OPVC Capítulos de Livros / Book Chapters
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- Violence in urban community: local diagnosis of security and victimization.IPublication . Sani, Ana Isabel; Nunes, Laura M.; Caridade, Sónia; Azevedo, VanessaCommunity violence is one of the phenomena that most affects perceptions of security. Moreover, when it is associated with violent or criminal victimization (both direct and indirect), it can deeply impact a population’s level of security and fear of crime within a specific geographical context. Accordingly, to develop appropriate helpful responses to victims of violence and crime, it is particularly relevant to assess people’s perceptions, to be aware of their victimization experiences and to identify their needs. The Diagnosis of Local Security (DLS) is a community assessment measure that allows for not only the gathering of information about criminal occurrences in a specific geographical area but also the collection of data on experiences of victimization and feelings of (in)security. The DLS became an internationally well-known procedure that empirically supports the development of community interventions. In this regard, based on a study that we are conducting through the community project “LookCrim,” in this chapter, we propose to analyze the DLS’s potential to assess perceptions of (in)security with respect to the experience of victimization to discuss the challenges of and the responses to the phenomenon of community violence.
- Youth victims of community violence: developmental outcomes and prevention challengesPublication . Caridade, Sónia; Sani, Ana Isabel; Nunes, Laura M.; Dinis, Maria Alzira PimentaCommunity violence (CV) is recognized as a complex problem, with multiple origins and expressed in variable ways, encompassing different types of violence and crimes (e.g., assault, rape, robbery), as a result of circumstances that are related to the characteristics of the environment. Due to socialization and independence processes that are part of youth developmental pathways, young people tend to spend more time away from home and on the street, becoming more exposed to violence and thus also contributing to repeated victimization processes. Different studies have shown that distinct situations may promote numerous victimization processes, with a particular impact on the developmental outcomes of youth and causing great suffering. It has been reported that exposure to violence in the community is associated with mental health issues, i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, poor academic performance, aggressive and antisocial behaviours, alcohol and substance abuse, along with multiple adverse health risk behaviours, suicidal ideation, and also resulting in subsequent homelessness in adulthood. With this review chapter, it is intended to analyse and discuss the impact that CV exposure has on youth, accompanied with practical proposals to prevent it. The concept of CV and the different types of violence and crimes that could be involved are examined, mapping the prevalence of youth affected by this form of violence, analysing the effects of exposure to CV, and concluding with initiatives aimed to contribute to the prevention against this sort of violence, and to minimize the consequences and suffering involved.
- Drug abuse and trafficking in universities: an emerging social phenomenonPublication . Nunes, Laura M.; Beça, Sara; Dinis, Maria Alzira PimentaHigher education is the environment in which the future senior managers that will guide the forthcoming of societies are wrought. Therefore, and in social terms, everything that people learn and develop in these higher education institutions has a crucial and a determinant impact. Young people acquiring skills and knowledge related to the technical and scientific fields in which they work in also end up acquiring competencies and knowledge in non-academic fields, such as anti-social behaviour or even criminal conducts. This is the case of drug use in a university context, which has been so studied in recent decades, and of drug trafficking in a university environment, widely known to all, but still little investigated in scientific terms. Therefore, and taking into consideration that universities play a social role that has a strong impact on the lives of young people and societies, this chapter is precisely dedicated to the phenomena of drug trafficking, and its use/abuse in universities. It is a serious social problem in which young students not only consume illegal drugs, but also frequently take an active part in illicit activities associated with drug trafficking, often compromising their future and causing undeniable social damage. It should be noted that the university context is a privileged target for the powerful individuals who manipulate these illegal drugs markets. It is therefore very important to pay attention and study this social problem of serious consequences. In this chapter, a comprehensive literature review and results of a study about drug trafficking and abuse in university context will be presented, in order to better understand the nature of this problem. Final considerations regarding the prevention/intervention on these phenomena are also presented.