Lifetime Abuse, Mental Health, and African American Women

This study examined the relationship between lifetime abuse and mental health among 126 African American women and 365 White women from a primary health care setting who participated in a telephone interview as part of a larger study. Seven types of childhood and adult intimate partner abuse were measured. Consistent with hypotheses, (1) lifetime abuse was associated with elevated levels of anxiety and depression, and (2) women who experienced childhood abuse were more likely to report adult partner abuse. African American and White women showed more similarities than differences in the associations between most abuse experiences and depression and anxiety, as well as types of childhood abuse. African American abused women reported more excessive jealousy by partners. Nonabused African American women reported higher levels of depression and anxiety than their White counterparts. Results are interpreted and discussed taking into account relevant social and cultural factors.     

People with special needs and sexual behaviour problems: balancing community and client interests while ensuring effective risk management

Abstract

Deinstitutionalisation movements of the mid-1900s led to changes in policy and practice in the management of people with special needs (defined for this article as people with severe and persistent mental illness, intellectual disabilities and high levels of personality factors that interfere with treatment participation). Although the majority of clients with special needs receive care in community settings and interact more with family, friends and others in the community, some such clients require more rigorous case management. For clients who have offended, especially sexually, community-based services are scarce, and concerns regarding reoffence potential often supersede traditional understandings of diminished capacity. Recent reports suggest that jails and prisons have replaced hospitals as the institutions-of-choice for clients with special needs who engage in inappropriate conduct. This paper examines policies and practices regarding community risk management of people with special needs who have sexually offended. Vignettes are provided to illustrate how some clients and agencies have been affected, and suggestions are made to ensure best practices in risk management and public safety.     

The forgotten success story: Japan and the methamphetamine problem

This paper examines Japan's policy towards methamphetamine (Japanese: hiropon). Opium has been used in Japan for medicinal purposes since 1722. However, it was strictly controlled. The result was that drug abuse was minuscule. This changed with the introduction of methamphetamine. During the Second World War hiropon was given by the military to fighter pilots and the signal corps in order to help them stay awake and alert. After 1945, the large military stockpiles of methamphetamine found their way onto the black market. With society in chaos, drug abuse spread rapidly and a hiropon epidemic emerged. The introduction of a comprehensive anti-drug package in the mid-1950s, including stricter laws, resulted in that abuse having been almost totally eradicated by 1957. Around 1970 a new wave of abuse (‘the second epidemic’) began. It peaked around 1985, after which abuse tampered off, albeit slowly. A temporary increase in the mid-1990s made Japanese authorities declare the emergence of ‘the third epidemic’ that is still said to be ongoing. Official statistics show, however, that Japan has not seen any such epidemic. In comparison with most other Western countries, methamphetamine abuse in Japan is modest.     

Child Sexual Abuse in Turkey: An Analysis of 1002 Cases

This study investigated the characteristics of abuse suffered by children, the dimensions of the psychiatric effects associated with abuse, and the factors affecting these. One thousand two cases aged under 18, exposed to sexual abuse, and referred over a 7‐year period were assessed. Girls represented 80.8% of cases, and the numbers rose with age. The aggressors were all male, and 88.2% were known to their victim. Approximately half the children were exposed to sexual abuse involving penetration. Psychological pathology was identified in 62.1%. Female gender, the presence of penetration, physical violence, and incest significantly increased the development of psychological pathology. Levels of awareness in people close to and trusted by the child must be raised to minimize the adverse effects of trauma in the long term, preventive measures must be taken, and medical and social support units from which victims can receive assistance need to be established.     

Death from Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide is an inflammable gas that gives no smell or taste. It has a history of abuse as long as its clinical use, and deaths, although rare, have been reported. We describe two cases of accidental deaths related to voluntary inhalation of nitrous oxide, both found dead with a gas mask covering the face. In an attempt to find an explanation to why the victims did not react properly to oncoming hypoxia, we performed experiments where a test person was allowed to breath in a closed system, with or without nitrous oxide added. Vital signs and gas concentrations as well as subjective symptoms were recorded. The experiments indicated that the explanation to the fact that neither of the descendents had reacted to oncoming hypoxia and hypercapnia was due to the inhalation of nitrous oxide. This study raises the question whether nitrous oxide really should be easily, commercially available.     

Protection and Regulations to Status Property of Rich Second Generation

The status property of rich second generation is based on protection of status relations and private property rights, private property lateral expanse to the family property, and vertical expanse to inheritance property, but the current legal right of property has also shaped the power of the rich second generation. Policies for rich second generation should be based on the property nature of private right and sociality, the efficiency of property possession, the intergenerational equity to inheritance, and the abuse of property rights. Rich second generation have limited legitimacy to the property. It is necessary to improve the system of equity and trust to serve their property, and use the estate tax to achieve balance of interests between individual and society, but also need to overcome the fairness of procedure to constraint abuse of power.     

专利联盟的垄断性研究

专利联盟是区别于传统的专利单独许可的一种联合许可形式,它已成为许多发达国家企业知识产权战略的一种重要方式,但它极有可能进入反垄断法的调整范围.文章在对专利联盟相关概念进行介绍的基础上,全面分析了专利联盟对竞争可能造成的影响和美日两国反垄断法对其采取的态度,并最终对我国专利联盟垄断性问题的研究和立法提出了一些意见.     

我国专利权保护的问题与对策

我国专利权的法律保护存在不少问题,究其原因,有专利权人主观原因,企业运作方面的原因,也有立法不足和执法不力的原因。针对存在的问题,应在提高专利权益意识,明确专利行政执法职能,理顺侵权赔偿途径,完善行政保护程序等方面采取措施。     

专利技术的在先使用问题研究

在我国专利法中 ,仅对外观设计专利 ,第二十三条规定明确了授予专利权的外观设计不得与他人在先取得的合法权利相冲突 ,而对发明和实用新型专利没有做出明确规定。这是否意味着对于发明专利和实用新型专利不存在在先权原则制约 ?如果对此两类专利不存在在先权制约 ,如何理解适用专利法第六十三条第二款规定的 ,在专利申请日前已经制造相同产品、使用相同方法或者已经做好制造、使用的必要准备 ,并且仅在原有的范围内继续制造、使用的不视为侵犯专利权 ?不视为侵权的行为属于对专利权的合理使用还是专利权的取得不得损害他人在先权利 ?不解决上述问题 ,就无法分清实践中专利技术的在先使用和专利侵权的界限 ,由此可能导致截然不同的法律后果。本文作者以程序法的视角和保护知识产权国际公约协定确立的基本原则为背景 ,从明确保护专利技术的在先使用权、专利技术在先使用权抗辩专利权的法律适用、专利技术在先使用权的效力地位及保护途径三个方面来探讨解决上述问题。     

STRICTLY LIABLE: GOVERNMENTAL USE OF THE PARENT–CHILD RELATIONSHIP AS A BASIS FOR HOLDING VICTIMS LIABLE FOR THEIR CHILD'S WITNESS TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Studies estimate that between three and ten million children in the United States witness domestic violence annually. Although studies have demonstrated a co‐occurrence of domestic violence and child abuse, there is no concrete evidence to support the assumption that a child's exposure to domestic violence increases the risk to the child of abuse or neglect. Recently the New York State Court of Appeals determined that a child's witness to abuse does not suffice, in and of itself, to show that removal of the child is necessary or that removal is in the “best interests” of the child. Programs which have developed alternatives to presumptive removal understand the importance of viewing the interests of the battered parent and children as being in accord with each other rather than in opposition. Private and government sponsored programs have demonstrated some success in protecting the parent‐child relationship, ensuring the safety of both parent and child, and increasing accountability of batterers while reducing the necessity for removals. Alternative programs are less costly to the state than foster care, and emotionally less costly to the families.