Kapoor, Neeti, Sharma, Girraj, Patle, Chhote Raja and Badiye, Ashish (2026) Microbial Forensics. In: Forensic Biotechnology: The Basics and Beyond. CRC Press , Boca Raton. pp. 175-194. ISBN 9781003474296 Available at: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003474296-10

The emergence of biological threats made microbial forensics develop into an essential multidisciplinary discipline where the study of microorganisms in context of justice is done and it enables experts to trace, analyze and interpretate forensically significant evidence which are collected and preserved from different crime scene, such as bioterrorism, biological crime, hoaxes or accidental release of microorganism or toxins (Schmedes & Budowle, 2015; Shrivastava et al., 2023). Moreover, the integration of microbiology, genomics, forensic science, and epidemiology with law enforcement principles facilitates microbial forensics, enabling the identification, characterization, and source attribution of biological agents to trace their origin and hold perpetrators accountable (Budowle et al., 2005; Khan et al., 2020). In addition, it also describes various aspects of scientific investigation of crime scene, including sample handling, safety, transportation, which can play a crucial role to trace its origin and support investigations related to bioterrorism, biological attacks, criminal acts involving microbes, disease outbreaks, pathogen transmission or unintended releases of biological agents or toxins (Budowle et al., 2003; Budowle, Johnson, et al., 2005; Oliveira & Amorim, 2018; Schmedes & Budowle, 2015)

Verma, Shankey, Yadav, Gauri and Ahmed, Yasmeen (2026) Constructing organised crime in India: media framing, criminal celebrity, and the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang. Communication Research and Practice. Taylor and Francis Ltd. . ISSN 2206-3374 (In Press) Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/22041451.2026.2708573

This study examines how Indian news media frame and narrativizes the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, focusing on the mediated construction of organised crime within contemporary news discourse. Although organised crime is frequently encountered through media representations, limited communication scholarship has examined how gangs are framed in Indian news media. Drawing on media framing theory and cultural criminology, this study employed reflexive thematic analysis of 718 English-language news articles published between 2010 and 2025 across six major Indian newspapers. The analysis identified five dominant media frames: narratives of criminal transformation, organisational coherence, cultural symbolism, criminal celebrity, and entrepreneurial criminality. Findings demonstrate how news discourse constructs organised crime through recurring narratives of spectacle, notoriety, moralisation, and criminal omnipotence, while simultaneously shaping public understandings of deviance, legitimacy, and social order. The study contributes to communication research on media framing and mediated representations of crime, particularly within non-Western media contexts.

Saleem, S.M. (2026). Young Adult Recidivists Lodged in Tihar Prisons: A Criminological Analysis. In: Bajpai, G.S., Shekhar, B., Priyamvadha, M. (eds) Beyond the Gavel: A Paradigm Shift in Global Criminal Justice. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-4487-5_16

Young adult recidivists are offenders in the age range of 18–21 years. The Young Adult Offenders face unique challenges, usually different from those of the juveniles and the adult offenders. Given the age and developmental factors, if not reformed and rehabilitated at the right time, their tendency to resort to deviancy increases. This study analyzes the factors that result in recidivism among young adult offenders. By analyzing existing research and empirical evidence, this study suggests policy changes and individual treatment plans for young adult recidivists. This study, wherein a total of 250 young adult recidivists were interviewed, showed that substance abuse, cognitive development, age, peer influence, and socioeconomic differences all have a significant impact on the likelihood of recidivism. Furthermore, the effect of deviant associations and social networks on recidivism is investigated, emphasizing the significance of sound social support systems. Further, a qualitative analysis of three case studies of young adult offenders who have been imprisoned more than three times has been covered in detail.

Faculty Coordinator: Dr. Divya Dubey, Lecturer, Assistant Director (CVPS), JIBS