FCHS (DCPC) - Comunicações em Conferências Internacionais
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- Inconvenient dialogs: the multiple outlines of gender and power asymmetries in portuguese legal professionsPublication . Afonso, LígiaWhile most of the research on gender imbalance(s) in the legal professions focuses on patterns of inequality pertaining salaries, areas of practice and career progression, the subjective experiences of sexism encountered by women in their professional interactions with colleagues and clients has seldom been a topic of research. This paper draws on original research conducted with Portuguese judges, prosecutors and lawyers examining their daily work-life experiences. Using interview transcripts from the project we explore how sexism manifests in their work practices, in particular the multiple forms it assumes and the more overt or subtle forms in which is expressed, depending on the context and the interlocutors. The respondent’s reluctance to be associated with stigmatised labels, ant the fact that promoting justice (and therefore preventing discrimination) is at the core of legal professions render such enquiries inconvenient. Our findings convey an opportunity to further explore how gender intersects other forms of power asymmetries, and the ways in which individuals are multiply positioned through differences in professional roles and power status.
- The (not so) powerful image: erosion of the elite status of the legal professionalsPublication . Afonso, LígiaBased on data gathered in the course of 28 interviews, part of a larger original research project examining the professional experiences of Portuguese judges, prosecutors and lawyers, we explored the respondents’ views and representations about legal professions. The entry women and the increasing competition feature among the new patterns in lawyer demography, while the poor working conditions that judges and prosecutors face in many countries have been contributing to the diminishing appeal of a career in the judiciary. The theme ‘image’ that emerged from the thematic analysis made to the set of interviews proved to be a compelling tool to analyse the challenges posed by the shattering of the legitimacy and diminishing prestige of the professionals. Conveying references pertaining the ways of dressing, behaving and speaking in court, the images drawn from the interviews are illustrative of more profound tensions and of these new patterns in these professions. Results show that magistrates strive for a performance that leaves no personal imprint in an attempt to embody impartiality, whereas women are faced with specific appearance standards. Reflecting the impact of macro factors such as social change, exposure to the market dynamics and to the pressures of the mass media, the images portrayed offer a view on the perceived loss of power and signal the erosion of the traditional elite status dispensed to these professions.
- Migrants and refugees in Europe: acceptation, integration and crime preventionPublication . Rodrigues, Carlos; Campina, AnaGlobal migration is a reality of the Humanity, due the most different reasons, but within specific legal frameworks – each State and International Law, representing different position and possibilities to the human beings as by the political, social, economic, and cultural powers. This research is focused on the global migration and refugees, within the international legal definition. If there are States and regions where these human beings are welcome, accepted, and integrated, not only by the legal context but by the governments, societies, and economy. Since the Arab Spring, the reality for millions of Refugees is dramatic by the violation of the Human Rights, the International Law, and States Fundamental Rights. There are a controverse Public Opinion provoking the discrimination, rejection, and violence against these Human Beings, creating such negative conditions that conduct millions to the abandonment or even death. There are different international movements, involving International organized crime acting with Migrants and Refugees – human trafficking, smuggling, exploitations, violence, and all kind of violations. The International Security – legal, protection and criminal (re)action, police authorities – between States and International Organizations have developed different reactions. This is a serious and difficult problem needing a permanent effective work of all structures to protect millions of Human beings. The European Union, working together the international community, as well as with the most different movements – public and/or private – need to develop a concerted and strategic work receiving and integrating the Refugees, which measures must cover and protect all in Europe, regardless their origin.
- Court decisions, gender role and female crime: Judicial (dis)paritiesPublication . Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; Caridade, SóniaIntroduction: For years, crime investigation did not consider female, given the reduced involvement in the practice of criminal behaviour. However, official data from the past few years has been challenging this impression, documenting an increase in crime perpetrated by women, all over the world. Social perceptions about women continue to be imbued with gender stereotypes (e.g., fragile, weak, more credible, maternal) that make female incompatible with the role of offender. Women are commonly perceived as playing the role of the victim and the man is usually considered the offender. This under-representation or even relativization of female criminal conduct tends to interfere with the performance of law professionals and the criminal justice system itself, also influencing the design of prevention/intervention policies. Method: Using a qualitative methodology, the present study sought to identify the factors that are considered by the judicial professionals in the analysis of female criminal conduct, seeking to understand how gender stereotypes may influence the attribution of judicial sentences. To this end, a total of ten court sentences involving women with criminal conduct, aged between 18 and 42 years old (M = 30.5; SD = 12.26) were collected and analysed. Results: In terms of results, previous criminal experience, modus operandi, perception of criminal responsibility, degree of illegality, as well as the sociodemographic characteristics of the victims, were identified as important variables in the judicial decision-making process. Discussion and conclusions: The criminal justice system doesn't seem to be oblivious of the influence of some gender stereotypes, which, under certain circumstances, appear to promote unequal treatment practices in situations involving women as a criminal agent. It is expected that this study may contribute to the deconstruction of some prescriptions, historically attributed to women (e.g., the greatest female vulnerability, the pathologization of the offending woman, among others) and may contribute to promote changes in the way judicial professionals face and judge the offender female, encouraging a greater judicial equity.
- Risk factors for psychopathy in a sample of institutionalized adolescent offendersPublication . Cardoso, Rui; Caridade, Sónia; Dinis, Maria Alzira PimentaIntroduction: Juvenile delinquency is an increasingly worrying issue in society, assuming increasing visibility and public recognition. Antisocial and persistent behaviour is early revealed in many individuals through certain characteristics that will later lead them to become involved in delinquency, as well as crime in general. So, children and adolescents exhibiting these same characteristics, are seen as socially inadequate, since their mechanisms of interaction and problem solving are also socially inadequate. Various factors such as culture, family socialization practices and the child's temperament may maximize or minimize the probability of such behaviour to occur. It is therefore essential to recognise these risk factors in the lives of these adolescents as early as possible, in an attempt to reduce adult crime. Method: Qualitative study, through the analysis of fourteen cases of institutionalized adolescent offenders, aged between 14 and 17 years. The analysis of the presence of risk indicators for the development of psychopathy, which appear associated with deviant and maladaptive attitudes and behaviours during adolescence, was the main objective. Results: It was found that many of these adolescents have many risk factors for antisocial behaviour that could evolve (e.g., absence of guilt towards their actions, lack of empathy towards the victims, irresponsibility and impulsiveness), which may lead to the rooting of unacceptable norms of social conduct, initiating a delinquent way of life. Discussion and conclusions: The presence of traits of coldness and emotional insensitivity, such as impulsiveness and irresponsibility, as well as the dimensions of grandiosity and manipulation, are shown to be present through the absence of guilt or remorse, absence of empathy and superficial affection, which later in adulthood may give rise to deviant and delinquent behaviour. For a better understanding of the phenomenon, it is expected to identify antisocial behaviours in adolescents through this study, as well as risk factors that demonstrate that specific characteristics may evolve to more serious delinquent behaviours.
- Female crime, criminal justice practice and gender roles: judicial professionals’ perspectivesPublication . Caridade, Sónia; Dinis, Maria Alzira PimentaIntroduction: Gender has been identified as an important and consistent variable that differentiates crime behaviour in which men have traditionally been associated with the offense and the exercise of authority, and women suffering victimization. Criminal statistics in recent years contradict this assumption and document an increase in female crime around the world and the greater involvement of women in the criminal justice system. In turn, the influence that gender role has on attitudes about female and male crime may also impact the way in which judicial professionals operate on female involvement in crime and the type of risk assessment performed, also affecting policies prevention and intervention. Method: Using a qualitative methodology, the present study aimed to analyse and characterize the practices of the criminal justice system in cases involving female crime, based on the perceptions of judicial professionals. More specifically, it was intended to: i) analyse the perception of judicial professionals about female crime; ii) analyse how socially established gender roles are used to explain the female crime; iii) analyse the factors that may contribute to possible gender differences in the decision-making of judicial professionals. Ten judicial professionals, mostly male (70%), with an average age of 46 years and with an average professional experience of approximately 20 years, were interviewed. Results: Participants pointed to a growing criminal parity between men and women, as a result of social progress and new opportunities. However, they also identified differences between female and male criminal activity (e.g., less serious female criminal conduct, less female recidivism, less female criminal agency). The results also revealed an ambivalent position regarding the performance of the criminal justice system in relation to crime in women. Discussion and conclusions: The perception conveyed by the judicial professionals about the absence of female identity in crime and an existing ideology about the role of women in society, promotes not only a certain benevolence in judicial decisions, but also ignore certain risk behaviours. This could compromise the risk assessment of female criminal conduct, and subsequent judicial intervention, so it is important to promote greater awareness of crime in women, deconstructing stereotypes around the role of women in society.
- School surrounding spaces and school operation: a perspective from the teaching staffPublication . Caridade, Sónia; Sani, Ana Isabel; Nunes, Laura M.; Gonçalves, Maria João; Guerreiro, Maria JoãoSchool is an importat agent of socialization and has drawn great attention to the scientific community to identify and characterize the main dimensions that may interfere with its operation and resulting academic performance of students. Collection of information about the school environment and surrounding spaces is an underlying dimension in school environment diagnostic reports development given its documented importance on crime prevention. It is important to understand not only school spaces distribution, but also surrounding spaces characteristics, namely, presence of stores/industry/services that may disturb its operation. School location, size, arquitecture, entrances and exits are important elements to be considered in deviant behaviour prevention. In an oral presentation, we seek to show some results from a research project being developed by education agents (teachers and staff), to analyse these professionals’ perspective on how the surrounding characteristics of spaces may influence school internal operation. This study intends to delineate, develop and implement action plans that may improve shcool operation and prevent problematic and/or antissocial behaviours in this context. Practical and preventive implications will be debated at the end.
- Perceptions of education professionals: contribution to characteristics, dynamics and behaviors in school environmentPublication . Caridade, Sónia; Sani, Ana Isabel; Nunes, Laura M.; Gonçalves, Maria João; Dinis, Maria Alzira PimentaSchool acts as an important mirror of society, reflecting all the social transformations that are taking place. It is also a space where it is possible to use strategies in order to manage and minimize the constant difficulties of everyday life. At the same time, school environment is where the children occupy most of their time, either through participation in the distinct educational activities or in accomplishing other leisure activities. It is also the environment in which the cognitive, psychological and social capacities of young students are encouraged and improved in a structured and pedagogical way. Daily school life is characterized by a plurality of practices and dynamics that, frequently, disrupt the good school functioning, and may also have an important impact on the developmental pathways of children. Behaviours encompassing violence and indiscipline are easily identified as recurring practices in the daily life of different schools, leading to the breakdown of social bonding through the use of force and aggression. The results of a study conducted with educational agents, i.e., teachers and non-teachers, aiming to analyse the perception of these educational professionals about the characteristics, dynamics and behaviours inherent to the internal functioning of the school environment, will be presented, concluding with the main practical and preventive implications of this research.
- A feminização das profissões jurídicas em Portugal: um contributo empíricoPublication . Afonso, Lígia; Queirós, Cristina
- Burnout e stress ocupacional em advogados e magistrados: a necessidade de investigação empíricaPublication . Afonso, Lígia; Queirós, Cristina