog: the current state of American prisons

2011-08-03T06:25:00.000+01:00

I wanted to let you know about the interesting Prison Law Blog, maintained and written by Sara Mayeux, a graduate of Stanford Law School and U.S. history Ph.D. candidate at Stanford University. She mainly writes about the state of the prison and prisoners in California and other states in the U.S. and gives an insight in the conditions of American prisons by discussing news items and legal decisions concerning prisons.

Gradschool (9-11 September): useful experience!

2011-08-02T04:52:00.000+01:00

There are still places available for the September GRADschool, 9th - 11th September.

GRADSchool is a residential ‘crash course’ in personal development; looking at who you are, where you might go and how to make the most of the skills you've acquired during your PhD.

It’s a tried and tested programme, having been run across the UK for over 40 years, and fully supported by the UK Research Councils. For example,

The AHRC strongly encourages its funded doctoral students to participate in one of the workshops organised by the Research Councils’ GRADschools Programme.” (AHRC, ‘Research Training Framework’, Autumn 2009)

However, GRADschool is open to all PhD students in Cambridge from the second year of your PhD onwards.

Matt, from the development office writes: "On a personal note, I attended a GRADSchool during my own studies and it was fantastic, re-charging my batteries for my PhD, and shaping my career. But don’t take my word for it (as they say), below are two testimonials from students who attended the last Cambridge GRADSchool."

"Thank you for giving us this wonderful opportunity to develop ourselves. Thank you for believing in us and devoting all the time and effort!" - PhD student on April 2011 GRADschool in Cambridge

"Loved it! It’s the best thing I have done in a long while! I know I am going to take the experiences with me for life. I did things I never thought I would do in public...and I surprised myself!" - PhD student on April 2011 GRADschool in Cambridge.

To find out more and book a place, click on the website:
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/hr/cppd/gradschool/

A few of us went to the last gradschool in April and found it useful, fun and a good experience, so we can recommend going!

Esther van Ginneken in Dutch newspaper NRC Next

2011-07-28T08:43:00.007+01:00

Esther van Ginneken, Ph.D. student at the IoC, has written an opinion article in the Dutch newspaper NRC Next which was published on Friday 8 July 2011. Since most of the readers of this blog probably will not be able to read Dutch, I will give a brief overview of what she has written and why she wrote the article.

The Dutch Secretary of Justice continues to introduce proposals for tougher punishments, such as minimum prison sentences for repeat offenders. With these proposals he wants to answer to public demands for more punitive sentencing. However, sentencing in the Netherlands has already become more punitive over the last ten years, and is certainly not lenient when compared to other European countries. Furthermore, the public's knowledge about actual sentencing practices may be limited.

Esther's article briefly describes some of the impact of a prison sentence, and it explains that longer prison sentences may be counterproductive. The article recommends that more attention needs to be paid to alternative punishments, and to restorative justice in particular. It is argued that politicians should focus less on populist rhetoric and more on understanding and addressing the causes of crime.

Well done Esther for making criminological knowledge and the results of academic research known to the public!

Also, if you do want to read the original article, contact Esther!

RISE has won 'Cambridge University Entrepreneurs £5000 Award' and wants your help

2011-07-06T12:32:00.009+01:00

Daniel Marshall and Baillie Aaron, Ph.D. respectively MPhil student at the Institute of Criminology have won another prize, the 'Cambridge University Entrepreneurs £5000 Award' and were national finalists in the 'Mckinsey students in society 2011 competition', for their not-for-profit social enterprise: 'RISE'; a coaching programme which provides adult role models to institutionalised young people. See this link for a report!
Due to this success, and building on previous awards, they have received increased interest from businesses, practitioners, academics, entrepreneurs, and other interested parties to invest and support the implementation of the programme. If anyone is interested in getting involved in anyway, or finding out more, please contact Daniel (djm210) or Baillie (bfa21), thank you.

They would also like your help!
1. Please - take 5 SECONDS and VOTE for their organisation, RISE - help us win £1,000 to start a mentorship organisation for young people in custody. This will attract a lot of attention from all over the world, so your vote is really important to us. (Feel free to forward this link to everyone you know / post on facebook / twitter...)

2. If you could spare just 2 minutes to complete the survey (only 3 names this time!) we would really appreciate it! Your ranking of the names will help us choose the ultimate winner!

PHD CRIMINOLOGY CONFERENCE 2011 Edinburgh: CALL FOR PAPERS

2011-07-05T09:58:00.000+01:00

This year the third annual Postgraduate Criminology Conference will be held at the University of Edinburgh Law School on September 15th and 16th 2011. In order for postgraduates from across Europe to engage in discussion about emerging research interests in criminology, we would encourage submission on papers from across this broad field. This can range from insights into unique methodological approaches to theoretical discussion of crime in society today. As in previous years, this conference will include themed panel sessions of student papers, as well as plenary speeches and expert panels on postgraduate issues. We hope that this will provide an ideal forum to meet other postgraduate criminology students and to gain an insight into research taking place across Europe today.

If you wish to present a paper at this conference or have any questions, please send the following to this email address: edphdconference@gmail.com

* Your name
* Your university / institution
* Your year of study
* Your paper title
* An abstract of no longer than 500 words
* Your email address

*The deadline for this Call for Papers is FRIDAY 8th JULY 2011*

For more information on accommodation etc, please refer to this website:

http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/conferences/PhDCriminologyConference/

This will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

All the best,
Gemma Flynn and Christine Haddow.

Tony Bottoms talks about desistance in the Sheffield Study

2011-06-22T15:00:00.001+01:00

Last week the Dutch Society for Criminology (NVK- Nederlandse Vereniging voor Kriminologie) held their annual conference and invited our own professor Sir Anthony Bottoms to give a keynote lecture on desistance. He gave an interesting presentation about results found with the Sheffield Desistance Study. People who are interested, can read an interview with him on the website of Crimelink, a magazine about crime and safety.

Amy publishes her meta-analysis of Cross-national predictors of crime

2011-06-21T10:55:00.007+01:00

Talking about good writing, Amy Nivette has published another paper! Her article entitled 'Cross-National Predictors of Crime: A Meta-Analysis' has been published in the most recent issue of Homicide Studies. Well done Amy!

Bad Writing and Bad Thinking: useful article!

2011-06-19T20:52:00.001+01:00

Thanks to Amy who pointed us towards this article about (how to avoid) bad writing. A useful reminder how not to fall into these habits. Interestingly, Rachel Toor, an assistant professor of creative writing at Eastern Washington University in Spokane, refers to George Orwell's Politics and the English Language. I remember one PhD seminar about writing, where we were also advised to read this piece by Orwell. Thanks to Amy I am now reminded and will go read it!

Post-doctoral research fellowship at Oxford

2011-06-16T09:04:00.001+01:00

The Howard League for Penal Reform is supporting its second post-doctoral fellowship at the Centre for Criminology at the University of Oxford. It is a fixed term one year part-time fellowship. The fellowship is awarded in memory of Lord Parmoor.

Closing date for applications is midday 15th July with interviews in Oxford on 27th July 2011.

More information about the fellowship and how to apply can be found at: http://www.howardleague.org/post-graduate-opportunities/

I would be grateful if you could circulate this opportunity to your colleagues and/or students.

Many thanks

Anita Dockley

Research Director
The Howard League for Penal Reform
1 Ardleigh Road
LONDON
N1 4HS
Tel: 020 7249 7373
Direct line: 0207-2417871
Fax: 020 7249 7788
anita.dockley@howardleague.org
www.howardleague.org
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Survival of the fittest

2011-05-25T12:23:00.002+01:00

Thinking outside the box. Gangsta rappers give an alternative explanation of crime (and teenage pregnancy): crime as evolutionary behaviour.

Cambridge Space-Time

2011-05-24T15:55:00.005+01:00

This time not just a comic about PhD life, but some work by my always creative housemate Gillean Denny. Gill is also studying for a Phd, not in Criminology, but in Architecture, and currently writing up and I wanted to share her project for today with you!

Amy Nivette publishes yet another paper!

2011-05-03T13:29:00.007+01:00

Amy has published a paper in the most recent number of the British Journal of Criminology, titled Violence in non-state societies

The abstract: "Anthropological sources on non-state, tribal societies offer a wealth of evidence on violence that can expand the spatial and temporal gaze of criminological research. Reviewing this literature allows for a more comparative analysis of patterns of violence and challenges contemporary notions of social change and order. This paper provides an overview of the most relevant anthropological evidence on patterns of violence in non-state societies. Specifically, trends and overall levels of violence, age and sex patterns as well as social and environmental factors are reviewed in order to determine whether contemporary concepts and patterns of violence are universal or culturally specific. The findings presented here indicate that violence in non-state societies is a ubiquitous but culturally varying phenomenon used by males and may be related to interdependent social organizations and networks of exchange."

Congratulations Amy!

Jobs: assistant professor Leiden University

2011-05-03T09:25:00.004+01:00

Interested in spreading your wings?

The Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology of Leiden University is looking for:
a) an assistant professor (UD)
and something for the future:
b) an associate professor (UHD)
Please click the link to view these vacancies.

It seems like the vacancies are currently only in Dutch, but they should be in English. Summarising, it's an assistant professor job at Leiden University, they want you to teach to undergraduate and master students and do your own research.
Also, they want you to speak and write English fluently!

If you're interested and need more translation, let me know!

Comic: PhD and life in general

2011-04-28T13:39:00.002+01:00

Yet another cartoon from PhD Comics to remind us to not forget the rest of the world and our life while doing a PhD!

Jake Phillips keynote speaker at conference: Approaches to Social Problems and Community Safety & Cohesion

2011-04-28T13:28:00.005+01:00

Jake Phillips, Ph.D. student at the Institute of Criminology, will give a talk about " Offender Managers and the Rehabilitation Revolution: implications for implementation" at the Newport Centre for Criminal and Community Justice Conference on “Approaches to Social Problems and Community Safety & Cohesion". Jake's dissertation research is on The Rehabilitative Ideal in the Probation Service. He is looking at the Probation Service in the context of recent policy changes, focussing on practitioner's use of, or opinions towards, rehabilitation, discretion, compliance, managerialism and risk management. The Ph.D. uses a mix of ethnographic work in a probation office, semi-structured interviews with staff and analysis of policy documents and political rhetoric. Jake's presentation follows from his Ph.D. research. The half-day conference will be held in Newport, Wales on Wednesday 18 May 2011.
Date: Wednesday 18 May 2011
Time: 9.30am – 1.00pm (Half-day Conference)
Location: Caerleon Campus Boardroom, University of Wales, Newport

Useful website for post-docs: Humanities and Social Sciences Postdocs 2010-2011

2011-03-25T10:18:00.002Z

I was pointed towards this extremely useful website with a collection of 'Humanities and Social Sciences Postdocs 2010-2011'. I realise that for many the deadline has passed for the next academic year, but it's still useful as a collection of possibilities and I assume (hope!) there will be an updated for post docs starting in the academic year 2012-2013.

Amy Nivette publishes in Theoretical Criminology about Adler's theory of low crime

2011-03-21T13:43:00.006Z

Amy Nivette, Ph.D. Student at the Institute of Criminology, recently published an article, titled 'Old theories and new approaches: Evaluating Freda Adler's theory of low crime and its implications for criminology' in Theoretical Criminology. Congratulations Amy!

The abstract of the paper:

Many years ago, Freda Adler (1983) sought to explain the full variation of crime rates through the notion of synnomie. Although Adler’s research was incomplete and somewhat flawed, it drew attention to low crime societies as the subject of criminological research. In this article I critically revisit Adler’s ideas in order to encourage a more methodologically rigorous approach to researching low crime societies. The main issues this article addresses are the assumption of ‘low’ crime and the meaning this label entails, the implications of ‘norm cohesion’ and the need for an alternative approach when studying ‘low’ crime. I conclude with implications for criminological research in the hope that this will invite future inquiry into matters that lie outside the traditional criminological gaze.

Daniel and Baillie accepted as fellows of the Oxford University Emerge Social Venture Lab

2011-02-12T14:44:00.004Z

Following our earlier post about Daniel Marshall and Baillie Aaron, we can announce more good news. They have also been successfully accepted as Fellows of the Oxford University Emerge Social Venture Lab.

Well done!

New Research Prize: The Howard League Research Medal

2011-02-10T11:32:00.002Z

The Howard League for Penal Reform is seeking to celebrate the work of academics and researchers whose work offers genuine new insights into the penal system through the introduction of its Research Medal.

We are committed to supporting new thinking and radical researchers who want to make an impact and change penal policy and practice through high quality research. The Research Medal will celebrate high quality research that has succeeded, or can demonstrate that it has the potential, to have an impact on non-academic audiences.

The winner of the Research Medal will receive a prize of £1,000. In addition the recipient will be asked to present an aspect of their research at an event in central London on 14th June 2011.

The deadline for entries is 4th April 2011. Find out more about the Research Medal and how to enter here.

Please forward this email to your friends and colleagues.

I look forward to receiving your entry.

Best wishes

Anita Dockley

Research Director

Criminology Students Daniel Marshall and Baillie Aaron win Entrepreneurs prize!

2011-02-07T16:18:00.007Z

Daniel Marshall and Baillie Aaron, Ph.D. respectively MPhil student at the Institute of Criminology have won an award for the Cambridge University Entrepreneurs (CUE) 1k challenge for their proposal for RISE, a mentoring scheme for institutionalized youn people in the UK “RISE’s mission is to provide court-involved young people with opportunities for role modelling, inspiration, success, and enrichment through its coaching program. Studies have consistently shown that at-risk young people benefit tremendously from ongoing mentorship relationships. The RISE program is based on empirically-tested best practices and provides adult coaches for youth in custody, commencing during their sentence and extending through to their community re-entry. RISE’s annual operational cost is £123,000, relative to the £160,000 per annum cost of keeping one youth in a secure training centre. With recidivism rates of approximately 75%, RISE is expected to produce significant fiscal savings and social impact.”

Congratulations!!

The relationship between caffeine, sleep and productiveness in a PhD

2011-01-27T15:37:00.000Z

I am currently doing loads of analyses with 2x2 tables, so this PhD comic came exactly at the right time:

Submission deadline 16th World Congress - Japan approaching: 31 January 5pm Japan time

2011-01-17T16:54:00.000Z

Following our earlier post about the 16th World Congress of the International Society for Criminology in Japan from 5-9 August 2011; the deadline for abstract submission is fastly approaching. Abstracts are imited to 200 words and should describe the general theme, and where relevant, the methods and results.

Article by student at Institute of Criminology: relationship between parental imprisonment and offspring offending in England and the Netherlands

2011-01-07T10:32:00.003Z

Sytske Besemer, a Ph.D candidate at the Institute of Criminology, has published an article in the British Journal of Criminology that she co-authored with Victor van der Geest (NSCR), Joseph Murray, Catrien Bijleveld (NSCR), and David Farrington. The article is based on research in England and the Netherlands. They investigated parental imprisonment and offspring offending and differences between the countries on this topic.

Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Criminology

2011-01-05T10:58:00.001Z

The JTPC has advertised a call for papers from graduates for a special issue to be published in March this year. Deadlines for submission is 1 February 2012. More details here:

http://www.jtpcrim.org/July_2010/Journal-of-Theoretical-Philosophical-Criminology-Call-for-graduate-student-papers.pdf

Laptop Protection: Prey

2010-12-15T11:08:00.002Z

Following Alexandra’s earlier post about the importance of backing up your work and protecting your dissertation, this might be informative as well in case your laptop gets lost or stolen.

I’m not sure if it helps with computers as a halfway competent thief will probably wipe the harddisk before it can connect to the web. But it's free and probably can't hurt having it - just in case you're lucky enough to have a stupid thief.

So, after you have backed up your work (because we can’t stress enough how important that is), consider the below as a second form of insurance to help recover the hardware.

There are some excellent free software solutions available to protect laptops and track them if stolen/missing, such as: http://preyproject.com/ (works on mac, windows and linux)

Once installed and the portable reported missing, it can send reports to the owner's email with photographs of the "thieve" that is using the laptop, screen shots, the ip address of the network were it is being used and, more important, an estimated geographical location, based on the network that it is connected to. With the ip address, the internet service provider can localize the exact house number and address (provided they want to do it). These should be all very useful for the police.

Of course this needs to be installed before the laptop is missing. This is by no means a replacement for a regular backup habit!

The Harvard Guide to Postdoctoral Fellowships

2010-12-08T14:48:00.000Z

Amy pointed us towards the useful Harvard Guide to Postdoctoral Fellowships with tons of information on what you should do if you want a Postdoctoral Fellowship.

The link on the side 'Scholarly Pursuits' is also really good, it has samples for writing grants, scholarship applications, fellowship applications, and postdoc applications, among other things. Check it out!

Tip to stop procrastination: Freedom

2010-11-24T18:52:00.005Z

'Freedom frees you from distractions, allowing you time to write, analyze, code, or create.'

How often do you check your email a day? Go on facebook? Check the news? Is that really necessary or is it merely an enormous and unwelcome distraction from your work? If the answer is yes, try this: Freedom, a program that disconnects your computer from the internet for the amount of time you want to. You cannot fool the program, the only way to get connected to internet again, is to either wait or restart your computer.

It works for me!

The only thing is that you need to specify a certain amount of minutes. If you go away from your computer, the clock stops counting. I would personally prefer a program that would enable me to set a certain time (e.g. I want to be offline until 1pm). If you know of any other program that can do this, let me know!

Law and Society Association: Call for Papers

2010-11-02T18:19:00.002Z

The Law and Society Association is accepting papers for its annual conference, to be held on June 2-5, 2011. The abstracts are due on December 8, 2010. See here for more details.

New technology in 'crime control'

2010-10-25T16:41:00.003+01:00

I am a fan of new technology but sometimes it can just go too far. This is what I would call 'scary stuff':

http://mashable.com/2010/10/25/sex-offender-tracker/

What, exactly, is the point of this aspect of the App: "an augmented reality view allows users to look through the camera lens of their smartphones to pull up addresses in any given direction" I can't see any point other than making people even more scared than they already must be if they are using this app.

I am a fan of new technology but sometimes it goes wrong: offenders unmonitored as tagging system fails

How cool- it's the twenty-first century panopticon, especially this bit: The offenders - about 300 in the state, most of them sex offenders - were never aware they were not being tracked, state Department of Corrections spokeswoman Linda Eggert said.

I wait, in dread, for the day that the app in the first story gets access to the data in the second.

Criminology Seminars starting again with Sytske Besemer and Murray Straus

2010-10-11T21:58:00.000+01:00

This Thursday (14 October 2010) the IoC Public Seminar Series for Michaelmas term will start with a talk by professor Murray Straus on corporal punishment by parents and links to criminal behaviour. This seminar will be preceded by a presentation given by Sytske Besemer, PhD student at the IoC, on the intergenerational transmission of violence. Sytske's presentation starts at 4.30, professor Straus' presentation will begin at 5.30. All are welcome!

For an overview of talks this term, visit the Institute of Criminology website.

Amy Nivette wins 2010 ASC Gene Carte student paper competition

2010-10-04T12:39:00.006+01:00

We are delighted to announce that Amy Nivette, Ph.D. student at the Institute of Criminology in Cambridge, has won the 2010 ASC Gene Carte Student Paper Competition with her paper titled 'Cross-national predictors of homicide: A meta-analysis'. The prize will be awarded at the Annual Meeting Awards Ceremony of the American Society of Criminology on Wednesday 17 November at 6.30.

Below is the abstract of Amy's paper:

"Cross-national research has increased in the past few decades, resulting in a large body of empirical research. In particular, cross-national studies are often limited in data sources, which restrict variable selection to debatable proxy indicators. This study therefore utilizes meta-analytic techniques to examine major cross-national predictors of homicide in order to determine strengths and weaknesses in theory and design. The findings indicate several critical limitations to cross-national research, including biased sample composition, a lack of theoretical clarity in predictor operationalizations, and an overwhelming reliance on cross-sectional design. The predictors that showed the strongest mean effects were Latin American regional dummy variables, income inequality indicators and the decommodification index. Conversely, static population indicators, democracy indices, and measures of economic development had the weakest effects on homicide."

Fellowship program

2010-10-01T17:05:00.001+01:00

Five College Fellowship Program 2011-12*

Five Colleges is pleased to announce its search for Fellows for the
2011-2012 academic year.

Five College Fellowships offer year-long residencies for doctoral students
completing dissertations. The program supports scholars from
under-represented groups and/or scholars with unique interests and histories
whose engagement in the Academy will enrich scholarship and teaching.
Normally, four fellowships are awarded each year.

Each Fellow is hosted within an appropriate department or program at Amherst
College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College or Smith College. (At
Smith, recipients hold a Mendenhall Fellowship.) This is a residential
fellowship. Fellows are provided research and teaching mentors and connected
through the consortial office to resources and scholars across the five
campuses, which include UMass Amherst. The office also supports meetings of
the Fellows throughout the year.

The fellowship includes a stipend of $30,000, a research grant, health
benefits, office space, housing or housing assistance, and library
privileges at all five campuses belonging to the consortium.

While the award places primary emphasis on completion of the dissertation,
most fellows teach at their hosting institution, but never more than a
single one-semester course.

*Date of Fellowship:* August 31, 2011 to May 31, 2012 (non-renewable)
*Stipend:* $30,000
*Review of Applications Begins:* January 3, 2011
*Awards Announced:* March 2011

For application instructions, go to:

http://www.fivecolleges.edu/academic_programs/academprog_fellowship_app.html

Website for criminology students

2010-08-31T15:06:00.002+01:00

This website is specifically designed for crime and justice students. It contains news, discussions, and events related to crime and criminology and is being managed by students from the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research and the European Society of Criminology. Our conference is advertised on it!

Phd is like Kindergarten

2010-08-31T15:04:00.001+01:00

Protect your dissertation!

2010-08-30T16:43:00.004+01:00

The smart folks over at the Savage Minds blog have put up a good reminder post about the need to back up your dissertation to sources beyond an external hard drive, citing the case of a graduate student who had both his laptop and his external hard drive stolen. They recommend using Drop Box. I use Crash Plan, which backs up my files automatically, so I do not need to have a reminder.

2010-08-30T15:12:00.001+01:00

This is interesting:

http://backdoorbroadcasting.net/2010/07/robert-shoemaker-criminal-lives-and-the-making-of-modern-criminal-justice/

And the website in general seems like a really good resource for academic podcasts and research papers.

What exactly is a Ph.D.?

2010-08-18T11:36:00.003+01:00

Thanks to Elizabeth for sharing this enlightening view on Ph.D.s from Matt Might with us :)

What is a Ph.D.?

Conference announcement

2010-08-16T13:26:00.000+01:00

The York Deviancy Conference

29th June - 1st July 2011

Critical perspectives on crime, deviance, disorder and social harm

KEY SPEAKERS:
Pat Carlen
Alex Callinicos
Stan Cohen
Jeff Ferrell
Steve Hall
Keith Hayward
Angela McRobbie
Laurie Taylor
Jock Young
David Downes
Loïc Wacquant
Sandra Walklate
Rob White

Conference website and registration:
www.york.ac.uk/depts/soci/newyork

Please send paper proposals to:
Simon Winlow sw514@york.ac.uk
or Rowland Atkinson ra530@york.ac.uk

The Thesis Repulsor Field

2010-08-12T18:26:00.001+01:00

Thanks to Anton for sending us this PhD Comic:

GRADschool: building your skills as a PhD student

2010-08-11T11:58:00.002+01:00

GRADschool September 2010

Following the enormous success of the April GRADschool we are delighted to announce that the next GRADschool will be taking place from 24th - 26th September 2010 at Wyboston Lakes.

If you are interesting in finding out about previous GRADschools please visit the GRADschool Website:

http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/hr/cppd/gradschool/

We are currently taking bookings for the GRADschool and if you are interested please visit our GRADschool website and register you interest using the on-line application form. We will then contact you at later date to provide you with further information.

We will unfortunately not be able to confirm your place until nearer the time, but if you are interested in attending please ensure that you reserve time in you calendar to attend this event.

The grad school offers intensive training in:

research skills and techniques
research environment
research management
personal effectiveness
communication skills
networking and team working
career management

The Cambridge Local GRADschool course uses case studies, outdoor activities, interview practice, team sessions and personal review to help you realise your strengths and abilities as an individual and as a team member that will be immediately relevant to the successful completion of your PhD and in the longer term with the application of your talents.

The course is residential and you are expected to stay on the course site for the whole time and not return home or to your normal place of work. This enables you to focus on the course fully and reflect on your work objectively.

Free food and endless PhDs

2010-08-10T15:18:00.003+01:00

I guess both of these things would apply to some of us here in the Institute...

From PhD Comics

Call for papers: International Society for Criminology - Japan 5-9 August 2011

2010-08-10T15:03:00.003+01:00

The Japan Federation of Criminological Associations welcomes you to participate in the forthcoming 16th World Congress of the International Society for Criminology. Please do consider to take part in this very important and exciting event for the world of criminologists. Visit our website http://wcon2011.com for details.

The Congress will be held on August 5th-9th, 2011 in the Kobe Int'l Conference Center on Port Island, a man-made island off the coast of Kobe. Kobe is conveniently located in the close proximity to many tourists' attractions: we offer day tours to Kyoto, Nara, Himeji Castle, Osaka as well as overnight trips to Hiroshima, which can be a joyful event for your summer vacation 2011.

The general theme is "Global Socio-Economic Crisis and Crime Control Policies: Regional and National Comparison".

Internationally recognized experts are invited to make presentations on the following sub-themes;

1. Global Economic Crisis and Criminology

Speaker	John Braithwaite	Australian National University
Speaker	Johanna Shapland	University of Sheffield
Speaker	Dae-Keun Kim	Korean Institute of Criminology
Speaker	Shinichi Ishizuka	Ryukoku University

2. Models of State and Crime Prevention Strategies

Speaker	Frank Zimring	University of California, Berkeley
Speaker	Jose Luis Diez-Ripolles	University of Málaga
Speaker	Jui-Lung Cheng	National Chung Cheng University
Speaker	Hiroyuki Kuzuno	Hitotsubashi University

3. Corporate and Business Crime

Speaker	Peter Reuter	University of Maryland
Speaker	Stephan Parmentier	Catholic University of Leuven
Speaker	Lu Jianping	Beijing Normal University
Speaker	Kazumichi Tsutsumi	Chuo University

4. Frontiers of Clinical Criminology

Speaker	Cândido da Agra	University of Porto
Speaker	Luis Rodriguez Manzanera	National Auto University of Mexico
Speaker	Avshalom Caspi	Duke University
Speaker	Jinsuke Kageyama	Tokyo Institute of Technology
Speaker	Junko Fujioka	Osaka University

Submissions are called for Paper Sessions(Complete Sessions and Individual Papers), Roundtable Sessions and Poster Sessions. On-line submission, registration, hotel and tour bookings will commence on August 1, 2010. Languages for presentation are English, French, Spanish and Japanese. Simultaneous interpreters are provided for all plenary sessions. Single-language sessions may be proposed for paper and roundtable sessions.

Best regards,

Congress Secretariat

----------------------------------------

Congress Secretariat

16th World Congress of the ISC

TTS Center 3F, 1-4-4 Mikuriya-sakaemachi Higashi-osaka, OSAKA 577-0036 JAPAN

tel: +81-(0)6-6618-4323

fax: +81-(0)6-6781-8883

E-mail: wcon@oucow.daishodai.ac.jp

Call for papers: Law, Culture and the Humanities

2010-07-16T14:14:00.002+01:00

Call for Participation: 14th Annual ASLCH Conference

March 11-12, 2011
University of Las Vegas, Nevada

The Association for the Study of Law, Culture and the Humanities is an organization of scholars engaged in interdisciplinary, humanistic legal scholarship. The Association brings together a wide range of people engaged in scholarship on legal history, legal theory, jurisprudence, law and cultural studies, law and literature, law and the performing arts, and legal hermeneutics. We want to encourage dialogue across and among these fields about issues of interpretation, identity, ideals, values, authority, obligation, justice, and about law¹s place in culture.

We will be accepting proposals for panels, roundtables, papers, and volunteers for chairs and discussants from July 1 until October 15th 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: To submit proposals, please go to the online submission site http://www.regonline.com/14thASLCH

As it becomes available, additional information about accommodations and other conference matters, will be posted to the, "ASLCH Annual Conference Information" page on the ASLCH webpage at http://www.law.syr.edu/academics/centers/lch/conference.html.

The theme of the 2011 conference, drawing on the work of Nan Seuffert of the University of Waikato, is “Boundaries and Enemies.” We welcome submissions addressing this theme or on any law, culture and humanities subject. Examples of recent panel topics include: The Hope of Law; Legal Responses to “Unconventional Family Arrangements”; Imagining the Law in Political Theory; Haunted Justice, Haunted Communities; Event, Rebellion, and Constitution: Political Imagination and Resistant Sovereignties in the Americas, 1615-2005; Invoking Justice: The Rhetoric of Recognition and Reconciliation; Reading the Body; Spectacles of Intimacy; Cultural Property and Its Discontents.

Call for papers: Childhoods conference

2010-06-29T13:57:00.001+01:00

Call for Papers

Childhoods Conference: Mapping the Landscapes of Childhood

Venue: University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

Date: Thursday, May 5 - Saturday, May 7, 2011

This multidisciplinary conference will engage scholars and practitioners from a wide variety of academic disciplines (including the sciences, arts, humanities, social sciences, policy studies, and education) in a consideration of the state of child studies, which has changed significantly in recent decades. Disciplines long dedicated to the study of the child, and childhood, have been recently revitalized and are engaged with the central problematic of what the child and childhood represent, including how these categories relate to others such as infant and youth. Figured in the plural, childhoods pose a significant crossroads for theoretical and empirical work on the nature of being human and development broadly construed. Various disciplines consider childhood as an experience, as a biological fact, as a social category, as an artistic and literary construct, as a category for historical and demographic analysis, as a category of personhood, and as a locus for human rights and policy interventions. Participating scholars will examine childhoods of the past, present, and future from around the world, and will present research results, policy approaches, and theoretical paradigms that are emergent in this re-engagement with the child and childhood. Bringing together divergent networks of expertise, this conference offers the opportunity for new research collaborations and the scholarly dissemination of innovative research.

Conference Format: three days of multidisciplinary panels with scholarly presentations on conference themes; poster sessions; several keynote events; practitioner sessions; and a film night.

Conference Themes and Questions:

Definitions of Childhood: invented or discovered: Who gets to define childhood? What counts as a good childhood? A "normal" childhood? How have been childhoods defined in various media (art, literature, social science, science)? By what measures? And at what historical junctures?

Indigenous theories of childhood: What alternate models of childhood and development exist? How can they be found? Interpreted? Shared? What is the role of the child and childhood in other societies? What rights, and responsibilities do they have?

Gender and childhood: How do the categories of gender and child overlap, extend, elaborate or contradict one another? How do sex, gender and sexuality shape the experience of childhood? What are the policy effects of concerns about boys at risk or girls at play?

Globalization: How do global models of childhood interact with local conceptions? Do global educational standards contradict or support local sovereignty? What are the effects of migration, diaspora, refugee status on childhood? How does globalization affect the commoditization of childhood?

Technology: What is a digital childhood? What are the effects for private space? For common space? For play?

Adolescence: What's the point of adolescence? As a category of human development? A demographic category? As a literary public? As a human experience?

Empowerment: What are the social and policy implications for a child-centred approach to human rights? How can we understand child agency in terms of violence and the law? What can empowerment mean for the very young child?

Health, Disability and Risk: How can we understand the experiential effects of health and disability on child life? When is diagnosis of ills or limitations helpful and when is it a hindrance? How is risk figured in childhood? What does a resilient childhood look like?

Keynote Speakers:
* Dr. Patrizia Albanese (Co-director of the Centre for Children, Youth and Families, Ryerson University)
* Dr. Mona Gleason (Department of Educational Studies, University of British Columbia)
* Dr. Allison James (Professor of Sociology and Director of the Interdisciplinary Centre of the Social Sciences, University of Sheffield)
* Dr. Perry Nodelman (Professor Emeritus, Department of English, University of Winnipeg)
* Dr. Mavis Reimer (Canada Research Chair in the Culture of Childhood and Director of the Centre for Research in Young People's Texts and Cultures, University of Winnipeg)
* Dr. Richard Tremblay (Director, Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment, University of Montreal)

Submission Guidelines: For presentations, and for posters, please send a proposal/abstract of between 300 and 500 words and a one page CV by October 1, 2010 via e-mail to: childhoodsCFP@uleth.ca. Proposals must include your name, affiliation, position, e-mail address, and phone number. Proposals for multidisciplinary panels are also welcome. Please note that presentations should be a maximum of 20 minutes in length. We would especially like to encourage graduate students to contribute posters on their current research and will offer a prize for best student poster.

For more information, please see the conference website www.uleth.ca/conferences/childhood or contact childhoods-net-l@uleth.ca (please note the use of the letter l and not the numeral).

Prison sentence for white collar crime

2010-06-08T16:56:00.000+01:00

Property tycoon Paarlberg is being sent to prison for money laundering

Interesting for us, criminologists: a multi-millionaire is being sent to prison for committing white collar crime.

"Dutch Property tycoon Jan-Dirk Paarlberg has been sentenced to 4.5 years in jail for laundering money which gangland boss Willem Holleeder is said to have earned through blackmailing.
Paarlberg said he was shocked by the conviction. 'I never expected this,' he told reporters.
The money came from Willem Endstra, another property speculator who was murdered in 2004 but made several statements before his death saying he was being blackmailed."

Conference: young people, risk and resilience

2010-06-02T13:53:00.001+01:00

Young people, risk and resilience: the challenges of alcohol, drugs and violence
7-8 March 2011
RACV Club, Melbourne
http://www.aic.gov.au/events/aic%20upcoming%20events/2011/vscn.aspx

Major themes for the conference include:
* Understanding the nature and extent of young people's involvement in alcohol and other drug use, and the motivations for their use
* Understanding the nature and extent of young people's involvement in violence
* Identifying effective programs and initiatives to reduce young people's risk and increase their resilience
* Case studies from practitioners and young people on outcomes achieved

The call for abstracts from those working with young people in the fields of alcohol and drug services, education, criminal justice, health and welfare, and police and emergency sectors, is now open. Abstracts must be received by 6 August 2010.

Further information at http://www.aic.gov.au/events/aic%20upcoming%20events/2011/vscn.aspx
or contact the Conference Coordinator at aic.events@aic.gov.au

Job listing: Asst professor, social psychology

2010-06-02T13:52:00.001+01:00

LIMITED TERM ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
POSITION IN DEVELOPMENTAL OR SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

The Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University seeks applicants for an Assistant Professor position in Developmental or Social psychology. The position is for two years, with the possibility of renewal for a further two years subject to funding availability. The successful applicant will have a Ph.D. in Psychology and will teach undergraduate courses within one or more of the following areas of expertise: developmental psychology, social psychology, and research methodology. Interest in and ability to work collaboratively with faculty in ongoing research projects is an asset. The starting date will be either January 2011 or July 2011.

The Department's web page can be accessed at http://www.sfu.ca/psychology.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Simon Fraser University is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from all qualified women and men, including visible minorities, aboriginal people and persons with disabilities. This position is subject to budgetary approval. Please submit a cover letter, which includes a curriculum vitae, three letters of reference, and copies of representative publications, to:
Dr. J. Don Read, Chair
Department of Psychology
Simon Fraser University
8888 University Drive
Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6 Canada
jdonread@sfu.ca

Applications will be received until September 1, 2010 or until the position is filled.
Under the authority of the University Act personal information that is required by the University for academic appointment competitions will be collected. For further details see: http://www.sfu.ca/vpacademic/Faculty_Openings/Collection_Notice.html.

Job listing: Children and Youth Studies

2010-06-02T13:51:00.001+01:00

The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) is a leading academic centre for development studies, and a University Institute of Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). It is one of the oldest institutes in this field, having been established in 1952 by Dutch universities and the Netherlands Ministry of Education as a postgraduate institute for education, research and capacity building. The institute offers a 15.5-month MA in Development studies with various specializations, post-graduate Diploma courses and a PhD in Development Studies. Studies come from over 50-60 countries, and teaching and research programs are conducted in English.
The Staff Group Rural Development, Environment and Population Studies has a vacancy for an academic position in the field of:
Children and Youth Studies
The Staff Group is engaged in teaching, research, advisory work and institutional capacity building on rural and human development, with a focus on child and youth studies, poverty, agricultural and rural development, socio-economic security and population studies. Teaching and research by academic staff is marked by a commitment to the central role of equitable, broad-based and sustainable development. This is combined with an explicit engagement with a political economy framework of analysis of power relations and processes of global change that reinforce rather than reduce poverty and socio-economic insecurity. The group is also actively engaged in methodology teaching at both MA and PhD levels.
Tasks and responsibilities involve the following:
Contribution to research-driven teaching the relevant teaching programs of the Staff Group and more generally within ISS/EUR
Production of high quality research output at international standards
Supervision of MA and PhD students
Preparation (individually or jointly with other staff) of externally funded research grant proposals and project proposals for external advisory work/capacity building activities, in particular together with academic and civil society organizations in the Global South.
Contribution to academic management both within the Staff Group and the ISS.
Profile:
We are looking for a candidate who will bring innovative and cutting edge research and teaching capacity to the Staff Group in the area of childhood and youth studies in developing and/or transition countries, in a changing global context. The MA specialization of Children and Youth Studies (CYS) is rapidly growing in numbers of students, together with the successful Diploma program on Children, Youth and Development, while there various large research projects ongoing and a growing number of PhD students. This makes the CYS into one of the most thriving, dynamic and fastest growing fields at ISS. Apart from teaching contributions to the above mentioned programs, the candidate could also possibly contribute to the Population, Poverty and Social Development (PPSD) and Poverty Studies (POV) specializations of the MA program.
Children and youth studies is a specialization within the broader field of international development studies for which ISS has an outstanding reputation. Teaching and research on the changing conditions and experiences of young people are firmly located in the broader (international, national and regional) social, economic and political contexts that are familiar ground of international development studies. The field is also inherently interdisciplinary and combines perspective from political economy, sociology, social history, anthropology and political philosophy. The teaching and research areas in which the successful candidate is expected to contribute can include one or more of the following areas: the changing social construction of childhood and youth; child rights based approaches; children and conflict; children and poverty; youth cultures in a context of globalization; youth migration and employment; schooling and society.
Requirements:
A completed PhD in one of the social sciences (in exceptional cases a near-completed PhD)
Evidence of publication capacity, including both a strong publication track record and clear research and publication plans
Teaching experience, preferably at post-graduate level
Proven evidence of the ability to attract external finance for research and other projects
Ability to work in an inter-disciplinary team
Experience with Field-based research methods/gender-based analysis is welcomed.
While open to all regional specializations, one of the following regional specializations; Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Indonesia, will be considered as a welcome addition.
Appointment:
ISS/EUR will offer an initial three year appointment, with the possibility of extension (and tenure), depending on the financial and staffing situation. While an appointment is envisaged at (Senior) Lecturer level, appointment at Associate Professor level can be considered, but only in the case of a more senior and exceptional candidate.
Employment conditions:
In accordance with those applied at the Erasmus University Rotterdam and indicated in the Collective Labour Agreement (CAO NU) of the Dutch universities. Salary being dependent on the candidate’s experience ranges from ˆ 3195 to ˆ 4970 gross per month (CAO NU scale 11/12) under full-time contract. In addition, ISS pays an 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year payment which is for 2010: 8.3 %.
Applications:
Applications, accompanied by a detailed Curriculum Vitae and the names of three Referees, should reach ISS before 30 May 2010, addressed to the Personnel Office (Ms. Leonie de Wilde), International Institute of Social Studies, P.O. Box 29776, 2502LT, The Hague, The Netherlands, preferably send in electronic form directed to personnel@iss.nl.
Women and candidates who originate from developing countries are encouraged to apply. Short-listed candidates will be requested to supply samples of published output and at that stage their referees will be contacted.
Interviews with shortlisted candidates will take place from 23-25 June 2010.
Additional information concerning this vacancy may be obtained from Dr. L. Herrera (Herrera@iss.nl, tel: +31704260664) or Professor M. Spoor (spoor@iss.nl, tel.: +31704260559).

New list serve on childhood studies

2010-06-02T13:49:00.000+01:00

The Department of Childhood Studies at Rutgers University-Camden are excited
to announce a new listserve catering to the multi-disciplinary field of
Childhood Studies. Those of us who study issues around children and
childhood are in far flung departments and professions, separated by
disciplinary boundaries. This listserve will be a vital point of connection
for scholars and practitioners in the multi-disciplinary field and serve a
much needed function as a central clearinghouse of information for our
disparate field. We welcome Calls for Papers, Announcements of conferences,
events, new books, articles and other resources, requests for information,
and information on new programs and departments. This list will also provide
an opportunity to find people with similar interests across our broad field
and open up discussion within it.

To join, please go to:
https://email.rutgers.edu/mailman/listinfo/exploring_childhood_studies

Distinctions and Distinctiveness in the Work of Prison Officers: Legitimacy and Authority Revisited

2010-05-25T15:12:00.006+01:00

Tomorrow the Institute of Criminology’s 13th Annual Nigel Walker Lecture will be given by professor Alison Liebling

The purpose of this lecture is to provide a framework for thinking about the work of prison officers, and in particular, their relationships with prisoners. Drawing on important recent theoretical contributions to the policing literature, several empirical research projects on the work of prison officers and staff-prisoner relationships conducted by the author and colleagues, and various analyses of the quality of prison life as evaluated by prisoners, this lecture explores the ‘flow of power’ in prison through staff-prisoner relationships. It is a well-known maxim that relationships are ‘at the heart’ of prison life (Home Office 1984). In this lecture, I develop and illustrate this proposition, arguing that the moral quality of prison life is enacted by the attitudes and conduct of prison officers. There are important distinctions to be made in their work: between ‘good’ and ‘right’ relationships; ‘tragic’ and ‘cynical’ perspectives; ‘reassurance’ and ‘relational’ safety; ‘good’ and ‘bad’ confidence; and between ‘positive peer relations’ and ‘oppositional peer loyalty’. These cultural and philosophical distinctions are largely ‘unseen’ but decisive in shaping the prison’s moral and social climate. Failure to find the “ethical space” necessary for reflection on officers’ conceptual understandings, attitudes and practices, brings about serious organisational and operational risks, and threats to justice. The best prison officer work can be described using these kinds of distinctions.

Alison Liebling is Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, and Director of the Prisons Research Centre, Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge.

Wednesday 26th May 2010, 18.00-19.30 hrs

Venue: Institute of Criminology (Sidgwick Avenue, Cambridge)

BOOKING ESSENTIAL

To book a seat please contact: Joanne Garner, Institute of Criminology, Sidgwick Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 9DA Tel: 01223 335360, Email: jf225@cam.ac.uk (When booking, please state if you have problems with mobility)

Article by student at Institute of Criminology

2010-05-19T13:20:00.003+01:00

David Humphreys, a Ph.D candidate at the Institute of Criminology, has an article in the January issue of Criminology and Public Policy that he co-authored with Manuel Eisner. The article is based on his research on the impact of changes in England's alcohol licensing policy on violent crime and disorder. Congratulations!

Guardian Law Site

2010-05-15T09:27:00.002+01:00

The Guardian has set up a new law microsite on its website which looks interesting. This article which argues why Ken Clarke will make a good Justice Minister is good for starters and I'm sure that Afua Hirsch's blog will provide insight into justice and legal issues.

RIP Boy: radio play

2010-05-14T13:11:00.001+01:00

This play has been recommended as something which might be of interest to people: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00s7g8f/Friday_Play_RIP_Boy/

It is only available until 10pm on 14 May so be quick!

The new coalition and crime

2010-05-13T13:45:00.003+01:00

The Liberal-Conservative Coalition Agreement has been published and it is fairly sparse on crime related points. The items which are probably of most interest to criminologists come under the Civil Liberties section:

- The scrapping of ID card scheme, the National Identity register, the next generation of biometric passports and the Contact Point Database.
- Outlawing the finger-printing of children at school without parental permission.
- The extension of the scope of the Freedom of Information Act to provide greater transparency.
- Adopting the protections of the Scottish model for the DNA database.
- The protection of historic freedoms through the defence of trial by jury.
- The restoration of rights to non-violent protest.
- The review of libel laws to protect freedom of speech.
- Safeguards against the misuse of anti-terrorism legislation.
- Further regulation of CCTV .
- Ending of storage of internet and email records without good reason.

I like the juxtaposition of "A new mechanism to prevent the proliferation of unnecessary new criminal offences" (the civil liberties section) with "Measures to make the import or possession of illegal timber a criminal offence" (from the environment section).

The Lib-Cons (or Conocrats?) also want to preserve "the integrity of our criminal justice system", whatever that means.

The two parties differ considerably on crime policy so it will be interesting to see who 'wins'. In their manifestoes, the LDs wanted to introduce an assumption against 6 month prison sentences yet the Tories wanted to see an increase in the prison estate- that fight in itself will be an interesting one!

Research Professional online tool

2010-05-13T09:11:00.001+01:00

Research Professional is a comprehensive online funding opportunities

database which offers researchers the opportunity to search for

research funding in all disciplines from a wide range of sponsors in

the UK and overseas. The website features an easy-to-use interface as

well as powerful searching and customisation tools which allow you to

tailor information to your specific interests.

The University subscribes to the database, which means that access is

free of charge for all University members. You can access

www.researchprofessional.com from any computer within the University

network; either using Campus access or registering yourself as an

individual user. This latter option allows you not only search for

funding opportunities but also to save the results and set up email

alerts.

For further information about the database please visit the Research

Office web site at

http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/research/funding/researchresearch.aspx

How to use Powerpoint

2010-05-12T08:11:00.002+01:00

The online magazine Slate has a useful article on how to get the most out of Powerpoint, written in the context of a recent exploration on the uses (and potential misuses) of the software by the U.S. military. The article in Slate provides some useful tips for when and how to use Powerpoint, such as making sure your topic is right for Powerpoint, and that your presentation would benefit from visuals. These points, and more, should be quite applicable to the conference paper presentation.

Study group: Thinking Critically About Analysis

2010-05-08T10:22:00.003+01:00

THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT ANALYSIS

  DEVELOPING ANALYSIS AND CONCEPTUAL INSIGHTS IN SOCIAL RESEARCH

  MONDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2010, UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS

  We would like to invite you to attend a one day event, for
POSTGRADUATE and POSTDOCTORAL researchers

  * Leading academics will present ideas about what analysis can mean
in different methodological contexts, particularly in relation to
substantive findings and theoretical insights.

  * This will involve moving beyond identifying ?techniques? or
procedures, by focusing on how processes of data analysis might
enhance our conceptual understanding of the social world.

  * The event will offer a training opportunity for all who are
interested in critical engagement in research methodology, and in
research practice.

  Presentations, workshops and a plenary session will enable
delegates to think critically about data analysis in social research,
and in practice. Delegates will explore specific issues and, where
relevant, share insights from their own research and experience.

  Delegates will be asked to sign up to a morning and afternoon
workshop prior to the event. Two workshops, facilitated by the
speakers, will run parallel to each other in MORNING and AFTERNOON
sessions.

  _SPEAKERS_

  DR NICK EMMEL
  /From sampling and choosing cases to analysis in qualitative research/

  DR SARAH IRWIN
/Pattern and process through qualitative evidence; working across
survey and qualitative data/

  DR TEELA SANDERS
/Say What You See: From ?Hanging out? to Human Nvivo to Policy Influence/

  DR ANGHARAD BECKETT
/Exploring mind-mapping as a research tool: from application to analysis/

  There will also be a plenary by/ /PROFESSOR RAY PAWSON

  /Naming and Shaming: Evidence and Inference/

There Is A Small Registration Fee Of £15. Fees Include Lunch, Tea And
Coffee. Pay By Cash Or Credit Card Prior To The Day. To Register
Attendance And Workshop Preference Please Complete A Registration Form
http://www.sociology.leeds.ac.uk/research/events/thinking-critically-about-analysis/

  TRAVEL EXPENSES

  Social Policy Association members can claim travel expenses of up
to £40 per person, available ON A FIRST COME AND FIRST SERVED BASIS.
Please see registration form for details. To become a member of the
Social Policy Association go to
http://www.social-policy.com/membership.aspx[3]

For Queries Relating To The Academic Content Of The Conference Email
Rachael Dobson, r.dobson00@leeds.ac.uk

  For queries relating to event administration email Marie Johnson
M.B.Johnson@leeds.ac.uk[4]

Job opening: fellow/associate professor in sociology, ANU

2010-05-08T10:08:00.002+01:00

Fellow/Associate Professor in Sociology (Level C/D)
School of Sociology, Research School of Social Sciences, College of Arts and Social Sciences, The Australian National University

The ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences wishes to appoint a Fellow/Associate Professor (Level C/D) in the School of Sociology with expertise in crime and justice. The Research School of Social Sciences (RSSS) is Australia's major institution for theoretical and empirical research in the social sciences and has a significant international reputation for its cutting edge research. It is also a significant presence in the nation's postgraduate and postdoctoral training in the social sciences.

It is expected that all appointments will make a significant contribution to the College's graduate teaching and research profile. You will be expected to deliver at least one module per year into the Sociology undergraduate Program, to contribute to the development of Sociology Master's Programs and to supervise Higher Degree Research students.

Salary Package: AUS$91,754 - $117,241 pa plus 17% superannuation
Closing Date: 28 May 2010
Location: Canberra, ACT
Term of Contract: Permanent
More information: http://jobs.anu.edu.au/PositionDetail.aspx?p=1200
Enquiries: Prof Stewart Lockie, T: 02 6125 1743, E: Stewart.Lockie@anu.edu.au

Post-doctoral fellowship

2010-05-08T10:02:00.002+01:00

Post Doctoral Training Opportunity at the University of Oregon
The Development and Psychopathology Training Grant (DEEP) is a fellowship program funded by NIMH to the Child and Family Center (http://cfc.uoregon.edu). This grant has been ongoing at the University of Oregon for 10 years, and is organized through the Child and Family Center (please see http//cfc.uoregon.edu). We are advertising for one post-doctoral position (fellowship) associated with this training grant that will begin July 1, 2010.

The continuation of the DEEP grant is intended to expand our training program in a number of new ways. First, the training grant is intended for post-doctoral trainees with a strong background in data analysis and research methods. Second, this grant will emphasize training students to be skilled multi-cultural researchers. The grant will provide trainings in skills relevant to diversity in developmental processes and the intervention science. Third, the training will focus on translational research, integrating areas of research such as neuroscience, genetics, developmental psychology, intervention techniques and change processes relevant to better understanding the etiology of mental health problems in children and adolescents and innovating new, more effective interventions (prevention and treatment).

We have one position opening for next year beginning July 1 2010. The stipend provides full-time FTE through the summer for research in development and psychopathology and intervention science. Two years of funding is available contingent upon performance. Applications that focus their areas of interest on research related to the Child and Family Center will have preference.

We have 5 ongoing federally funded intervention trials (see

http:cfc.uoregon.edu) which afford longitudinal data sets, several family and peer observational data sets, and an ongoing EEG high density array lab involving children and families. Multiple researchers at the University of Oregon, OSLC, ORI and EGI have been involved in previous trainee research programs, and are welcomed.

Post-doctoral applicants with strong quantitative training as well as interests in linking intervention and developmental science (testing hypotheses with interventions), dynamic systems, peer focused interventions, multicultural issues of intervention and assessment with children, trauma effects and interventions, or longitudinal data analysis are encourage to apply. Cognitive neuroscience applicants with interests in translational research are encouraged to apply.

Please write a 1 to 2 page letter of interest to Beth Stormshak, with

2 research references by April 30. The positions will remain open until filled. You may email your application to bstorm@uoregon.edu.

Please include your vitae. You will be notified by May 31 of the final decision. Please cc email correspondence to Pamela Beeler at pbeeler@uoregon.edu

Call for papers: social image

2010-05-08T10:01:00.002+01:00

Call for Manuscripts for a Special Issue of The European Journal of Social Psychology on “Social Image”

Social image is our image in the eyes of others. It refers to how much others value and respect us. Different perspectives in social psychology have examined the way in which the threat or the affirmation of social image affects emotions, interpersonal relations, and intergroup relations. These perspectives, however, rarely use the term social image to refer to the object of their study. Instead, a variety of terminologies are used to refer to social image, including reputation, stereotypes, public self-regard, face, persona, or honor.
The European Journal of Social Psychology will publish a special issue that aims to integrate a variety of theoretical and methodological perspectives on social image. The Special Issue will be guest-edited by Patricia M. Rodriguez Mosquera (Wesleyan University, U.S.A.), Ayse Uskul (University of Essex, U.K.) and Susan Cross (Iowa State University, U.S.A.).
We cordially invite submissions from researchers that study social image in relation to emotional processes (e.g., emotions that are evoked from our perceptions of how others think of us), interpersonal relations (e.g., the strategies we use to manage the impressions others have of us), intergroup relations (e.g., responses to the devaluation of one’s group’s social image), and culture (e.g., honor). The special issue seeks a balance of empirical papers and conceptual reviews.

Important dates for manuscript submission:

May 15th, 2010: Letter of intent deadline.
June 30th, 2010: Paper submission deadline.
September 30th, 2010: Provisional acceptance of papers
December 1st, 2010: Revised final manuscript due date.

Authors who plan to submit manuscripts are asked to submit a letter of intent emailed to Patricia M. Rodriguez Mosquera (patricia.rodriguezmosquera@wesleyan.edu) by May 15, 2010 that includes: a) a tentative manuscript title, b) names and affiliations of all authors, c) contact information for corresponding author, and d) a brief description of the manuscript content (up to 600 words). Authors who do not submit letters of intent may still submit manuscripts (no later than June 30th, 2010), but these will be considered for the special issue only as space and time allow.

Original research papers should be no longer than 10,000 words (including abstract, tables, figures, and references) in line with research articles in regular issues. All manuscripts should be prepared in accordance to the editorial guidelines of EJSP (see instructions to authors) and should be submitted via the Manuscript Central online submission site: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ejsp

Please indicate that the paper is to be considered as a contribution to the special issue. All papers will be peer-reviewed. For further inquiries, please contact Patricia M. Rodriguez Mosquera at patricia.rodriguezmosquera@wesleyan.edu

Children's Health and the Environment workshop

2010-05-08T09:49:00.000+01:00

"Children's Health and the Environment:
International Workshop on Research, Policy and Practice"

The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
June 28 - 30, 2010

An incredible group of speakers from around the world will be coming to London, Ontario, Canada this June to share their latest work and insights related to children's health and the built environment. Together with these renowned speakers, design and health practitioners, policymakers, academics, health promoters and providers, community service and care providers will have the opportunity to work to identify ways to help make our built environments more conducive to children's health and well-being, including: policy directions, design and planning solutions, and effective approaches to community collaboration and research.
And don't miss the valuable training sessions being offered the afternoon of June 28th - see the website for full descriptions!
Who should attend? See www.healthycities.ca for more details.
Applications for poster presentations are still being accepted.
Registration is now open, and workshop spaces are filling up! Contact us soon at urban@uwo.ca for more details, or send in your registration application to reserve your space! See www.healthycities.ca for registration forms and/or more information. Don't delay! Early bird pricing ends May 15th!

Workshop Overview:
The physical environment plays a vital role in child health and development. Safe and sturdy shelter, engaging play spaces, stimulating learning environments, well-connected neighbourhood pathways, vibrant public spaces, clean air and protected natural environments all contribute to the growth, education, and healthy development of children. However, a rapidly expanding body of research suggests that prevailing forms of planning and development are at least partly to blame for rising rates of childhood obesity, respiratory problems, and mental health issues, as well as diminishing physical activity levels, environmental competence, civic engagement, and social interaction.
But how should we work toward creating healthy, supportive environments for children and youth? What is the current state of the evidence? What are the common barriers and facilitators to effectively translating and disseminating research findings to facilitate changes in policy and practice, or to guide interventions?
These are the kinds of questions we will tackle in a two-day workshop at the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada. This event aims to provide an effective forum for knowledge exchange and mobilization among leading researchers, policymakers, and practitioners concerned with healthy environments for children and youth. Workshop attendees will collectively endeavour to identify remaining needs, gaps, and opportunities regarding the current state of knowledge in order to set an agenda for future research and identify pathways to better informing future policies and practices of governments, public agencies, and practitioners.

Two bits of blog news

2010-05-06T17:37:00.003+01:00

This blog has been included in criminoBlogica's list of Top 50 Criminology Blogs with the comment: "This blog calendars events for a specific audience, but it also offers public news and commentary on criminology" which seems to sum up our aims of blog quite well. The rest of the top 50 can be found here: http://www.mastersincriminology.com/top-50-criminology-blogs.html#more-16
The criminology PhD students at Edinburgh University (my criminology alma mater) have set up a similar blog to ours here: http://edinburghcriminologyphd.blogspot.com/.

Happy reading!

Call for papers: PhD Criminology Conference

2010-05-05T18:07:00.002+01:00

This is a reminder that the deadline for abstract submissions for this years PhD Criminology Conference at Cambridge University is this Friday 7th May.

Please see the website for more details and online abstract submission: www.srcf.ucam.org/crimphds

The Many Lives of Secret Police Files

2010-04-27T15:02:00.001+01:00

Wednesday 28 April, 5pm - 6.30pm

DR CHRIS KAPLONSKI (University of Cambridge)

CRASSH, 17 Mill Lane

"The Many Lives of Secret Police Files: Repression, Rehabilitation and the Hermeneutics of Documents in Mongolia"

Dr Kaplonski examines the implications of the legal rehabilitation of victims of political repression from the socialist 1930s in contemporary, post‐socialist Mongolia.

In a span of about 18 months, approximately 5% of the population were convicted as counter‐revolutionaries or spies and executed, roughly half of whom were Buddhist monks. Since the collapse of socialism twenty years ago, the Mongolian state has initiated a process of rehabilitation for those repressed during the socialist period (1921‐1990). This process is contingent upon the existence of records of the original act of repression, and it is the implications of this contingency that will be explored.

In particular, the paper focuses upon the way documents are used to judge the fitness of a particular person for rehabilitation while simultaneously constructing the past they seek to document. There is a curious triple process taking place whereby the documents used to originally convict a person, and the descendants of the documents, are used to reinvestigate, reconstruct and overwrite the documentable past..

Informal discussion over wine and refreshments.

Is Britain a more violent place than it was 10 years ago?

2010-04-27T08:17:00.004+01:00

The Today programme on Radio 4 hosted an interesting conversation on responses to violent crime today. Rod Morgan, former Youth Justice Board Chair and Professor at the University of Bristol, and Chris Grayling, Shadow Home Secretary participated in the conversation. The Guardian has also done a series of articles investigating the extent to which we can understand the measure of crime, including this one by Alan Travis. As the election approaches, it is interesting to see the extent to which these numbers are understood and interpreted.

Call for Papers: Psychology of Violence

2010-04-27T08:16:00.000+01:00

Call for Papers
Psychology of Violence
Special Issue: Theories of Violence

Psychology of Violence, a new journal published by the American Psychological Association, is planning a special issue on theories of violence for 2011.

Topics will include but are not limited to:
♦ New theoretical models
♦ Extensions of existing models either to violence for the first time or to new forms of violence
♦ Evaluations and critiques of existing theoretical models for a particular type of violence
♦ Papers that compare and contrast theoretical models for more than one form of violence
♦ Comparisons of theoretical models which examine how social and cultural factors affect the way violence develops and manifests under different conditions.

Manuscripts that explore theories related to both risk of perpetration and vulnerability to victimization are welcome.

Deadline: First drafts should be submitted by August 15, 2010. Manuscripts should be submitted through the online submission portal at APA: http://www.jbo.com/jbo3/submissions/dsp_jbo.cfm?journal_code=vio

Manuscripts for regular, full-length articles are also being accepted. Psychology of Violence publishes articles on all types of violence and victimization, including but not limited to: sexual violence, youth violence, child maltreatment, bullying, children’s exposure to violence, intimate partner violence, suicide, homicide, workplace violence, international violence and prevention efforts. Manuscripts addressing under-served or disenfranchised groups are particularly welcome.

Inquiries regarding topic or scope for the special issue or for other manuscripts can be sent to Sherry Hamby, editor, at sherry.hamby@sewanee.edu.

Sherry Hamby, Ph.D.
Incoming editor, Psychology of Violence
Submit at http://www.jbo.com/jbo3/submissions/dsp_jbo.cfm?journal_code=vio

John Hegley poem

2010-04-20T13:50:00.002+01:00

John Hegley was on Arthur Smith's Balham Bash the other night and read out a poem which I thought I would share. You can hear it here (it starts about 8 minutes in).

"This is a piece about when I was working in Reading jail and getting some of the prisoners to write some poems. We went on radio Berkshire and read out the poems but some of the listeners phoned in and they were angry that the prisoners were seeming to have too easy a time of it, so this is in response to that:

The Ending of the Offending

For prisoners playing the price,
Just a punishment may not suffice,
The best use of time,
May be learning to rhyme,
Making sure it's not too nice a process of course; you don't want people thinking that a life of crime leads to free poetry workshops."

Student article published

2010-04-16T17:05:00.002+01:00

One of the Institute's students, Léon Digard, has just published an article in the Probation Journal entitled '"When Legitimacy is Denied: Offender Perceptions of the Prison Recall System." The article is focuses on the perspectives of sex offenders about the legitimacy of authority in the probation context. Congratulations, Léon!!

PhD Criminology Conference: online abstract submission

2010-04-08T12:26:00.004+01:00

It is now possible to submit abstracts for the PhD Criminology Conference using the online form at http://www.srcf.ucam.org/crimphds/PhD_Criminology_Conference/Abstract_Submission.html

For more information, see the website: www.srcf.ucam.org/crimphds

Some new and useful reports

2010-03-31T12:34:00.004+01:00

A comprehensive review of the Youth Justice Board has just been released. Read more about it here.

Thanks to the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies for some news of the following reports:

The reality behind the ‘knife crime’ debate

This report, by the Institute of Race Relations looks at knife crime, to provide a factual response to the ‘moral panic’ created by the media. The report claims that the media relies on ‘snapshots’ of young people carrying knives, which are based on a very small minority. The full report can be viewed here.

Women and Justice- Seeing Double: Realising Rights

This report looks at the problems faced by women of ethnic minorities in the prison system. It highlights the racial and sexual discrimination that they face and suggests some ways in which the situation can be improved by criminal justice authorities. The full report can be viewed here.

Probation Resources, Staffing and Workloads 2001-2008

The Centre published this report initially in April 2008. Its aim was to examine changes in probation service budgets, caseloads and workloads throughout the period 1997-2007. In this revised edition we have amended and clarified data in the report using new information available since spring 2008. The report can be found here.

Coercion and punishment of young people counter-productive

This second briefing paper in a series of three exploring the policy challenges affecting young adults in trouble with the law was published on Friday 26 February. Written by James McGuire, Professor of Forensic Clinical Psychology at the University of Liverpool, and one of the most cited experts in the field, ‘Comparing coercive and non-coercive interventions – Transition to adulthood’ argues that ‘the expectation that the problem of offending by young people can be solved by coercion and control is essentially illusory’ and that ‘if one steps back and examines the available evidence dispassionately, it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the policy of resorting to coercive methods is in large measure counter-productive.’ The paper can be read in full here.

Job: Oxford Centre for Criminology

2010-03-31T12:32:00.001+01:00

CENTRE FOR CRIMINOLOGY, FACULTY OF LAW

Fixed-term 2.5-year Research Officer

Salary: £28,983–35,646 per annum

The Centre for Criminology is looking for a Research Officer to work on a 30-month study funded by the ESRC examining the problem of adolescent-to-parent violence. The project is directed by Dr. Rachel Condry. We are looking for a person with the skills and experience to play a full and active part in undertaking, analyzing and writing-up the research. The person appointed will be responsible for the day-to-day management and oversight of the project, including managing the collection of data; coding and analysis; and writing outputs based upon the research.

We are looking to appoint someone who has, or is very soon to complete, a doctorate in criminology, sociology or a related social science discipline, or who has equivalent research experience. The postholder will be expected to have knowledge and experience of conducting, analyzing and writing up qualitative research. The person appointed will be organized, efficient, able to conduct research with sensitivity, and capable of taking their own initiative and solving problems. He or she will be expected to work without close supervision, and have the ability or potential to produce high quality outputs for the academic and professional community. This is an exciting opportunity for an able and enthusiastic social scientist to develop their knowledge, skills and career following the completion of a doctorate.

The post is based in the Manor Road Building, Manor Road, Oxford and is full-time for 30 months. The Centre hopes to fill the vacancy from 1st August 2010 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Further particulars may be obtained on the web at http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/fp/ or from Sarah Parkin, Centre for Criminology, Manor Road Building, Manor Road, Oxford, OX1 3UQ (email sarah.parkin@crim.ox.ac.uk, tel. + 44 (0)1865 274448). Applications should include a detailed CV together with a letter explaining why you are interested in the job and how you meet the selection criteria. Informal enquiries are welcome and should be directed to Dr. Rachel Condry; email: r.condry@surrey.ac.uk 01483 683766. The closing date for applications is Thursday 8th April; it is planned to hold interviews on Monday 26th April 2010.

The University of Oxford is an equal opportunities employer.

Irish Criminology Conference

2010-03-31T12:30:00.000+01:00

6th NORTH/SOUTH IRISH CRIMINOLOGY CONFERENCE

21 – 22 JUNE 2010

UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER, BELFAST CAMPUS

CALL FOR PAPERS

The 6th North/South Irish Criminology Conference will be hosted by the School of Criminology, Politics and Social Policy at the University of Ulster, Belfast Campus on Monday, 21 June and Tuesday, 22 June 2010.

Abstracts:

If you are interested in presenting a paper at the conference, please submit an abstract of no more than 250 words to criminologyconference@ulster.ac.uk by Thursday, 1 April 2010.

Abstracts should include the proposed title of the presentation, the name(s) of the author(s), affiliation, email address and phone number. Notification of acceptance will be provided by Friday, 30 April 2010.

Registration and Conference Dinner:

If you would like to register for the conference, please email criminologyconference@ulster.ac.uk by Friday, 30 April 2010. Please indicate in your email if you would like to attend the complimentary conference dinner in Belfast City Hall on 21 June.

There is no registration fee for the conference.

Website:

http://www.socsci.ulster.ac.uk/policy/conference/index.html

Lectureship at the University of Liverpool

2010-03-31T09:42:00.000+01:00

UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL
School of Sociology and Social Policy
LECTURER IN SOCIOLOGY AND/OR SOCIAL POLICY (2 POSTS)
£36,715 - £46,510 pa
We are seeking to appoint two qualified and enthusiastic individuals to
permanent lectureships in Sociology and/or Social Policy. You will have an
established record of research excellence in any substantive area of
Sociology and/or Social Policy (including Criminology). You will also share
our commitment to quality and innovation in learning and teaching.
Candidates with interests and experience in teaching qualitative and/or
quantitative research methods will be particularly welcome.
Job Ref: A-571782/EG
Closing Date: 26 April 2010
For full details, or to request an application pack, visit:
http://www.liv.ac.uk/working/job_vacancies/academic/A-571782.htm
Email: mailto:jobs@liv.ac.uk
Tel 0151 794 2210 (24 hr answerphone) please quote job ref in all enquiries.

PhD Criminology Conference

2010-03-30T11:31:00.003+01:00

The second Annual Postgraduate Criminology Conference will be held at the Institute of Criminology, Cambridge on 30th Sept and 1st Oct and we are pleased to announce a call for papers. Criminology is a wide ranging topic encompassing multiple themes and approaches and we welcome papers on any topic related to the field of criminology. However, we are particularly interested in papers that explore ‘new approaches’ to criminology. This might involve an area which has received little attention, a previously unused methodology or a melding of disciplines and methods.

Keynote Speakers (TBC):

Prof. Ian Loader (University of Oxford)

Prof. Shadd Maruna (Queens University, Belfast)

Prof. Mike Ross (University of Texas)

The conference will include a panel run by keynote speakers on a PhD related topic, informal panel sessions and formal papers, as well as the opportunity to display a poster of your work. Please send the title of your paper and a 300 word abstract, or poster proposal to: Crim-conference-abstracts@lists.cam.ac.uk

Deadline for submissions: 7^th May 2010

If you wish to only register your interest to display a poster, then please make this clear on your submission.

The conference will incur a small registration fee (ca. £20) which will include a conference dinner. There will be a small bursary for speakers which will be distributed on a needs basis- more details of this to come.

Please see the conference website for more details: http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~crimphds/

The Proliferation of Prisons

2010-03-26T10:39:00.003Z

Hat tip: the Global Sociology Blog.

This video shows the proliferation of prisons in the US made by Paul Rucker As the glob soc says, a timeline would be nice (although you could say that the abstract nature of the video adds to its appeal), and it's a bit long but I love the way the audio links in with the movement. I also like the way the outline of the US slowly appears as more and more prisons get created- if only the subject of hyper-imprisonment wasn't so depressing...

Marriage vs PhD cartoon

2010-03-26T10:06:00.003Z

http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=1296

Stockholm Criminology Symposium: June 2010

2010-03-26T08:13:00.000Z

The 2010 Stockholm Criminology Symposium will take place June 14-16 at City Conference Center (Norra Latin) in Stockholm. It is an annual event featuring over 500 attendees from close to 40 countries.

The Symposium is organized by the Swedish National Council of Crime Prevention on behalf of the Swedish Government.

Focus on PolicingOne of the two themes for 2010 is Improving Policing and will feature a broad selection of innovative approaches and police methods, as well as research findings from different parts of the world.

It has also become a tradition that the Stockholm Criminology Symposium presents a large number of panels under the theme Contemporary Criminology. This theme covers a broad range of areas of criminology and crime policy and provides an updated overview of the current state of the knowledge.

For more information, go to the website for the symposium.

Call for papers: the anthropology of mass incarceration

2010-03-18T15:09:00.000Z

Call For Papers -- American Anthropological Association Annual Meetings
2010,*

*New Orleans, LA*

PANEL TITLE: The Anthropology of Mass Incarceration: Global Ethnographic
Perspectives on Prisons and Policing
Organizers:
- Karen G. Williams (CUNY Graduate Center, kwilliams2@gc.cuny.edu)

- Andrea Morrell (CUNY Graduate Center, andreamorrell@yahoo.com)

- Stephanie Campos (CUNY Graduate Center, scampos@gc.cuny.edu)

PRELIMINARY ABSTRACT:

In the United States, we now have more than two million people incarcerated
in our jails and prisons and the number of people in prisons is growing in
many parts of the world. From the export of U.S. zero-tolerance policing to
the criminalization of immigrants across Europe, there are increasing
numbers of people across the globe under the surveillance of the state both
on the street and behind bars. What role does the expansion and maintenance
of prisons have in production and reproduction of inequalities based on
race, class, and gender? How is the state finding new ways to police
people's conduct or enforce new ways of self-governance? How do we
understand the circulation of people through prisons and jails and across
borders and the constraints put on an individual's circulation by the
carceral state? The scholars on this panel study various aspects of what
has been called the “carceral state”—from the challenges of “re-entry” into
free society upon release from prison, to women incarcerated in Peruvian
jails, to the role of prisons in urban development in small cities in the
U.S. We seek panelists whose ethnographic work explores the purposes and
consequences of mass incarceration around the world. In particular, we
invite papers that explore the political economy of prison expansion and
papers that combine activism and research. Possible topics may include:

-New theorizations of the “prison industrial complex”

-Urban development and the “War on Crime”

-The Criminalization of Poverty

-The War on Drugs

-Race and Racism, Crime, and Justice

-Ethnographies of incarcerated or people formerly incarcerated
- Ethnographies of youth and/or LGBT people within the criminal justice
system

Prospective panelists should send abstracts (250 words max), title of the
paper, and organizational affiliation to kwilliams2@gc.cuny.edu,
andreamorrell@yahoo.com, scampos@gc.cuny.edu by March 20, 2010.

Call for Papers

2010-03-18T15:04:00.002Z

History of Psychology

Call for Papers: Psychology, Politics, and Public Policy

History of Psychology invites manuscripts for a special issue on the
historical intersections of psychology, public policy, and politics. The
goal of the special issue is to examine the ways in which public policy and
politics have been influenced by the discipline and profession of Psychology
and how, in turn, the discipline and profession have been shaped by public
policy and politics.

We are open to any public policy domain (e.g., mental health and healthcare;
public health and disaster relief; education and welfare; transportation and
safety; defense and law enforcement) and interested in papers that engage
politics broadly conceived.

We particularly welcome articles that address policy and psychology issues
in diverse national contexts beyond the United States of America.

Psychology is used here to indicate the discipline and profession of
psychology, as well as the use of psychological insights and expertise by
the public.

The submission deadline is September 15, 2010.

The main text of each manuscript, exclusive of figures, tables,
references, or appendixes, should not exceed 35 double-spaced pages
(approximately 7,500 words). Initial inquiries regarding the special issue
may be sent to Wade Pickren (wpickren@psych.ryerson.ca).

Papers should be submitted through the regular submission portal for
History of Psychology (http://www.apa.org/journals/hop/submission.html) with
a cover letter indicating that the paper is to be considered for the special
section.

You be the judge- online exercise

2010-03-15T10:10:00.003Z

Here's something to waste a few minutes with. The Office for Criminal Justice Reform has created an online exercise where you can 'be the judge' in that you watch a trial online and then sentence the defendant. You can then compare your sentence with a real magistrate's decision.

Do it here: http://ybtj.cjsonline.gov.uk/

I watched the criminal damage case and imposed the same sentence as the magistrate although I think it is a bit harsh. It was interesting to see that the majority of people who had done the exercise gave him a more lenient sentence than the magistrate.

Jake Phillips wins prize

2010-02-26T11:24:00.008Z

Jake Phillips has won The Brian Williams Memorial Prize for his paper on The Social Construction of Probation in England & Wales and the United States.

We are delighted to announce that Jake Phillips, a student of the Institute of Criminology at Cambridge University, has been awarded the Brian Williams Memorial Prize for 2009.

Jake’s paper, entitled The Social Construction of Probation in England & Wales and the United States; Implications for the Transferability of Probation Practice will be published in the next edition of the British Journal of Community Justice - Volume 8 Issue 1 (Spring 2010).

The Brian Williams Memorial Prize Committee, comprising Professor Anne Worrall, Professor Paul Senior and Jean Hine congratulate Jake on his success, and thank all those who submitted papers for the 2009 prize.

The Brian Williams Memorial Prize 2010 will be launched in late Spring 2010. Full details will be available in Volume 8 Issue 1 (Spring 2010). For further information on the British Journal of Community Justice please visit www.cjp.org.uk/publications/bjcj or email bjcj@shu.ac.uk

Paper Competition: American Society of Criminology

2010-02-26T09:55:00.004Z