Regional evaluation of ecosystem diversity of the Northeastern Transbaikalia orobiome

The evaluation of the ecosystem diversity of the Northeastern Transbaikalia orobiome has been completedon the basis of conjunctive analysis of floristic and geobotanical components of its vegetation cover. For the first time, acomplex method to evaluate ecological and geographical patterns in the differentiation of species (vascular plants) andphytocoenotic (vegetation communities) diversity has been used on the basis of the biome concept. It has been determinedaltitudinal gradients and regional specific in typological diversity of altitudinal spectra of vegetation and individual belts.The geographical features of ecosystem diversity development and its factors have been revealed at a regional level usingliterature, collection and cartographic data.

Conjunctive Analysis of Case Configurations (CACC)

This chapter introduces Conjunctive Analysis of Case Configurations (CACC) for the study of crime and place. After introducing CACC as an alternative approach to variable-oriented thinking, we present its conceptual underpinnings and limitations. We then provide a step-by-step tutorial on how to conduct a CACC, accompanied by an example using public data and R code. The chapter contains many references to other publications that developed the CACC method and applied it to different crime contexts.

Predictors and Contexts of Unsolved and Solved Sexual Offenses

Drawing from perspectives emphasizing environmental crime event components, this study identifies the predictors and contexts of unsolved and solved sexual offenses against women by strangers. Police data were obtained from 542 cases in Queensland. Hierarchical logistical regression was adopted to analyze variables relating to situational, contextual, and offender–victim interaction elements. Common contexts were examined using conjunctive analysis. Cases were significantly likely to remain unsolved if the offender used minimal force, or if the victim was walking outside at the time of initial contact. Conversely, solved cases were significantly associated with offender prior consumption of alcohol/drugs, bystander presence, and vehicle use. Crimes with higher criminal “effectiveness” and lower levels of victim interaction tended to be associated with unsolved sexual offenses.

Identifying Situational Clustering and Quantifying Its Magnitude in Dominant Case Configurations: New Methods for Conjunctive Analysis

Steps for conducting Conjunctive Analysis of Case Configurations (CACC) are well documented in the literature; however, methods for identifying and quantifying “situational clustering” vary and are often based on subjective interpretation of a CACC truth table. In response, the current article presents two new techniques that (a) enable researchers to determine whether data used to populate a truth table cluster significantly within dominant case configurations and (b) apply an established metric from the economics literature and modified for configural analysis to quantify its relative magnitude. These new methods are applied to four existing CACC studies, demonstrating how they offer a more systematic, transparent, and replicable approach to analyzing and interpreting case configurations than what is currently used.

The Situated Contexts of American Terrorism: A Conjunctive Analysis of Case Configurations

This study examines how combinations of situational factors are associated with patterns of terrorist success and failure. We apply Sacco and Kennedy’s criminal event perspective and Clarke and Newman’s situational crime prevention approach to the study of terrorist opportunity structures. Using data from the American Terrorism Study (ATS), we employ conjunctive analysis to investigate how opportunities for terrorist attacks and prevention are situationally positioned. We ask, “What combinations of terrorists’ ideological and situational factors are associated with terrorist outcomes in the United States?” While our findings generally show that the simplest forms of terrorism, including combinations of lone actors using unsophisticated weapons against nonhuman targets after little preparation, are associated with successful outcomes, there is heterogeneity in situated opportunities for preparing for and committing terrorism across terrorism movements. Our findings add insights into terrorism prevention strategies and help build a foundation for future comparative research on terrorism outcomes.

Suspicious preoperational activities and law enforcement interdiction of terrorist plots

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a metric for validating the Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) Initiative’s (NSI) sixteen-category instrument, which is designed to guide law enforcement in the collection and analysis of suspicious behaviors preceding serious crimes, including terrorist attacks. Design/methodology/approach Data on suspicious preoperational activities and terrorism incident outcomes in the USA between 1972 and 2013 come from the American Terrorism Study (ATS). Using a mixed-method approach, the authors conduct descriptive and multivariate analyses to examine the frequencies of the least and most prevalent suspicious activities (or SAR indicators) and how they predict the likelihood of terrorism prevention. In addition, the authors contextualize how configurations of SAR indicators are associated with the successful thwarting of terrorism incidents by law enforcement using an analytical method known as conjunctive analysis of case configurations (CACC). Findings The study reveals several key findings. First, certain behaviors categorized as suspicious, such as making threats, occur more frequently than others. Second, making threats, conducting surveillance and terrorist recruitment/financing predict law enforcement interdiction in terrorism plots, while misrepresentation (or the manufacturing and use of false documents) is more associated with terrorist success. Third, prevalent SAR indicators operate differently in the context of various combinations of suspicious activities to shape the likelihood for law enforcement interdiction. Research limitations/implications The current study’s findings may not be generalizable to other forms of violent extremism and terrorism outside of the USA. Practical implications This study illuminates opportunities for the NSI to provide law enforcement with the necessary tools to reduce terrorism risk and prevent future attacks. Originality/value To our knowledge, no scholarly work to date has assessed how observable behavioral indicators of suspicious preoperational activities affect the outcomes of terrorist plots.