A Life Sentence in Installments: A Qualitative Analysis of Repeat Offending Among Short-Sentenced Offenders

Short-sentenced (less than 12 months) offenders in the United Kingdom consistently account for the greatest number of discharges from prison and demonstrate the highest risk and rate of reoffending. Moreover, until recent changes in UK legislation in 2015, individuals serving short sentences were released into the community with little support postrelease. The present study presents an exploration of (re)offending in individuals who have already served multiple short sentences in custody and aims to understand their experiences, perceptions, and insight into their offending. Is there anything apropos short sentences specifically, or those who continually serve them, that can explain the high rates of reoffending in this population? Semistructured interviews were conducted with eight prisoners currently serving short custodial sentences. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was implemented deriving three superordinate themes from the rich dataset: (a) living short sentences, (b) “You’d do the same if you were me,” and (c) negotiating an identity.     

Why Be Accountable? Exploring Voluntary Accountability of Australian Private Ancillary Funds

The aim of this paper is to consider why Private Ancillary Funds (PAFs), endowed philanthropic foundations with no public reporting requirements, engage in accountability in its various forms. This exploratory, qualitative study reports on perspectives on accountability from 10 semi‐structured interviews with PAF managers and/or trustees from three Australian states. Through the lens of March and Olsen's (2011) logics of action and Karsten's (2015) typology of motivational forms for voluntary accountability, findings show that although logics of appropriateness and consequentiality explain many reasons why PAFs engage in voluntary accountability, some reasons do not fit comfortably within either logic. The findings challenge conceptions embedded in much non‐profit accountability literature that motivations for and purposes of accountability are linked with sustainability and survival. By examining this subset of non‐profit organisations subject to limited regulatory accountability, a clearer understanding of motivations for voluntary accountability is achieved.     

Correction to: Coronial Inquests,Indigenous Suicide and the Colonial Narrative

Critical Criminology -     

The Significance of R(BG and Anor) v Suffolk CC (2021): Meeting ‘Eligible Need[s]’ in Social Care?

Liverpool Law Review - The reasoning in Suffolk offers a partial redefinition of the notions of wellbeing and individual need, via its detailed analysis of the legislative frameworks associated...     

Making analytical tools operational: task impact assessment

In a world of limited resources there is an increasing need for mine action operators to demonstrate the impact of interventions on affected populations. To date several tools have been developed for assessing impact within mine action. This article suggests that these tools largely focus on the negative impact that landmines and unexploded ordnance have on affected populations, rather than on the positive impact of humanitarian mine action itself. While existing tools are extremely useful at the macro level for national planning and resource allocation, they do less to provide the criteria required for task selection at the implementation level. Task impact assessment (tia) is proposed as a suitable tool for filling this ‘gap’. The article compares the methodologies of tia and other existing approaches, and suggests that tia is a cost-effective and complementary tool that facilitates the selection of specific tasks at the operational level within broader areas identified as high priority at the strategic level. The paper suggests that tia, as developed and used by one mine action operator (Norwegian People's Aid), is relevant for other operators and could provide a standardised tool to assist all mine action organisations within a given country to select their tasks. Similarly, it argues that, with minor modifications, tia could be used by national mine action authorities which may wish to more accurately assess the value of conducting certain tasks before others without incurring unnecessary delays or costs in the process.     

Isolating cells from non-sperm cellular mixtures using the PALM microlaser micro dissection system

Use of the Positioning Ablation Laser MicroBeam (PALM) microlaser system to isolate specific cellular components from somatic cellular mixtures (blood and saliva) prior to DNA extraction and typing is compared with routine DNA extraction and typing of the same mixture samples. Mixtures of blood and saliva at differing ratios generated complex DNA profiles that included allele peaks originating from each of the donors, or just those of the major contributor. Isolation of cells with the PALM microlaser prior to DNA extraction allowed informative, single-source, DNA profiles to be generated from a known cell type/origin.     

Law and ethics for the bioeconomy and beyond

The convergence of biological, technological and economic realms of life has fostered the development of the bioeconomy as a new feature of contemporary society. As the meaning of life and the human body is redefined in the context of the bioeconomy, new challenges have emerged for ethics and law In the face of these challenges, it is imperative that the currency of regulatory frameworks is maintained through the processes of regular review and update. The National Health and Medical Research Council has recently released the new National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research to provide guidance for health research in Australia. The new National Statement will play an important part in supporting innovation and the development of the knowledge economy.     

Child Support Policy in Australia and the United Kingdom: Changing Priorities But A Similar Tough Deal for Children?

This article examines shifts in child support law and policyin Australia and the UK since the establishment of child supportschemes in both jurisdictions from the late 1980s. Our analysissuggests that while original policy goals in Australia and theUK were broadly similar, they also diverged in important respects.Further, legislative and operational elements of the respectiveschemes as originally enacted have played a key role in influencingsubsequent shifts in the substance and policy of the regimes.Yet the practical implications of currently diverging law andpolicy approaches are likely to be similar, in that most fatherswill pay less child support in the future.