This study examines whether the association between residents’ perceptions of policing and their sense of safety varies across individual characteristics and neighbourhood contexts. Using survey data from 1738 residents of the Humberside region of England, linked to small-area deprivation and police-recorded crime data, we apply a causal forest with double machine learning to estimate this conditional association flexibly while adjusting for demographics, experience of crime and neighbourhood conditions. Because the data are cross-sectional, the estimates are interpreted as adjusted associations rather than causal effects. We find a positive average association between policing perceptions and sense of safety that is present across all groups examined. A calibration test indicates some variation in the strength of this association, but differences between pre-defined demographic and neighbourhood groups are modest, their confidence intervals largely overlap, and much of the variation lies within rather than between groups. The clearest between-group pattern concerns neighbourhood deprivation: the association tends to be somewhat weaker among residents of more deprived neighbourhoods. Differences by ethnicity are suggestive but based on small subgroups. These patterns generate hypotheses for more targeted policing and neighbourhood strategies that should be tested with longitudinal or experimental designs.
This paper draws on survey data from 54 undergraduate social work students at Queen’s University Belfast to explore their perceptions of community development teaching within social work education and their preparedness for community development practice. It examines student views on curriculum provision and considers how learning could be reimagined to better prepare future practitioners for community development practice. The findings reveal that 89% of students see community development as pertinent to social work practice and that 70% reported confidence in defining it. In contrast, only 30% feel they are prepared or very well prepared for the placement requirement, with 48% feeling inadequately prepared. Their confidence is lower in community organisation than in casework or group work. The findings suggest that community development needs both a clearly identifiable place within the programme and greater visibility across the wider curriculum, alongside practical teaching and structured opportunities for students to apply their learning before and during placement.
Parental imprisonment imposes strain on imprisoned individuals and their families. Sustaining relationships with children and partners is often difficult and can affect the entire family. This qualitative study examines fatherhood in prison from the perspective of imprisoned fathers in Switzerland. Based on interviews with ten fathers from different prisons, it explored opportunities to maintain contact with children, fathers’ understanding of their parental role, their possibilities to fulfil this role while imprisoned, and the need for improved support and contact opportunities. The results revealed various aspects of the role as fathers, which most of the interviewed fathers are only able to fulfil to a very limited extent while in prison. The interviewed fathers emphasised the need for more frequent, flexible and higher-quality opportunities to maintain contact with their children, participate in their lives and strengthen the father–child relationship. It becomes evident that fatherhood in prison is shaped not only by personal relationships but also by institutional regulations. Overall, the findings of the study highlight a widespread lack of family orientation in the prison system. More support services are needed that would allow for maintaining and strengthening relationships between imprisoned persons and their children and families.
This study examines temporal and regional patterns in police-recorded sexual offences across England and Wales between the years ending June 2021 and June 2025. Using Office for National Statistics (ONS) police-recorded crime data, a quantitative descriptive analysis was conducted examining annual offence counts, year-on-year percentage change, overall percentage change, population-adjusted regional offence rates (per 10,000 population) and the proportion of sexual offences within overall recorded crime across England and Wales, between 2021 and 2025. The findings indicate an overall increase in police-recorded sexual offences across the five-year observation period, alongside clear regional variation. The Northeast, Northwest, and Yorkshire and the Humber, generally recorded higher rates per population, whereas London and the East of England generally recorded lower rates. Sexual offences represented a relatively small but regionally variable proportion of all recorded crime. The observed patterns may reflect not only underlying offending but also differences in victim reporting, police recording practices, legislative change and policing activity. By providing an up-to-date five-year regional analysis during a post-pandemic period, marked by policing reform and legislative change, this study contributes new evidence on recent geographical and temporal patterns in police-recorded sexual offences across England and Wales. Although police-recorded crime does not provide a direct measure of the prevalence of sexual victimisation, it offers valuable insights into recent spatial and temporal trends and provides an important evidence base for informing policing priorities, resource allocation and future research.
This study investigates the social and cultural context behind three generations of families in Qatar and the marriage selections that comprise them. The analysis focuses on the relationship between consanguineous marriage and the selection of a marriage partner. This project utilized a mixed-methods approach: A set of in-depth case studies explore the experiences of families that practice consanguineous marriage and the reasons for its ongoing prevalence. Data were also collected via semi-structured interviews with Qatari couples (n = 195 married people) in which spouses also had kinship relations. Additional qualitative data were also collected and analyzed using an inductive approach. The results reveal that consanguineous marriage is deeply rooted in contemporary Qatari society, especially between cousins and relatives on the father’s side. These marriages are seen to achieve genealogical and social objectives related to the preservation of familial social standing, to the integrity of the clan, and even the integrity of the tribe. The findings also indicate a high degree of satisfaction between spouses in these consanguineous marriages. Overall, this study helps to advance our knowledge of kinship and contemporary manifestations of consanguineous marriage observed in some Arab societies.
