Community Support Dynamics for Sex Offender Families: A Factorial Design Analysis
This study explored the impact of individual-level characteristics of individuals convicted of sexual offences (ICSOs) on community social support for ICSO spouses, an important component of public safety given the role of family social support on sexual offence desistence. A 3x2x4 factorial design was used to identify how sex offence type, victim gender, and neutralisation strategies influence community members’ willingness to support ICSO spouses. The survey was conducted among undergraduate students at three University of Texas academic institutions, with a final sample size of 394 participants. Results indicate that non-consensual contact offences significantly reduce community support, while the gender of the victim and neutralisation techniques do not have a significant impact. This suggests that crime type may be the predominant indicator of community support.
Keywords: social support, sexual offence, social distance.
Danielle J.S. Bailey (2026). Community Support Dynamics for Sex Offender Families: A Factorial Design Analysis. Journal of Crime and Criminal Behavior, 6: 1, pp. 1-19.
Hidden Figures: Females as Sexual Perpetrators
Historically, the sexual offender population comprised men, which constituted a focal point of most sex offender research. However, there is often a common misconception concerning women offenders or perpetrators, as women are perceived as incapable of committing sexual offences. Researchers confirmed that not only are women capable of becoming sexual perpetrators, but they usually derive from specific classification schemas that elucidate women and these crimes. Victims of these heinous acts are on the rise and often are unreported and understudied, especially for older and disabled populations. Theoretically, behavioural and psychodynamic perspectives precisely depict how the role of societal perceptions affects the subconscious emotional and behavioural factors associated with sexual offenders. Demographic and motivation factors vary and may include perpetrators seeking love, dominance, and validation. This review aims to explore characteristics, assess the prevalence and analyse the consequences that arise when sexual assaults are identified, reported, and prosecuted as female perpetrators.
Keywords: Female sex offender, Male sex offenders, Typologies, Characteristics, and Behaviour, Intellectual disability, Autism, ADHD, Sexual victimization, Female perpetrator.
Christian D. specks, Anissa Horne, Robyn Jordan, Courtney T. Joiner, & courtney M. Bloodsaw (2026). Hidden Figures: Females as Sexual Perpetrators. Journal of Crime and Criminal Behavior, 6: 1, pp. 21-39.
A Randomised Controlled Trial of the Effects of Positive Psychology Interventions on the Well-Being of Police Officers in India
Building on past positive psychology interventions, the current study developed an Arm of Hope (ARM) (i.e., accomplishment, relationships, meaning, health, optimism, positive emotions, and engagement) positive psychology intervention based on the theory of positive policing. Using Seligman’s PERMA model (i.e., pleasure, engagement, meaning, positive relationships, and accomplishment), the current study added health and optimism to determine whether an ARM intervention improved the well-being of police officers. Using simple random sampling, 300 officers working in the District of Panchkula in the State of Haryana in India were asked to be part of the study, and 224 agreed. Officers were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. At the end of the study, officers in the experimental group had a statistically significant improvement in well-being compared to those in the control group. Future research should test the effectiveness of the positive psychological intervention with officers in other nations.
Keywords: Police; Well-Being; Positive Psychology; Law Enforcement; India.
Hanif Qureshi & Eric G. Lambert (2026). A Randomised Controlled Trial of the Effects of Positive Psychology Interventions on the Well-Being of Police Officers in India. Journal of Crime and Criminal Behavior, 6: 1, pp. 41-62.
Consumer Trust Under Siege: Fake Reviews as Digital Deviance in Platform Economies
Consumer trust is a foundational element of the digital marketplace, where reviews serve as informal yet powerful systems of reputation and decision-making. However, the proliferation of fake reviews is strategically crafted, commercially motivated, and often algorithmically disguised, where algorithms are used to shape visibility, credibility, or authenticity, often without the user’s awareness, thereby threatening consumer trust. This paper investigates fake reviews as a form of digital deviance, drawing on theories of social capital, deviance, and the commodification of public opinion. Using the New York Attorney General’s 2013 Operation Clean Turf as a central case study, this research examines how fake reviews are produced, legitimised, and institutionalised within platform capitalism. T To strengthen the analysis and address broader patterns in enforcement, we also draw on three additional regulatory cases—FTC v. Fashion Nova, FTC v. Sitejabber, and the FTC’s 2024 nationwide fake-review rule—to situate Operation Clean Turf within a wider landscape of contemporary review fraud and regulatory response. Through qualitative analysis of legal documents, news coverage, and regulatory responses, we identify key themes: the industrialisation of deception, platform exploitation, economic rationality, and the normalisation of unethical behaviour. We also explore recent cases from 2024 involving companies like Vevor and Sitejabber, alongside the emerging threat of AI-generated reviews. Findings reveal that fake reviews are not isolated anomalies but systemic artefacts of a digital economy that incentivises manipulation over authenticity.
Keywords: Digital Deviance, Social Capital, Consumer Trust.
Julie S. Costopoulos & Marshall A. Jones (2026). Mitigating Forensic Risk for Practitioners. Journal of Crime and Criminal Behavior, 6: 1, pp. 63-79.
Police Officer Perceptions of Body-Worn Cameras: A Qualitative Study in a U.S.–Mexico Border Community
The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine police officers’ perceptions of body-worn cameras through in-depth interviews with officers from a U.S.–Mexico border community. Emergent themes from officers’ narratives were later interpreted using Routine Activities Theory to contextualise police–civilian encounters involving BWCs. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 11 police officers from a U.S.–Mexico border community, the study explores how BWCs shape police–civilian encounters through the interaction of motivated behaviour, suitable targets, and capable guardianship. Officers generally viewed BWCs as an essential tool that enhances accountability and professionalism, functioning as a form of situational guardianship during police–civilian encounters. Officers reported that the presence of BWCs often influenced civilian behaviour, increasing compliance and discouraging misconduct, consistent with shifts in motivated behaviour under heightened surveillance. Narratives also revealed that officers perceived themselves as suitable targets for complaints or allegations in the absence of functional BWCs, particularly when technological malfunctions occurred. These malfunctions were described as disrupting guardianship and altering the dynamics of police–civilian encounters by increasing uncertainty and perceived vulnerability. Overall, the findings demonstrate how BWCs operate as embedded technological actors within routine policing activities and highlight their role in stabilising police–civilian interactions within contemporary law enforcement.
Keywords: Body-Worn Cameras, Police Officer Perceptions, Police–Civilian Encounters.Routine Activities Theory.
Kimberly D. Dodson, Heather Alianiz-Salas, Fei Luo & Julia McGuire (2026). Police Officer Perceptions of Body-Worn Cameras: A Qualitative Study in a U.S.–Mexico Border Community. Journal of Crime and Criminal Behavior, 6: 1, pp. 81-100.