Editorial

Editorial for Issue 1 of Crime, Security and Societ

The Retrospective Detective. Cognitive Bias and the Cold Case Homicide Investigator

Current research on police psychology in criminal investigations assumes investigative decision-making in cold case (undetected) homicides to be the same as that of live/current homicide investigations, therefore not warranting exploration in its own right. In contrast, the present article suggests that significantly different psychological and contextual factors exist which can facilitate bias in investigator decision-making in cold case (undetected) homicides. These include the biasing effect of inheriting a chain of decisions often made by many previous investigators and the negative framing effect that the term ‘cold case’ can have on investigator confidence and on their subsequent investigative decision-making. Although the idea that cold case homicide investigation necessitates a different ‘investigative mindset’ to live cases is only suggested here, a possible agenda for a bespoke research project on cold case investigator decisionmaking is tentatively suggested

Self-Selection Policing: Theory, Research and Practice

Self-Selection Policing introduces and explores an approach for crime control which seeks to identify active, serious offenders by attending to the minor offences they commit. A foundation of theory and evidence is first supplied for the assertion that ‘those who do big bad things also do little bad things’. Original research presented in the book includes a study of offending by visitors to a prison, and the concurrent criminality of those committing common driving offences and failure to produce driving documents as required. It illustrates how self-selection can complement other police methods of identifying active, serious criminals by focusing on what offenders do rather than who they are and what they have done in the past. Concentrating on the ‘usual suspects’ in the conventional way is often criticised as harassment and self-selection policing largely bypasses the issue of fairness this raises. The book concludes with a call for the consideration, development and wider adoption of the self-selection approach, and particularly the identification of other common minor offences which flag concurrent active criminality. The authors make important suggestions for the progression of SSP research and practice, including the identification of barriers to the implementation of the approach in wider police thinking, practice and policy. Practical guidance is also provided for those thinking of developing, testing and implementing the approach. In doing so, the book will be of particular interest for policing practitioners, as well as students and scholars of policing and crime control

Advanced Gun System (AGS) Backfit

U.S. Navy, Naval Sea Systems Command and Program Executive Office SHIPS, PMS 500 DD X Progra

Mental Health Malingering and the Fraudulent Motor Insurance Claimant

Malingering is the intentional production of false or grossly exaggerated symptoms in order to obtain an advantage. Although it has been estimated that over 800,000 claims for personal injury in Road Traffic Accidents (RTA) were filed in the UK in 2012, no approximation exists forhow many involved malingering. This study attempts to understand what influences a psychiatrist to conclude that a claimant’s symptoms are not caused by an RTA and thus suggests the claimant is malingering. This article describes a study of Personality Assessment Inventory scores alongside collateral forms of evidence for 100 RTA claimants; all individuals seeking compensation for damages to their mental health. The results suggest that up to 40% of these claims could be cate-gorised as not being the result of the RTA. Significant differences emerged between those claimants diagnosed as having a mental disorder as a result of the RTA and those claimants who were classified as not having a mental disorder as a result of the RTA in regards to: employment status, level of injuries and scores on the paranoia scales of the PAI.The study emphasises how the assessment process is idiosyncratic and in need of further researc

Psychometric Evaluation and Design of Patient-Centered Communication Measures for Cancer Care Settings

Objective To evaluate the psychometric properties of questions that assess patient perceptions of patient-provider communication and design measures of patient-centered communication (PCC). Methods Participants (adults with colon or rectal cancer living in North Carolina) completed a survey at 2 to 3 months post-diagnosis. The survey included 87 questions in six PCC Functions: Exchanging Information, Fostering Health Relationships, Making Decisions, Responding to Emotions, Enabling Patient Self-Management, and Managing Uncertainty. For each Function we conducted factor analyses, item response theory modeling, and tests for differential item functioning, and assessed reliability and construct validity. Results Participants included 501 respondents; 46% had a high school education or less. Reliability within each Function ranged from 0.90 to 0.96. The PCC-Ca-36 (36-question survey; reliability=0.94) and PCC-Ca-6 (6-question survey; reliability=0.92) measures differentiated between individuals with poor and good health (i.e., known-groups validity) and were highly correlated with the HINTS communication scale (i.e., convergent validity). Conclusion This study provides theory-grounded PCC measures found to be reliable and valid in colorectal cancer patients in North Carolina. Future work should evaluate measure validity over time and in other cancer populations. Practice implications The PCC-Ca-36 and PCC-Ca-6 measures may be used for surveillance, intervention research, and quality improvement initiatives

Advanced Conducting Project

1. Winter Dances by Brian Balmages -- 2. Ye Banks and Braes O\u27 Bonnie Doon by Percy Grainger -- 3. Praises by Francis McBeth -- 4. Portrait of a Clown by Frank Ticheli -- 5. Flourish for Wind Band by Ralph Vaughn Williams

Advanced Conducting Project

1. Winter Dances by Brian Balmages -- 2. Ye Banks and Braes O\u27 Bonnie Doon by Percy Grainger -- 3. Praises by Francis McBeth -- 4. Portrait of a Clown by Frank Ticheli -- 5. Flourish for Wind Band by Ralph Vaughn Williams

Directions for future research on police stress:the role of hyper-vigilance and emotion regulation in understanding and preventing detrimental outcomes for mental health

PurposePolicing is a stressful occupation which increases the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes. The purpose of this study is to highlight the primary areas of focus in research to date, and propose future directions which could significantly enhance our understanding of how to protect the well-being of police officers and staff.Design/methodology/approachIn this narrative review, the authors draw on research from cognitive psychology to illustrate some of the possible mechanisms by which police stressors impact mental health. The authors also examine the potential role of emotion regulation in mitigating those harmful effects.FindingsAn attentional bias for threatening/aversive stimuli represents an adaptive strategy that is conducive to avoiding harm. However, exposure to chronic or acute stress, as well as dispositional factors (e.g. trait anxiety), has the potential to disrupt the delicate balance that exists in the threat-monitoring system, leading to hyper-vigilance and increased vulnerability to mental health conditions such as PTSD. Conversely, certain emotion regulation strategies appear to modulate the allocation of attentional resources to threatening/aversive stimuli, reducing the extent to which they are subject to elaborative processing and enhancing subjective well-being.Practical implicationsThe authors illustrate how the application of cognitive-experimental methods could directly inform the development of strategies and interventions aimed promoting positive outcomes for mental health.Originality/valueCognitive-experimental methods remain under-used in research on police stress and well-being. By drawing on research conducted with other populations, the authors provide novel suggestions for the application of these techniques to policing contexts.<br/