News by Subject Social & Behavior

Reduced mobility induced by the COVID-19 restrictions had only minor influence on particulate pollution levels according to atmosphere studies in the Po Valley region of northern Italy. Eventually computer simulations indicated that the change in air quality led to an increase in secondary aerosol formation.

In Philadelphia, when a home received repairs through a city-funded program, total crime dropped by 21.9% on that block, and as the number of repaired houses on a block increased, instances of crime fell even further, according to research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania published today in JAMA Network Open.

A systematic review and meta-analysis published in Campbell Systematic Reviews identified and examined more than 100 risk and protective factors for radical attitudes, intentions, and behaviors (including terrorism) in democratic countries.

New research unveils that firms connected to organized crime have lower return on assets, higher debt, lower cash holdings and are more likely to default.

Forensics specialists can use a commercial assay targeting mitochondrial DNA to accurately discriminate between wolf, coyote and dog species. The genetic information could aid authorities in prosecuting hunting jurisdiction violations and preserving protected species.

Germany is not meeting its legal obligations to protect refugee women and girls from discrimination, according to a "shadow report" by Göttingen University, the association Pro Asyl and several refugee councils. Based on current research and a survey of 65 women's counselling centres, psychosocial counselling centres and institutions working with refugees, the study finds that Germany does not adequately protect refugee women and girls and does not meet the requirements of the Istanbul Convention.

A new study identified groups that are more likely to be placed in extended solitary management (ESM). The study found that individuals sent to ESM differed considerably from the rest of the prison population in terms of mental health, education, language, race/ethnicity, and age.

Combined perceptions of the risk and availability of cannabis influence the risk of cannabis use more than perceived risk and perceived availability alone, according to a new Columbia study. Researchers observed that those who perceived cannabis as low-risk and available were more likely to report using the drug in the past year and almost daily compared to those individuals who perceived cannabis as high-risk and unavailable. This is the first study to consider the joint effects of perceived risk and perceived availability.