| 1. |
- Andrén, Victoria, et al.
(författare)
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Gender and arson : psychosocial, psychological, and somatic offender characteristics at the time of the crime
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1478-9949 .- 1478-9957. ; 34:1, s. 113-130
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Deliberate fire-setting, such as the crime of arson, can have devastating, even lethal, consequences. This study compared factors at the time of arson by female and male offenders in Sweden between 2000–2010. The women (n = 100), and men (n = 100) included in this study were randomly chosen from among all individuals who had been convicted for arson during this period and who underwent forensic psychiatric investigations. Information regarding psychiatric and somatic characteristics, their psychosocial situation, and whether they were in contact with health or social services before the arsons were examined. The results showed that both women and men have complex psychiatric and somatic characteristics, as well as psychosocial situations. Women showed more self-destructive behaviour, lower Global Assessment of Functioning scores, and had been in contact with psychiatric health services to a greater extent than men. More women than men had children. These findings suggest that specific actions may be needed for preventing and treating women compared with men at risk for committing arson.
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| 2. |
- Engelkes, Torbjörn, 1971-
(författare)
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Loyal until death (?) : The nature, measurement and predictors of loyalty in a military context
- 2024
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall aim of this thesis was to broaden the understanding of the concept of loyalty within a military context, by focusing on how the nature of loyalty is experienced, how it can be measured and how it can be predicted. To achieve this, the thesis was structured in three interrelated studies, which initially aimed to examine the content of loyalty within the Swedish Armed Forces (SAF), then to develop and validate a scale to measure loyalty, and finally to examine possible predictors of loyalty.The aim of Study I was to examine how loyalty is experienced within the SAF. To achieve this, Study I examined how high-ranking officers – presumed to have a large influence on professional ethics within the SAF – gave meaning to their experiences of loyalty. The results showed that although the nature of loyalty in the military organization is based on a strong identification with the profession, loyalty is a multifaceted phenomenon which requires the individual to manage competing and sometimes counteracting domains (objects) of loyalty.The aim of Study II was to develop a psychometric scale for measuring loyalty in a military context, based on the findings of Study I. Given the complex and varying nature of loyalty and dealing with different domains of loyalty in the military, the scale was developed to consider several domains for an individual’s loyalty (e.g., workgroup, mission, nation). Additionally, there was a focus on the overall nature of loyalty involving sacrifice and action to protect the domain of loyalty. To achieve this, three independent samples, consisting of military personnel (in training and on overseas mission), were invited to answer a questionnaire based on the results from Study I. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses resulted in a scale measuring loyalty, denoted the Swedish Military Loyalty Scale (SMiLS). The SMiLS was found to consist of a four-dimensional representation of the willingness to act loyally. The dimensions are sectioned in loyal sacrifice and loyal action, further divided into moderate and extreme loyal sacrifice and loyal action, respectively.The aim of Study III was to examine how individuals’ willingness to act loyally to certain domains (the closest workgroup, the unit, and the unit mission) can be predicted by social identity fusion and developmental leadership. To achieve this, a sample consisting of military personnel serving on an overseas mission in Mali, took part in a survey, using the SMiLS as the dependent variable. Demographic factors, such as rank and gender, were also examined, taking the outcome of loyalty into consideration. The results show that social identity mainly predicted the sacrificial dimensions of loyalty, while developmental leadership predicted all dimensions of loyalty for all domains.In conclusion, the present thesis broadens the understanding of loyalty within a military context. It also contributes with a scale for measuring loyalty and identifies two predictors for loyalty. Further research should focus on a deepened understanding of loyalty within the military and in the context of total defense organizations, further validation of the SMiLS and the examination of additional possible predictors for loyalty.
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| 3. |
- Yourstone, Jenny, 1965-
(författare)
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Violent female offenders : Facts and preconceptions
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Women’s comparably low participation in criminal activity has resulted in little overall attention to female offenders in criminological research. The general aim of the present thesis is to illuminate aspects of particular significance for understanding female perpetrators of very serious crimes. Areas of interest are gender differences in the offenders’ psychosocial background, the offenders’ mental illness and medico-legal insanity decisions regarding violent offenders. Study I compared the psychosocial background of female and male perpetrators convicted of homicide in Sweden. The female perpetrators had experienced more severe childhood circumstances. At the time of the crime they had a more ordered social situation but they were more likely to have been exposed to violence and to have sought help than the corresponding men. Study II investigated differences between female and male offenders regarding forensic psychiatric diagnoses and medico-legal insanity decisions. A significantly higher proportion of mentally disordered females were diagnosed with personality disorder, while mentally disordered male offenders more often received a diagnosis of substance dependence or sexual disorders. There was an increased likelihood for violent women to be declared legally insane. Study III attempted to explore whether the differences observed in Study II could be explained by gender bias in forensic psychiatric assessments. The results suggested strong gender effects on legal insanity judgments among clinicians and judges. Consequently, the higher occurrence of legal insanity decisions regarding female defendants found in Study II could be explained, at least in part, by gender-related bias in the judicial system. Influence from such legally irrelevant factors may pose a serious threat to the fairness of the legal system. These results highlight the need for increased knowledge and awareness of human information processing limitations among legal decision-makers.
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