crime Archives

Developing our nature: When and how human aggression and other psychological traits evolved

Written by

Dr James Walter, Emeritus Adjunctive Professor at Loyola University Chicago, USA, and PhD student Aasma Khan summarise research conducted by Professor Richard Wrangham and peers on the evolution of human aggression and other psychological traits. Two approaches are used: comparing aggression in different species, and investigating hunter-gatherer cultures. Walter and Khan outline the relationship between aggression and language evolution and […]

Dry January: Can alcohol affect your eyes, bones, and perceived reliability?

Written by

The first month of the Gregorian Calendar is often marked by a renewed set of hopes and intentions for the year to come. From resolutions on personal and professional growth to plans to implement healthy lifestyle changes, New Year’s resolutions are widespread. Some choose to participate in an event called Dry January, the aim of which is to abstain from […]

Eyewitness testimony: How much alcohol is too much?

Written by

It is widely believed that alcohol-intoxicated witnesses, victims, and suspects are not credible, and therefore should not be trusted in legal investigations. However, the research by Dr Angelica Hagsand and colleagues has shown that this may not be the whole story. Their research findings could have important implications for the police and other legal organisations to understand when witnesses can […]

Social context shapes age-crime distributions

Written by

Professors Steffensmeier, Lu and Na present evidence from diverse societies with vastly different sociocultural practices and beliefs, which show clear differences in age-crime relationships. These differences are discussed with reference to the social contexts which appear to protect adolescents from becoming involved in crime. These researchers put forward a research agenda for better understanding nations where crime is most heavily […]

Religiosity, crime and drug use among juvenile offenders

Written by

Juvenile offenders who turn to religion often find new meaning in their life.

Sung Joon Jang is Research Professor of Criminology and Co-director of the Program on Prosocial Behavior at the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University. His research focuses on the effects of religion on criminal offending and desistance and the rehabilitative effects of faith-based programmes on prisoners. Here, we take a closer look at Dr Jang’s research, which demonstrates […]