Burial Patterns during Times of Armed Conflict in Cyprus in the 1960s and 1970s

The island of Cyprus experienced two periods of intercommunal conflict during which c. 2000 individuals went missing. The Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus began a program of exhumations in 2005, through which more than 185 burial sites pertaining to the two periods of conflict have been identified and excavated. The aim of this study was twofold: (i) to present a classification of the main types of clandestine burial and (ii) to test the hypothesis that the nature of conflict influences the mode of interment. Burials can be divided into “public burials” and “concealed burials,” based on the possible motives of those involved in the interment and then subdivided into smaller categories based on similarities in archeological context. A comparison of results from the two periods of conflict reveals that there are statistical differences (p < 0.005), which indicate that the mode of interment may reflect the nature, character, and atmosphere of conflict.     

Forensic Archaeological Recovery of a Large‐Scale Mass Disaster Scene: Lessons Learned from Two Complex Recovery Operations at the World Trade Center Site

In 2006, unexpected discoveries of buried World Trade Center (WTC) debris and human remains were made at the World Trade Center mass disaster site. New York City's Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) was given the task of systematically searching the site for any remaining victims' remains. The subsequent OCME assessment and archaeological excavation conducted from 2006 until 2013, resulted in the recovery of over 1,900 victims' remains. In addition, this operation demonstrated the essential skills archaeologists can provide in a mass disaster recovery operation. The OCME excavation data illustrates some of the challenges encountered during the original recovery effort of 2001/2002. It suggests that when understood within the larger site recovery context, certain fundamental components of the original recovery effort, such as operational priorities and activities in effect during the original recovery, directly or indirectly resulted in unsearched deposits that contained human remains.     

In the eye of the beholder: Meaning and structure of informal status in women's and men's prisons*

Applying an abductive mixed‐methods approach, we investigate the informal status systems in three women's prison units (across two prisons) and one men's prison unit. Qualitative analyses suggest “old head” narratives—where age, time in prison, sociability, and prison wisdom confer unit status—are prevalent across all four contexts. Perceptions of maternal “caregivers” and manipulative “bullies,” however, are found only in the three women's units. The qualitative findings inform formal network analyses by differentiating “positive,” “neutral,” and “negative” status nominations, with “negative” ties primarily absent from the men's unit. Within the women's units, network analyses find that high‐status women are likely to receive both positive and negative peer nominations, such that evaluations depend on who is doing the evaluating. Comparing the women's and men's networks, the correlates of positive and neutral ties are generally the same and center on covariates of age, getting along with others, race, and religion. Overall, the study points to important similarities and differences in status across the gendered prison contexts, while demonstrating how a sequential mixed‐methods design can illuminate both the meaning and the structure of prison informal organization.     

A THERAPIST'S VIEW OF PARENTAL ALIENATION SYNDROME

Cases in which a child is resisting contact with a parent may or may not fit Gardner's theory of Parental Alienation Syndrome, which emphasizes the psychopathology of the “alienating” parent. Explanations may also include the child's coping with intense conflict and the “rejected” parent's skill with the child Whatever the cause, improvement usually involves legal and therapeutic intervention.     

“悬疑推定”论——以我国民商法典型语境为中心的实证分析

基于典型语境作"非预设性"实证考察,应是我国"推定"研究的基础性课题。分析可见,现行法语境下,"推定"必属"推论",依形式结构可分为"分明推定"与"悬疑推定"。当前关于"悬疑推定"的主流解释,使法律理性陷入了严重困境。随着其表层、中层、深层结构的逐层揭示,"悬疑推定"在法律思维、实体、程序三方面的意涵终得显露。过错推定、无罪推定等所谓"直接推定",实属"悬疑推定"。     

A Comparative Taphonomic Analysis of 24 Trophy Skulls from Modern Forensic Cases,

Cranial remains retained from fallen enemies are commonly referred to as “trophy skulls,” and many such crania were acquired as souvenirs by U.S. servicemembers during WWII and the Vietnam conflict. These remains increasingly have become the subject of forensic anthropological analysis as their possessors, typically veterans or their relatives, try to discard or repatriate them. The present research uses a qualitative analytical approach to review 24 cases of reported trophy skulls (14 previously unpublished cases and 10 from the literature) to determine which perimortem and postmortem characteristics are most useful for generating a taphonomic profile. Overall, the taphonomic signature of trophy remains includes traits relating to acquisition and preparation, ornamental display, and subsequent curation. Contextual evidence and the biological profile also are considered when determining the possible origin of human cranial remains as a trophy skull. Thorough taphonomic analysis will aid in identifying these types of remains as trophy skulls.     

The Measurand Problem in Breath Alcohol Testing

Proper interpretation of forensic measurements can be critical to the administration of justice. Breath alcohol testing is commonly relied upon to measure the concentration of alcohol in breath or, indirectly, in blood. The concentration sought constitutes the “quantity intended to be measured,” referred to as the measurand. Although breath tests always probe the same physical quantity, their measurand is dictated by statute and varies between jurisdictions. Thus, identical numerical values obtained from tests in disparate jurisdictions may refer to different quantities and may not indicate the relevant statutory measurand. This can lead to misinterpretation of results, referred to as the “measurand problem.” We first illustrate the concept of the measurand. Thereafter, the measurand problem is illustrated through application of Hlastala's breath test paradigm and Gullberg's work on breath test uncertainty. It is shown that where the measurand is not properly accounted for, conclusions based upon breath test evidence are undermined.     

Popular post-separation parenting smartphone apps: An evaluation

In recent years a bewildering array of smartphone applications (“apps”) has emerged to support separated parents' communication. Post-separation parenting apps vary in cost and features; they typically comprise a messaging tool, shared calendar, expense tracker and a means to export records for legal purposes. A key challenge for separated parents and family law practitioners alike is knowing which apps or app feature(s) can work well for different family contexts, needs and budgets. The present study sought to evaluate nine popular post-separation parenting apps and their features using small-n Human–Computer Interaction methods. Mediators role-played high conflict ex-couples while completing a set of five common post-separation communication or organizational tasks. A cross-case analysis of ratings was conducted. We found that (a) many of the mediators changed their apparent enthusiasm for co-parenting apps once they had used the apps themselves; (b) all nine apps were rated somewhere between “Poor” to Fair’; and (c) features of some of the best-known apps were not rated as highly as some of the features of more recent, lesser-known apps.     

Meeting a Forensic Podiatry Admissibility Challenge: A Daubert Case Study

This article is an introduction to the United States Supreme Court's standard of admissibility of forensic evidence and testimony at trial, known as the Daubert standard, with emphasis on how this standard applies to the field of forensic podiatry. The author, a forensic podiatrist, provided law enforcement with evidence tying a bloody sock‐clad footprint found at the scene of a homicide to the suspect. In 2014, the author testified at a pretrial hearing, known as “a Daubert hearing,” to address the admissibility of this evidence in court. This was the first instance of forensic podiatry being the primary subject of a Daubert hearing. The hearing resulted in the court ordering this evidence admissible. The expert's testimony contributed to the suspect's conviction. This article serves as a reference for forensic podiatrists and experts in similar fields that involve impression evidence, providing evidentiary standards and their impact on expert evidence and testimony.     

A Test of Sex Estimation in Subadults Using the Elevation of the Auricular Surface from Four Samples of Known Age and Sex

Biological sex is foundational to the work of forensic anthropologists and bioarcheologists. The lack of reliable biological sex estimation methods for subadults has, thus, greatly limited forensic and bioarcheological analyses. Auricular surface elevation showed promise as a subadult sex estimation method in previous studies. This study examined two auricular surface elevation evaluation methods on four subadult samples of known age, sex, and ancestry. Samples were scored as “male,” “female,” or “indeterminate” and results were examined with chi‐square analysis. No consistent sex estimation pattern, accuracy, or predictive value was produced between samples. Only one test was significant using Fisher's exact test analysis (FET = 7.501, p < 0.022): the composite approach on the Hamann‐Todd sample. While age, sample size, or developmental factors may play a role in these results, clearly sample variation does as well. This study found auricular surface elevation was not a useful subadult sex estimation method.     

Sudden Death Due To Acute Cocaine Toxicity—Excited Delirium in a Body Packer

Excited delirium denotes a life-threatening medical condition characterized by the acute onset of agitated and violent behavior that often results in a sudden and unexplained death. Cocaine-induced excited delirium refers to fatal cocaine intoxication with the following symptoms occurring sequentially: hyperthermia, delirium with agitation, respiratory arrest, and death. We present a case of cocaine-induced excited delirium in a cocaine “body packer” or a “mule”, specifically an individual who attempts to smuggle cocaine within the body. Investigators at the scene initially suspected homicide due to the victim's sharp and blunt force injuries. Three rubber packets containing cocaine were removed from the victim's rectum. Blood toxicological analysis revealed an alcohol concentration of 0.016 g/100 and cocaine >1 mg/L. The forensic pathologist should consider cocaine-induced excited delirium when an individual exhibits aggressive behavior, unexpected strength, and resistance to pain who dies suddenly. Further analysis should be performed during the scene investigation and autopsy for evidence of body packing.     

Comparison Among Manual Facial Approximations Conducted by Two Methodological Approaches of Face Prediction

This study verified the difference between two methods of forensic facial approximation (FFA) regarding recognition and resemblance rates. Three‐dimensional models of skulls were obtained from computerized tomography (CT) scans of two subjects (targets). Two manual FFAs were performed for each target, by applying two different guidelines for the facial structures (what we called “American method” (AM) and “Combined method” (CM)). Unfamiliar assessors evaluated the sculptures by recognition and resemblance tests. The AM was that which allowed more correct responses of recognition and higher resemblance's scores for the male target (p < 0.001). Regarding guidelines for modeling characteristics of the face, the ones that are practical and easily performed for sculptures, such as the length of the anterior nasal spine multiplied by 3 for nose prediction, may offer better results in terms of resemblance.     

Fatal Wounds by “Manja” to a Motorbike Rider in Motion

“Kite fights” are quite popular throughout Asia. Most kite variations, including the fighter kites of India, Pakistan, and Japan, are small, flat, roughly diamond‐shaped kites composed of paper, with a tapered bamboo spine and a balanced bow. They are flown with the help of a “Manja,” which is a thread made of cotton or nylon, and coated with fine glass powder using glue and other chemical adhesives to cut down opponent's kite string. The nylon “Manja” is particularly more dangerous, as it not only cuts down opponent's kite string but also causes bodily injuries to humans, which may be at times fatal. The pattern of injuries by Manja is underreported in literature. In the present case, the deceased had encountered fatal injuries by “Manja” while riding on his motorbike. This case discusses the pattern of injuries caused by Manja when the victims are in motion on their two‐wheelers.     

Mobilizing Law in Latin America: An Evaluation of Black's Theory in Brazil

This research addresses two separate but related questions. First, to what extent are sociological theories proposed to explain legal behavior in Western societies applicable to non‐Western contexts? And second, to what degree is Black's theory of law generalizable, as he contends, “across time and space?” Our research merges these questions by exploring the applicability of Black's theory in a Latin American context. Data collected from a nationally representative survey in Brazil suggest support for Black's propositions regarding the impact of vertical, horizontal, cultural, and normative status on the likelihood of mobilizing the law, as well as the feasibility of using his framework for understanding legal behavior in non‐Western settings. Our discussion considers implications and directions for future analyses in both the Brazilian and cross‐cultural contexts.     

A Review of Bomb Pulse Dating and its Use in the Investigation of Unidentified Human Remains

In cases where there is limited antemortem information, the examination of unidentified human remains as part of the investigation of long-term missing person's cases is a complex endeavor and consequently requires a multidisciplinary approach. Bomb pulse dating, which involves the analysis and interpretation of 14C concentration, is one technique that may assist in these investigations by providing an estimate of year of birth and year of death. This review examines the technique of bomb pulse dating and its use in the identification of differentially preserved unknown human remains. Research and case studies implementing bomb pulse dating have predominantly been undertaken in the Northern Hemisphere and have demonstrated reliable and accurate results. Limitations were, however, identified throughout the literature. These included the small sample sizes used in previous research/case studies which impacted on the statistical significance of the findings, as well as technique-specific issues. Such limitations highlight the need for future research.     

The future of data protection: Gold standard vs. global standard

While GDPR has been described as the new gold standard for data protection, Convention 108 may represent the potential global standard in this field. The recent progressive expansion of the Council of Europe's model and the modernised version of the Convention have revitalised its role in the global context.In a multipolar world of different regulatory approaches where data protection legislation in many countries is still absent or in its early stages, Convention 108 could be seen as representing the embodiment of the Latin saying “in medio stat virtus”. Between the extremes of a weak safeguarding of individual rights and a gold standard, Convention 108 provides a solution that is good enough and workable in many different contexts, without necessarily reaching a gold standard.     

Taphonomic Effects of Mechanical Plowing on Buried Juvenile‐Sized Remains

Agricultural activity is a worldwide taphonomic process and can present unique challenges in the recovery of buried remains. Previous research has been mostly within the realm of site formation processes of archeological sites utilizing only surface material. This research expands upon the previous research by incorporating the distribution of subsurface material by the use of archeological excavation techniques. An experiment was conducted utilizing juvenile pig (Sus scrofa) skeletons buried in relative anatomical position at two different depths (15 cm below the surface [cmbs] and 22 cmbs). The burials were then subjected to different intervals of mechanical plowing: one, three, five, seven, or 10 plow passes. The skeletal material was recovered using pedestrian survey followed by hand excavation and screening of all sediments. This research shows that there is a significant relationship between the degree of plowing and the distance skeletal material is distributed and the percentage of material recovered undamaged.