Report of an evaluation presented to Research Development and Statistics Directorate, Home Office... more Report of an evaluation presented to Research Development and Statistics Directorate, Home Office; HM Prison Service England and Wales and Kainos Community in 2001.
This Digital Childhood paper considers how growing up in the digital environment directly
impacts... more This Digital Childhood paper considers how growing up in the digital environment directly impacts on a child’s development trajectory. It concludes that a managed route from infancy to adulthood is as important in the digital environment as it is in the analogue world. The digital environment was conceived as an environment for adult users. Not even its inventors thought it might one day be a place where childhood would be spent. Nor did they make any design concessions for child users. On the contrary, the utopian vision was that all users would be equal. And if all users are equal, then a child user is treated as if they were an adult. This urgently needed report describes the narrative of children and the digital environment. It defines their needs as a series of opportunities and requirements that align with their age and meet their development goals, rather than the current emphasis on a narrow set of adult-identified harms. For many readers this will be the first time that they have considered how the design and purposes of the digital world impacts on children and young people’s ability to meet their childhood development milestones. The report takes each age group in turn, sets out what we know about child development, the major digital interactions of children at that age, and then considers the risks and opportunities. Where there is existing evidence, it is cited and where the authors have extrapolated from their professional practice, it is indicated. In order to gather the range of expertise necessary it was imperative to consult across a large number of professional disciplines. The conclusion across all disciplines was unanimous. We need to recalibrate how we treat children in the digital environment.
1.1 Executive Summary
This paper provides a brief review of the operation of the Justice Data Lab... more 1.1 Executive Summary This paper provides a brief review of the operation of the Justice Data Lab (JDL), setting its work in the context of literature regarding effective rehabilitation of people who have offended. At the paper’s core is a request to begin to synthesise the findings of the JDL with a view to considering the ways in which the reports and findings from the JDL may be contributing to the wider evidence base about intervention and management of people who have offended. 1.2 Summary of Findings 1. It is hard to discern many trends given the relatively limited uptake of the service and challenges faced in aggregating the published data; 2. Nonetheless, there is positive evidence that the JDL has made a solid start to its operations; 3. The JDL has been generally well received by those who have used it; 4. It is encouraging to note that so many positive outcomes have been demonstrated across different interventions and sectors; 5. However, the majority of findings have been labelled as inconclusive, even when change has been observed; this has led to uncertainty from JDL clients about how to use such findings; 6. Whether a small or large cohort was put through the analysis, the magnitude of change observed did not vary significantly. This is a positive finding and indicates both that change can be observed and that it can be discerned despite statistical ‘noise’ in the model. a. It is not surprising that with relatively modest effect sizes, the changes observed fail to reach statistical significance when derived from small user cohorts; 7. Despite the caveats above, we can conclude that educational interventions (offered by the Prisoners’ Education Trust) are repeatedly demonstrated as being effective. There are also some positive findings arising from employability/employment initiatives although there is more variability in outcome here, warranting further investigation. 1.3 Recommendations Wherever possible, use natural language to summarise findings. We commend recent changes to the reporting format that start to make effect sizes more prominent however we believe that accessible language could improve the reports still further and suggest the Data Lab team continues to focus on helping non-specialists to interpret and use the results.. Page 2 of 39 Increase uptake and engagement. General awareness needs to be raised and if possible, routes should be found to enable smaller provider organisations to collaborate in drawing on the model. However, it is acknowledged that this may be difficult in practice due to the commissioning and implementation contexts in which different, potential competing, organisations work. Concomitantly, organisations should be better guided as to when the JDL measures may be inappropriate. Provide more support for using the findings. Advice to potential service users could provide more examples of ways in which to use the JDL reports, for example case studies of previous presentations made to Board of Trustees or commissioners may be useful. Better support for use of the findings would also help enhance engagement. Although, we also have to acknowledge that the resources of the Data Lab team within MOJ are limited, so it is unlilely they will be able to address this point and it might need funding from other sources. Set up a means to retain and make redacted uploaded data available. We concur with suggestions to retain data and agree that secondary analyses could be invaluable to both academic and policy debates. We note that possible ways in which to archive data and how far they should be made available are already under consideration by the JDL. Collate more information on intervention practices. In particular, information about intervention frequency, duration and intensity would be useful for future meta-analyses
This paper presents findings about young people’s experiences with online pornography. It draws o... more This paper presents findings about young people’s experiences with online pornography. It draws on data from the first national survey of secondary school boys and girls regarding their attitudes and feelings about online pornography, whether viewing it deliberately or accidentally. To our knowledge, this is the most extensive survey of 11-16 year olds regarding online pornography. The sample is representative of the four nations of the UK and includes boys and girls. The project was designed and run by academics from Middlesex University. It was implemented in conjunction with ResearchBods.
Objective: The present study assesses program efficacy of Growing Against Gangs and Violence
(GAG... more Objective: The present study assesses program efficacy of Growing Against Gangs and Violence (GAGV), a primary prevention partnership with the U.K. Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), delivered in London schools with the aim of reducing gang involvement, delinquency, and violent offending and improving young people’s confidence in police. GAGV is partially derived from an American program, Gangs Resistance Education and Training (GREAT). Method: A qualitative process evaluation and randomized control trial (RCT) outcomes study were undertaken. Results: Findings indicate GAGV personnel were keen to enhance program fidelity and process implementation. The RCT did not demonstrate a statistically significant program effect. However, effect sizes (ESs) indicate the program was effective in reducing levels of gang membership and the frequency and variety of delinquency and violence in the short- and longer term. More robust evidence indicated GAGV also improved students’ attitudes toward police and reduced their adherence toward street code. Conclusions: The use of cohort- (not individual-) level data and missing data in the 1-year follow-up make it difficult to draw reliable and robust conclusions. However, results are encouraging. Several recommendations are suggested for GAGV, including curriculum design, regular evaluations, and expanding to include more schools. Limitations of this and similar evaluations also are discussed.
A few robust conclusions can be reached from this REA, but it is apparent that much more research... more A few robust conclusions can be reached from this REA, but it is apparent that much more research is needed. Gender differences have emerged as a continuous and highly pertinent theme throughout the questions addressed by this REA. “Basically... porn is everywhere” | A Rapid Evidence Assessment on the Effects that Access and Exposure to Pornography has on Children and Young People 7 What can we confidently conclude? FINDING 1 (RQ1, P21): A significant proportion of children and young people are exposed to or access pornography but there are differences in the literature regarding the regularity of exposure and access (or the rate of recurrence) which highlight the importance of considering frequency as well as prevalence in order to obtain a full picture. FINDING 2 (RQ1, P24): Children and young people’s exposure and access to pornography occur both online and offline. However, in recent years the most common methods of access have changed from magazines, videos, television and books, with the internet becoming more dominant. There is some evidence that children and young people consider pornography easy to access and culturally prevalent. Accessing pornography through one method appears to be positively related to accessing it through others. FINDING 3 (RQ1, P23): Exposure and access to pornography appear to increase with age; there is greater risk of exposure with increasing age. Contradictory findings exist in relation to age of first exposure, with variations from 10 to 17 years old. FINDING 4 (RQ1, P22): Exposure is more prevalent than (ostensibly) deliberate access. However, there is considerable variation in the rates of unwanted exposure and some studies report significant numbers of children and young people accessing pornography. FINDING 5 (RQ1, P23): There are gender differences in exposure and access to pornography. Young men and boys are more likely to be exposed to pornography than young women and girls. They are also more likely to access, seek or use pornography and are exposed to or access pornography more frequently. These gender differences are also found in children and young people’s attitudes towards pornography. Boys and young men generally view pornography more positively and state that they view it primarily out of curiosity while girls and young women generally report that it is unwelcome and socially distasteful and that they feel much more uncomfortable than boys and young men when viewing pornography. FINDING 6 (RQ2, P34): Access and exposure to pornography affect children and young people’s sexual beliefs. For example, pornography has been linked to unrealistic attitudes about sex; maladaptive attitudes about relationships; more sexually permissive attitudes; greater acceptance of casual sex; beliefs that women are sex objects; more frequent thoughts about sex; sexual uncertainty (e.g. the extent to which children and young people are unclear about their sexual beliefs and values); and less progressive gender role attitudes (e.g. male dominance and female submission). Children and young people learn from and may change their behaviour due to exposure and access to pornography. FINDING 7 (RQ2, P36): Access and exposure to pornography are linked to children and young people’s engagement in “risky behaviours” (e.g. engagement in sexual practices from a younger age, engaging in riskier sexual behaviours such as unprotected anal or oral sex, and the involvement of drugs and alcohol in sex). For example, young people who used pornography were more likely to report having had anal sex, sex with multiple partners and using alcohol and drugs during sex (Braun-Courville & Rojas, 2009). However, the majority of the research that has found this is cross-sectional and/or correlational, therefore causal relationships cannot be established. “Sexting” (which should be considered as comprising a range of activities) has recently emerged as another “risky behaviour” because it can lead to various negative outcomes for children and young people, 8 including through its potential use within bullying and exploitation. The majority of the harassment that is a consequence of sexting is directed by young men towards young women (Ringrose et al., 2012). FINDING 8 (RQ3, P47): Considering sexualised and violent imagery more broadly, we can conclude that exposure to sexualised and violent imagery affects children and young people; however, the ways in which they may be affected and how long-lasting the effects may be are debatable. There are links between violent attitudes and violent media; specifically, children and young people who hold more violent attitudes access more violent media. One study found that exposure to sexualised material was related to the likelihood of young people engaging in more sexualised behaviour because they perceived more social pressure to have sex (Bleakley et al., 2011b).
Terms of reference
This report represents the collective views and expertise of a panel of academ... more Terms of reference This report represents the collective views and expertise of a panel of academic experts convened by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Panel members drafted individual responses to specified questions, then met in a policy forum on the 2nd March 2015. The panel was initially tasked with providing ‘an evidence-based narrative on children’s routes to viewing hard-core pornography online and identifying challenges and opportunities for future policy-makers seeking to limit young people’s viewing of hard-core pornography online’. To clarify the scope of our discussions, we delimited the terms of debate more narrowly. Specifically, the panel agreed that this report should cover: Viewing of pornography (rather than ‘hard-core’ pornography), where this is defined as ‘Sexually explicit media that are primarily intended to sexually arouse the audience’ (Malamuth 2001); By children1 up to 18 years old, even though much of the research summarised below covers just a portion of this age group; Using Internet or mobile technologies (rather than just ‘online’) insofar as this allows discussion of materials transmitted directly from one child to another using a phone or other mobile device without requiring an Internet connection. For brevity, we continue to use the word ‘online’ when considering findings, but individual studies may be discussed with reference to more specific types of connectivity. The report that follows was compiled by the lead author, with all panel members contributing to its drafting. Where possible, we have sought to indicate the extent of agreement or dissent in the research base in order to clarify the weight of opinion behind the various claims and recommendations.
A qualitative case study approach was taken to evaluate three areas of early intervention Family ... more A qualitative case study approach was taken to evaluate three areas of early intervention Family Group Conferencing (FGC): the preparation procedure; the young people's understanding of FGC and finally, the consistency of outcomes. Participants consisted of four families and two practitioners who had taken part in an inner-city early intervention project. Findings indicated that the preparation procedure contained some gaps. The children generally appeared to understand why FGC was necessary. The families developed some dependence on the project worker despite indications that some of the practitioners were more stigmatising of the families than may have been predicted.
In Britain, public transport is generally very safe and serious sexual assaults are rare. However... more In Britain, public transport is generally very safe and serious sexual assaults are rare. However, research has found that around 15% of women and girls have been subjected to unwanted sexual behaviour on the London transport network, the vast majority of which goes unreported (Transport for London [TfL], 2013a). Such behaviours cover a wide spectrum and may include anything from being stared at, propositioned, followed, pictured, rubbed against, touched, or raped. Being a victim of such behaviours can have serious psychological and behavioural effects and may result in women and members of vulnerable groups being too afraid to use public transport. British Transport Police (BTP) is already involved in initiatives to address these areas of concern. In partnership with the Department for Transport and as part of their on-going commitment to increasing safety for female passengers, BTP co-commissioned this work in order to explore the key research question: ‘What works in reducing sexual harassment and sexual offending on public transport nationally and internationally?’ To investigate this question, a team of researchers from Forensic Psychological Services (FPS) at Middlesex University conducted a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA), the results of which are considered in this report.
Executive Summary
Introduction
1. This report was commissioned to inform the development of sup... more Executive Summary
Introduction
1. This report was commissioned to inform the development of support services for young people who have offended and who have prior experience of victimisation, including but not limited to mental, physical and sexual abuse. In 2014, the London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime secured £400,000 from the Ministry of Justice Victim’s Fund to invest in these services which will be delivered through two London Resettlement Consortia (LRC) areas, each comprising six Youth Offending Services (YOSs), one in North East London, the other in South London.
2. The research involved an online survey and follow up interviews with a sub-sample of YOS professionals, a review of existing research and knowledge on the matter and interviews with seven key informants with specialist knowledge of the issues addressed.
Research has consistently shown that staff working with people who self-harm tend to experience a... more Research has consistently shown that staff working with people who self-harm tend to experience a range of anxieties and negative emotions. Very little has been written on the particular issues and needs of staff in prisons, where rates of self-harm are high. The ...
Report of an evaluation presented to Research Development and Statistics Directorate, Home Office... more Report of an evaluation presented to Research Development and Statistics Directorate, Home Office; HM Prison Service England and Wales and Kainos Community in 2001.
This Digital Childhood paper considers how growing up in the digital environment directly
impacts... more This Digital Childhood paper considers how growing up in the digital environment directly impacts on a child’s development trajectory. It concludes that a managed route from infancy to adulthood is as important in the digital environment as it is in the analogue world. The digital environment was conceived as an environment for adult users. Not even its inventors thought it might one day be a place where childhood would be spent. Nor did they make any design concessions for child users. On the contrary, the utopian vision was that all users would be equal. And if all users are equal, then a child user is treated as if they were an adult. This urgently needed report describes the narrative of children and the digital environment. It defines their needs as a series of opportunities and requirements that align with their age and meet their development goals, rather than the current emphasis on a narrow set of adult-identified harms. For many readers this will be the first time that they have considered how the design and purposes of the digital world impacts on children and young people’s ability to meet their childhood development milestones. The report takes each age group in turn, sets out what we know about child development, the major digital interactions of children at that age, and then considers the risks and opportunities. Where there is existing evidence, it is cited and where the authors have extrapolated from their professional practice, it is indicated. In order to gather the range of expertise necessary it was imperative to consult across a large number of professional disciplines. The conclusion across all disciplines was unanimous. We need to recalibrate how we treat children in the digital environment.
1.1 Executive Summary
This paper provides a brief review of the operation of the Justice Data Lab... more 1.1 Executive Summary This paper provides a brief review of the operation of the Justice Data Lab (JDL), setting its work in the context of literature regarding effective rehabilitation of people who have offended. At the paper’s core is a request to begin to synthesise the findings of the JDL with a view to considering the ways in which the reports and findings from the JDL may be contributing to the wider evidence base about intervention and management of people who have offended. 1.2 Summary of Findings 1. It is hard to discern many trends given the relatively limited uptake of the service and challenges faced in aggregating the published data; 2. Nonetheless, there is positive evidence that the JDL has made a solid start to its operations; 3. The JDL has been generally well received by those who have used it; 4. It is encouraging to note that so many positive outcomes have been demonstrated across different interventions and sectors; 5. However, the majority of findings have been labelled as inconclusive, even when change has been observed; this has led to uncertainty from JDL clients about how to use such findings; 6. Whether a small or large cohort was put through the analysis, the magnitude of change observed did not vary significantly. This is a positive finding and indicates both that change can be observed and that it can be discerned despite statistical ‘noise’ in the model. a. It is not surprising that with relatively modest effect sizes, the changes observed fail to reach statistical significance when derived from small user cohorts; 7. Despite the caveats above, we can conclude that educational interventions (offered by the Prisoners’ Education Trust) are repeatedly demonstrated as being effective. There are also some positive findings arising from employability/employment initiatives although there is more variability in outcome here, warranting further investigation. 1.3 Recommendations Wherever possible, use natural language to summarise findings. We commend recent changes to the reporting format that start to make effect sizes more prominent however we believe that accessible language could improve the reports still further and suggest the Data Lab team continues to focus on helping non-specialists to interpret and use the results.. Page 2 of 39 Increase uptake and engagement. General awareness needs to be raised and if possible, routes should be found to enable smaller provider organisations to collaborate in drawing on the model. However, it is acknowledged that this may be difficult in practice due to the commissioning and implementation contexts in which different, potential competing, organisations work. Concomitantly, organisations should be better guided as to when the JDL measures may be inappropriate. Provide more support for using the findings. Advice to potential service users could provide more examples of ways in which to use the JDL reports, for example case studies of previous presentations made to Board of Trustees or commissioners may be useful. Better support for use of the findings would also help enhance engagement. Although, we also have to acknowledge that the resources of the Data Lab team within MOJ are limited, so it is unlilely they will be able to address this point and it might need funding from other sources. Set up a means to retain and make redacted uploaded data available. We concur with suggestions to retain data and agree that secondary analyses could be invaluable to both academic and policy debates. We note that possible ways in which to archive data and how far they should be made available are already under consideration by the JDL. Collate more information on intervention practices. In particular, information about intervention frequency, duration and intensity would be useful for future meta-analyses
This paper presents findings about young people’s experiences with online pornography. It draws o... more This paper presents findings about young people’s experiences with online pornography. It draws on data from the first national survey of secondary school boys and girls regarding their attitudes and feelings about online pornography, whether viewing it deliberately or accidentally. To our knowledge, this is the most extensive survey of 11-16 year olds regarding online pornography. The sample is representative of the four nations of the UK and includes boys and girls. The project was designed and run by academics from Middlesex University. It was implemented in conjunction with ResearchBods.
Objective: The present study assesses program efficacy of Growing Against Gangs and Violence
(GAG... more Objective: The present study assesses program efficacy of Growing Against Gangs and Violence (GAGV), a primary prevention partnership with the U.K. Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), delivered in London schools with the aim of reducing gang involvement, delinquency, and violent offending and improving young people’s confidence in police. GAGV is partially derived from an American program, Gangs Resistance Education and Training (GREAT). Method: A qualitative process evaluation and randomized control trial (RCT) outcomes study were undertaken. Results: Findings indicate GAGV personnel were keen to enhance program fidelity and process implementation. The RCT did not demonstrate a statistically significant program effect. However, effect sizes (ESs) indicate the program was effective in reducing levels of gang membership and the frequency and variety of delinquency and violence in the short- and longer term. More robust evidence indicated GAGV also improved students’ attitudes toward police and reduced their adherence toward street code. Conclusions: The use of cohort- (not individual-) level data and missing data in the 1-year follow-up make it difficult to draw reliable and robust conclusions. However, results are encouraging. Several recommendations are suggested for GAGV, including curriculum design, regular evaluations, and expanding to include more schools. Limitations of this and similar evaluations also are discussed.
A few robust conclusions can be reached from this REA, but it is apparent that much more research... more A few robust conclusions can be reached from this REA, but it is apparent that much more research is needed. Gender differences have emerged as a continuous and highly pertinent theme throughout the questions addressed by this REA. “Basically... porn is everywhere” | A Rapid Evidence Assessment on the Effects that Access and Exposure to Pornography has on Children and Young People 7 What can we confidently conclude? FINDING 1 (RQ1, P21): A significant proportion of children and young people are exposed to or access pornography but there are differences in the literature regarding the regularity of exposure and access (or the rate of recurrence) which highlight the importance of considering frequency as well as prevalence in order to obtain a full picture. FINDING 2 (RQ1, P24): Children and young people’s exposure and access to pornography occur both online and offline. However, in recent years the most common methods of access have changed from magazines, videos, television and books, with the internet becoming more dominant. There is some evidence that children and young people consider pornography easy to access and culturally prevalent. Accessing pornography through one method appears to be positively related to accessing it through others. FINDING 3 (RQ1, P23): Exposure and access to pornography appear to increase with age; there is greater risk of exposure with increasing age. Contradictory findings exist in relation to age of first exposure, with variations from 10 to 17 years old. FINDING 4 (RQ1, P22): Exposure is more prevalent than (ostensibly) deliberate access. However, there is considerable variation in the rates of unwanted exposure and some studies report significant numbers of children and young people accessing pornography. FINDING 5 (RQ1, P23): There are gender differences in exposure and access to pornography. Young men and boys are more likely to be exposed to pornography than young women and girls. They are also more likely to access, seek or use pornography and are exposed to or access pornography more frequently. These gender differences are also found in children and young people’s attitudes towards pornography. Boys and young men generally view pornography more positively and state that they view it primarily out of curiosity while girls and young women generally report that it is unwelcome and socially distasteful and that they feel much more uncomfortable than boys and young men when viewing pornography. FINDING 6 (RQ2, P34): Access and exposure to pornography affect children and young people’s sexual beliefs. For example, pornography has been linked to unrealistic attitudes about sex; maladaptive attitudes about relationships; more sexually permissive attitudes; greater acceptance of casual sex; beliefs that women are sex objects; more frequent thoughts about sex; sexual uncertainty (e.g. the extent to which children and young people are unclear about their sexual beliefs and values); and less progressive gender role attitudes (e.g. male dominance and female submission). Children and young people learn from and may change their behaviour due to exposure and access to pornography. FINDING 7 (RQ2, P36): Access and exposure to pornography are linked to children and young people’s engagement in “risky behaviours” (e.g. engagement in sexual practices from a younger age, engaging in riskier sexual behaviours such as unprotected anal or oral sex, and the involvement of drugs and alcohol in sex). For example, young people who used pornography were more likely to report having had anal sex, sex with multiple partners and using alcohol and drugs during sex (Braun-Courville & Rojas, 2009). However, the majority of the research that has found this is cross-sectional and/or correlational, therefore causal relationships cannot be established. “Sexting” (which should be considered as comprising a range of activities) has recently emerged as another “risky behaviour” because it can lead to various negative outcomes for children and young people, 8 including through its potential use within bullying and exploitation. The majority of the harassment that is a consequence of sexting is directed by young men towards young women (Ringrose et al., 2012). FINDING 8 (RQ3, P47): Considering sexualised and violent imagery more broadly, we can conclude that exposure to sexualised and violent imagery affects children and young people; however, the ways in which they may be affected and how long-lasting the effects may be are debatable. There are links between violent attitudes and violent media; specifically, children and young people who hold more violent attitudes access more violent media. One study found that exposure to sexualised material was related to the likelihood of young people engaging in more sexualised behaviour because they perceived more social pressure to have sex (Bleakley et al., 2011b).
Terms of reference
This report represents the collective views and expertise of a panel of academ... more Terms of reference This report represents the collective views and expertise of a panel of academic experts convened by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Panel members drafted individual responses to specified questions, then met in a policy forum on the 2nd March 2015. The panel was initially tasked with providing ‘an evidence-based narrative on children’s routes to viewing hard-core pornography online and identifying challenges and opportunities for future policy-makers seeking to limit young people’s viewing of hard-core pornography online’. To clarify the scope of our discussions, we delimited the terms of debate more narrowly. Specifically, the panel agreed that this report should cover: Viewing of pornography (rather than ‘hard-core’ pornography), where this is defined as ‘Sexually explicit media that are primarily intended to sexually arouse the audience’ (Malamuth 2001); By children1 up to 18 years old, even though much of the research summarised below covers just a portion of this age group; Using Internet or mobile technologies (rather than just ‘online’) insofar as this allows discussion of materials transmitted directly from one child to another using a phone or other mobile device without requiring an Internet connection. For brevity, we continue to use the word ‘online’ when considering findings, but individual studies may be discussed with reference to more specific types of connectivity. The report that follows was compiled by the lead author, with all panel members contributing to its drafting. Where possible, we have sought to indicate the extent of agreement or dissent in the research base in order to clarify the weight of opinion behind the various claims and recommendations.
A qualitative case study approach was taken to evaluate three areas of early intervention Family ... more A qualitative case study approach was taken to evaluate three areas of early intervention Family Group Conferencing (FGC): the preparation procedure; the young people's understanding of FGC and finally, the consistency of outcomes. Participants consisted of four families and two practitioners who had taken part in an inner-city early intervention project. Findings indicated that the preparation procedure contained some gaps. The children generally appeared to understand why FGC was necessary. The families developed some dependence on the project worker despite indications that some of the practitioners were more stigmatising of the families than may have been predicted.
In Britain, public transport is generally very safe and serious sexual assaults are rare. However... more In Britain, public transport is generally very safe and serious sexual assaults are rare. However, research has found that around 15% of women and girls have been subjected to unwanted sexual behaviour on the London transport network, the vast majority of which goes unreported (Transport for London [TfL], 2013a). Such behaviours cover a wide spectrum and may include anything from being stared at, propositioned, followed, pictured, rubbed against, touched, or raped. Being a victim of such behaviours can have serious psychological and behavioural effects and may result in women and members of vulnerable groups being too afraid to use public transport. British Transport Police (BTP) is already involved in initiatives to address these areas of concern. In partnership with the Department for Transport and as part of their on-going commitment to increasing safety for female passengers, BTP co-commissioned this work in order to explore the key research question: ‘What works in reducing sexual harassment and sexual offending on public transport nationally and internationally?’ To investigate this question, a team of researchers from Forensic Psychological Services (FPS) at Middlesex University conducted a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA), the results of which are considered in this report.
Executive Summary
Introduction
1. This report was commissioned to inform the development of sup... more Executive Summary
Introduction
1. This report was commissioned to inform the development of support services for young people who have offended and who have prior experience of victimisation, including but not limited to mental, physical and sexual abuse. In 2014, the London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime secured £400,000 from the Ministry of Justice Victim’s Fund to invest in these services which will be delivered through two London Resettlement Consortia (LRC) areas, each comprising six Youth Offending Services (YOSs), one in North East London, the other in South London.
2. The research involved an online survey and follow up interviews with a sub-sample of YOS professionals, a review of existing research and knowledge on the matter and interviews with seven key informants with specialist knowledge of the issues addressed.
Research has consistently shown that staff working with people who self-harm tend to experience a... more Research has consistently shown that staff working with people who self-harm tend to experience a range of anxieties and negative emotions. Very little has been written on the particular issues and needs of staff in prisons, where rates of self-harm are high. The ...
"It's a lonely journey': A Rapid Evidence Assessment on Intrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse, Jul 3, 2014
Concerns about child sexual abuse within the family environment were raised by the Office of the ... more Concerns about child sexual abuse within the family environment were raised by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner’s (OCC) Inquiry into child sexual exploitation in gangs and groups. This found that:
…so many young people told us…of their early histories of being sexually abused within the family home and of their experiences never being acknowledged (Berelowitz, Clifton, Firmin, Gulyurtlu and Edwards, 2013, p.96).
This prompted the OCC to commit to a new two year Inquiry into child sexual abuse within the family environment, for which this report forms the evidence base.
This Inquiry is necessary due to questions surrounding the possible under-reporting of child sexual abuse within the family environment and the lack of research which captures the direct views of victims. Specifically, there is an apparent lack of evidence in regards to their experiences of the child protection system and criminal justice system. The OCC commissioned Middlesex University to assess:
1. What is known about the nature, scale, scope and impact of intrafamilial child sexual abuse or child sexual abuse linked to the family environment? Where do the gaps in knowledge lie?
2. What is known from the evidence about child protection and other action in response to victims of intrafamilial child sexual abuse or child sexual abuse linked to the family environment? Where are the gaps in these approaches?
3. What are the implications of the above when considering child protection activity and any legislative or formal guidance required to tackle intrafamilial child sexual abuse or child sexual abuse linked to the family environment?
In order to answer these questions, we used a method known as rapid evidence assessment (REA). This is a tool for synthesising the available research evidence on a policy issue as comprehensively as possible, within the constraints of a given timetable.
In 2011/12, a 15 month pilot took place in three police force areas (Greater Manchester, West Mer... more In 2011/12, a 15 month pilot took place in three police force areas (Greater Manchester, West Mercia and Wiltshire) to test a new civil provision, Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPOs). DVPOs were designed to provide immediate protection for victim-survivors following a domestic violence incident in circumstances where, in the view of the police, there are no other enforceable restrictions that can be placed upon the perpetrator. DVPOs aim to give victim-survivors time, space and support to consider their options by placing conditions on perpetrators, including restricting/removing perpetrators from households, and preventing contact with, or molestation of, victim-survivors.
The approach, introduced by the Crime and Security Act 2010, comprises an initial temporary notice (Domestic Violence Protection Notice, DVPN), authorised by a senior police officer and issued to the perpetrator by the police, followed by a DVPO that can last from 14 to 28 days, imposed at the magistrates’ court.
An evaluation was conducted which aimed to address the following:
1. How were DVPOs implemented and delivered across the three pilot sites?
2. What did practitioners, victim-survivors and perpetrators think about DVPOs?
3. Were DVPOs effective in reducing domestic violence across the pilot sites?
4. What was the value for money of the pilot?
A mixed-methods approach was followed, comprising both qualitative and quantitative elements. Surveys, interviews and focus groups were used to gain an understanding of how DVPOs had been implemented, process issues, and the views of victim-survivors, perpetrators and practitioners. The main quantitative elements of the evaluation aimed to provide an estimate of the impact of the pilot on victimisation and assess its value for money.
The impact of DVPOs on re-victimisation was examined by comparing differences in the numbers of pre and post domestic violence incidents between DVPO cases and matched, similar cases where DVPOs were not used. Cases were matched on key variables associated with future risk; however, this approach does not allow us to conclusively rule out an unmeasured factor being responsible for any observed effects. Police incident data were considered the best available measure of re-victimisation, although they are potentially subject to reporting issues.
Gang behaviour has been associated with serious problems in American prisons (eg, Fong and Buente... more Gang behaviour has been associated with serious problems in American prisons (eg, Fong and Buentello, 199 1). This study explored the possible existence of indicators of gang activity in English prisons. Surveys of problems consistent with gang activity were completed by 374 ...
... DOI: 10.1080/10683161003718692 Anna Gekoski a * , Jacqueline M. Gray a & Joanna R. Adler ... more ... DOI: 10.1080/10683161003718692 Anna Gekoski a * , Jacqueline M. Gray a & Joanna R. Adler a Available online: 22 Jan 2011. ... (LA; 19.61820). While Kate said: It's helpful for me to talk to someone like yourself who sees it as an issue; secondary revictimization. ...
This article reports on ways to measure and assess the effects of living within a religious regim... more This article reports on ways to measure and assess the effects of living within a religious regime, comparing Kainos prisoners with matched control participants. Kainos is a Christian, cognitive behavioral regime run in English prisons. In this article, we consider prisoners’ attitudes toward religion and provide objective information regarding the impact of a religious intervention on the religiosity of prisoners. We present data from three scales: the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith (SCSORF; Plante & Boccaccini, 1997a); the Age Universal I-E (Intrinsic-Extrinsic) Scale (Maltby, 2002; Maltby & Lewis, 1997); and the Francis Attitudes Towards Christianity Scale (Francis, 1993b; Francis, Lewis, Philipchalk, Brown, & Lester, 1995; Lewis & Maltby, 1997; Lewis, Shevlin, Lloyd, & Adamson, 1998). Two hundred and sixteen prisoners participated, from across all prisons in which Kainos ran. The Kainos program attracted prisoners who were already seeking spiritual sustenance. Religious prisoners held at normal, non-Kainos locations were less likely to retain their beliefs. There are implications for how the Prison Service could better sustain spirituality among the imprisoned.
This study concerns the incidence and aetiology of breach of youth community sentences. A between... more This study concerns the incidence and aetiology of breach of youth community sentences. A between-groups archival study compared those who breached with those who did not, on socio-demographic and criminogenic factors. Breachers were a minority, likely to breach repeatedly and were similar to those who re-offended. Whether they breach or re-offend may depend on something other than the characteristics of the Order and the young person’s situation. Youth Justice Professionals should be mindful of the identified areas of need and responsivity when considering compliance.
This article reports findings from interviews conducted with 120 officers working within medium t... more This article reports findings from interviews conducted with 120 officers working within medium to high security prisons in England. It presents part of a project designed to test whether the impact of women officers in male prisons was similar in England to that described elsewhere. In total, 120 officers and 120 prisoners participated.
This review was commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and considers international
literature co... more This review was commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and considers international literature concerning the management of young people who have offended. It was produced to inform youth justice policy and practice. The review focuses on the impact and delivery of youth justice supervision, programmes and interventions within the community, secure settings, and during transition into adult justice settings or into mainstream society.
Secondary victimization occurs when victims of crime feel they have been subjected to inadequate,... more Secondary victimization occurs when victims of crime feel they have been subjected to inadequate, insensitive or inappropriate treatment, attitudes, behaviour, responses and/or practices by criminal justice and social agencies, which compound their original trauma. In order to investigate how an under-researched group of victims of crimemay be subjected to secondary victimization by the criminal justice system (CJS), which in this research refers to the police, the Coroner’s Service and the legal (or court) system, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 women who had been bereaved by homicide. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) identified instances of multiple secondary victimization from all systems considered. Recommendations for how to reduce the secondary victimization of ‘co-victims’ of homicide are made, including: improving communication and promoting understanding between co-victims and the CJS; statutory rights for co-victims; and participatory rights in the legal process, such as access to victims’ lawyers or auxiliary prosecutors.
Hate offenders and those convicted of 'radical' or 'extremist' terror-related offences have a wel... more Hate offenders and those convicted of 'radical' or 'extremist' terror-related offences have a well-established presence online, and hate incidents which occur in the real world are increasingly being linked to online 'virtual' activities (INCAH, 2010). Building on psychological research and theory, in particular McDevitt, Levin, and Bennett (2002), and Gerstenfeld, Grant, and Chang (2003), this study has developed an original typology of online hate offending, dividing it into four distinct types of user: Browsers, Commentators, Activists, and Leaders. In a partial test of this typology, an online search was conducted for hate incidents relating to a single London borough over seven months. The search uncovered a wide variety of online incidents. Content and thematic analysis supported the division of the typology into four distinct superordinate themes. Amendments to the typology and recommendations are then discussed.
This paper reports on the findings from a study commissioned by the British Transport Police and ... more This paper reports on the findings from a study commissioned by the British Transport Police and the Department for Transport for England and Wales concerning sexual offences and harassment on public transport worldwide. Specifically, it aims to explore the prevalence of such behaviours, through a review of existing survey and interview data regarding women and girls' experiences. Design/methodology/approach: A Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) was used, the function of which is to: search the literature as comprehensively as possible within given time constraints; collate descriptive outlines of the available evidence on a topic and critically appraise it; sift out studies of poor quality; and provide an overview of the evidence. Findings: It was found that prevalence rates range from 15 percent to 95 percent, with the UK having the lowest rates. Emerging economies had higher rates of harassment and assault, which may relate to differing cultural and gender norms, where public space is regarded as a male domain. Research limitations/implications: A REA is not a full systematic review, differing in the scope and depth of the searches and depending almost exclusively on electronic databases, not accompanied by searching journals by hand. Practical Implications: 1. More research of high methodological rigour needs to be carried out on prevalence rates of sexual harassment and offending on public transport worldwide. 2. The high prevalence rates found suggest the need for more work around the area of interventions to curtail offending in this setting. 3. The findings suggest that emerging economies, in particular, need to do more to address the problem of sexual harassment and assault on public transport. 4. More fundamentally, cultural norms around women’s role in society need to be addressed and challenged. Value: Women may become ‘transit captive’ and socially excluded if they are afraid to travel on public transport and do not have access to private transport. This is an unacceptable situation which must be addressed by transport authorities and police.
Uploads
Papers by Joanna R Adler
impacts on a child’s development trajectory. It concludes that a managed route from
infancy to adulthood is as important in the digital environment as it is in the analogue world.
The digital environment was conceived as an environment for adult users. Not even its
inventors thought it might one day be a place where childhood would be spent. Nor did they
make any design concessions for child users. On the contrary, the utopian vision was that all
users would be equal. And if all users are equal, then a child user is treated as if they were an
adult.
This urgently needed report describes the narrative of children and the digital environment.
It defines their needs as a series of opportunities and requirements that align with their age
and meet their development goals, rather than the current emphasis on a narrow set of
adult-identified harms.
For many readers this will be the first time that they have considered how the design and
purposes of the digital world impacts on children and young people’s ability to meet their
childhood development milestones. The report takes each age group in turn, sets out what
we know about child development, the major digital interactions of children at that age, and
then considers the risks and opportunities.
Where there is existing evidence, it is cited and where the authors have extrapolated from
their professional practice, it is indicated. In order to gather the range of expertise necessary it
was imperative to consult across a large number of professional disciplines.
The conclusion across all disciplines was unanimous. We need to recalibrate how we treat
children in the digital environment.
This paper provides a brief review of the operation of the Justice Data Lab (JDL),
setting its work in the context of literature regarding effective rehabilitation of people
who have offended. At the paper’s core is a request to begin to synthesise the
findings of the JDL with a view to considering the ways in which the reports and
findings from the JDL may be contributing to the wider evidence base about
intervention and management of people who have offended.
1.2 Summary of Findings
1. It is hard to discern many trends given the relatively limited uptake of the service and
challenges faced in aggregating the published data;
2. Nonetheless, there is positive evidence that the JDL has made a solid start to its
operations;
3. The JDL has been generally well received by those who have used it;
4. It is encouraging to note that so many positive outcomes have been demonstrated
across different interventions and sectors;
5. However, the majority of findings have been labelled as inconclusive, even when change
has been observed; this has led to uncertainty from JDL clients about how to use such
findings;
6. Whether a small or large cohort was put through the analysis, the magnitude of change
observed did not vary significantly. This is a positive finding and indicates both that
change can be observed and that it can be discerned despite statistical ‘noise’ in the
model.
a. It is not surprising that with relatively modest effect sizes, the changes observed
fail to reach statistical significance when derived from small user cohorts;
7. Despite the caveats above, we can conclude that educational interventions (offered by
the Prisoners’ Education Trust) are repeatedly demonstrated as being effective. There
are also some positive findings arising from employability/employment initiatives
although there is more variability in outcome here, warranting further investigation.
1.3 Recommendations
Wherever possible, use natural language to summarise findings. We commend recent
changes to the reporting format that start to make effect sizes more prominent however we
believe that accessible language could improve the reports still further and suggest the Data
Lab team continues to focus on helping non-specialists to interpret and use the results..
Page 2 of 39
Increase uptake and engagement. General awareness needs to be raised and if possible,
routes should be found to enable smaller provider organisations to collaborate in drawing on
the model. However, it is acknowledged that this may be difficult in practice due to the
commissioning and implementation contexts in which different, potential competing,
organisations work. Concomitantly, organisations should be better guided as to when the
JDL measures may be inappropriate.
Provide more support for using the findings. Advice to potential service users could
provide more examples of ways in which to use the JDL reports, for example case studies of
previous presentations made to Board of Trustees or commissioners may be useful. Better
support for use of the findings would also help enhance engagement. Although, we also
have to acknowledge that the resources of the Data Lab team within MOJ are limited, so it is
unlilely they will be able to address this point and it might need funding from other sources.
Set up a means to retain and make redacted uploaded data available. We concur with
suggestions to retain data and agree that secondary analyses could be invaluable to both
academic and policy debates. We note that possible ways in which to archive data and how
far they should be made available are already under consideration by the JDL.
Collate more information on intervention practices. In particular, information about
intervention frequency, duration and intensity would be useful for future meta-analyses
(GAGV), a primary prevention partnership with the U.K. Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), delivered
in London schools with the aim of reducing gang involvement, delinquency, and violent offending and
improving young people’s confidence in police. GAGV is partially derived from an American program,
Gangs Resistance Education and Training (GREAT). Method: A qualitative process evaluation and
randomized control trial (RCT) outcomes study were undertaken. Results: Findings indicate GAGV
personnel were keen to enhance program fidelity and process implementation. The RCT did not
demonstrate a statistically significant program effect. However, effect sizes (ESs) indicate the program
was effective in reducing levels of gang membership and the frequency and variety of delinquency and
violence in the short- and longer term. More robust evidence indicated GAGV also improved students’
attitudes toward police and reduced their adherence toward street code. Conclusions: The use of cohort-
(not individual-) level data and missing data in the 1-year follow-up make it difficult to draw reliable and
robust conclusions. However, results are encouraging. Several recommendations are suggested for
GAGV, including curriculum design, regular evaluations, and expanding to include more schools.
Limitations of this and similar evaluations also are discussed.
is needed. Gender differences have emerged as a continuous and highly pertinent theme throughout
the questions addressed by this REA.
“Basically... porn is everywhere” | A Rapid Evidence Assessment on the Effects that Access and Exposure to Pornography has on Children and Young People
7
What can we confidently conclude?
FINDING 1 (RQ1, P21): A significant proportion of children and young people are exposed
to or access pornography but there are differences in the literature regarding the regularity of
exposure and access (or the rate of recurrence) which highlight the importance of considering
frequency as well as prevalence in order to obtain a full picture.
FINDING 2 (RQ1, P24): Children and young people’s exposure and access to pornography
occur both online and offline. However, in recent years the most common methods of access
have changed from magazines, videos, television and books, with the internet becoming more
dominant. There is some evidence that children and young people consider pornography easy to
access and culturally prevalent. Accessing pornography through one method appears to be positively
related to accessing it through others.
FINDING 3 (RQ1, P23): Exposure and access to pornography appear to increase with age;
there is greater risk of exposure with increasing age. Contradictory findings exist in relation to age of
first exposure, with variations from 10 to 17 years old.
FINDING 4 (RQ1, P22): Exposure is more prevalent than (ostensibly) deliberate access.
However, there is considerable variation in the rates of unwanted exposure and some studies report
significant numbers of children and young people accessing pornography.
FINDING 5 (RQ1, P23): There are gender differences in exposure and access to
pornography. Young men and boys are more likely to be exposed to pornography than young
women and girls. They are also more likely to access, seek or use pornography and are exposed
to or access pornography more frequently. These gender differences are also found in children and
young people’s attitudes towards pornography. Boys and young men generally view pornography
more positively and state that they view it primarily out of curiosity while girls and young women
generally report that it is unwelcome and socially distasteful and that they feel much more
uncomfortable than boys and young men when viewing pornography.
FINDING 6 (RQ2, P34): Access and exposure to pornography affect children and young
people’s sexual beliefs. For example, pornography has been linked to unrealistic attitudes
about sex; maladaptive attitudes about relationships; more sexually permissive attitudes; greater
acceptance of casual sex; beliefs that women are sex objects; more frequent thoughts about sex;
sexual uncertainty (e.g. the extent to which children and young people are unclear about their sexual
beliefs and values); and less progressive gender role attitudes (e.g. male dominance and female
submission). Children and young people learn from and may change their behaviour due to exposure
and access to pornography.
FINDING 7 (RQ2, P36): Access and exposure to pornography are linked to children and
young people’s engagement in “risky behaviours” (e.g. engagement in sexual practices from
a younger age, engaging in riskier sexual behaviours such as unprotected anal or oral sex, and the
involvement of drugs and alcohol in sex). For example, young people who used pornography were
more likely to report having had anal sex, sex with multiple partners and using alcohol and drugs
during sex (Braun-Courville & Rojas, 2009). However, the majority of the research that has found this
is cross-sectional and/or correlational, therefore causal relationships cannot be established. “Sexting”
(which should be considered as comprising a range of activities) has recently emerged as another
“risky behaviour” because it can lead to various negative outcomes for children and young people,
8
including through its potential use within bullying and exploitation. The majority of the harassment that
is a consequence of sexting is directed by young men towards young women (Ringrose et al., 2012).
FINDING 8 (RQ3, P47): Considering sexualised and violent imagery more broadly, we can conclude
that exposure to sexualised and violent imagery affects children and young people; however,
the ways in which they may be affected and how long-lasting the effects may be are debatable. There
are links between violent attitudes and violent media; specifically, children and young people who
hold more violent attitudes access more violent media. One study found that exposure to sexualised
material was related to the likelihood of young people engaging in more sexualised behaviour
because they perceived more social pressure to have sex (Bleakley et al., 2011b).
This report represents the collective views and expertise of a panel of academic experts
convened by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Panel members drafted
individual responses to specified questions, then met in a policy forum on the 2nd March
2015. The panel was initially tasked with providing ‘an evidence-based narrative on
children’s routes to viewing hard-core pornography online and identifying challenges and
opportunities for future policy-makers seeking to limit young people’s viewing of hard-core
pornography online’. To clarify the scope of our discussions, we delimited the terms of
debate more narrowly. Specifically, the panel agreed that this report should cover:
Viewing of pornography (rather than ‘hard-core’ pornography), where this is defined
as ‘Sexually explicit media that are primarily intended to sexually arouse the
audience’ (Malamuth 2001);
By children1
up to 18 years old, even though much of the research summarised
below covers just a portion of this age group;
Using Internet or mobile technologies (rather than just ‘online’) insofar as this allows
discussion of materials transmitted directly from one child to another using a phone
or other mobile device without requiring an Internet connection. For brevity, we
continue to use the word ‘online’ when considering findings, but individual studies
may be discussed with reference to more specific types of connectivity.
The report that follows was compiled by the lead author, with all panel members
contributing to its drafting. Where possible, we have sought to indicate the extent of
agreement or dissent in the research base in order to clarify the weight of opinion behind
the various claims and recommendations.
British Transport Police (BTP) is already involved in initiatives to address these areas of concern. In partnership with the Department for Transport and as part of their on-going commitment to increasing safety for female passengers, BTP co-commissioned this work in order to explore the key research question:
‘What works in reducing sexual harassment and sexual offending on public transport nationally and internationally?’
To investigate this question, a team of researchers from Forensic Psychological Services (FPS) at Middlesex University conducted a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA), the results of which are considered in this report.
Introduction
1. This report was commissioned to inform the development of support services for young people who have offended and who have prior experience of victimisation, including but not limited to mental, physical and sexual abuse. In 2014, the London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime secured £400,000 from the Ministry of Justice Victim’s Fund to invest in these services which will be delivered through two London Resettlement Consortia (LRC) areas, each comprising six Youth Offending Services (YOSs), one in North East London, the other in South London.
2. The research involved an online survey and follow up interviews with a sub-sample of YOS professionals, a review of existing research and knowledge on the matter and interviews with seven key informants with specialist knowledge of the issues addressed.
impacts on a child’s development trajectory. It concludes that a managed route from
infancy to adulthood is as important in the digital environment as it is in the analogue world.
The digital environment was conceived as an environment for adult users. Not even its
inventors thought it might one day be a place where childhood would be spent. Nor did they
make any design concessions for child users. On the contrary, the utopian vision was that all
users would be equal. And if all users are equal, then a child user is treated as if they were an
adult.
This urgently needed report describes the narrative of children and the digital environment.
It defines their needs as a series of opportunities and requirements that align with their age
and meet their development goals, rather than the current emphasis on a narrow set of
adult-identified harms.
For many readers this will be the first time that they have considered how the design and
purposes of the digital world impacts on children and young people’s ability to meet their
childhood development milestones. The report takes each age group in turn, sets out what
we know about child development, the major digital interactions of children at that age, and
then considers the risks and opportunities.
Where there is existing evidence, it is cited and where the authors have extrapolated from
their professional practice, it is indicated. In order to gather the range of expertise necessary it
was imperative to consult across a large number of professional disciplines.
The conclusion across all disciplines was unanimous. We need to recalibrate how we treat
children in the digital environment.
This paper provides a brief review of the operation of the Justice Data Lab (JDL),
setting its work in the context of literature regarding effective rehabilitation of people
who have offended. At the paper’s core is a request to begin to synthesise the
findings of the JDL with a view to considering the ways in which the reports and
findings from the JDL may be contributing to the wider evidence base about
intervention and management of people who have offended.
1.2 Summary of Findings
1. It is hard to discern many trends given the relatively limited uptake of the service and
challenges faced in aggregating the published data;
2. Nonetheless, there is positive evidence that the JDL has made a solid start to its
operations;
3. The JDL has been generally well received by those who have used it;
4. It is encouraging to note that so many positive outcomes have been demonstrated
across different interventions and sectors;
5. However, the majority of findings have been labelled as inconclusive, even when change
has been observed; this has led to uncertainty from JDL clients about how to use such
findings;
6. Whether a small or large cohort was put through the analysis, the magnitude of change
observed did not vary significantly. This is a positive finding and indicates both that
change can be observed and that it can be discerned despite statistical ‘noise’ in the
model.
a. It is not surprising that with relatively modest effect sizes, the changes observed
fail to reach statistical significance when derived from small user cohorts;
7. Despite the caveats above, we can conclude that educational interventions (offered by
the Prisoners’ Education Trust) are repeatedly demonstrated as being effective. There
are also some positive findings arising from employability/employment initiatives
although there is more variability in outcome here, warranting further investigation.
1.3 Recommendations
Wherever possible, use natural language to summarise findings. We commend recent
changes to the reporting format that start to make effect sizes more prominent however we
believe that accessible language could improve the reports still further and suggest the Data
Lab team continues to focus on helping non-specialists to interpret and use the results..
Page 2 of 39
Increase uptake and engagement. General awareness needs to be raised and if possible,
routes should be found to enable smaller provider organisations to collaborate in drawing on
the model. However, it is acknowledged that this may be difficult in practice due to the
commissioning and implementation contexts in which different, potential competing,
organisations work. Concomitantly, organisations should be better guided as to when the
JDL measures may be inappropriate.
Provide more support for using the findings. Advice to potential service users could
provide more examples of ways in which to use the JDL reports, for example case studies of
previous presentations made to Board of Trustees or commissioners may be useful. Better
support for use of the findings would also help enhance engagement. Although, we also
have to acknowledge that the resources of the Data Lab team within MOJ are limited, so it is
unlilely they will be able to address this point and it might need funding from other sources.
Set up a means to retain and make redacted uploaded data available. We concur with
suggestions to retain data and agree that secondary analyses could be invaluable to both
academic and policy debates. We note that possible ways in which to archive data and how
far they should be made available are already under consideration by the JDL.
Collate more information on intervention practices. In particular, information about
intervention frequency, duration and intensity would be useful for future meta-analyses
(GAGV), a primary prevention partnership with the U.K. Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), delivered
in London schools with the aim of reducing gang involvement, delinquency, and violent offending and
improving young people’s confidence in police. GAGV is partially derived from an American program,
Gangs Resistance Education and Training (GREAT). Method: A qualitative process evaluation and
randomized control trial (RCT) outcomes study were undertaken. Results: Findings indicate GAGV
personnel were keen to enhance program fidelity and process implementation. The RCT did not
demonstrate a statistically significant program effect. However, effect sizes (ESs) indicate the program
was effective in reducing levels of gang membership and the frequency and variety of delinquency and
violence in the short- and longer term. More robust evidence indicated GAGV also improved students’
attitudes toward police and reduced their adherence toward street code. Conclusions: The use of cohort-
(not individual-) level data and missing data in the 1-year follow-up make it difficult to draw reliable and
robust conclusions. However, results are encouraging. Several recommendations are suggested for
GAGV, including curriculum design, regular evaluations, and expanding to include more schools.
Limitations of this and similar evaluations also are discussed.
is needed. Gender differences have emerged as a continuous and highly pertinent theme throughout
the questions addressed by this REA.
“Basically... porn is everywhere” | A Rapid Evidence Assessment on the Effects that Access and Exposure to Pornography has on Children and Young People
7
What can we confidently conclude?
FINDING 1 (RQ1, P21): A significant proportion of children and young people are exposed
to or access pornography but there are differences in the literature regarding the regularity of
exposure and access (or the rate of recurrence) which highlight the importance of considering
frequency as well as prevalence in order to obtain a full picture.
FINDING 2 (RQ1, P24): Children and young people’s exposure and access to pornography
occur both online and offline. However, in recent years the most common methods of access
have changed from magazines, videos, television and books, with the internet becoming more
dominant. There is some evidence that children and young people consider pornography easy to
access and culturally prevalent. Accessing pornography through one method appears to be positively
related to accessing it through others.
FINDING 3 (RQ1, P23): Exposure and access to pornography appear to increase with age;
there is greater risk of exposure with increasing age. Contradictory findings exist in relation to age of
first exposure, with variations from 10 to 17 years old.
FINDING 4 (RQ1, P22): Exposure is more prevalent than (ostensibly) deliberate access.
However, there is considerable variation in the rates of unwanted exposure and some studies report
significant numbers of children and young people accessing pornography.
FINDING 5 (RQ1, P23): There are gender differences in exposure and access to
pornography. Young men and boys are more likely to be exposed to pornography than young
women and girls. They are also more likely to access, seek or use pornography and are exposed
to or access pornography more frequently. These gender differences are also found in children and
young people’s attitudes towards pornography. Boys and young men generally view pornography
more positively and state that they view it primarily out of curiosity while girls and young women
generally report that it is unwelcome and socially distasteful and that they feel much more
uncomfortable than boys and young men when viewing pornography.
FINDING 6 (RQ2, P34): Access and exposure to pornography affect children and young
people’s sexual beliefs. For example, pornography has been linked to unrealistic attitudes
about sex; maladaptive attitudes about relationships; more sexually permissive attitudes; greater
acceptance of casual sex; beliefs that women are sex objects; more frequent thoughts about sex;
sexual uncertainty (e.g. the extent to which children and young people are unclear about their sexual
beliefs and values); and less progressive gender role attitudes (e.g. male dominance and female
submission). Children and young people learn from and may change their behaviour due to exposure
and access to pornography.
FINDING 7 (RQ2, P36): Access and exposure to pornography are linked to children and
young people’s engagement in “risky behaviours” (e.g. engagement in sexual practices from
a younger age, engaging in riskier sexual behaviours such as unprotected anal or oral sex, and the
involvement of drugs and alcohol in sex). For example, young people who used pornography were
more likely to report having had anal sex, sex with multiple partners and using alcohol and drugs
during sex (Braun-Courville & Rojas, 2009). However, the majority of the research that has found this
is cross-sectional and/or correlational, therefore causal relationships cannot be established. “Sexting”
(which should be considered as comprising a range of activities) has recently emerged as another
“risky behaviour” because it can lead to various negative outcomes for children and young people,
8
including through its potential use within bullying and exploitation. The majority of the harassment that
is a consequence of sexting is directed by young men towards young women (Ringrose et al., 2012).
FINDING 8 (RQ3, P47): Considering sexualised and violent imagery more broadly, we can conclude
that exposure to sexualised and violent imagery affects children and young people; however,
the ways in which they may be affected and how long-lasting the effects may be are debatable. There
are links between violent attitudes and violent media; specifically, children and young people who
hold more violent attitudes access more violent media. One study found that exposure to sexualised
material was related to the likelihood of young people engaging in more sexualised behaviour
because they perceived more social pressure to have sex (Bleakley et al., 2011b).
This report represents the collective views and expertise of a panel of academic experts
convened by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Panel members drafted
individual responses to specified questions, then met in a policy forum on the 2nd March
2015. The panel was initially tasked with providing ‘an evidence-based narrative on
children’s routes to viewing hard-core pornography online and identifying challenges and
opportunities for future policy-makers seeking to limit young people’s viewing of hard-core
pornography online’. To clarify the scope of our discussions, we delimited the terms of
debate more narrowly. Specifically, the panel agreed that this report should cover:
Viewing of pornography (rather than ‘hard-core’ pornography), where this is defined
as ‘Sexually explicit media that are primarily intended to sexually arouse the
audience’ (Malamuth 2001);
By children1
up to 18 years old, even though much of the research summarised
below covers just a portion of this age group;
Using Internet or mobile technologies (rather than just ‘online’) insofar as this allows
discussion of materials transmitted directly from one child to another using a phone
or other mobile device without requiring an Internet connection. For brevity, we
continue to use the word ‘online’ when considering findings, but individual studies
may be discussed with reference to more specific types of connectivity.
The report that follows was compiled by the lead author, with all panel members
contributing to its drafting. Where possible, we have sought to indicate the extent of
agreement or dissent in the research base in order to clarify the weight of opinion behind
the various claims and recommendations.
British Transport Police (BTP) is already involved in initiatives to address these areas of concern. In partnership with the Department for Transport and as part of their on-going commitment to increasing safety for female passengers, BTP co-commissioned this work in order to explore the key research question:
‘What works in reducing sexual harassment and sexual offending on public transport nationally and internationally?’
To investigate this question, a team of researchers from Forensic Psychological Services (FPS) at Middlesex University conducted a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA), the results of which are considered in this report.
Introduction
1. This report was commissioned to inform the development of support services for young people who have offended and who have prior experience of victimisation, including but not limited to mental, physical and sexual abuse. In 2014, the London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime secured £400,000 from the Ministry of Justice Victim’s Fund to invest in these services which will be delivered through two London Resettlement Consortia (LRC) areas, each comprising six Youth Offending Services (YOSs), one in North East London, the other in South London.
2. The research involved an online survey and follow up interviews with a sub-sample of YOS professionals, a review of existing research and knowledge on the matter and interviews with seven key informants with specialist knowledge of the issues addressed.
…so many young people told us…of their early histories of being sexually abused within the family home and of their experiences never being acknowledged (Berelowitz, Clifton, Firmin, Gulyurtlu and Edwards, 2013, p.96).
This prompted the OCC to commit to a new two year Inquiry into child sexual abuse within the family environment, for which this report forms the evidence base.
This Inquiry is necessary due to questions surrounding the possible under-reporting of child sexual abuse within the family environment and the lack of research which captures the direct views of victims. Specifically, there is an apparent lack of evidence in regards to their experiences of the child protection system and criminal justice system. The OCC commissioned Middlesex University to assess:
1. What is known about the nature, scale, scope and impact of intrafamilial child sexual abuse or child sexual abuse linked to the family environment? Where do the gaps in knowledge lie?
2. What is known from the evidence about child protection and other action in response to victims of intrafamilial child sexual abuse or child sexual abuse linked to the family environment? Where are the gaps in these approaches?
3. What are the implications of the above when considering child protection activity and any legislative or formal guidance required to tackle intrafamilial child sexual abuse or child sexual abuse linked to the family environment?
In order to answer these questions, we used a method known as rapid evidence assessment (REA). This is a tool for synthesising the available research evidence on a policy issue as comprehensively as possible, within the constraints of a given timetable.
The approach, introduced by the Crime and Security Act 2010, comprises an initial temporary notice (Domestic Violence Protection Notice, DVPN), authorised by a senior police officer and issued to the perpetrator by the police, followed by a DVPO that can last from 14 to 28 days, imposed at the magistrates’ court.
An evaluation was conducted which aimed to address the following:
1. How were DVPOs implemented and delivered across the three pilot sites?
2. What did practitioners, victim-survivors and perpetrators think about DVPOs?
3. Were DVPOs effective in reducing domestic violence across the pilot sites?
4. What was the value for money of the pilot?
A mixed-methods approach was followed, comprising both qualitative and quantitative elements. Surveys, interviews and focus groups were used to gain an understanding of how DVPOs had been implemented, process issues, and the views of victim-survivors, perpetrators and practitioners. The main quantitative elements of the evaluation aimed to provide an estimate of the impact of the pilot on victimisation and assess its value for money.
The impact of DVPOs on re-victimisation was examined by comparing differences in the numbers of pre and post domestic violence incidents between DVPO cases and matched, similar cases where DVPOs were not used. Cases were matched on key variables associated with future risk; however, this approach does not allow us to conclusively rule out an unmeasured factor being responsible for any observed effects. Police incident data were considered the best available measure of re-victimisation, although they are potentially subject to reporting issues.
literature concerning the management of young people who have offended. It was produced
to inform youth justice policy and practice. The review focuses on the impact and delivery of
youth justice supervision, programmes and interventions within the community, secure
settings, and during transition into adult justice settings or into mainstream society.
insensitive or inappropriate treatment, attitudes, behaviour, responses and/or practices by criminal
justice and social agencies, which compound their original trauma. In order to investigate how an
under-researched group of victims of crimemay be subjected to secondary victimization by the criminal
justice system (CJS), which in this research refers to the police, the Coroner’s Service and the
legal (or court) system, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 women who had been
bereaved by homicide. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) identified instances of multiple
secondary victimization from all systems considered. Recommendations for how to reduce the
secondary victimization of ‘co-victims’ of homicide are made, including: improving communication
and promoting understanding between co-victims and the CJS; statutory rights for co-victims; and
participatory rights in the legal process, such as access to victims’ lawyers or auxiliary prosecutors.
Design/methodology/approach: A Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) was used, the function of which is to: search the literature as comprehensively as possible within given time constraints; collate descriptive outlines of the available evidence on a topic and critically appraise it; sift out studies of poor quality; and provide an overview of the evidence.
Findings: It was found that prevalence rates range from 15 percent to 95 percent, with the UK having the lowest rates. Emerging economies had higher rates of harassment and assault, which may relate to differing cultural and gender norms, where public space is regarded as a male domain.
Research limitations/implications: A REA is not a full systematic review, differing in the scope and depth of the searches and depending almost exclusively on electronic databases, not accompanied by searching journals by hand.
Practical Implications:
1. More research of high methodological rigour needs to be carried out on prevalence rates of sexual harassment and offending on public transport worldwide.
2. The high prevalence rates found suggest the need for more work around the area of interventions to curtail offending in this setting.
3. The findings suggest that emerging economies, in particular, need to do more to address the problem of sexual harassment and assault on public transport.
4. More fundamentally, cultural norms around women’s role in society need to be addressed and challenged.
Value: Women may become ‘transit captive’ and socially excluded if they are afraid to travel on public transport and do not have access to private transport. This is an unacceptable situation which must be addressed by transport authorities and police.