Showing posts with label Offence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Offence. Show all posts

Wednesday, 19 October 2016

Distorted Cognitions


Sure?

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Also, see The Eikonophobiacs Are On the Move - Again and Beginning To Understand.

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(Embedded Tweets - click date)

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Gateway to offending behaviour: permission-giving thoughts of online users of child sexual exploitation material 

Danielle G. Kettleborough & Hannah L. Merdian

Received 19 Nov 2015, Accepted 30 Aug 2016, Published online: 18 Oct 2016 

ABSTRACT 

"The endorsement of permission-giving thoughts, or so-called cognitive distortions, has been discussed as a contributing factor in sexually abusive behaviour.

The current study set out to explore the thinking patterns of offenders who have used/downloaded child sexual exploitation material (CSEM), based on a survey of professionals.

A thematic analysis elicited four overarching themes, namely the Perceived Nature of Children (perception of children portrayed in CSEM, as well as children in general), Non-sexual Engagement with CSEM (motivating factors that are not inherently sexual in nature), Denial of Harm (perception of the level of harm caused by CSEM), and Expression of a General Sexual Preference (general interest in deviant sexual behaviour).

These themes aid to explore the differences and similarities between contact and non-contact offenders and to improve the understanding of the role of permission-giving thoughts in this typology of offending."

Results are discussed in terms of their theoretical significance and future implications.

KEYWORDS: Child pornography, child sexual exploitation material, cognitive distortions, sex offending, internet sex offending,

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13552600.2016.1231852?needAccess=true

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13552600.2016.1231852

D. Kettleborough @DGKettle https://twitter.com/DGKettle

Hannah Merdian @HlMerdian https://twitter.com/HlMerdian

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A fundamental attribution error? Rethinking cognitive distortions

Shadd Maruna & Ruth E. Mann

First published: September 2006

Abstract 

"The notion of ‘cognitive distortion’ has become enshrined in the offender treatment literature over the last 20 years, yet the concept still suffers from a lack of definitional clarity.

In particular, the umbrella term is often used to refer to offence-supportive attitudes, cognitive processing during an offence sequence, as well as post-hoc neutralisations or excuses for offending.

Of these very different processes, the last one might be the most popular and problematic. Treatment programmes for offenders often aim to eliminate excuse-making as a primary aim, and decision-makers place great weight on the degree to which an offender “takes responsibility” for his or her offending. Yet, the relationship between these after-the-fact explanations and future crime is not at all clear.

Indeed, the designation of post hoc excuses as criminogenic may itself be an example of fallacious thinking. After all, outside of the criminal context, post hoc excuse-making is widely viewed as normal, healthy, and socially rewarded behaviour.

We argue that the open exploration of contextual risk factors leading to offending can help in the identification of criminogenic factors as well as strengthen the therapeutic experience. Rather than insist that offenders take “responsibility” for the past, we suggest that efforts should focus on helping them take responsibility for the future, shifting the therapeutic focus from post hoc excuses to offence-supportive attitudes and underlying cognitive schemas that are empirically linked to re-offending."

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1348/135532506X114608/abstract 

DOI: 10.1348/135532506X114608

Examining The Term 'Cognitive Distortions' 

"In short,

the concept of cognitive distortion has suffered both from an absence of empirical support and also from a lack of clarity in definition.

Over time, this lack of clarity has become increasingly problematic. Authors have broadened the concept of cognitive distortion in different ways; for example, using the term to describe general antisocial thinking (Ward, 2000).

In clinical practice, the term cognitive distortion has become confused with any causal explanation for offending given by offenders, no matter how valid the explanation might be (Mann & Webster, 2001).

Moreover, the cognitive distortion label is used to group together far different phenomena such as attitudes, cognitive products and post hoc excuses.

Hence, we will avoid the slippery term cognitive distortions altogether in our review below, and concentrate only on excuse making [...] We explicitly exclude attitudes which are supportive of offending, such as pro-violence attitudes or (in the case of sex offending) beliefs that child victims enjoy sex with adults or are not harmed by it."

"In this paper, we have suggested that some of the common assumptions about post hoc excuses (sometimes called cognitive distortions) are worthy of reinvestigation.

In particular, we point to a large body of literature that indicates excuse making is normal and frequently healthy, and we make the uncontroversial point that behaviours frequently do have external causes.

We suggest that, just because many offenders seek to excuse their offending by appealing to external, unstable causes, this does not justify the assumption that such an attributional style is risky. Such an assumption may mean that those concerned with understanding offending, whether through research or clinical practice, pay too little attention to other, perhaps more important, cognitive phenomena.

As always, more research is needed, but future work should maintain a more open, unbiased mind in regard to offender accounts and seek to avoid misattributions of labels such as cognitive distortion."

https://www.ipce.info/library/book/quotes-fundamental-attribution-error-intro

https://www.ipce.info/library/book/quotes-fundamental-attribution-error-rethinking

https://www.ipce.info/library/book/quotes-fundamental-attribution-error-rethinki-2

Monday, 21 October 2013

Now Then, Now Then ... Zombies v Peter Saunders Of NAPAC - Lies For Personal Gain Are Truly Offensive



 How's About That Then? Brains !!!

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11:30am UK, Monday 21 October 2013

Jimmy Savile Zombie Costume Dropped By Amazon

"Peter Saunders of The National Association for People Abused in Childhood had called for the costume to be withdrawn.

He told Sky News: "This is the height of bad taste. Many people would find this offensive [and?] especially victims of this type of crime [what type?] and particularly Jimmy Savile victims [which victims?].

"It’s very sick and unfortunate but this type of thing happens periodically [it certainly is, Peter, it certainly is]""

http://news.sky.com/story/1157415/jimmy-savile-zombie-costume-dropped-by-amazon


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19/2/14


Pulling & Tugging. Forelocks Optional

"When I was doing a bit of studying about NAPAC, I noticed on their website that they have a note advising anyone under 18 that NAPAC can offer them no service and advising that they contact either NSPCC or Childline. This keeps NAPAC out of NSPCC business, and so involved only in Historical Abuse Allegations. It wouldn't do to have them queering one another's patch; except that is exactly what does seem to have happened. Here is the story."

http://jimcannotfixthis.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/pulling-tugging-forelocks-optional.html?view=flipcard

Friday, 27 September 2013

They Can Be Very Rude, Disorderly And Violent Liars

27 September 2013 Last updated at 06:08

Nick Gargan wants officers to "think and speak differently"

"Chief Constable Nick Gargan is impatient for change and is not afraid of becoming unpopular in pursuit of it.

Just six months into his job, he is embarking on a crusade to transform the culture at Avon and Somerset Police.

His vision for a revised force includes a radical direct-entry scheme giving would-be chief inspectors the chance to skip promotion through the lower ranks.

But his proposal, just one of several ground-breaking reforms he has planned, has already riled some.

The Police Federation called it a "half-baked idea", claiming "people who have not seen a dead body" would not earn the respect of colleagues.

But Mr Gargan is pushing ahead - wanting officers to "think and speak differently" - and this means changing the workforce.

At 46, he is comparatively young for a chief constable, having joined Leicestershire Constabulary in 1988 under a graduate entry scheme.

Policing pilot

He is clear and determined in conveying his vision; transparency, integrity and respect are recurring themes in his conversation.

"The attitude of policing, is sometimes of an organisation that is 'doing policing to people' - not for people or with people - and that has implications for respect," he said."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-24238788

Thursday, 11 July 2013

One Idiot, Multiple Morons

9 Jul 2013 17:42

RE: Facebook troll jailed for 28 months for bogus threats to kill on memorial pages

"The 24-year-old used a fake name to make his sick remarks alongside tributes to 17-year-old car crash victim Caitlin Talley.

A Facebook troll who made bogus threats [really?] to “kill at least 200” on memorial pages for two dead US girls was jailed for 28 months today.

He also trolled a page for a girl of 15 who died in an accident."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/reece-elliott-facebook-troll-jailed-2040938

Friday, 28 June 2013

Good, Now Make It Off-line, Too

THURSDAY 20 JUNE 2013

Internet trolls will [sic] escape prosecution if they apologise, say new guidelines released today

"'High threshold' placed on Twitter and Facebook comments before prosecution

New guidelines for social media will ensure that Twitter and Facebook users who post offensive messages online must pass a “high threshold” before facing prosecution, and could avoid prosecution altogether by apologising.

Keir Starmer QC, Director of Public Prosecutions has published guidelines for prosecutors who are taking on cases involving communications sent via social media.

The guidelines are being implemented to address the “potential chilling effect” that the high number of prosecutions in cases where a communication might be considered grossly offensive, said Mr Starmer.

Social media ‘trolls’ have become an online phenomenon, and usually post offensive, upsetting and inflammatory comments on networks such as Twitter and Facebook, where their posts may be seen publicly.

Now, under the new guidelines, prosecutions could be rendered unnecessary if the person who has posted the offensive post “has expressed genuine remorse” or has taken “swift and effective action” to “remove the communication in question or otherwise block access to it”. A prosecution could also be avoided if the communication “was not intended for a wide audience, nor was the obvious consequence of sending the communication”"

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/internet-trolls-will-escape-prosecution-if-they-apologise-say-new-guidelines-released-today-8666488.html

Top prosecutor warns troll-hunting cops not to choke courts

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/13/keir_starmer_warns_against_millions_of_trolling_offences/

Offensive, iconoclastic internet trolls will NOT be prosecuted, says DPP

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/06/20/cps_issues_final_social_media_guidelines_for_prosecutors/

Remorseful Twitter and Facebook jokers less likely to face prosecution

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/dec/19/twitter-facebook-jokers-prosecution

Crown Prosecution Will Avoid Dealing With Internet Trolls

http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk/news/crown-prosecution-social-media-102370

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

The Usual Suspects

Monday 13 May 2013

The moral lynching of Barbara Hewson

"The crusade against the ‘whore’ Hewson after she criticised Operation Yewtree confirms that the paedophile panic rips apart rational debate.

Intolerance comes in many shapes and forms. Last week, following the publication of an article on spiked by Barbara Hewson, there was a surge in intolerance, reminding us that far too many people and institutions aim to silence voices that raise uncomfortable questions. In particular, the Hewson storm confirms that the prevailing consensus around the Jimmy Savile scandal and the numerous police investigations it has spawned is now beyond debate. Questions about what kind of behaviour constitutes child abuse; about how to respond to claims of abuse that allegedly occurred 50 or 60 years ago; about what the age of consent should be… apparently there can be no debate on these, and only the dominant official narrative may be voiced."

http://www.spiked-online.com/site/article/13612/

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

Why The PCC Is Soon To Be Defunct (Thankfully)

2:11PM GMT 26 Mar 2013

Julie Burchill entitled to 'offend' transsexuals, press watchdog rules

"Julie Burchill was entitled to write a controversial article about transsexuals because she was expressing her opinion, the Press Complaints Commission has ruled.

Burchill, pictured, launched the attack in defence of her friend and fellow writer Suzanne Moore.

The newspaper watchdog rejected claims that the columnist's description of transgender people as "d**** in chicks' clothing" and “a bunch of bed-wetters in bad wigs” was inaccurate or misleading.

It was “clear” from the tone of the article that Miss Burchill was using the phrases to voice her views, the regulator said, adding that the comments were "clearly distinguished from fact"

The article did not breach the PCC’s rules on discrimination because Miss Burchill did not single out any individuals, but referred “to transgender people generally", a ruling by the watchdog said."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9954733/Julie-Burchill-entitled-to-offend-transsexuals-press-watchdog-rules.html

Comment:

Few support freedom of speech, as much as we do, but, it is such inconsistencies, in logic, interpretation and decision (this stems from the PCC's media-protecting 'Code of Practice'), which has led to their downfall.

In doing so, due to their past ineffectiveness (in particular, against bullying, corrupt, lying and dangerous 'journalists'), this has led to the post-Leveson cull, which the media are now whining about; the PCC is, predominantly, the media and their associates.

Get them out, as soon as is possible, so that a consistent, agreed and evidenced-based approach may be adopted.

The OSC

The Viral Nature Of Online Hate Makes Legal Policing An Unrealistic Challenge

26 Mar 2013

Police forces need to face social media challenges

"Social media experts should work with police forces across the UK in ‘hubs’ to help the service grapple with new issues, a new report has claimed.

“Social media use is likely to continue to grow and, on balance, the advantages of social media use by the police far outweigh the disadvantages.”"

http://www.policeprofessional.com/news.aspx?id=16023

Friday, 18 January 2013

Nice To Have Eclectic Admirer's Of Our Work

Sotos

"The Vachss quotes are at least powerful rhetoric I guess.

Oldfield's own relentlessly bleak and joyless pro-paedo blog is

http://therealosc.blogspot.co.uk - he's an arsehole [how rude] and him and the shrill Absolute Zero, PeeJ et al team all deserve each other - there are so many similarities I can see in this shit to the whole pathetic fascist and anti-fascist mess and how they like to meet round the back where their tiny circle closes too. Mental disorder, puerile obsession and people who don't leave the house enough.

I think Sotos has become more interesting over the years simply because he's become a really fucking great writer and someone whose work will be read and remembered for many years to come. There are more than enough human train wrecks in the world, they're in the news every day."

http://www.special-interests.net/forum/index.php?topic=230.255

Special Interests Magazine

http://www.special-interests.net/

Comment:

Stop by a while, HongKongGoolagong, and let's chat.

The OSC

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

Means Nothing Until 'Abusive' Goes, As Well

14 January 2013 Last updated at 23:05

'Insulting words' crime ditched

"Theresa May Mrs May told MPs that free speech needed to be balanced with action against widespread offence

The crime of "insulting" someone through words or behaviour, which once led to the arrest of a student for asking a police officer whether his horse was gay, is to be dropped.

Home Secretary Theresa May confirmed to MPs that the government would not seek to overturn a Lords amendment scrapping the ban.

The director of public prosecutions has said it will not hinder his work.

But Labour warned that it could remove protections for minority groups.

Section 5 of the 1986 Public Order Act currently means that "threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour" might be deemed a criminal offence."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21020737

January 15, 2013

Neigh More Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

"Looking at past cases, the Director of Public Prosecutions could not identify any where the behaviour leading to a conviction could not be described as “abusive” as well as “insulting”."

http://www.annaraccoon.com/politics/neigh-more-dont-ask-dont-tell/

Wednesday, 24 October 2012

Fair Point, Officer Glen

Published on Wednesday 24 October 2012 10:54

‘Seek help before we seek you out’ is advice from police

"The top cop in charge of catching child porn offenders in Herts has urged anyone who thinks they may be at risk of this type of offending to get help before it is too late.

Det Chief Insp Glen Channer, who heads up the Herts child protection and paedophile [sic] units of around 30 specially trained officers, said: “If someone is convicted they will become a registered sex offender and they will go on a sex offenders programme. They should seek help now.”

"He said that those who feel they are at risk of committing such a crime can get help by visiting their GP or by contacting the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre [mmmm, not sure on that], the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, Stop It Now or the Samaritans.""

http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/local/seek-help-before-we-seek-you-out-is-advice-from-police-1-4402200

Thursday, 20 September 2012

Gross

5:52pm UK, Thursday 20 September 2012

No Charges Over Tom Daley Tweet

"A footballer will not face charges over a homophobic tweet he posted about Olympic divers Tom Daley and Peter Waterfield.

Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said Daniel Thomas's message was "not so grossly offensive that criminal charges need to be brought" - and said the divers both agreed with the decision.

He added that new guidelines for prosecutors on social media cases would also be issued, given the growing number of complaints."

http://news.sky.com/story/987387/no-charges-over-tom-daley-tweet

20/09/2012

DPP statement on Tom Daley case and social media prosecutions

"“The Communications Act 2003 makes it an offence to send a communication using a public electronic communications network if that communication is “grossly offensive”. It is now established that posting comments via Twitter constitutes sending a message by means of a public electronic communications network. It is also clear that the offence is committed once the message is sent, irrespective of whether it is received by any intended recipient or anyone else. The question in this case is therefore whether the message posted by Mr Thomas is so grossly offensive as to be criminal and, if so, whether a prosecution is required in the public interest.

“There is no doubt that the message posted by Mr Thomas was offensive and would be regarded as such by reasonable members of society. But the question for the CPS is not whether it was offensive, but whether it was so grossly offensive that criminal charges should be brought. The distinction is an important one and not easily made. Context and circumstances are highly relevant and as the European Court of Human Rights observed in the case of Handyside v UK (1976), the right to freedom of expression includes the right to say things or express opinions “…that offend, shock or disturb the state or any sector of the population”."

http://blog.cps.gov.uk/2012/09/dpp-statement-on-tom-daley-case-and-social-media-prosecutions.html