Media MonitorSUBSCRIBE 115373 total results. Showing results 15641 to 15660 «779780781782783784785786787Next ›Last » Automated question type coding of forensic interviews and trial testimony in child sexual abuse cases. Question-type classification is widely used as a measure of interview quality. However, question-type coding is a time-consuming process when performed by manual coders. Reliable automated question-type coding approaches would facilitate the assessment of the quality of forensic interviews and court testimony involving victims of child abuse. We expected that the reliability achieved by the automated model would be comparable to manual coders. We examined whether a large language model (Robustly Optimized Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers Approach) trained on questions (N = 351,920) asked in forensic interviews (n = 1,435) and trial testimony (n = 416) involving 3- to 17-year-old alleged victims of child sexual abuse could distinguish among (a) invitations, (b) wh-questions, (c) option-posing questions, and (d) nonquestions. Results: The model achieved high reliability (95% agreement; κ = .93). To determine whether disagreements were due to machine or manual errors, we recoded inconsistencies between the machine and manual codes. Manual coders erred more often than the machine, particularly by overlooking invitations and nonquestions. Correcting errors in the manual codes further increased the model’s reliability (98% agreement; κ = .97). Automated question-type coding can provide a time-efficient and highly accurate alternative to manual coding. We have made the trained model publicly available for use by researchers and practitioners. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved) Law and Human Behavior - Subscription at source 4/4/2025 Research article Beyond Traditional Risk Scores: Tackling LS/CMI Offender Misclassifications with Machine Learning This paper investigates the accuracy of offender risk assessment scoring methods. We study the degree of misclassification resulting from the conventional practice of aggregating individual items to derive risk scores and categories. We document which types of offenders are prone to misclassification, particularly in relation to age and gender. We use a machine learning algorithm to leverage the rich set of information available in the LS/CMI. Using all 45,535 assessments conducted between 2008 and 2015 in Quebec (Canada), we estimate probabilities from a random forest algorithm to predict individual risks of recidivism over a two-year follow-up. We compare the resulting probabilities to those inferred from the risk scores or categories to document the extent of misclassification. We devise a simple algorithm to construct alternative risk categories that reduce misclassification relative to the LS/CMI total scores and categories. The probabilities obtained from the random forest approach accurately predict individual probabilities to reoffend. Compared with these predictions, the traditional aggregation of items into risk scores or categories yields substantial misclassification for certain groups of offenders. In particular, we find that the risk associated with older individuals when using the LS/CMI risk categories is overestimated by about 10 percentage points. Our alternative risk categories, devised from our machine learning predictions, successfully avoid such misclassification. Traditional methods of aggregating items from risk assessments into scores may lead to substantial misclassification, especially for older offenders. Misclassification arises from 1) items not being equally risk-relevant; 2) information collected by the LS/CMI being excluded or overly simplified when constructing scores; and 3) age being omitted from risk scores. Machine learning algorithms avoid these pitfalls and can be used to construct less biased categories. Journal of Quantitative Criminology - Subscription at source 4/4/2025 Research article Two causes of concern closed against Nottinghamshire Police Two causes of concern against Nottinghamshire Police have been closed after HMICFRS found the force had addressed issues around leadership and management, and preventing and deterring crime. Police Oracle - Subscription at source 4/4/2025 News Hertfordshire launches new live chat service with auto-translate function The new live chat service for routine, non-emergency enquiries, has been launched on Hertfordshire Constabulary's website this week, and is helping provide answers to the public's most commonly asked questions. Police Oracle - Subscription at source 4/4/2025 News ‘More work to do’ at police force despite progress Nottinghamshire Police has made progress since concerns were raised, a watchdog says, but the force remains under "enhanced monitoring" with "more work still to do". BBC 4/4/2025 News Former police officer faces harassment charge A former Devon and Cornwall Police firearms response officer has appeared in court charged with harassment without violence. BBC 4/4/2025 News Flex, adapt, thrive? Navigating work mutations and the well-being of police officers supporting gender-based violence victims in Catalonia New dynamics in the world of work have emerged due to the transformation in the production system and concurrent labor deregulation policies developed over the past 100 years. Standard employment of the Welfare State now coexists with flexible, disposable labor. This continuum fosters significant mutations, adaptations, and modulations of the workforce, presenting constant challenges for worker well-being. To analyze the impact of these tensions on workers and society, this article explores flexible scheduling practices in relation to levels of stress and work–life balance. This article explores the experiences of police officers in Catalonia who support victims of gender-based violence, and questions whether work flexibility helps or hinders in managing the demanding nature of their work. It argues that flexible work arrangements do not address the challenges of specialist jobs, such as police dealing with gender-based violence and calls for a more comprehensive approach to support the well-being of these essential workers. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice - Subscription at source 4/4/2025 Research article Police watchdog investigating after officer fatally shoots a person in Montreal CANADA: Quebec’s police watchdog is investigating after a Montreal police officer fatally shot a person during an intervention late Saturday. Blue Line (Canada) 4/4/2025 News RCMP celebrates graduates of the Indigenous Pre-Cadet Training Program CANADA: Last week, at the RCMP Academy, the Indigenous Pre-Cadet Training Program (IPTP) troop celebrated the completion of the 2025 spring session with a graduation at Depot. Blue Line (Canada) 4/4/2025 News New Brunswick RCMP honours officers and employees with King’s Coronation Medal CANADA: Several RCMP officers, federal public service employees, and municipal employees were recently honoured for their outstanding contributions to public safety by receiving the prestigious King’s Coronation Medal. Blue Line (Canada) 4/4/2025 News Family of George Nkencho fail in appeal against DPP decision not to prosecute gardaà over his fatal shooting REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: The inquest into George Nkencho’s death, first opened nearly four years ago, can now proceed. The Journal (Republic of Ireland) 4/4/2025 News Family of George Nkencho unsuccessful in appeal against DPP decision that no garda should face prosecution over his fatal shooting REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: An appeal by the family of George Nkencho against the decision of the DPP that no garda should face prosecution over his fatal shooting by armed officers in Dublin over four years ago was unsuccessful, an inquest has heard. Irish Independent (Republic of Ireland) 4/4/2025 News Everard inquiry opens survey for police forces Police officers and staff are being asked for their views on recruitment, vetting, culture and standards as part of an inquiry into the circumstances around the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by off-duty police officer Wayne Couzens. BBC 4/4/2025 News New powers to tackle knife crime AUSTRALIA: Stronger police powers to tackle knife crime have officially come into effect in South Australia. Government of South Australia 4/4/2025 News Queensland police won’t talk publicly about workplace equality AUSTRALIA: Two consecutive reviews into the Queensland Police Service illuminate very different concerns about its culture and mission. The Mandarin (Australia) 4/4/2025 News Queensland police to have power to issue on-the-spot domestic violence protection orders Domestic and family violence experts warn measure risks victims being wrongly labelled as perpetrators by police The Guardian 4/4/2025 News Nottinghamshire Police: PEEL causes of concern revisit letter We revisited Nottinghamshire Police after identifying three causes of concern related to investigating crime, leadership and preventing crime. The force has made progress to address the causes of concern related to leadership and preventing crime, which has resulted in their closure. HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) 4/4/2025 Report Tees-wide Tackling Domestic Abuse Perpetration Strategy 2025-2035 This strategy has been developed collaboratively, with support and input from a wide range of partners, with feedback invited through a range of existing partnerships and victim-survivor service user groups across Tees. We want to particularly acknowledge the support of our local domestic abuse providers, experts by experience, and the four domestic abuse coordinators from the local authority areas across Tees who have significantly supported the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) in developing this strategy. [PDF] Cleveland OPCC 4/4/2025 Report New 10-year strategy to end domestic abuse epidemic launched A new Tess-wide strategy to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG) has been launched by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. The 10-year Tackling Domestic Abuse Perpetration Strategy – co-produced by partners across Cleveland – aims to identify perpetrators earlier and address behaviours that enable domestic abuse to happen. Cleveland OPCC 4/4/2025 News Report highlights international best practice that can boost Australia’s policing response to cybercrime A new Winston Churchill Trust report exploring the international policing responses to cybercrime, written by Queensland Police Service Detective Chief Inspector Michael Newman, has highlighted a range of learning opportunities and practical takeaways around prevention, detection, investigation, and capability to improve Australia’s law enforcement efforts to target cybercriminals, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports. Policing Insight - Subscription at source 4/4/2025 Analysis, Feature, Innovation «779780781782783784785786787Next ›Last » Upcoming events View all events
