Criminal achievement and offender self-efficacy

La notion de réussite criminelle a essentiellement été définie au moyen de l’indicateur objectif des gains monétaires. Si l’idée selon laquelle l’argent est au coeur de la réussite professionnelle fait l’objet d’un large consensus social, il semble improbable que les gains monétaires permettent à eux seuls d’appréhender la réussite. Pour mieux comprendre certaines dimensions des carrières criminelles telles que la persistance et le désistement, il paraît utile de se pencher sur la manière dont les criminels définissent leur propre réussite. Il a été établi que l’auto-efficacité, soit la croyance que possède un individu en sa capacité à accomplir une tâche, permet de prédire plusieurs dimensions des carrières légitimes. À partir de la théorie sur l’auto-efficacité, ce mémoire examine de quelle manière se forme l’auto-efficacité criminelle. Nous soutenons que les perceptions relatives à la réussite criminelle sont affectées par des facteurs semblables à ceux qui jouent dans le développement de l’auto-efficacité légitime. Nous partons de l’hypothèse que les criminels forgent leur auto-efficacité à partir de quatre sources d’expérience : les réussites personnelles, l’apprentissage vicariant, la persuasion sociale et les états physiologiques. Il est également avancé que certaines caractéristiques individuelles et environnementales ont un impact significatif sur le développement de l’auto-efficacité criminelle. Sur la base d’entrevues auprès de 212 délinquants, nos résultats indiquent que l’auto-efficacité criminelle est une construction complexe fondée sur les caractéristiques individuelles et environnementales, ainsi que sur les expériences criminelles personnelles. Nous discutons de l’impact éventuel de ces conclusions sur l’appréhension de la persévérance et du désistement dans les carrières criminelles.

Interview with Professor Mark Brodin about his book "William P. Homans Jr.: A Life In Court"

Boston lawyer William P. Homans Jr. devoted his fifty-year career to the defense of the poor and downtrodden, the protection of our most basic civil liberties, and the abolition of the death penalty. Descendant of two of Boston's oldest and most prominent families, and combat veteran of both the British and American Navies during World War II, Homans became unlikely guru to the 1960s generation of radical lawyers and antiwar activists. He was on the defense team in the 1968 conspiracy trial of Dr. Benjamin Spock and four other leading opponents of the Vietnam War accused of aiding and abetting resistance to the military draft, and represented Dr. Kenneth Edelin in the 1975 manslaughter prosecution arising out of a lawful abortion performed after Roe v. Wade. The narrative contrasts Bill Homans' storied legal career with a troubled personal life in a balanced but unvarnished manner, testifying to the strength of the human spirit when committed to the pursuit of the common good. About the author: Mark S. Brodin is Professor of Law at Boston College Law School and the author of numerous books and law journal articles in the areas of civil and criminal procedure, evidence, litigation, and employment discrimination. A graduate of Columbia College (1969) and Columbia Law School (1972), he served as law clerk to United States District Judge Joseph L. Tauro and staff attorney with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights in Boston. He has also practiced for brief periods as a public defender in Boston and a prosecutor in Norfolk County.

Emotional Intelligence and Organisational Role Stress — A study among managers in selected industrial organisations in Kerala

Emotional intelligence is very important in organisations and the ability to manage feelings and handle stress is an important aspect of El. Even though a number of studies have been done to prove that E1 is related to organisationally relevant variables like leadership effectiveness, job satisfaction, performance, career success etc., and the theoretical grounding for emotional intelligence-stress-relationship seems sound, only a few studies have been done to establish this linkage. This study is an attempt to measure emotional intelligence and organisational role stress of managers working in industrial organisations and to examine the relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Organisational Role Stress. It also attempts to explore the influence of personal and occupational variables viz., age, education, gender, marital status, experience, department, type of organisation and designation on emotional intelligence. The investigator has also examined the difference in the level of role stress experienced by junior, middle and senior-level managers. The main objective of the study is to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and organisational role stress.

Non-University Higher Education and the Relationship of Its Graduates and the World of Work: Colombia

The non-university sector has been part of the Colombian higher education system for more than 50-years. Despite its long years of existence, it has never occupied such an important role within the education system as the one it is having today. Therefore, the aim of this work is to analyze the development of the non-university sector in the framework of the country’s social, educational and economic demands. Likewise, its actual situation and certain aspects of the relationship between its graduates and the world of work, i.e., graduates’ employment characteristics, the relationship of higher education studies and their work, as well as their early career success, are examined. In order to generate the required information, a graduate survey was carried out in Atlántico (Colombia). The target population was graduates from higher education institutions registered in Atlántico who were awarded a technical, technological or professional degree in 2008 from any of the following knowledge areas: Fine Arts, Health Science, Economy-Administration-Accountancy and similar, and Engineering-Architecture-Urban planning and similar. Besides, interviews with academic and administrative staff from non-university institutions were carried out, and higher education related documents were analyzed. As a whole, the findings suggest that the non-university sector is expanding and may help to achieve some of the goals, for which it is widely promoted i.e., access expansion for under-represented groups, enhancement of the higher education system, and the provision of programs pertinent to the needs of the market. Nevertheless, some aspects require further consideration, e.g., the sector’s consolidation within the system and its quality. As for the relationship between non-university higher education and the world of work, it was found to be close; particularly in those aspects related to the use of knowledge and skills in the work, and the relationship between graduates’ studies and their work. Additionally, the analysis of the graduates’ in their early career stages exposes the significant role that the socioeconomic stratum plays in their working life, particularly in their wages. This indicates that apart from education, other factors like the graduates’ economic or social capital may have an impact on their future work perspectives

Sustainable Development and the Right to Water in Colombia

Water, considered as an environmental resource and as an economic and social good, should be part of the Colombian public agenda, not only not only in terms of the use and preservation of hydro resources, but also in terms of the social implications of its possession and use. The world wide preoccupation with the diminution of natural resources, species extinction and water shortage has its origins in the seventies. One of the results was the establishment of international conventions and agreements to achieve responsible management of natural resources. Regarding water as a resource, it is intrinsically bound to the Earth’s natural processes and ecosystems. As regards the Colombian case, the “right to water in Colombia” is analyzed taking into account: water as an integral part of sustainable development, the right to water as a global debate and, finally, the right to water in the Colombian context within the explanatory framework of the Water Referendum.

Some Topics in Relation to José Celestino Mutis and Medicine

José Celestino Mutis showed different interest areas of study and worked in multiple knowledge fields: mathematics, mineralogy, astronomy, zoology and botanic, the one in which is best known. However, he was a medical doctor, whit profound an up to date knowledge. He studied at Sevilla University, and in the Royal College of Cadiz. He arrived to the “Nuevo Reino de Granada” as personal medical doctor of the the viceroy Pedro Messía de la Cerda and during 47 years, period of time he lived there, he always exercised his profession. We showed a special interest in the study of cinchona and the only work he published was El Arcano de la quina. He advised in public health many viceroys and he contributed in different fields but particularly in the prevention of smallpox by inoculation. He played a decisive role in the reopening of the medical school of the Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario. Some of his achievements justifies the appellative “Father of the Medicine in Colombia”.

Diferencias individuales y desarrollo de habilidades de liderazgo : el rol del locus de control

El presente proyecto se ha elaborado con la finalidad de encontrar la relación existente entre el liderazgo y el locus de control, por medio de una revisión documental que permita dar una visión más amplia de estos dos fenómenos. De acuerdo con investigaciones realizadas, existen características individuales que afectan el desarrollo de liderazgo, lo cual a su vez tiene un impacto sobre el comportamiento de los individuos dentro de una sociedad. Uno de estos factores es el locus de control, el cual sesta determinado por características del individuo, y por el ambiente en el cual se desenvuelven las personas. Existen diferentes evidencias que soportan ésta relación entre locus de control y liderazgo. En éste estudio documental se describirán estos hallazgos, identificando las características del individuo y del contexto que influyen sobre ellos. Asimismo se pondrá en contexto a través del trabajo las características principales de los líderes y como se presentan las interacciones entre los lideres y seguidores, teniendo en cuenta que no todas las veces los seguidores desarrollan este papel al seguir a su líder, sino que por otro lado y estos pueden tomar parte fundamental en la interacción, influyendo de manera directa sobre el líder. Se recuerda que a los lideres los hacen sus seguidores y que sin estos no podrían desarrollar el papel de líder.

La inclusión social y laboral de las personas con discapacidad intelectual mediante los programas de empleo con apoyo : un reto para la Orientación. 'Social and labour inclusion of people with intellectual disability through supported employment programs : a challenge for guidance'.

Resumen tomado de la publicación. Con el apoyo económico del departamento MIDE de la UNED

Public and Private Regulation: Mapping the Labyrinth. CEPS Working Document No. 370, October 2012

Private governance is currently being evoked as a viable solution to many public policy goals. However, in some circumstances it has shown to produce more harm than good, and even disastrous consequences as in the case of the financial crisis that is raging in most advanced economies. Although the current track record of private regulatory schemes is mixed, policy guidance documents around the world still require that policy-makers give priority to self- and co-regulation, with little or no additional guidance being given to policymakers to devise when, and under what circumstances, these solutions can prove viable from a public policy perspective. With an array of examples from several policy fields, this paper approaches regulation as a public-private collaborative form and attempts to identify possible policy tools to be applied by public policy-makers to efficiently and effectively approach private governance as a solution, rather than a problem. We propose a six-step theoretical framework and argue that IA techniques should: i) define an integrated framework including both the possibility that private regulation can be used as an alternative or as a complement to public legislation; ii) involve private parties in public IAs in order to define the best strategy or strategies that would ensure achievement of the regulatory objectives; and iii) contemplate the deployment of indicators related to governance and activities of the regulators and their ability to coordinate and solve disputes with other regulators.

Regulation and innovation: Rethinking 'inclusive' housing design

The Lifetime Homes (LTH) concept initiated in 1989 by the Helen Hamlyn Trust, and subsequently promoted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, emerged at a point when there was growing awareness of the decline of both private and public sector housing quality, especially in relation to floorspace standards (Karn & Sheridan, 1994). LTH were intended to offset the concerns of first, the house buying public of the appearance and affordability of homes suitable for successive generations, second, the private house building industry of the cost and marketability of incorporating 'inclusive' design features, and third, Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), who had to balance cost constraints with addressing the needs of a growing number of households with older and/or disabled people. Approved Document Part M of the building regulations was extended in 1999, from public buildings to private dwellings, and currently requires that all new housing meet minimal 'visitability' criteria. Indeed, although the signs are that Part M will be incrementally extended to comprise LTH principles, the paper argues that in their existing form they are insufficient to act as a key component of the government's 'new agenda for British housing'. This paper therefore explores how they might usefully be expanded from an approach, largely based on compromise, to one that inspires innovative, flexible and inclusive house forms, which also challenge design conventions.

In-service training needs in an African context: a study of headteacher and teacher perspectives in the Gucha District of Kenya

Improving the quality of teaching is an educational priority in Kenya, as in many developing countries. The present paper considers various aspects of in-service education, including views on the effectiveness of in-service, teacher and headteacher priorities in determining in-service needs and the constraints on providing in-service courses. These issues are examined though an empirical study of 30 secondary headteachers and 109 teachers in a district of Kenya. The results show a strong felt need for in-service provision together with a firm belief in the efficacy of in-service in raising pupil achievement. Headteachers had a stronger belief in the need for in-service for their teachers than did the teachers themselves. The priorities of both headteachers and teachers were dominated by the external pressures of the schools, in particular the pressures for curriculum innovation and examination success. The resource constraints on supporting attendance at in-service courses were the major problems facing headteachers. The results reflect the difficulties that responding to an externally driven in-service agenda creates in a context of scarce resources.

Winning and losing in the creative industries: an analysis of creative graduates' career opportunities across creative disciplines

Following earlier work looking at overall career difficulties and low economic rewards faced by graduates in creative disciplines, the paper takes a closer look into the different career patterns and economic performance of “Bohemian” graduates across different creative disciplines. While it is widely acknowledged in the literature that careers in the creative field tend to be unstructured, often relying on part-time work and low wages, our knowledge of how these characteristics differ across the creative industries and occupational sectors is very limited. The paper explores the different trajectory and career patterns experienced by graduates in different creative disciplinary fields and their ability to enter creative occupations. Data from the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) are presented, articulating a complex picture of the reality of finding a creative occupation for creative graduates. While students of some disciplines struggle to find full-time work in the creative economy, for others full-time occupation is the norm. Geography plays a crucial role also in offering graduates opportunities in creative occupations and higher salaries. The findings are contextualised in the New Labour cultural policy framework and conclusions are drawn on whether the creative industries policy construct has hidden a very problematic reality of winners and losers in the creative economy.

Narrativising the facts: acting in screen and stage docudrama

This article presents findings and seeks to establish the theoretical markers that indicate the growing importance of fact-based drama in screen and theatre performance to the wider Anglophone culture. During the final decade of the twentieth century and the opening one of the twenty-first, television docudrama and documentary theatre have grown in visibility and importance in the UK, providing key responses to social, cultural and political change over the millennial period. Actors were the prime focus for the enquiry principally because so little research has been done into the special demands that fact-based performance makes on them. The main emphasis in actor training (in the UK at any rate) is, as it always has been, on preparation for fictional drama. Preparation in acting schools is also heavily geared towards stage performance. Our thesis was that performers called upon to play the roles of real people, in whatever medium, have added responsibilities both towards history and towards real individuals and their families. Actors must engage with ethical questions whether they like it or not, and we found them keenly aware of this. In the course of the research, we conducted 30 interviews with a selection of actors ranging from the experienced to the recently-trained. We also interviewed a few industry professionals and actor trainers. Once the interviews started it was clear that actors themselves made little or no distinction between how they set about their work for television and film. The essential disciplines for work in front of the camera, they told us, are the same whether the camera is electronic or photographic. Some adjustments become necessary, of course in the multi-camera TV studio. But much serious drama for the screen is made on film anyway. We found it was also the case that young actors now tend to get their first paid employment before a camera rather than on a stage. The screen-before-stage tendency, along with the fundamental re-shaping that has gone on in the British theatre since at least the early 1980s, had implications for actor training. We have also found that theatre work still tends to be most valued by actors. For all the actors we interviewed, theatre was what they liked doing best because it was there they could practice and develop their skills, there they could work most collectively towards performance, and there they could more directly experience audience feedback in the real time of the stage play. The current world of television has been especially constrained in regard to rehearsal time in comparison to theatre (and, to a lesser extent, film). This has also affected actors’ valuation of their work. Theatre is, and is not, the most important medium in which they find work. Theatre is most important spiritually and intellectually, because in theatre is collaborative, intensive, and involving; theatre is not as important in financial and career terms, because it is not as lucrative and not as visible to a large public as acting for the screen. Many actors took the view that, for all the industrial differences that do affect them and inevitably interest the academic, acting for the visible media of theatre, film and television involved fundamentally the same process with slightly different emphases.

Thinking for speaking and linguistic relativity among bilinguals: towards a new research agenda

This article evaluates how the different papers in this special issue fill a gap in our understanding of cognitive processes that are being activated when second language learners or bilinguals prepare to speak. All papers are framed in Slobin’s (1987) Thinking for Speaking theory, and aim to test whether the conceptualisation patterns that were learned in early childhood can be relearned or restructured in L2 acquisition. In many papers the focus is on identifying constraints on this restructuring process. Among these constraints, the role of typological differences between languages is investigated in great depth. The studies involve different types of learners, language combinations and tasks. As all informants were given verbal rather than non-verbal tasks, the focus is here on the effects of conceptual transfer from one language on another, and not on the effects of language on non-linguistic cognition. The paper also sketches different avenues for further research in this field and proposes that researchers working in this field might want to take up the challenge of investigating whether speakers of different languages perceive motion outside explicitly verbal contexts differently, as this will enable us to gain an understanding of linguistic relativity effects in this domain. Studying which teaching methods can help learners to restructure their conceptualisation patterns may also shed new light on the aspects of discourse organization and motion event construal that are most difficult for learners.