Separate studies of sex offenders in treatment while serving prison sentences and placed on probation suggest that psychological force is more commonly used in sexual assault than physical force. Seven types of psychological force are described, and the conceptual validity of this schematic for use in treatment is evaluated. (Author/EMK)

Detecting and combating plagiarism from Web-based sources is a concern for administrators and instructors involved in online distance education. In this paper, we quantify copy-and-paste plagiarism among adult learners in an online geography course offered through Penn State's World Campus Geographic Information Systems (GIS) certificate program.…

The purpose of this report is to present the results of a crime victimization survey conducted among Virginia residents. The description of the findings is divided into four sections: criminal victimization experiences, reporting of victimizations, attitudes toward crime, and crime prevention and protection measures. The report is offered as a…

Over the past ten years, probation departments across the state of California have seen a number of important changes in the way they do business. Beginning with Title IV-A-EA in 1993, departments began a system-wide "sea change," from a focus on suppression, enforcement, and monitoring of youthful offenders to a focus on families and on…

A statistical model is presented for evaluating the effectiveness of the Demerit Points System of Victoria (Australia) in reducing traffic offenses. Estimates of the mean waiting time between offenses were made by maximum likelihood methods. Empirical results with 46,982 drivers--participants in a Driver Improvement Program--support the system's…

Discusses Erving Goffman's work on public places with regard to how that work represents women's experience in public places. Reviews strategies that women devise to manage appearances in public places in order to illustrate how gender-conscious appraisal is necessary to appreciate the character of public places. (Author/LS)

Criminal justice agencies often call for partnerships with the community. In restorative and community justice initiatives, citizen volunteers often serve as decision makers in nonadversarial sanctioning. Although prior research has reported the attitudes of other participants in restorative decision making, such as victims and offenders, none…

There is a great deal of rhetoric concerning the prevention of violence and related problems faced by youth. A conference speech, this document advocates that rhetoric must be replaced by an examination of available data and experience with school-based prevention programs. This is especially important in light of a growing emphasis on "Safe…

Using multiple regression techniques, evaluates the relative contributions of community structure, school structure, and crime prevention efforts to delinquency in public schools. Finds that distance from central business district, school size, and region are of predictive value, when crimes against persons, property, and perceived crime are…

Examined why preschoolers struggle to learn sexual abuse prevention concepts that children a few years older learn easily. Determined that preschoolers need programs produced specifically for them, programs that are developmentally graduated, present concepts in a logical order, ensure comprehension, and utilize audio-visual production features…

Examined cases of attempted nonfamily abductions, to determine child and family characteristics that may serve as risk factors for such incidents. The prevalence and risk-marker findings from this study reinforce the need to continue teaching "stranger danger" and suggest that children living in stressful or unstable family environments…

Senior administrators at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) guided the investigation of the college's safety and security. Through interviews, it was found that key concerns were protection of facilities (property), safety/security of university personnel, and the institution's public. An environmental approach to safety and security…

Reviews the history of school violence and explores probable reasons for its increase, particularly in rural areas. Among 20 rural school superintendents interviewed in southern Georgia, over half believed that school violence was increasing, and many reported using technology and additional programming to deter school violence. (LP)

The 50-item Violence-Related Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (V-RABS) includes three subscales measuring possible causes of violent behavior (environmental influences, biological influences, and mental illness) and four subscales assessing possible controls of violent behavior (death penalty, punishment, prevention, and catharsis). Each subscale…

A study of campus crime trends from 1974 to 1990 examines the relationships between campus crime and college characteristics. The research drew on merged national databases containing federal crime statistics, community demographic data, and campus characteristics. The results show that campus rates of both violent crime and property crime are…