Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: The bulk of available research on the geography of crime considers the ‘spatial-ness’ of crime as being limited to single points in space. In reality, crime events are complicated spatial networks made of nodes that may or may not overlap. The research presented here outlines a five category geometric classification for spatial networks-composed of homicide locations, offender residences, and victim residences- and shows the predictive value of various offender-, victim-, and homicide-characteristics through a series of multinomial logistic regression analyses. Also tested are contextual measures of the neighborhoods surrounding each network node, drawn from macro-geographical research on Routine Activities and Social Disorganization.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: As the first nuclear century drew to a close, international relations scholars have paid increasing attention to the phenomenon of nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear reversal. Intuitively, the decision by states to relinquish the awesome power of nuclear weapons may appear puzzling as these arms traditionally have been thought to provide military might, political prestige and security. However, by the end of the 20th century, several states had opted for a voluntary renunciation of nuclear weapons in search of other national security alternatives. Three states in particular – Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan - offer a unique opportunity to study instances of nuclear reversal. A comparative analysis of the nuclear policies of the three post-Soviet states offers a possibility to theorize about the potential causal mechanisms that can lead to denuclearization. Although the ultimate outcome in each one of these three cases was the same – attainment of a nuclear-free status – the paths taken by each country varied substantially. The comparative examination of the different denuclearization paths will yield insights into the underlying causes of each state’s nuclear actions that, in turn, will illuminate some general implications of this recent experience for other nuclear fence sitters in different parts of the world.
Arguing against the conventional explanations of nuclear behavior propagated by neorealist as well as normative perspectives, the paper will introduce an explanatory model of nuclear reversal by non-great powers based upon the logic of “prudent realism”. Specifically, the model will test two related hypotheses with respect to states’ decision about renunciation of nuclear weapons. In combination, these two hypotheses constitute the causal mechanism of the nuclear reversal process. First, it will be suggested that nuclear decisions have something to do with the nature of a state’s relation with a regional hegemon. Second, it will be hypothesized that nuclear reversal hinges upon the considerations of short-term economic cost/benefit analysis as well as long-term economic prosperity considerations. The proposed model will incorporate international and domestic level analysis in order to uncover the specifics of the causal mechanism leading to a decision about nuclear reversal. These hypotheses will be tested on the three post-Soviet cases. To illustrate the generalizability of the model beyond the former Soviet region, the model will be tested on the case of South Africa in the early 1990s.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Activists occupy unique and potentially powerful positions in relation to the organizations with which they share issues of mutual concern. Most contemporary approaches to exploring organizational relationships are useful for capturing the state of a focal organizational relationship at a single point in time or over a limited period at best. Such approaches have limited utility for research involving multiple relationships over an extended timeframe. While organizational relationships are almost exclusively studied and understood using the perceptions of the parties in the relationships, this study describes organization-activist relationships using observable relationship processes, that is, information flows. Organizations and activists signal the state of their relationships in their information flows, specifically public statements about their shared issues of concern that are reported by the news media. It is from these published relationship-signaling statements that the state of these relationships at multiple intervals is interpreted and measured using a conflict continuum. This paper reports the findings of the analysis of relationship-signaling statements made by Australia’s major banks and their activist publics and published by the media from 1981 to 2001. It involved the content analysis of more than 6, 500 newspaper articles. The findings of this study call into question the value of advice that encourages organizations to deal with issues by seeking to avoid engaging with their activist publics and by downplaying issues in the media.

Publication Type: Poster
Abstract: All medical professionals in Massachusetts are required to complete a detailed Provider Sexual Crime Report (PSCR) for each victim of sexual assault or rape they examine. Over 100 data items are included on each reporting form. These data provide an excellent opportunity to investigate the nature of sexual crime in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Using data for approximately 5,000 cases, researchers compiled detailed profiles of victims, offenders, offense characteristics, and victim reporting of sexual assaults and rapes for the years 2000-2004. Findings include type of force used, victim-offender relationship, factors affecting police reporting and/or seeking restraining orders, and age of victim and how it relates to police reporting.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Researchers have been studying communication in physician-patient consultations for many years and a considerable body of evidence on the best practices has been amassed. One critique of this literature is that it is not always clear which skills are being taught and if those skills are matched with those being assessed. Our conceptual model for communication skills training seeks to answer those critiques by explicitly defining the important components of a consultation.