Walking on Thin Ice: How and Why Frontline Officers Cope With Managerialism, Accountability, and Risk in Probation Services

2020 ◽  
pp. 009539972097089
Author(s):  
Mathias Sabbe ◽  
Nathalie Schiffino ◽  
Stéphane Moyson

Probation officers (POs) operate in a high-risk environment. They are vulnerable to mediatic and political backlash and are confronted with managerial innovations that can conflict with their values. A thematic analysis of 29 interviews with Belgian POs reveals that classical coping mechanisms caused by time shortages, such as rationing and prioritization, are amplified by managerialism. POs also break rules which present limited meaningfulness and routinize offender control to alleviate pressure from accountabilities to both managers and the general public. The study demonstrates that managerialism and accountabilities to the managers, the public, and the politicians model coping mechanisms in high-risk environments.

Author(s):  
Nathan L. Tenhundfeld ◽  
Hannah M. Barr ◽  
Emily O’Hear ◽  
Andrew Atchley ◽  
Jenna E. Cotter

Previous research has shown that the design of robots can impact the level of trust, liking, and empathy that a user feels towards a robot. Additionally, this empathy can have direct impacts on users’ interactions with the system. Existing research has looked at how empathy can influence user willingness to, for example, put the robot in harm’s way or to destroy the robot. However, these studies have been inherently reliant upon narrative driven manipulations, which may result in experimental demands which could have influenced the results. As such, we provide a human-likeness manipulation in order to evaluate the impacts of design which may evoke empathy, on use of robots in high-risk environments. Results indicate no significant difference in robot use between conditions. These results are in conflict with previous research. More research is needed to understand when users are/are not willing to use a robot in a high-risk environment.


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-167
Author(s):  
Veronika Klára Takács ◽  
Márta Juhász

The aim of this article is to introduce a conceptual, integrative model of the adaptation of teams in high risk environments. The model is a combination of previous theoretical frameworks of adaptation and task execution, with the aim of providing a comprehensive model for understanding team adaptation specific to high risk environments. We give equal importance to adaptation as an input, a mediator, and an outcome by putting it in an Input-Mediator-Outcome model, although we further wish to emphasize the relevance of team cognition in team adaptation. In addition, we aim to highlight that, depending on the trigger and the already existing characteristics of the team, adaptation might either follow an algorithm-based or a knowledge-based pattern.


2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (16) ◽  
pp. 2253-2262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Betiana Felice ◽  
Vera Seitz ◽  
Maximilian Bach ◽  
Christin Rapp ◽  
Erich Wintermantel

Control and reduction of microorganism infections in high-risk environments is up to date a challenge. Traditional techniques imply several limitations including development of antibiotics resistance and ecotoxicity. Then, polymers functionalized with photocatalyts arise as a promising solution against a broad spectrum of microorganisms found at, e.g. sanitary, food, and medical environments. Here, we present silicone rubber–TiO2 composites as novel antibacterial polymers. Four different types of composites with different TiO2 contents were produced and analyzed under UV irradiation and dark conditions in terms of particle distribution, chemical composition, photocatalytic activity, wettability, and antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli. Under UV irradiation, antibacterial sensitivity assay showed a 1000 times reduction of colony forming units after 2 h of light exposure so that the antibacterial ability of silicone–TiO2 composites was proved. Photocatalytic activity assessment suggested that reactive oxygen species induced by photocatalytic reaction at TiO2 particles are the main cause of the observed antibacterial effect. Scanning electron microscopy indicated no topographical damage after UV exposure. In addition, chemical analysis through Raman and X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopies demonstrated the stability of the silicone matrix under UV irradiation. Hence, the current work presents silicone–TiO2 composites as stable nonspecific antibacterial polymers for prevention of infections at multiple high-risk environments.


Author(s):  
C. Agrell ◽  
S. Eldevik ◽  
A. Hafver ◽  
F.B. Pedersen ◽  
E. Stensrud ◽  
...  

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