Police-Newsletter 2005

Police Newsletter No. 71, January 2005

The Police Newsletter is a joint venture product of TC TeamConsult, Genf/Zurich, and Freiburg i. Br. (D), and the Chair of Criminology (Crime Policy and Police Science) at the University of Bochum (Professor Dr. Thomas Feltes). The Html version of the Newsletter is available at www.Polizei-Newsletter.de. All Newsletter issues published up to now can also be looked up there and the German, French, Spanish or English version can be subscribed or unsubscribed.

1. Guide for Educating and Training Forensic Scientists

2. Training Program Guide for Crime Scene Investigators

3. Public Support for Reforming the Police

4. Meeting parents’ needs for information: evidence from the 2001 Home Office Citizenship Survey

5. Stress and Aggression Reinforce Each Other On a Biological Level

6. Evaluating Gang Resistance Education and Training Program

7. Monitoring and Better Lighting: How They Work

8. Tackling Domestic Violence: the Role of Health Professionals

9. AGIS – a Programme to Promote Cooperation of Police and Judicial Authorities

10. Police and Ethics in Europe

11. The Police Newsletter and its 5,000th Subscriber

12. Crime Film Scripts in the Web

1. Guide for Educating and Training Forensic Scientists

"Education and Training in Forensic Science: A Guide for Forensic Science Laboratories, Educational Institutions, and Students" (64 pp.) (NCJ 203099) presents consensus criteria and recommendations to establish best practices for educating and training forensic scientists. The information serves students preparing for a career in forensic science, educational institutions as they develop and revamp curricula, and forensic scientists as they advance their knowledge, skills, and abilities. (NIJ) Access full text at: http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/203099.pdf

2. Training Program Guide for Crime Scene Investigators

"Crime Scene Investigation: A Reference for Law Enforcement Training" (72 pp.) (NCJ 200160) is designed to help trainers and administrators develop training programs for crime scene investigators. Each part of the report includes proposed performance objectives for the student to ensure attainment of the material. (NIJ)
Access full text at: http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/200160.pdf or http://www.ncjrs.org/txtfiles1/nij/200160.txt

3. Public Support for Reforming the Police

While the literature has extensively documented popular discontent with various types of police misconduct, little is known about popular support for corrective measures. Such information, however, would be valuable for public policy and has the potential to enhance public confidence in the police. This article, using data from a recent national survey, reports public attitudes toward several specific reforms in policing. Findings indicate, first, that race is a predictor. Blacks and Hispanics are the most supportive of reform. Second, support for reform is strongly affected by the perceived frequency of police misconduct in one's city and neighborhood and by exposure to media reports of police misconduct. Respondents who believe that police corruption, unwarranted stops, and verbal and physical abuse of citizens are common are more likely to favour reforms. The same is true for those who are frequently exposed to news media coverage of incidents of police misconduct. Source: Reforming the Police: Racial Differences in Public Support for Change. Ronald Weitzer, Steven A. Tuch. In: Criminology 42, 2, 2004, p.391-416

4. Meeting parents’ needs for information: evidence from the 2001 Home Office Citizenship Survey

This report presents the findings of a further detailed analysis, building upon the initial analysis of the data presented in the main report of survey, 2001 Home Office Citizenship Survey: people, families and communities. Providing information and advice on bringing up children is an important part of supporting parents, though the report is a challenging task, particularly given the variation in family structures in England and Wales today. It shows, that Parents´ needs for information and advice on bringing up children are complex and influenced by a variety of factors. Quelle: Creasey/Trikha, Meeting parents´ needs for information, Online Report 48/04, http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/whatsnew1.html

5. Stress and Aggression Reinforce Each Other On a Biological Level

The answer why the circuit of violence is so hard to break up is to be found in the human nervous system – that is what some scientists say. There seems to be a quick positive feedback between stress hormones and the cerebral centre of aggression control of rats whose neurophysiology is similar to the humans’. This could be an explanation of why stressed humans flip out so easily and calm down so difficultly. The results of the study carried out by scientists of the Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research http://www.lacdr.nl and the Institute of Experimental Medicine http://www.koki.hu have been published in the scientific magazine Behavioral Neuroscience http://www.apa.org/journals/bne.html .

6. Evaluating Gang Resistance Education and Training Program

"Evaluating G.R.E.A.T: A School-Based Gang Prevention Program" summarizes results of a 5-year study of G.R.E.A.T. (Gang Resistance Education and Training). G.R.E.A.T. is a 9-hour gang prevention program administered by uniformed law enforcement officers to middle-school aged youths. Full text at: http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/198604.pdf

7. Monitoring and Better Lighting: How They Work

A recent evaluation of all studies made by now concerning the effectiveness of video monitoring (19 studies) and better lighting (13 studies) in the US and Great-Britain proved that both these measures are able to reduce crime, with better lighting being more effective than monitoring in city centres and both of them being most effective in combination, especially preventing property crimes. The authors stress that not necessarily the technical equipment is relevant of this success, but the fact that the implementation of these measures demonstrates: this quarter, this neighbourhood is cared of. This is a reinforcing factor of the social relation and the informal social control - which has been proved to be a special preventive factor. Source: Brandon C. Welsh, David P. Farrington: Surveillance for Crime Prevention in Public Spaces: Results and Policy Choices in Britain and America. In: Criminology and Public Policy 3, 3, 2004, p. 497-526.

8. Tackling Domestic Violence: the Role of Health Professionals

This report has been written for a range of health professionals. It is intended to raise awareness of the scale of the health problem by domestic violence and to alert health professionals to the contribution they can make to tackle this issue. The report explains how health professionals can make an important contribution to tackling domestic violence. In order to achieve this, training is necessary, and the report describes the nature of this training. Source: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/whatsnew1.html

9. AGIS – a Programme to Promote Cooperation of Police and Judicial Authorities

The AGIS annual working programme 2005 has been set up. The programme has been extended by the fields of combating terrorism, exchange of information with secret services, vehicle trafficking and document faking. See the website

http://europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/funding/agis/funding_agis_en.htm

10. Police and Ethics in Europe

On the background of the EU expansion the first volume of the publications of the Polizei-Führungsakademie in 2004 describes the guide line „European Code of Police Ethics” passed by the Council of Europe in 2001. The volume gives a survey about the importance and handling of ethics in European countries (Spain, France, Belgium) and contains a guide for the ethics training of police leaders. For a detailed review see http://www.polizei-newsletter.de/buecher.htm

11. The Police Newsletter and its 5,000th Subscriber

In mid December, Stephanie E. registered herself as 5,000th subscriber of the PNL. The editors welcomed her with a book voucher and are looking forward to more new subscribers. Stephanie E. is 21, comes from Frankfurt/Main and has been studying at the Hessen University of Applied Police Sciences since September 2002.

After starting this project in 1999, we were able to welcome the 4,000th subscriber in March 2003 along with the 50th issue. Now it has happened to be the 5,000th subscriber along with the 70th issue in December. This is without considering all those reading the PNL in the internet or being provided by one of the numerous police intranets where the PNL is placed. Since December 2004 the English version new at the time is placed into the European Police Learning Network (EPNL) of the European Police Academy (www.cepol.net). Other newsletters also include part of our contributions. We are pleased about this and we will continue to provide you with up-to-date, interesting and sometimes amusing news linked to police and police research.

The editorial staff of the Police Newsletter.

12. Crime Film Scripts in the Web

Markus Stromiedel, the author of many popular German TV crime films, lets all curious spectators have a glance back stage. He offers “information bundles” about the development of a script at http://www.stromiedel.de.

Police Newsletter No. 72, February 2005

1. What Works: Weed and Seed Best Practices

2. The Police Complaint Center: "We videotape the police to insure accountability"

3. How suspects’ behaviour influences police officers decisions

4. Suspect searches: Assessing police behaviour under the U.S. Constitution

5. Will Closing Streets and Alleys Reduce Crime?

6. School Without Fear - Reports in the Internet

7. Community Support Officer (Detention Power) Pilot: Evaluation Results

8. Distraction burglary: recorded crime data

9. Lessons Learned From the Sniper Investigation

10. Nonlethal Technologies Reviewed

11. Nuremberg Trials: Documents Online

1. What Works: Weed and Seed Best Practices

"Weed and Seed Best Practices: Evaluation-based Series, Volume 2" (24 pp.) (NCJ 202524) shares programs and practices that have been successful in reducing crime, violence, and juvenile delinquency and increasing neighborhood vitality and economic strength. Access full text at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ccdo/pdftxt/1769-02WeedSeed.pdf

2. The Police Complaint Center: "We videotape the police to insure accountability"

The Police Complaint Center is a US national non-profit organization that provides assistance to victims of police misconduct. Using available technology, the Police Complaint Center documents and investigates alleged incidents of police abuse. The staffs are former police officers and licensed private investigators. Their primary service is assisting victims of misconduct with reporting complaints to appropriate enforcement agencies www.policeabuse.org.

3. How suspects’ behaviour influences police officers decisions

Research shows that suspects’ behaviour influences police officers decisions. Those who are disrespectful to the police are more likely to have that behaviour reciprocated. To date, the factors influencing whether suspects will Show deference remain largely unexamined. Guided by social interactionist theory and recent developments in urban sociology, we use systematic social observations and census data to investigate. We find that elevated levels of police Force can induce suspect disrespect, but more subtle forms tend to have the opposite effect. The size of the audiences observing the encounter also influences whether suspects behave disrespectfully. Hypothesized links between disinhibiting factors such as intoxicants and disrespect are confirmed. Excluding traffic encounters, suspects in disadvantaged neighborhoods are less likely to show deference. This finding helps explain why officers encountering African Americans are the targets of disrespect. Source: Suspect Disrespect towards the Police. M. Reisig, J. McCluskey, S. Mastrofski, W. Terrill. Justice Quarterly, Volume 21 No. 2, June 2004, p.242-268

4. Suspect searches: Assessing police behaviour under the U.S. Constitution

This study examines police conformity to the law by evaluating direct observations of police searches in a medium-sized American city against the applicable constitutional standards. Other researchers have investigated police misconduct, but the present study uses direct observations of police behaviour. The research asks three questions: How frequently do patrol officers engage in searches? How often do their searches meet constitutional standards? What explains the proclivity to search unconstitutionally? The results paint a disquieting picture, with nearly one-third of searches performed unconstitutionally and almost none visible to the courts. The research links police misconduct to the municipality's "war on drugs," but surprisingly, the majority of constitutional violations was concentrated in a small number of otherwise model officers engaged in community policing. Source: Jon B. Gould, Stephen D. Mastrofski: Suspect Searches: Assessing Police Behavior under the U.S. Constitution. In: Criminology and Public Policy 3, 3, 2004, S. 315-362

5. Will Closing Streets and Alleys Reduce Crime?

"Closing Streets and Alleys to Reduce Crime: Should You Go Down This Road?" (72 pp.) (NCJ 206957), a new COPS POP Guide, helps readers determine whether closing streets and alleys is an appropriate response to problems being confronted in their local or community. Access full text at COPS Online: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/Default.asp?Item=1346

6. School Without Fear - Reports in the Internet

All reports held at the international meeting "Taking fear out of school" (5 to 8 September in Stavanger/Norway) have completely been recorded and published. They provide a good survey on present research, national and local initiatives against violence and more. Source: http://www.gewalt-in-der-schule.info/de - a project by VISIONARY: an acronym of "Violence in school – intelligence on the net - applying resources for youngsters". The development of this site was sponsored by SOCRATES / MINERVA, a EU programme. The VISIONARY team presently comprises of 20 scientists from five European countries: Germany, Denmark, Finland, Great-Britain and Portugal.

7. Community Support Officer (Detention Power) Pilot: Evaluation Results

The Police Reform Act 2002 makes provision for Community Support Officers to be designated with the power of detention. The evaluation involved all six forces undertaking the pilot and covered a 15-month period from January 2003 to march 2004. In total 452 forms were collated an analysed. In summary, the findings from the evaluation are very positive with no indication of there being a significant risk to either the CSO or the detainee as a consequence of the exercise of the power to detain. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/whatsnew1.html

8. Distraction burglary: recorded crime data

A supplement to the Home Office Statistical Bulletin 14/04 points out that since April 2003 distraction burglary became a recorded subcategory of the ‘burglary dwelling’ offence category. Distraction burglary is different from other forms of burglary as offenders engage directly with the victims in order to deceive them and gain into their home. This approach contrasts with more ‘conventional’ forms of burglary, where offenders generally seek to avoid the victim by attempting to enter homes unnoticed. Until April 2003 forces have kept local records, but now analysis is possible at a national level as well as comparisons between forces. For more information: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/hosb1404supp.pdf/

9. Lessons Learned From the Sniper Investigation

"Managing a Multijurisdictional Case: Identifying the Lessons Learned From the Sniper Investigation" (210 pp.) (NCJ 207206) details the "lessons learned" and recommendations for how police agencies can prepare for high-profile crimes involving multiple jurisdictions. This report is based on the experiences of more than 100 individuals closest to the D.C. sniper case along with information from other sources. Access full text at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/pubs/SniperRpt.pdf

10. Nonlethal Technologies Reviewed

"Department of Defense Nonlethal Weapons and Equipment Review: A Research Guide for Civil Law Enforcement and Corrections" (74 pp.) (NCJ 205293) (online only) provides a detailed equipment review designed to give civil law enforcement organizations a greater understanding of DoD's nonlethal weapons program and currently used nonlethal technologies. Five categories of nonlethal technologies are reviewed: chemicals, electrical devices, blunt impact munitions, directed energy, and miscellaneous or hybrid systems. Access full text at: http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/205293.pdf

11. Nuremberg Trials: Documents Online

The US University of Harvard has begun to present original documents from the Nuremberg Trials against nazi war criminals on the Internet. 6,755 photos as well as files of the so-called Doctors’ Trial are already on the Internet at http://nuremberg.law.harvard.edu.

Police Newsletter No. 73, March 2005

1. Juvenile Delinquency: Causes and Correlates

2. Trends in the Murder of Juveniles in the US: 1980-2000

3. National Crime Rates Compared

4. Practical Guidance to facilitate community involvement

5. DNA Information at Your Fingertips

6. Most Profound Study of Organised Crime

7. New DJI Bulletin: Looking For Panacea – The Difficult Approach To Difficult Juveniles

8. Leaflet About Suicide Within Police

9. New Victims Rights in Germany

10. Police Complaints and Discipline in England and Wales

11. What Are Victims’ Interests? Lecture by Jan Philipp Reemtsma

1. Juvenile Delinquency: Causes and Correlates

To reduce delinquent behavior and improve societal well-being, it is essential to develop effective intervention programs. In turn, effective programs depend on a firm, scientific understanding of the origins of delinquency. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP's) Program of Research on the Causes and Correlates of Delinquency constitutes the largest, most comprehensive investigation of the causes and correlates of delinquency ever undertaken. For the past 17 years, the program, which consists of three longitudinal studies (the Denver Youth Survey, the Pittsburgh Youth Study, and the Rochester Youth Development Study) has contributed substantially to an understanding of delinquent behavior. This article summarizes a few of the many empirical findings generated by these studies and policy implications arising there from. Source: The Causes and Correlates Studies: Findings and Policy Implications by Terence P. Thornberry, David Huizinga, and Rolf Loeber http://www.ncjrs.org/html/ojjdp/203555/

2. Trends in the Murder of Juveniles in the US: 1980-2000

This 8-page Bulletin draws on statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program - in particular, supplemental homicide report data--to analyze trends in the murder of youth between 1980 and 2000. Between 1980 and 2000, approximately 434,000 persons were murdered in the United States. Approximately 43,000 (10%) of these victims were juveniles. The number of youth murdered in 2000 (1,610) was 47% below the number of youth murdered in 1993 (2,880) - the peak year in the period covered by the Bulletin. In fact, the 2000 murder rate for juvenile victims was the lowest in 20 years. The document is available online at http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=11831

3. National Crime Rates Compared

"Cross-National Studies in Crime and Justice" (300 pp.) summarizes the results from a study that documents crime and criminal punishment trends from 1981 to 1999 in eight countries: Australia, Canada, England, the Netherlands, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. Access full text at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/cnscj.htm

4. Practical Guidance to facilitate community involvement

Based on a research of the Universities of Bristol and Glasgow regarding the effectiveness of community involvement in area-based initiatives, the British Home Office presents a practical guidance of Christine Sylvest Larsen. The guidance pointed out the Importance of sophisticated reflection of the local contexts in each case. It should be a guide for practitioners and policy makers on how to facilitate effective community engagement. Advice is given, and the importance of the evaluation with appropriate methods of projects and initiatives to ensure their effectiveness is emphasizes. For further information: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/dpr27.pdf and http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/rdsolr5304.pdf

5. DNA Information at Your Fingertips

Online is http://www.DNA.gov, offering a wealth of information about funding, training, publications, and other resources related to the use of DNA technology in the U.S. in solving crimes, protecting the innocent, and identifying missing persons.

6. Most Profound Study of Organised Crime

The criminologist Jörg Kinzig from Freiburg/Germany has submitted a study about organised crime, the most profound one up to now. It took several years and its starting point was the uncritical use of the term “organised crime” by the media - a phenomenon which has been noticed since the mid-nineties. The study has been carried out within the field of research “Organised Crime” at the Max-Planck-Institut of Foreign and International Criminal Law. Further information at: http://www.mpg.de/bilderBerichteDokumente/dokumentation/pressemitteilungen/2004/pressemitteilung20041104/

7. New DJI Bulletin: Looking For Panacea – The Difficult Approach To Difficult Juveniles

Youth aid deals with „extremely difficult juveniles“ as well – i.e. juveniles aged 12 to 18 getting into a spiral of drugs, violence and crime, but who cannot be reached by “conventional” means of youth aid because they refuse its offers or break them up by provoking of violence. The bulletin of the Deutsche Jugendinstitut deals with this group. Download at http://cgi.dji.de/cgi-bin/bulladmin/panel.php?sprache=D

8. Leaflet About Suicide Within Police

The leaflet set up by the police of Baden Wurttemberg is available at: http://www.polizei-newsletter.de/pdf/Faltblatt_Suizid_Polizei_BW.pdf

TF (Thanks to R. Tanke)

9. New Victims Rights in Germany

The victims rights’ reform law changes in five articles existing laws. Victims have to be informed, from the first contact with the law enforcement agencies on, about their extended rights. The changes important for the police are the possibility of calling in a person of confidence in case of questioning an injured person, the information about the extended rights of injured persons, the information about a possible compensation between offender and victim, during interviews of accused persons, gender-neural formulation of the physical examination and access to the records and copy of the video-recorded interview.

http://bundesrecht.juris.de/bundesrecht/stpo/index.html

10. Police Complaints and Discipline in England and Wales

The police received 15,885 cases of complaint in the 12 months to March 2004, a rise of 4 per cent over the previous twelve months. They represented 23,849 individual items of complaint. During the year to March 2004, 69 per cent of individual complaints dealt with were informally resolved, withdrawn or dispensed with. Over half involved a failure in duty and around a fifth concerned oppressive behaviour. Disciplinary/ misconduct allegations were proved against 1,545 officers in the 12 months to March 2004. For 160 of these officers charges related to complaints from members of the public. As a result of disciplinary/misconduct allegations, 95 officers were dismissed or required to resign, a decrease of 17 per cent over the previous 12 months. Source: Home Office Statistical Bulletin 17/04 - Police Complaints and Discipline England and Wales, 12 months to March 2004,

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/hosb1704.pdf

11. What Are Victims’ Interests? Lecture by Jan Philipp Reemtsma

The lecture held by Prof. Dr. phil. Jan Philipp Reemtsma during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the „Weiße Ring“ in Hamburg on 24 October 2004 is available at: http://www.polizei-newsletter.de/pdf/VortragReemtsma.pdf

TF (Thanks to Jan Philipp Reemtsma and the Weiße Ring Hamburg)

Police Newsletter No. 74, April 2005

1. Annual Report 2004 about Police Crime Prevention

2. Migration Report 2004

3. Educational Barometer

4. Cooperation of Police and Justice in Criminal Cases

5. New Course in Computer Forensics at Australian University

6. Police Reform in North Rhine-Westphalia

7. Migration and Illegality in Germany

8. International Meeting on Urban Conflicts

9. Lectures On Brain Research online

10. Discover the Newly Redesigned NIC Web Site

1. Annual Report 2004 about Police Crime Prevention

Recently the Kommission Polizeiliche Kriminalprävention – the board organising activities and public relations in the field of police crime prevention – has submitted its annual report 2004. It provides a survey of the main topics of the board’s activities during the passed year, especially informing about the present projects and plannings of the police crime prevention programme (Programm Polizeiliche Kriminalprävention (ProPK)). The report is not only meant for police decision-makers, but also for all institutions and social groups who want to inform themselves about the topics or coordinate their projects with partners within the police. Free copies of the reports are available from Zentrale Geschäftsstelle Polizeiliche Kriminalprävention, Taubenheimstraße 85, 70372 Stuttgart, Telefax: 07 11 / 2 26 80 00, E-Mail: info@polizei-beratung.de. The report can be downloaded at www.polizei-beratung.de/profil/jahresbericht .

2. Migration Report 2004

The report based on existing migration data is to provide a survey of migration in Germany to the Parliament. The report’s main topics: survey of migration in Germany discriminated as per countries of origin and target countries, nationalities, distribution across the German Länder, age and gender as well as a differentiated description of the individual migrant groups. The complete report is available at http://www.bmi.bund.de.

3. Educational Barometer

In view of a wide-spread educational discussion the Zentrum für empirische pädagogische Forschung (Centre of empirical pedagogic research) (http://www.zepf.uni-landau.de) of the University Koblenz Landau has established an educational barometer. It is raised four times per year. Those interested can subscribe a free newsletter at http://www.bildungsbarometer.de and a detailed report at a price of € 10.

4. Cooperation of Police and Justice in Criminal Cases

This is the topic of a contribution by Vincenzo Musacchio, professor of criminal law. It can be downloaded at: http://www.polizei-newsletter.de/pdf-files.htm

5. New Course in Computer Forensics at Australian University

Since February 2005, with the beginning of the Australian winter semester, the University of Western Sydney (UWS) has offered a new module of computer forensics. It is part of their Bachelor of Computer Science Programme, taking into account the increasing importance of computers in fighting crime. The so-called Computer Forensics is a new growing field of informatics. More information at: http://idw-online.de/pages/de/news95713

6. Police Reform in North Rhine-Westphalia

With the slogan “Less Bureaucracy – more Security” the effectiveness of the North Rhine-Westphalian Police is to be increased. The existing staff will have to deal with security more specifically. More than 2.000 police officers are to support the street patrols of the crime and traffic departments. A commission of experts led by the former Chief Constable of Hesse Dr. Udo Scheu recommends this way. The Landtag had charged them with an examination of the police organisation. The result: its structures are over half a century old and have to be adapted to the needs of the future. Behrens, Minister of the Interior, mentioned the following aims: 1. Citizens shall feel secure. 2. More crimes will be investigated and cleared up. 3. Prevention will be improved. 4. The police will continue to cooperate closely with the local communities. There will be competent contact persons for local political leaders. The reform will be tackled in summer 2005. The complete report is available at www.polizei.nrw.de.

7. Migration and Illegality in Germany

The assessment that illegal immigration is a problem quickly growing and urgently needing political intervention is widely shared In Germany. However, if the question is about illegal immigrants, politicians act on a highly uncertain basis of knowledge. The Programme “Intercultural Conflicts and Societal Integration“ of the Social Science Research Center Berlin has submitted a research outcome titled "Migration und Illegalität in Deutschland". It is based on all scientific publications of the passed ten years. It is available at: http://www.wz-berlin.de/zkd/aki/default.de.htm as well as an extract. Further information at:
http://www.wz-berlin.de/presse/mitteilungen_2005/zuwanderung.de.htm

8. International Meeting on Urban Conflicts

From 7 to 9 April 2005 an international meeting is held at TU Darmstadt on urban conflicts in postcolonial cities. Topics: security, historical heritage or poverty in comparison of countries. Further information at www.urban-conflicts.net.

9. Lectures On Brain Research online

On 16/17 November 2004 the Wissenschaftszentrum Nordrhein-Westfalen organised, in cooperation with the network NeuroNRW, the meeting „Neuro2004: Hirnforschung für die Zukunft" taking up the up-to-date trends in brain research and presenting them to the public. Videos of the lectures are available at http://www.wz.nrw.de .

10. Discover the Newly Redesigned NIC Web Site

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) Web site has been completely redesigned and reorganized to provide you with better navigation options, richer content, consistent formatting, and access to the Digital Resource Library for more relevant search results. (NIC) To view the new Web site, go to: http://www.nicic.org/

Police Newsletter No. 75, May 2005

1. Master Course „Kriminologie und Polizeiwissenschaft“ Starting in Winter Semester 2005

2. Dissertations of the Universitity of Applied Police Sciences Villingen-Schwenningen in the Internet

3. Analysis of Effectiveness of Preventive and Repressive Police Measures.

4. Evaluation of Measures Increasing the Road Safety on Disco Routes in Duisburg (POLDI)

5. In 2004, 154 Police Officers Died in the USA – Mainly in Traffic Crashes

6. Police Complaints – a critical review

7. Police Misconduct – a research review

8. Lessons Learned From CPD's CLEAR System

9. News Alert at Google

10. Restorative Cautioning – results from a British study

11. Impact Munitions Use: Types, Targets, Effects

12. Secret Guardians of the Constitution – Study of Office for the Protection of the Constitution NRW

13. Giving Away Instead of Throwing Away

14. Annual Crime Prevalence Indicator Released

1. Master Course „Kriminologie und Polizeiwissenschaft“ Starting in Winter Semester 2005

For the first time in winter semester 2005/2006, this new 2-semester master course starts at the Bochum University. It is practise-orientated and is open as well for applicants with a university degree (e.g. law science) as for police officers, social workers and other graduates of similar activities and qualified job experience. The accrediting procedure has been started in April 2005, with the application deadline for the winter semester 2005 being mid-June 2005. Further information at: www.kriminologie.com;

If you want to receive information about the latest development regularly, send an e-mail containing your address and your professional background in short to: anfrage@kriminologie.com.

2. Dissertations of the Universitity of Applied Police Sciences Villingen-Schwenningen in the Internet

Selected dissertations released for publication by the students and their supervisors have been available in the intranet of the Baden-Wurttemberg Police since end of 2004. Since April 2005, the abridged versions of more than 200 dissertations of the 23^rd year are available in the internet. They can be researched by headwords. It is intended to add the dissertations of future years regularly. Furthermore a collection of all dissertations made up to now can be ordered at €15 on a DVD. Send e-mail to biblio@fhpol-vs.de), Online search at http://www.fhpol-vs.de/dipform/suchenpub.asp

3. Analysis of Effectiveness of Preventive and Repressive Police Measures.

This study has been carried out to detect the correlation between monitoring by the police and road safety. The results are to make police traffic security as efficient as possible on the one hand and to increase the car drivers’ acceptance of the monitoring and provide an incentive to think about their way of driving on the other hand. Main target group were young drivers, beginners, aged 18 to 25. http://www.uni-essen.de/traffic_education/texte.kr/wd-gross.pdf

4. Evaluation of Measures Increasing the Road Safety on Disco Routes in Duisburg (POLDI)

On behalf of the Police Duisburg the efficiency of various measures taken by the police to reduce the so-called “disco-accidents” is examined. There are two kinds of measures: repressive ones like speed and alcohol checks and preventive ones based on the reason of the young drivers. Pedagogic approaches and instruction of the juveniles concerning possible consequences of delinquent behaviour in road traffic are meant to influence their risky behaviour. The university has examined which one of the kinds of measures is better accepted and more effective or whether the combination is most successful. Final report at: http://www.uni-essen.de/traffic_education/texte.sonst/Berichte/Poldi-Endbericht.pdf

5. In 2004, 154 Police Officers Died in the USA – Mainly in Traffic Crashes

It is reported that 154 Police officers were killed in America in 2004. Of that total, 72 died in traffic crashes and 57 died from shootings (Thanks to W. Mallach and Jim Bonk).

6. Police Complaints – a critical review

Premised on the need for a rights–based approach to police complaints, the author addresses police complaint processes from a functional rather than a structural/procedural perspective. A critical review is offered of academic debates about police complaints (such as the role of the police/public) and typologies of police complaint processes. In an attempt to depart from an orthodox managerialist approach the author identifies the four key functions of the complaints process (managerial, liability, restorative and accountability); the three stakeholders whose interests must be taken into account (complainants, accused officers and police managers); as well as the four causes of complaints (unprofessional behaviour, criminal conduct, tortuous action and unacceptable policy). With examples in the UK forming a backdrop to discussions, the four functions (and debates about them) are assessed in an attempt to delimit the dominating managerial function and outline possible conflicts and strong–points of the various functions. The author proposes the adoption of a three–tier (as opposed to a two–tier) complaints system to more effectively deal with public complaints, especially when they are of different natures. Source: Smith, G., Rethinking Police Complaints, in: British Journal of Criminology, 2004, 44(1):15–33.

7. Police Misconduct – a research review

The authors review research that has been conducted on police misconduct with regard to the extent by which laws and rules addressing interrogations, searches and seizures, the use of excessive and/or lethal force, corruption and racial profiling are adhered to by the police. The authors also briefly review the means by which police misconduct can be addressed in terms of, for example, internal police control processes, the laying of criminal charges and citizen–complaint review agencies. Source: Skogan, W.G. and T.L. Meares, Lawful Policing, in: Annals AAPSS, 2004, 593: 66–83.

8. Lessons Learned From CPD's CLEAR System

"Policing Smarter Through IT: Lessons in Enterprise Implementation" (51 pp.) (NCJ 206752), a companion piece to "Policing Smarter Through IT: Learning from Chicago's Citizen and Law Enforcement Analysis and Reporting (CLEAR) System," provides the reader with practical strategies and cautions to consider when developing an integrated criminal justice information system. (COPS) Access full text at COPS Online: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/Default.asp?Item=1331

9. News Alert at Google

You want to know how the Internet press comments on your favourite topic … or simply football results? You simply feed in your key words at http://www.google.com/newsalerts?hl=de / http://news.google.de/ and as soon as Google has found news somewhere in the net you will be provided with the headline and the link to the complete news by e-mail.

10. Restorative Cautioning – results from a British study

The study reports the results of a 24-month resanctioning study of restorative and traditional cautions. The first part of the analysis compared the resanctioning rates of over 29,000 offenders and the two comparison forces controlling for relevant offender characteristics. The second analysis compared the different types of caution, again controlling for offender characteristics. Taking the results of the analyses together, there was no evidence to suggest that restorative cautioning had resulted in a statistically significant reduction in either the overall resanctioning rate or the frequency or seriousness of offending. Importantly, there was also no evidence that restorative justice had increased resanctioning rates. Source: Findings 255 - An evaluation of the impact of restorative cautioning: findings from a reconviction study. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/whatsnew1.html

11. Impact Munitions Use: Types, Targets, Effects

Impact munitions are less-lethal projectiles that give police the means to subdue and arrest potentially dangerous individuals with less chance of injury or death to suspects, innocent bystanders, or themselves. This study explored the circumstances under which impact munitions have been used and the physical effects they have on individuals in the field. The report is available online at the National Institute of Justice Web site at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/206089.htm .

12. Secret Guardians of the Constitution – Study of Office for the Protection of the Constitution NRW

For the first time a German secret service has opened its safes for scientific purposes. In his book "Geheime Hüter der Verfassung" the Bochum political scientist Wolfgang Buschfort traces the history of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, based on original files of the NRW Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Düsseldorf. The main results: the Bundesland North-Rhine Westphalia laid the foundation of the federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, however, established the intelligence service without the agreement of the British occupying power. The main targets of the early Office for the Protection of the Constitution in the young Federal Republic were the FDP (Liberal Party) and the KPD (Communist Party). Wolfgang Buschfort: Geheime Hüter der Verfassung. Von der Düsseldorfer Informationsstelle zum ersten Verfassungsschutz der Bundesrepublik (1947-1961). Paderborn 2004, 327 pages, 39,90 Euro, ISBN: 3-506-71728-6

13. Giving Away Instead of Throwing Away

Giving-away circles serve to give away everything you don’t need any longer, but it can’t be sold at ebay. Even big companies like IBM take part. Information at www.freecycle.org. Unfortunately the German giving-away circles are difficult to find - only via the search function of the browser under “All”. And the Germans seem to search more than to give away …

14. Annual Crime Prevalence Indicator Released

"Crime and the Nation's Households, 2003" (4 pp.) (NCJ 206348) presents national prevalence estimates for the percentage of households with one or more persons who were victimized by crime as measured by the National Crime Victimization Survey. Access full text at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/cnh03.htm

Police Newsletter No. 76, June 2005

1. Rape Report by the Home Office

2. Photo Experiment: Apes Like Celebrities and Beautiful Women

3. Implementation of a Burglary Prevention Programme

4. Criminology in the German Empire

5. Germany 2020 – More and More Children’s Poverty

6. Electronic Dog Guards the House

7. Making Meetings More Effective

8. Berlin Working Group on Socio-Legal Studies

9. Online Collection of Articles Concerning Identity Theft by NCJRS

10. Communication during Police Routine Activities

11. Kunsthaus Zürich Shows Photos From the Archive of the Los Angeles Police Department.

12. Police Training Films From the 1960ies to the 1980ies on DVD

1. Rape Report by the Home Office

5000 rapes of women reported to the Metropolitan Police Service in the periods of 2001/02 and 2002/03 are examined in “Findings 247”. The percentage of certain characteristics of the offences is shown. The ages of victim and offender, their relation, the location of the offence, the intensity of the use of force, the number of offenders and the offender’s way of approaching the victim. There are three ways of approach: cons (85 p.c.) where the offender engages the victim in conversation before attacking her; surprise attacks (15 p.c.) where sufficient force is used to control the victim; blitz attacks (1 p.c.) where the raper immediatley uses violence to overwhelm the victim. The results are compared to those of the BCS (British Crime Survey) and commented. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/r247.pdf

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2. Photo Experiment: Apes Like Celebrities and Beautiful Women

Apes are very similar to human beings – the truth of which scientists have found out by making apes pay orange juice for looking at photos of their troop members. The result was utmost – human-like. Male macaques gave away most juice against photos of powerful troop members. And photos of female backsides. They were less fond, however, of pictures of apes who did not belong to the rich and beautiful but rather to the social losers. For the first time it has been proved that apes judge pictures according to their social contents – like humans do. Source: http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/erde/0,1518,339099,00.html

3. Implementation of a Burglary Prevention Programme

As part of a programme for crime reduction the Reducing Burglary Initiative was implemented in England and Wales in 1998 to 2002 by the Home Office. Within three project phases 240 projects were supervised; 2 million households were involved. The aims of the RBI were to support and promote innovative measures reducing burglary. Furthermore the effectiveness of measures and their cost-benefit calculation were to be recorded, burglaries were to be reduced in the most threatened neighbourhoods and costs caused by burglary were to be cut down. This report mainly refers to the project implementation on the spot: financial management, capacity and characteristics of the project managers and the staff as well as the adaptation of the projects to the needs of the citizens ( registration and contact to the citizens and the victims). The authors resume and set up guide lines and recommendations for similar programmes in future. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hors287.pdf

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4. Criminology in the German Empire

A review of the Dissertation by Silviana Galassi “Kriminologie im Deutschen Kaiserreich, Geschichte einer gebrochenen Verwissenschaftlichung“ made by Karsten Uhl of H-Soz-u-Kult (online portal of history) can be found at: http://hsozkult.geschichte.hu-berlin.de/rezensionen/2005-1-183

5. Germany 2020 – More and More Children’s Poverty

A baby boom lies ahead in Germany – that’s the surprising result of the study "Deutschland 2020” by the Berlin-Institut für Weltbevölkerung (www.berlin-institut.org). But: children’s poverty will aggravate in bigger cities. (Source: Trendletter 3, 2005, S. 4).

6. Electronic Dog Guards the House

Siemens is developing a device monitoring a flat and giving notice by SMS if something suspicious happens. Microphones, temperature and movement sensors register changes. The electronic guard dog has no key-board and is programmed via the internet. (Source: Trendletter 3, 2005, p. 10).

7. Making Meetings More Effective

Various publications deal with the question of how to make meetings more effective and how to organize them strategically in an advantageous manner. Some items: 1) Dealing operative and strategic questions apart. 2) Focus on decisions, not discussions. 3) Cut the agenda short as soon as possible by anticipating those topics that can be finished quickly. 4) Prepare real alternatives for decisions; etc. Source: Trendletter 12/2004; more information at: http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/

8. Berlin Working Group on Socio-Legal Studies

This is a non-university work group dealing with the relation between law and law reality: http://www.rechtswirklichkeit.de. For information about the meeting of young scientists of interdisciplinary socio-legal research from 25 to 26 November 2005 in Halle see: http://bar.panya.de/Veranstaltungen/bar2005/cfphalle2005

9. Online Collection of Articles Concerning Identity Theft by NCJRS

The catchword best known in connection with this topic is „Phishing“ – the attempt to obtain credit card numbers and other personal data via manipulated web sites and then using them wrongfully. But there are many other forms of identity theft. A collections of documents by the NCJRS concerning this crime is available at: http://www.ncjrs.org/spotlight/identity_theft/summary.html. A brochure by the Attorney General of Arizona in English at http://www.attorneygeneral.state.az.us/cybercrime/ID%20Theft%20Brochure.pdf and in Spanish at http://www.attorneygeneral.state.az.us/cybercrime/ID%20Theft%20Brochure%20Spanish.pdf)

10. Communication during Police Routine Activities

The results of an empirical study by Max Hermanutz, Wolfgang Spöcker, Yasemin Cal, Julia Maloney are available in the online area of the PNL. Interviews with citizens about satisfaction reveal deficits. This study was carried out to examine the reasons of their discontent in contacts with the police in standard situations. To this effect, 104 actual identity and vehicle checks were made by Baden-Wurttemberg police officers. The police officers and the checked citizens were observed and their behaviour evaluated. Additionally both groups were interviewed about the situation. The study reveals that the citizens judge the verbal and non-verbal attitude of the police officers negative when the officers do not stick to the recommendations of guide line 371 concerning the measures for their own safety. The politeness of the officers is mainly determined by the outer appearance of their vis-à-vis, but less by his/her actual behaviour. This false estimation may cause unnecessary stress reactions on either side. So a new study is planned to develop verbal and non-verbal communication strategies for a better attitude in these situations and to study and evaluate them in training. Source: http://www.polizei-newsletter.de/pdf-files.htm or the file at http://www.polizei-newsletter.de/pdf/Einsatzkommunikation.pdf

11. Kunsthaus Zürich Shows Photos From the Archive of the Los Angeles Police Department.

The Kunsthaus Zürich is the first museum all over the world to show photos from the archive of the Los Angeles Police Department from 15 July to 18 September 2005. Titled «The Art of the Archive» there are approx. 100 photos from the 1920ies to the 1950ies exhibited. In a city where pictures play so important a role, even the police photographers pay more attention to the professional and esthetic standard of their pictures than elsewhere. The mixture of fiction and reality which is so typical of L.A. played an important role insofar as the police has been influenced in their self-presentation by the image that film and TV industry created of the city. From July on information about the exhibition at www.kunsthaus.ch .

12. Police Training Films From the 1960ies to the 1980ies on DVD

The publication (DVD with brochure) presents extracts of police training films of the 1960ies to the 1980ies, from the GDR as well as from the Federal Republic. They are between three and 18 minutes; five originate from the GDR, the others from Bundesländer Polices. The brochure offers various information, e.g. on didactics and educational objectives in training police officers today. The films are only a small part of the historical place Villa ten Hompel in Münster, a research and training institution dealing with police, administration and responsibility from a historical point of view (http://www.muenster.de/stadt/villa-ten-hompel/index1.html). The films may serve to retrace the former self-image of the police organisations, but they reflect as well the development in society and police. Source: Geschichtsort Villa ten Hompel (Hrsg.): Bürger, Rowdys und Rebellen. Deutsche Polizeilehrfilme in West und Ost. Didaktische Handreichung von Stefan Noethen und Volker Pade. Münster: Stadt Münster 2004. ISBN 3-935811-01-2; 89 S., 26 Abb., with DVD; EUR 19,90. Review for H-Soz-u-Kult by: Klaus Weinhauer, http://hsozkult.geschichte.hu-berlin.de/rezensionen/2005-2-039

Police Newsletter No. 76, June 2005

1. Rape Report by the Home Office

2. Photo Experiment: Apes Like Celebrities and Beautiful Women

3. Implementation of a Burglary Prevention Programme

4. Criminology in the German Empire

5. Germany 2020 – More and More Children’s Poverty

6. Electronic Dog Guards the House

7. Making Meetings More Effective

8. Berlin Working Group on Socio-Legal Studies

9. Online Collection of Articles Concerning Identity Theft by NCJRS

10. Communication during Police Routine Activities

11. Kunsthaus Zürich Shows Photos From the Archive of the Los Angeles Police Department.

12. Police Training Films From the 1960ies to the 1980ies on DVD

1. Rape Report by the Home Office

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2. Photo Experiment: Apes Like Celebrities and Beautiful Women

3. Implementation of a Burglary Prevention Programme

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4. Criminology in the German Empire

5. Germany 2020 – More and More Children’s Poverty

6. Electronic Dog Guards the House

7. Making Meetings More Effective

8. Berlin Working Group on Socio-Legal Studies

9. Online Collection of Articles Concerning Identity Theft by NCJRS

10. Communication during Police Routine Activities

11. Kunsthaus Zürich Shows Photos From the Archive of the Los Angeles Police Department.

12. Police Training Films From the 1960ies to the 1980ies on DVD

Police Newsletter No. 77, July/August 2005

1. The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Robbed

2. More Crimes in the Neighbourhood of Night Clubs?

3. IQ/Delinquency Relationship

4. Use of Urban Areas and Crime Rate

5. Predicting the Prison Population in Great Britain

6. „Working“ Burglars – Interviews With Delinquents

7. eDok DataBase

8. Krimpedia

9. DNA Analysis

10. Intercultural Competence of Police

11. Police Use of Force – Empirical Study in USA

1. The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Robbed

This is the headline of a contribution dealing with the change in victimisation risks in the USA during the passed 30 years. The study is based on the annual interviews with victims and the police crime statistics between 1974 and 2000. Altogether, the US crime rates have decreased during this period, with the rich being more favoured by this decline than the poor. The risk of being victimised has become greater for the disadvantaged social groups. Especially in the field of violent crime the gap is widening. In 2000 e.g., the risk of being victimised in a violent crime was three times higher for citizens belonging to the poorest fifth of society than for those belonging to the top fifth. Source: Thacher, David, „The rich get richer and the poor get robbed: Inequality in U.S. criminal victimization, 1974-2000.” Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 20(2):89-116, 2004.

2. More Crimes in the Neighbourhood of Night Clubs?

An empirical US study has examined whether in locations where night clubs had been opened the crime rate increased. This could not be proved – on the contrary, the results suggest that within a 1.000-foot radius of these clubs the crime rate often has reduced. Source: Linz, Daniel: Land, Kenneth C.: Williams, Jay R.: and others. “An examination of the assumption that adult businesses are associated with crime in surrounding areas: A secondary effects study in Charlotte, North Carolina.” Law & Society Review, 38(1):69-104, 2004.

3. IQ/Delinquency Relationship

The relationship between (measured) intelligence and the commitment of crimes has been investigated in an empirical study. It is shown that measured intelligence will predict intellectual competence, but not delinquency. However, a correlation between competence at school and living in a disadvantaged neighbourhood on the one hand and delinquency in later years on the other hand has been detected. The result is that social factors caused delinquency, not intelligence. Source: 0947, McCartan, Lisa M.: Gunnison, Elaine. „The IQ/crime relationship: An extension and replication of previous research“. Journal of Crime & Justice, 27(1):61-86, 2004. The same question is topic of another study in which 1,725 juveniles aged 10 or more were examined. It is a longitudinal study started in 1979. It also showed that the effect of intelligence on criminal behaviour is only indirect. Intelligence is an important crime generating factor, performances at school are poor - which is in turn the reason for the risk of becoming delinquent. Source: McGloin, J. M., Pratt, T. C., & Maahs, J. (2004), Rethinking the IQ-delinquency relationship: A longitudinal analysis of multiple theoretical models. Justice Quarterly, 21(3), 603-635.

4. Use of Urban Areas and Crime Rate

The study deals with the connection between the way in which inhabited areas are used and their crime rate. The result shows e.g. that in areas with schools the rate of violent crime is increased, whereas in commercial areas it depends more on how the environment presents itself. Where “public disorder” is characteristic of a city the crime rate is higher than in neat neighbourhoods. The existence of shops encourages burglary, with public order playing a certain role. So there is a certain interaction between a certain use of public areas, existing disorder and the crime rate. This is not surprising, however, the study also points out that the socio-structural factors play a more important role than other investigated factors. Source: Wilcox, Pamela: Quisenberry, Neil; Cabrera, Debra T.: and others. “Busy places and broken windows? Toward defining the role of physical structure and process in community crime models.” Sociological Quarterly, 45(2):185-207, 2004.

5. Predicting the Prison Population in Great Britain

At http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/whatsnew1.html the Home Office Statistical Bulletin 01/05 containing „Prison Population Projections 2005 – 2011” has been published.

6. „Working“ Burglars – Interviews With Delinquents

30 interviews with active burglars have been conducted in the Southwest of the USA by the scientists. Additionally 300 burglary victimised and 300 non-victimised neighbourhoods have been examined in a quantitative study. The result shows that rational decision-making is not the only explanation of burglary probability. Burglars are subject to affective processes which are completed by rational considerations concerning the neighbourhood. The study especially points out that a great percentage of the burglars are drug addicts who do not make rational decisions in the first place. Effective prevention strategies have to take into account this aspect as well as the influence of accomplices on the decisions of the burglar. Source: Cromwell, Paul; Olson, James N. Breaking and entering: Burglars on burglary. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2004. 122pp. App. Wadsworth Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice.

7. eDok DataBase

The operators want to draw your attention to the new European data base of police science eDoc http://edoc.cepol.net/. It is maintained in Germany by the Max-Planck-Institut für ausländisches und internationales Strafrecht in Freiburg http://www.iuscrim.mpg.de/ and der Polizei-Führungsakademie in Münster http://www.pfa.nrw.de/. eDoc collects data of police science, informs about publications and seminars and provides information about police science and related questions in Europe. If you are interested in access to eDoc please contact Andree.vanhoevelaken@gmx.de or vanhoevelaken@pfa-ms.de quoting your first and familiy name as well as your e-mail address.

8. Krimpedia

At http://www.kriminologie.uni-hamburg.de/ you will find the new online project Krimpedia. The free encyclopaedia of the Hamburger Instituts für kriminologische Sozialforschung is still being developed, but it is continuously extended by students and the teaching staff.

9. DNA Analysis

This 8-page booklet is an overview of DNA analysis for friends and family of missing persons to help them understand the process forensic scientists go through to identify human remains. The booklet explains what DNA analysis can and cannot do, describes the sources of DNA that forensic scientists might use, and explains the differences between nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. “Identifying Victims Using DNA: A Guide for Families” is available on the National Institute of Justice Web site at http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/209493.pdf.

10. Intercultural Competence of Police

The Commissioner for Migrants of Brandenburg has submitted a 68-page booklet containing contributions of an experts’ meeting in August 2004 on this topic. For more information see http://www.brandenburg.de/media/1333/1.polizei.pdf or contact steffen.gruenert@masgf.brandenburg.de. A printed version is as well available. (Thanks to F.Menzner)

11. Police Use of Force – Empirical Study in USA

In most countries use of force by police officers is an extremely rare and extraordinary incident – as well as use of force against police officers. Indeed most contacts of police officers and citizens are not violent, but those ending violently (from which side whatever) are often the incentive for discussion and subsequent investigation and criminal proceedings. In a recently published book two well-known American police researchers go into the question of how police violence develops. First they present the international police research in this field, then they submit results of their own empirical study. In order to compare various police districts they examined, they introduce the so-called “force factor” as measuring factor, indicating the use of force in relation to the resistance of the counterpart or his/her use of force. Furthermore, the book deals with the course of action of police use of force, mainly from the suspect’s point of view. The theory taken as a basis for the analysis is called „Authority Maintenance Theory“ by the authors. This theory proceeds from the assumption that actions of police officers are mainly meant to maintain authority. An important book, worth reading! Source: Geoffrey P. Alpert and Roger G. Dunham: Understanding Police Use Of Force. Officers, Suspects, and Reciprocity. Cambridge University Press 2004, Paperback ISBN 0 521 54675 3, 15.99 £ or 22.99 $, hardcover ISBN 0 521 83773 1. 40 £ or 65 $. For a detailed review see: http://www.polizei-newsletter.de/buecher.htm

Polizei-Newsletter No. 78, September 2005

1. What works – a review from Great Britain

2. Australasian Centre for Policing Research

3. People who are better informed about crime and sentencing tend to rate the Criminal Justice System more highly

4. Evaluierung Europäischer Justizsysteme

5. Crimes Against the Elderly Detailed

6. Violence Against Women Research

7. Managing Citizen Calls to the Police With 911/311 Systems

8. Police Strategies and Politics in Finland

9. Is sexual and physical abuse in childhood and adolescence risk factors for becoming a victim of violence against women as an adult?

10. Is Crime Reduction Due to COPS Grants?

11. First Law Enforcement Training Academies Study Released

12. Criminal Careers

13. Crime Policy in Europe. Good Practices and Promising Examples

1. What works – a review from Great Britain

This report was commissioned by the Home Office to review and update knowledge of ‘what works’ in corrections to reduce re - offending. The report builds on a review, which assessed the evidence available in the mid-1990s on ways to reduce offending. Against a background of more severe sentencing, rising prison population, increase in community sentences, reduction in use of fines, and the twin aims of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) to punish offenders and to reduce re - offending, this report reviews the evidence on the impact of corrections on re-offending. The report identifies factors associated with offending, including problems with education, employment, accommodation, drugs and alcohol, mental health and social networks. The evidence on case management models identifies core principles for effective offender management to support the delivery and effectiveness of interventions to address these problems. The review concludes with an assessment of the evidence and the quality of the research to highlight improvements that are required in policy design, implementation and evaluation to determine the success of NOMS. Home Office Research Study 291 - The impact of corrections on re-offending: a review of ‘what works’, direct link: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/hors291.pdf

2. Australasian Centre for Policing Research

The Centre’s reports of their projects and research are presented on their website. A periodical can be subscribed. http://www.acpr.gov.au

3. People who are better informed about crime and sentencing tend to rate the Criminal Justice System more highly

Previous research has shown that knowledge about crime and the criminal justice system amongst the public is poor. However, people who are better informed about crime and sentencing tend to rate the CJS more highly. Former research found that providing information led to both increased levels of knowledge and increased confidence in the CJS. A booklet by the British Home Office, ‘Catching up with crime and sentencing’, is 20 pages long and contains charts, as well as brief sections of text. It had been found to be as effective a way of providing information as the other formats, but was the least expensive. Therefore, it was given to a sub-sample of 845 respondents from the 2002/03 British Crime Survey (BCS). Around two weeks later, these respondents were contacted for a follow-up interview, in which they were asked some of the same questions that they had been asked in the BCS interview. A quarter of respondents said that the booklet had changed their views. Reading or flicking through the booklet led to an improved knowledge about violent crime and crime trends, but knowledge on the proportion of burglars and rapists sentenced to immediate custody was not improved. Respondents’ knowledge about the proportion of a sentence spent in prison was good prior to being given the booklet. For those who looked at the booklet, confidence increased in all the aspects of the CJS asked about. On-line report 64/04 - Public attitudes to the criminal justice system: the impact of providing information to British Crime Survey respondents: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/rdsolr6404.pdf

4. Evaluating European Justice

The European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) presents a number of documents concerning its work at: http://www.coe.int/cepej.

5. Crimes Against the Elderly Detailed

"Crimes Against Persons Age 65 or Older, 1993-2002" (4 pp.) (NCJ 206154) presents data from the National Crime Victimization Survey and the Uniform Crime Reports comparing crimes against persons age 65 or older with those in younger age groups. (BJS) Access full text at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/cpa6502.htm

6. Violence Against Women Research

The "Compendium of Research on Violence Against Women, 1993-2004" is a compilation of NIJ-funded research on violence against women. The description of each project includes the value of the grant, principal investigator, NIJ monitor, and status of the project. Please check back occasionally as the Compendium is updated regularly. (NIJ) http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/vawprog/vaw_portfolio.pdf For more information on Violence Against Women programs, visit:

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/vawprog/welcome.html Also of interest: Dentistry and Family Violence Intervention Addressed. "Family Violence: An Intervention Model for Dental Professionals" (11 pp.) (NCJ 204004) describes a training model that teaches dental professionals how to recognize symptoms and patterns of abuse, create a safe environment for disclosure, intervene appropriately, refer patients to appropriate services, and file mandatory reports.
http://www.ovc.gov/publications/bulletins/dentalproviders/ncj204004.pdf

7. Managing Citizen Calls to the Police With 911/311 Systems

Many 911 systems are overwhelmed with calls that are not emergencies. In the mid-1990s, some jurisdictions introduced the “311” nonemergency number to relieve overburdened 911 systems. Do 311 systems effectively reduce nonemergency calls to 911 operators and free more time for police officers on neighborhood beats? An NIJ study concluded that, accompanied by an effective public awareness campaign, a 311 system can greatly reduce the 911 call burden. During the first year its 311 system, Baltimore saw a 99-percent drop in lowest priority calls to 911. The researchers found, however, that capitalizing on such a major change in citizen reporting requires careful planning and organizational changes. Two NIJ documents based on this study target different criminal justice audiences. Managing Citizen Calls to the Police With 911/311 Systems describes for police practitioners the findings about 311 call systems and their impact on law enforcement operations. Calling 311: Guidelines for Policymakers provides a brief overview of policy and implementation issues from a senior management perspective. These reports are available online at the National Institute of Justice Web site. Managing Citizen Calls to the Police With 911/311 Systems Research for Practice (NCJ 206256) http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/206256.pdf Calling 311: Guidelines for Policymakers

Research for Policy (NCJ 206257) http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/206257.pdf

8. Police Strategies and Politics in Finland

The house of senate with the Ministry of Interior decided in 2004, to make Finland the safest country in Europe by 2015. To achieve this goal, Ministry of Interior has started campaign on three "fronts"; street safety, work place security and domestic safety and security. During the year 2005 the Finish police are starting multiple projects to achieve this goal. The final reports will be published in the Police-Newsletter later this year. An other project is a pan-european project to network and gather information on threat assessment and threat management. The main goal is to prevent targeted violence, mainly in domestic violence cases and also in celebrity stalking cases. There was a first meeting in Brussels last November with 26 participants from 8 European countries. This fall they are planning to have the next meeting, and if any people from abroad are interested of this network (and have valuable experience, information or research to share with them), the Police-Newsletter may provide the contact to Finland. Special thanks to Totti "Mike" Karpela, sergeant, Threat Management Services, Helsinki Police Department

9. Is sexual and physical abuse in childhood and adolescence risk factors for becoming a victim of violence against women as an adult?

“Violence Against Women: Identifying Risk Factors,” is available online at the National Institute of Justice Web site at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/197019.htm This NIJ Research in Brief combines the results taken from two studies, one of which followed college women and men for 4 years, and the other, which followed low-income, mostly black women who had been victims of childhood sexual abuse. Each study found that child sexual abuse alone was a risk factor only when combined with adolescent sexual abuse. Although each study examined a narrowly defined population, taken together, both studies came to remarkably similar conclusions.

10. Is Crime Reduction Due to COPS Grants?

"Funding Community Policing to Reduce Crime: Have COPS Grants Made a Difference From 1994 to 2000?" (61 pp.) (NCJ 207917) examines how funding from the COPS Office between 1994 and 1999 affected violent and property crime rates in the United States from 1995 through 2000. The analyses suggest that COPS hiring and innovative grant programs are related to significant reductions in local crime rates in cities with populations greater than 10,000 for both violent and non-violent offenses. Multivariate analysis shows that in cities with populations greater than 10,000 an increase in one dollar of hiring grants per resident contributed to a corresponding decline of 10.95 violent crimes and 27.88 property crimes per 100,000 residents. Similarly, an increase in one dollar of innovative grant funding per resident was found to contribute to a decline of 4.30 violent crimes and 10.07 property crimes per 100,000 persons. Furthermore, COPS MORE grants had a significant effect on property crime between 1995 and 2000. An increase in one dollar in MORE grant funding corresponded to a decline of 17.12 property crimes per 100,000 residents. Access full text at COPS Online: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/mime/open.pdf?Item=1414

11. First Law Enforcement Training Academies Study Released

"State and Local Law Enforcement Training Academies, 2002" (27 pp.) (NCJ 204030), the first survey of training academies ever conducted by BJS, presents data on personnel, facilities and resources, trainees, and training curricula of law enforcement academies in the United States, from the 2002 Census of Law Enforcement Training Academies. (BJS) Access full text at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/slleta02.htm

12. Criminal Careers

There are seven articles dealing with criminal careers, partly based on US longitudinal studies. It is about the period of 1985 to 2000 in New York City, the so-called Pittsburgh Youth Study, where juveniles born in the same year were examined at the age of 11 to 20. and other comparable studies. Source: Francis, Brian; Fagan, Jeffrey; Piquero, Nicole Leeper; and others. „Criminal careers“. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 20(2):103-228, 2004.

13. Crime Policy in Europe. Good Practices and Promising Examples

The Criminological Scientific Council of the European Council is a body who, among other activities, develops suggestions on crime policy for the European Council. As early as 2000 they published a book titled “Crime and Criminal Justice in Europe“ to inform about new developments. The new book especially presents crime political projects evaluated as successful or promising. Crime Policy in Europe. Good Practices and Promising Examples Published by Council of Europe Publishing, Strasbourg 2004, 208 pages, 19.- Euro. Order at http://book.coe.int , Fax +33-388413910. Detailed review (In German) at: http://www.polizei-newsletter.de/buecher.htm

Police Newsletter No. 79, October 2005

1. Guide Lines For Creating Community-Wide Networks For the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency

2. Large Urban Area Crime Survey Data Analyzed

3. Interactions between Police and the Public Examined

4. The effects of patrol workloads and response strength on arrests at burglary emergencies

5. Creating Safe Neighbourhoods

6. Once again: The Effectiveness of Video Monitoring

7. Alarmanlagen und polizeiliche Reaktion

8. The Influence of “Three strikes and you are out” on the Crime Rate of US Cities

9. The Dark Side of „Gemeinschaft”: Criminality Within Rural Communities

10. Arrest. Recommendations of the European Council 1962-2003

11. Giessen Delinquency Interviews Online

12. Identification Commission (IDKO) of the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation

13. Policing Theories for the 21st Century?

1. Guide Lines For Creating Community-Wide Networks For the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency

The guide lines developed out of the research accompanying the model project 'Forum Jugendkriminalität' (forju) and can be found at http://www.sylvialustig.de/projekte/index.html or with the direct link for downloading: http://www.sylvialustig.de/downloads/netzwerkleitlinien2005.pdf

TF (Thanks to Silvia Lustig)

2. Large Urban Area Crime Survey Data Analyzed

"Crime and Victimization in the Three Largest Metropolitan Areas, 1980-98" (8 pp.) (NCJ 208075) examines burglary, robbery, and aggravated assault in the metropolitan areas of New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles to assess changes in reporting to the police over time. This analysis of National Crime Victimization Survey data was prepared by Janet L. Lauritsen and Robin J. Schaum, University of Missouri-St. Louis. Access full text at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/cv3lma98.htm

3. Interactions between Police and the Public Examined

"Contacts between Police and the Public: Findings from the 2002 National Survey" (35 pp.) (NCJ 207845) presents data on the nature and characteristics of contacts between residents of the U.S. and the police over a 12-month period. (BJS)
Access full text at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/cpp02.htm

4. The effects of patrol workloads and response strength on arrests at burglary emergencies

This study was concerned with response-related capture at residential burglary emergencies. Successfully catching burglars red-handed depended on response times, and particularly on numbers of units attending, as well as on incident characteristics. Response quickness and strength were influenced by the number of patrols available to respond, and this, in turn, reflected the workloads placed on patrols. Lighter workloads per patrol improved the chances of on-scene capture, though burglary circumstances determined the incidents at which this proved most promising. Stronger responses may offer scope for on-scene and near-scene capture at incidents with longer reporting delays than hitherto supposed. Findings are at odds with previous research, indicating that emergency response may be more effective than generally supposed in the UK, if not in the USA, particularly when calls are graded, units on patrol are matched to the incidence of emergencies, and single-crewed units can be used. The effects of patrol workloads and response strength on arrests at burglary emergencies by R. T. Coupe and L. Blake. In: Journal of Criminal Justice, May-June, 2005

5. Creating Safe Neighbourhoods

A complete book deals with the question how to make neighbourhoods safer. The book mainly presents guidelines for architects and examples from the USA, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. Basically it demonstrates that relatively simple prevention strategies considered early in the planning process can make neighbourhoods safer. Source: Colquhoun, Ian. Design out crime: Creating safe and sustainable communities. London: Elsevier, 2004, 325 pp.

6. Once again: The Effectiveness of Video Monitoring

This is a survey presenting the results of 19 evaluations of monitoring projects. The authors detected that monitoring can lead to an all-over reduction of 21 percent, mainly on parking areas and when the monitoring goes together with improved lighting. Source: Welsh, Brandon C.: Farrington, David P. „Evidence-based crime prevention: The effectiveness of CCTV.“ Crime Prevention and Community Safety: An International Journal, 6(2):21-33, 2004.

7. Alarm systems and reaction by police forces

What is the impact of frequent false alarms on police response and probability? The contribution shows app. 25 p.c of all alarm systems are responsible for all false alarms. If they could be eliminated the police response to alarms would be much more effective. Source: Cahalane, Mike. „Police response: A declining partnership?“ Security Journal, 17(2):35-54, 2004.

8. The Influence of “Three strikes and you are out” on the Crime Rate of US Cities

What was the impact of the controversial US „Three strikes and you are out“? To find this out the data within the period between 1980 and 2000 of all 188 US cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants have been evaluated. Between 1993 and 1996, 110 of these cities enacted laws saying that offenders were automatically sentenced to lifetime imprisonment after committing the third crime. The evaluation shows that the statistics are unable to prove a correlation between these laws and the crime rate development. The laws were not found to be deterrent and the crime rate to be reduced by the imprisonment of certain offenders. The declining crime rate in some of the cities within this period is more due to other factors (e.g. demographic) than to these laws. The study also looks into the considerable costs caused by these laws. Another study investigating the period of 1989 to 2000 in California comes to the same conclusion. Source: Kovandzic, Tomislav V.: Sloan, John J.: Vieraitis, Lynne M. „Striking out´ as crime reduction policy: The impact of ´three strikes` laws on crime rates in U.S. cities.” Justice Quarterly, 21(2):207-239, 2004 und Worrall, John L. “The effect of three-strikes legislation on serious crime in California.” Journal of Criminal Justice, 32(4):283-296, 2004

9. The Dark Side of „Gemeinschaft”: Criminality Within Rural Communities

Two studies deals with crime in rural areas and the question if the lower crime rate there is fact or constrct. It is interesting that the authors use the German term “Gemeinschaft” to point out that scientists are discussing if this “Gemeinschaft” can be crime preventing. As a result both studies show that rural communities have informal social rules according to which certain crimes are tolerated and the report or non-report of others are dictated in an informal way. The consequence is that many victims suffer silently, others are urged to conform and not to make a report against somebody of the “Gemeinschaft”, whereas in other cases the “Gemeinschaft” feels that “it serves them right”. This is not only true for offences against property but also for other crimes, e.g. sexual offences. Source: Barclay, E., Donnermeyer, J. E., & Jobes, P. C. (2004). The dark side of Gemeinschaft: Criminality within rural communities. Crime Prevention and Community Safety: An International Journal, 6(3), 7-22.

10. Arrest. Recommendations of the European Council 1962-2003

Selected sources and selected, mainly recent citation concerning Germany, Austria and Switzerland as well as European and international institutions dealing with criminal justice, criminal proceedings, penal system, constitutional and human rights were revised by Hans-Jürgen Kerner and Frank Czerner, Institut für Kriminologie of Universität Tübingen (April 2005). The e-list refers to a printed document attached to “Freiheitsentzug. Die Empfehlungen des Europarates 1962-2003, Herausgegeben von Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz“ edited by Bundesministerium der Justiz, Berlin, Bundesministerium für Justiz, Wien, Eidgenössischen Justiz- und Polizeidepartement, Bern. Mönchengladbach: Forum Verlag Godesberg 2004. See also at http://www.polizei-newsletter.de/pdf-files.htm .

11. Giessen Delinquency Interviews Online

The results of the delinquency interviews which are carried out regularly by Professor Kreuzer (Giessen University) can be found, as well as other material, at http://www.uni-giessen.de/~g11039/

12. Identification Commission (IDKO) of the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation

A large number of people was killed or hurt by the disastrous natural disaster in South East Asia, among them not only natives, but also Germans and other Europeans. In order to identify the victims quickly and thus to inform the relatives about what had happened to their loved ones the identification Commission (IDKO) of the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation, the experts of which are accepted worldwide, was sent there. The Federal Office of Criminal Investigation informs on its homepage about the action and the IDKO’s work. More details at: http://www.bka.de/

13. Policing Theories for the 21st Century?

Theories about policing have been discussed more thoroughly in Germany for some time. Unfortunately there are no monographs on the changes in police theories during recent years and decades. All the more numerous is the literature in English-speaking countries and all the more difficult is it for German readers to realise and classify this multiplicity. A book has been published that could close this gap, but actually, it does not. Unfortunately this author also limits his analysis to the development in Great Britain, the USA and (as an exception to others in USA and UK) Australia. Of course you can draw parallels and similarities to the development of the German situation. The overall poor scientific foundation of the book, however, is annoying. For the detailed review (in German) see: http://www.polizei-newsletter.de/buecher.htm. Source: Charles Edwards: Changing Policing Theories for the 21st century societies. 2^nd edition, ISBN 1682875375, 355 pages, Federation Press, Willan Publishing, Devon, UK, 2005. Paperback £ 24.95

Police Newsletter No. 80, November 2005

1. Stable Modus Operandi In Sexual Offences?

2. Media and Crime

3. COMPSTAT’s and Its Effects

4. Confidence in the Police and Fear of Crime

5. Informal Social Control and Social Work

6. Virtual Specialized Library Recht (Law)

7. Adapting Successful Responses to Problem-Oriented Policing

8. Young Researchers’ Group on Comparative Micro-Sociology of Criminal Proceedings
9. Police History

10. Better Social Climate Through School Uniforms?

11. Young Immigrants and Crime in Berlin

12. New Study: Less Physical Violence in Schools

13. Crime Prevention in Big Neighbourhoods – An Evaluation of Constructional and Social Measures Shown in East and West German Multi-storey Building Neighbourhoods

1. Stable Modus Operandi In Sexual Offences?

A Swedish study deals with the stability of the modus operandi concerning sexual offences. The authors examine 1,300 offenders released from Swedish prisons between 1993 and 1997. Within a period of six years after their release a majority showed a relatively stable modus operandi mainly referring to victim selection. Source: Sjöstedt, G., Langström, N., Sturidsson, K., et al. (2004). Stability of modus operandi in sexual offending. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 31(5), 609-623.

2. Media and Crime

Two contributions go into the re-occurring question if and how media have an influence on crime. 480 Washington citizens were interviewed for the first one. Basically it revealed that the media play an important role as far as attitudes and fear of crime are concerned. Those stating their local TV programme as the most important supplier of news show the greatest fear of crime compared to those using news papers, national TV programmes and other media. However, the study as well reveals that media have various effects which significantly depend on the social structure of the individual. The fact that media have especially strong effects if their message coincides with the users’ experience and the conditions of life adds to this. Source: Weitzer, R., & Kubrin, C. E. (2004). Breaking news: How local TV news and real-world conditions affect fear of crime. Justice Quarterly, 21(3), 497-520. The questions whether the representation of violence in TV, films, video games and music cause violence is examined in the other contribution. The findings show that such an effect was found in many studies and mainly proven to be true for lighter forms of aggressions. The use of media in early childhood is essential and especially in cases of violence experience within families. And again the social and social-structural environmental conditions are essential. The contribution as well shows that measures taken by parents to counteract can well be successful. Source: Anderson, C. A., Berkowitz, L., Donnerstein, E., et al. (2003). The influence of media violence on youth. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 4(3), 81-100.

3. COMPSTAT’s and Its Effects

It has become silent about the so-called New York model and the „COMPSTAT method“ applied there. One of the reasons may be that various empirical studies could show that the effect on policing was not as clear as originally expected. A recent contribution deals with the question how to apply and realise the COMPSTAT method in bureaucratic organisations. The authors of the contribution conclude that the same bureaucratic factors causing ineffective policing now prevent that the basically effective COMPSTAT methods can lead to positive results. Source: Willis, J. J., Mastrofski, S. D., & Weisburd, D. (2004). COMPSTAT and bureaucracy: A case study of challenges and opportunities for change. Justice Quarterly, 21(3), 463-496.

4. Confidence in the Police and Fear of Crime

The study examines if there is a connection between confidence in the police and fear of crime. More than 700 citizens of North Carolina were interviewed in two years each. The result shows: the higher the confidence in the police, the lower the fear of crime – vice versa. Source: Ho. T., & McKean, J. (2004). Confidence in the police and perceptions of risk. Western Criminology Review, 5(2), 108-118.

5. Informal Social Control and Social Work

The existence and intensity of informal social control has been considered to be an important crime preventing factor for some time. The contribution deals with the question if and how the police can exert an influence on this informal social control. The result shows that the social control and the social cohesion within the neighbourhood can be enhanced where the police succeeds in building up more intensive relations to the citizens. Source: Silver, E., & Miller, L. L. (2004). Sources of informal social control in Chicago neighborhoods. Criminology, 42(3), 551-583.

6. Virtual Specialized Library Recht (Law)

A list of recent accessions of the specialized collection “Recht” is offered on the web site of the Virtual Specialized Library “Recht” (www.vifa-recht.de) at www.vifa-recht.de/buecher/neuerwerbungsliste.html

7. Adapting Successful Responses to Problem-Oriented Policing

"Researching a Problem" (72 pp.) (NCJ 209526), a new COPS POP Guide, is the second guide in the Problem-Solving Tools Series designed to summarize knowledge about information gathering and analysis techniques that might assist police at any of the four main stages of a problem-oriented project: scanning, analysis, response, and assessment. (COPS) http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/mime/open.pdf?Item=1463

8. Young Researchers’ Group on Comparative Micro-Sociology of Criminal Proceedings
We all seem to know what court hearings are about. We can watch them on TV, read criminal novels or browse the many courtroom reports in the papers. Why this publicity? Court hearings appear as fascinating events, offering surprising coming outs, clever moves, passionate disputes – and insights into the dark sides of human nature. Source: www.law-in-action.de

9. Police History

The exhibition "Der Ordnung verpflichtet ... Auf den Spuren der hannoverschen Polizei zwischen 1918 und 1955“ in the internet at http://www.staatsarchive.niedersachsen.de/master/C3444183_N2545588_L20_D0_I503.html gives an insight into the activities of the Hanover Police in twelve stations.

10. Better Social Climate Through School Uniforms?

In summer 2004 the headmaster of a comprehensive school near Hanover stipulated what kind of clothes had to be worn at school. A debate about the advantages and disadvantages of uniforms in German schools began. A team of teaching researchers of the Justus-Liebig-Universität, Gießen, presented the results of an empirical study about school uniforms. Its results were published in the magazine „Psychologie in Erziehung und Unterricht“, No. 4, titled „Kleider machen Schule? Korrelate des Tragens einheitlicher Schulkleidung“. They show that the social climate, the attention and the feeling of safety are enhanced and the importance of clothing in general is reduced in classes wearing school uniforms. However, these differences only become perceptible in upper classes after uniforms have been worn for some time. Further information: Dr. Oliver Dickhäuser, Fachbereich 06 (Psychologie und Sportwissenschaft), E-Mail: Oliver.Dickhaeuser@psychol.uni-giessen.de.

11. Young Immigrants and Crime in Berlin

The study by Frank Gesemann provides the most important information about immigrant crime in a both competent and concise form taking Berlin as an example, but not restricted to it. This study is recommended to all those who want to concern themselves with this topic, the discussion in the media and in public and the repressive and preventive arguments. Source: Frank Gesemann, Junge Zuwanderer und Kriminalität in Berlin. Bestandsaufnahme – Ursachenanalyse – Präventionsmaßnahmen. Berliner Beiträge zur Integration und Migration. Berlin 2004. ISBN 3-938352-00-0, 2,50 Euro, from the Beauftragter für Integration und Migration, Potsdamer Straße 65, 10785 Berlin, www.berlin.de/auslb , Fax 030-2625407. For a detailed review of the book see at: http://www.polizei-newsletter.de/buecher.htm

12. New Study: Less Physical Violence in Schools

Physical violence in schools has reduced during the passed ten years in Germany. This is the result of an empirical study of the Bundesverband der Unfallkassen (BUK) (Federation of Accident Insurers) in Munich. Especially clear is the reduction in extended elementary schools. There the fight accident rate (number of accidents per 1,000 pupils) from 48.6 in 1993 to 32.8 in 2003. It is significantly higher than in other school types, however. An increase in brutality could neither be verified. The study examined all accidents in grammar schools, elementary and extended elementary schools, secondary schools and schools for handicapped children which were due to aggressive acts of pupils and in which a doctor had to be consulted. The results were compared to the findings of the previous year beginning in 1993. Furthermore the study provides a summary of the present state of school violence research and the most important empirical findings on the situation at schools. The wide-spread assumption that primarily migrant pupils were involved in violence was found to be wrong. The tendency was even declining. As well the brutality of the fights was not found to be increasing. The fracture rate as a standard for serious injuries had not increased in any school type, it even decreased in tendency. In 2003 approx. 8.3 million pupils of grammar schools, elementary and extended elementary schools, secondary schools and schools for handicapped children were insured with State accident insurers. More information about pupils’ accidents insurance at www.unfallkassen.de . Follow the link “Statistik” for downloading the present study „Gewalt an Schulen“. http://content.unfallkassen.de/uploads/510/Gewalt_an_Schulen.pdf

TF (Thanks to G. Spiess)

13. Crime Prevention in Big Neighbourhoods – An Evaluation of Constructional and Social Measures Shown in East and West German Multi-storey Building Neighbourhoods

The Max-Planck-Institut for Foreign and International Criminal Law in Freiburg (http://www.mpicc.de) is carrying out an international research project to evaluate the effectiveness of integrative actions in crime prevention. The study’s focus is on social and constructional rehabilitation measures in six West and East European multi-storey building neighbourhoods. The guide line of the study is the question if urban development programmes can reduce the real extent of criminal and non-criminal deviance as well as the degree of subjective feeling of insecurity.

TF (Thanks to Tim Lukas)

Police Newsletter No. 81, December 2005

1. Racial discrimination, xenophobia, intolerance and the abuse of power plague police organisations

2. Guidebook for Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare System Coordination and Integration

3. Implementation and Outcome Evaluation of the Intensive Aftercare Program

4. 2005 Mock Prison Riot Registration Now Available

5. Societal Cost of Drug Abuse

6. A Comparative Study of College Students and Police Investigators

7. How to detect truths and lies by suspects

8. Police Use of Force

9. Policing in 2050 – Police Futurists and FBI

10. Crime in Europe Causes and Consequences

11. Police Phrase-book „World Championship 2006”

12. Reference Book about Policing Juveniles

13. Community Crime Prevention: More Security for Cities?

1. Racial discrimination, xenophobia, intolerance and the abuse of power plague police organisations

In recent years, allegations of racism and racial discrimination have led to public enquiries into many police agencies. Moreover, research suggests that supervisors are often unwilling to challenge racist banter and inappropriate language. This paper examines these issues and uses a critical analysis of theoretical and empirical research on selected police forces in England, South Africa, Australia and the United States. Policing and Human Rights: Eliminating Discrimination, Xenophobia, Intolerance and the Abuse of Power from Police Work (Bowling, B., Phillips, C., Campbell, A. and Docking, M., 2004, UNRISD) See: http://www.grc-exchange.org/statics/ID1052.html

2. Guidebook for Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare System Coordination and Integration

Because youth who have suffered maltreatment often enter the juvenile justice system, recent federal legislation has called for enhanced collaboration between the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. Two publications recently released by the Child Welfare League of America will interest those involved in such efforts. "Guidebook for Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare System Coordination and Integration: Framework for Improved Outcomes" by Janet K. Wiig and John A. Tuell. The 112-page guidebook addresses barriers to improving services across multiple youth-serving systems and provides strategies, tools, and resources for overcoming these barriers. "Promoting a Coordinated and Integrated Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice System" by John A. Tuell. This 8-page action strategy outlines a planning process for developing a coordinated and integrated youth-serving system. Resources: You may access both publications through the Child Welfare League of America's Web site. "Guidebook for Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare System Coordination and Integration: Framework for Improved Outcomes" is available at http://www.cwla.org/programs/juvenilejustice/jjguidebook.htm. "Promoting a Coordinated and Integrated Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice System" is available at http://www.cwla.org/programs/juvenilejustice/jjintercord.htm.

3. Implementation and Outcome Evaluation of the Intensive Aftercare Program

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) announces the availability of “Implementation and Outcome Evaluation of the Intensive Aftercare Program: Final Report.” The OJJDP-sponsored Intensive Aftercare Program (IAP) addresses a critical problem facing the nation's juvenile justice system: how to reduce recidivism among high-risk parolees through intensive supervision and services after they have been released from detention. The Report presents the findings from a 5-year, multisite evaluation of the implementation and outcomes of IAP. Resources: “Implementation and Outcome Evaluation of the Intensive Aftercare Program: Final Report” is only available online at http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/publications/PubAbstract.asp?pubi=12063.

4. 2005 Mock Prison Riot Registration Now Available

The annual Mock Prison Riot, which takes place in the former West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville from May 1-4, 2005, showcases emerging corrections and law enforcement technologies. It gives corrections officers and tactical team members an opportunity to use and evaluate the technologies used in riot training scenarios. (NIJ) For more information, visit
http://www.oletc.org/riot/index.html To register, visit: http://www.oletc.org/riot/riot_reg.html

5. Societal Cost of Drug Abuse

"The Economic Costs of Drug Abuse in the United States, 1992-2002" (112 pp.) (NCJ 207303) presents current and trend estimates of the economic costs of drug abuse in the United States. (ONDCP). The economic cost of drug abuse in 2002 was estimated at $180.9 billion. This value represents both the use of resources to address health and crime consequences as well as the loss of potential productivity from disability, death and withdrawal from the legitimate workforce. This estimate has incorporated extensive new data, although several major components have been trended forward. http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/economic_costs/

6. A Comparative Study of College Students and Police Investigators

"I'd Know a False Confession if I Saw One": A Comparative Study of College Students and Police Investigators Author(s): Saul M. Kassin, Christian A. Meissner, Rebecca J. Norwick. In: Law and Human Behavior (ISSN: 0147-7307), 29, 2, 211 – 227. Article with interesting information on the accuracy of judging lies with investigation officers compared to US students. http://springerlink.metapress.com/link.asp?ID=Q483417332PT2G78

TF (Thanks to HJKerner)

7. How to detect truths and lies by suspects

In this British research, 99 police officers attempted to detect truths and lies told by suspects during their videotaped police interviews. Accuracy rates were higher than those typically found in deception research, and reached levels similar to those obtained by specialized lie detectors in previous research. Accuracy was positively correlated with perceived experience in interviewing suspects and with mentioning cues to detecting deceit that relate to a suspect’s story. Accuracy was negative correlated with popular stereotypical cues, such as gaze aversion and fidgeting. As in previous work, accuracy and confidence were not significantly correlated, but the level of confidence did depend on whether officers judged actual truths or actual lies, and on the method by which confidence was measured. Quelle: Mann, S., Vrij, Al, & Bull, R. (2004). Detecting true lies: Police officers’ ability to detect suspects´ lies. In: Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(1), 137-149.

8. Police Use of Force

A random sample of 499 police officers in Philadelphia completed surveys that included 5 hypothetical vignettes depicting a variety of deviant and conforming behaviours. Three key findings emerged. First, officers considered the acceptance of gifts from the public or from businesses to be normative and not indicative of other, more serious, forms of misconduct. Second, officers´ attitudes toward the use of excessive force were related to citizen complaints more than were attitudes toward theft or accepting gifts. Finally, respondents anticipated more punishment for theft than for using force, though variables related to force were the most consistent predictors of citizen complaints. Quelle: Chappel, Allison T.; Piquero, Alex R. “Applying social learning theory to police misconduct.” In: Deviant Behavior, 25(2):89-108, 204.

9. Policing in 2050 – Police Futurists and FBI

In February, 2002, a group of police managers and futurists representing the FBI and the Society of Police Futurists International (PFI)( www.policefuturists.org ) assembled at the FBI Academy in Quantico. Their goal: to form an organization that would develop forecasts and strategies to ethically maximize the effectiveness of local, state, federal, and international law enforcement bodies in the 21st century. Two months later, FBI Director Robert Mueller and PFI President Gerald Konkler signed a Memorandum of Understanding creating the Futures Working Group (FWG). Since its inception, the FWG has assembled a body of work relating to the future and policing. The purpose of futures research is to intrigue, goad, and challenge. Ultimately, those who fancy themselves futurists hope to make people think. The collection of papers is available at: Jensen, Carl J., III and Levin, Bernard H. (editors), Neighborhood-Driven Policing: Proceedings of the FuturesWorking Group, Volume I, A Series of Working Papers from the Futures Working Group, U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Academy, Futures Working Group, Behavioral Science Unit, Quantico, Virginia, January 2005, 42 pages. Online:

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/td/fwg/neighborhood/neighborhood-driven-policing.pdf .

10. Crime in Europe Causes and Consequences

The more generous social welfare system in Europe is one of the most important differences between the European and the US society. Defenders of the European welfare state argue that it improves social cohesion and prevents crime. On the other hand, the US economy is performing quite well such that crime rates might come down due to better legal income opportunities. This book takes this trade-off as a point of departure and contributes to a better interdisciplinary understanding of the interactions between crime, economic performance and social exclusion. It evaluates the existing economic and criminological research and provides innovative empirical investigations on the basis of international panel data sets from different levels of regional aggregation. Among other aspects, results clearly reveal the crime reducing potential of intact families and the link beween crime and labour market. A special focus is on estimating the consequences of crime, a topic rarely analysed in literature. Crime in Europe Causes and Consequences, Entorf, Horst, Spengler, Hannes, 2002, IX, 235 p. 18 illus., Hardcover, ISBN: 3-540-42326-5

11. Police Phrase-book „World Championship 2006”

A phrase-book for the world championship 2006 has been compiled at the University of Applied Police Sciences in Villingen-Schwenningen. At present it is only available in the Police Intranet. Contact: poststelle@fhpol-vs.de

12. Reference Book about Policing Juveniles

Two experienced police officers have drawn up a reference book about policing juveniles “Handbuch der polizeilichen Jugendarbeit", based on their real-life experience. Wilfried Dietsch, head of the staff division operation, training and technique and Police President Deputy of the Bavarian anti-riot police, and Chief Inspector Werner Gloss, head of a working group of officers specialised in working with young people and co-ordinator of “police and juveniles” of the Police Headquarters Fürth (Bavaria). For the detailed review see http://www.polizei-newsletter.de/buecher.htm. Source: Wifried Dietsch und Werner Gloss: Handbuch der polizeilichen Jugendarbeit. Prävention und kriminalpädagogische Intervention. Boorberg - Verlag, Stuttgart u.a., 1. Aufl. 2005, ISBN: 3-415-03380-5. 266 pages, € 23.00

13. Community Crime Prevention: More Security for Cities?

Community crime prevention and its effects are an important field of research and publication. Less attention is paid to these committees and their members. This is the starting point of Henning van der Brink’s dissertation „Kommunale Kriminalprävention. Mehr Sicherheit für die Stadt? Eine qualitative Studie über kommunale Präventionsgremien“, published by Verlag für Polizeiwissenschaft. For a detailed review see http://www.polizei-newsletter.de/buecher.htm. Source: Henning van der Brink. Kommunale Kriminalprävention: Mehr Sicherheit für die Stadt? Eine qualitative Studie über Kommunale Präventionsgremien. Verlag für Polizeiwissenschaft Clemens Lorei, Frankfurt/Main 2005, ISBN 3-935 979 - 56 – 8. 132 pages, € 15.90