Public Attitudes and Perceptions toward the NCRMD Defense

In Canada today, a person who performs an illegal act that is deemed to be the result of a mental illness is eligible for the not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (NCRMD) defense. This defense can remove the blame and responsibility from an individual for an act that would otherwise be considered criminal. The present study examines possible factors that may influence people’s opinions on the defense and the treatment of mentally ill offenders in general. A sample of 257 participants (190 women, 38 men, 29 gender unknown) with ages ranging from 18-73 (M = 26.59, SD = 12.59) completed an online survey that assessed attitudes, opinions, and knowledge of mental illness, mentally ill offenders, and the NCRMD defense. Results showed that several factors were related to how positive or negative participants considered the defense to be, including experience with mental illness or the justice system and knowledge of schizophrenia or the sentences associated with the NCRMD defense. Findings suggest education is important in attaining more positive views of mentally ill offenders and the NCRMD defense.

People and big cats (Panthera onca and Puma concolor) of the Atlantic Forest, Brazil

Conservation of large felids is not only about collecting ecological information; it is also about understanding people’s values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviour. The overarching goal of this thesis is to assess the relationship between people and jaguars and pumas. Specifically by contributing to the understanding of public acceptance of big cats, as well as the forces (cognitive and social) that influence people’s acceptability. Self-administered questionnaires (n=326) were applied to rural residents outside two protected areas in the State of Sao Paulo: Intervales and PETAR state parks. Findings showed that the acceptability of killing big cats varied accordingly to attitudinal type (positive and negative). Additionally, acceptability of jaguars and pumas was influenced by existence values, attitudes and park credibility. Human dimensions research helped in understanding the relationship between people and the big cats, highlighting the need, for example, to improve the credibility of the parks in the communities and to decrease the fear of jaguars and pumas.