Pilgrimage: The necessary journey

Pilgrimage, by Dorothy M. Richardson, is the portrayal of Miriam Henderson's struggle for independence and freedom in a society hostile to female self-reliance. The novel explores the external barriers to her liberation and analyses what it actually means to be a woman. Whilst accepting many of the masculine definitions of feminity Richardson asserts that the traditionally foolish and endearing characteristics of women — their illogicality or lack of abstract reasoning — are actually virtues that make women the deeper and wiser sex. More important, however, is the internalised conflict of Miriam, who as the surrogate son, the woman who contains ‘masculine’ qualities, becomes a symbol of the confusions and tensions of the transitional age in which she lives. And today as much as yesterday Richardson speaks for thousands of women who also feel they fight alone.     

Three-dimensional surface topography acquisition and analysis for firearm identification

In the last decade, computer-based systems for the comparison of microscopic firearms evidence have been the subject of considerable research work because of their expected capability of supporting the firearms examiner through the automated analysis of large amounts of evidence. The Integrated Ballistics Identification System, which is based on a two-dimensional representation of the specimen surface, has been widely adopted in forensic laboratories worldwide. More recently, some attempts to develop systems based on three-dimensional (3D) representations of the specimen surface have been made, both in the literature and as industrial products, such as BulletTRAX-3D, but fundamental limitations in achieving fully automated identification remain. This work analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of a 3D-based approach by proposing an approach and a prototype system for firearms evidence comparison that is based on the acquisition and analysis of the 3D surface topography of specimens, with particular reference to cartridge cases. The concept of 3D virtual comparison microscope is introduced, whose purpose is not to provide fully automated identification, but to show how the availability of 3D shape information can provide a whole new set of verification means, some of them being described and discussed in this work, specifically, visual enhancement tools and quantitative measurement of shape properties, for supporting, not replacing, the firearm examiner in reaching the final decision.     

The effect of sodium fluoride preservative and storage temperature on the stability of 6-acetylmorphine in horse blood, sheep vitreous and deer muscle

This study examined the in vitro stability of 6-acetylmorphine (6AM) in horse blood, sheep vitreous humour (VH) and homogenised deer muscle stored under different storage conditions. The stability of 6AM in horse blood is of interest because many toxicological laboratories utilise this matrix for the preparation of blood calibration and check standards and the latter are typically stored during routine use. Data on the storage stability of 6AM in human VH is extremely limited and no data has been reported in muscle. In the absence of human samples, 6AM stability was demonstrated in sheep vitreous and deer muscle. Blood and VH were stored with and without NaF at room temperature (RT), 4 and -18°C for 84 days. Muscle tissue homogenates were prepared in water with and without NaF and also in phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) containing NaF. Homogenates were stored for 31 days at RT, 4 and -18°C. Morphine and 6AM were extracted using SPE and quantified by GC-ion trap-MS/MS. In the absence of NaF, 6AM could not be detected after 7 and 14 days in blood stored at RT and 4°C, respectively. Although at -18°C 6AM was stable for 7 days (12% loss), only 54% was detected by day 84. The addition of NaF to horse blood increased 6AM stability substantially at every temperature. Further, the rate of degradation was found to be significantly slower in blood preserved with 2% NaF compared with 1% NaF (p=.05). 6AM was stable for the study period in preserved blood (1 and 2% NaF) stored at -18°C. For laboratories utilising horse blood in the preparation of standards, preservation with 1% NaF (minimum) and storage at -18°C is recommended. The addition of NaF to VH was essential for 6AM stability. Irrespective of temperature substantial losses (≥ 42%) were observed in unpreserved sheep VH by day 7. In preserved VH the concentration declined by only 22% on day 7 following storage at RT and no loss observed in VH stored at 4 and -18°C at the same time. In muscle, 6AM was stable for 7 days in preserved samples stored at RT and in all samples stored at 4°C and below. The addition of NaF increased the stability of 6AM substantially in muscle. The increased stability of 6AM in VH and muscle preserved with fluoride was attributed to inhibition of bacterial action and the subsequent reduction in the rate of putrefaction of these tissues.     

Prevalence of women's violent and nonviolent offending behavior: a comparison of self-reports, victims' reports, and third-party reports

This study assessed women's violent and nonviolent offending, using data from two online student samples (men and women: n = 344), reporting on either being a perpetrator and witness (women) or being a victim and witness (men). A comprehensive measure of general violence, intimate partner violence (IPV), and nonviolent offending was collected. From women's self-reports, 59.9% reported perpetrating general violent offenses, 58.1% reported perpetrating IPV offenses and 85.6% reported perpetrating nonviolent offenses. Correlations showed that women were involved in a variety of offenses and demonstrated the interrelatedness of general violence and IPV, and of violent and nonviolent offenses. Regression analysis confirmed the close association between partner and general violence, and found that drug offenses were also related to the former and criminal damage to the latter. Overall, the prevalence data demonstrated women's involvement in all types of offending, and a similar pattern of offending was supported across data sources. Limitations of the sampling method and measures are discussed.     

Treating alcohol-related violence: a feasibility study of a randomized controlled trial in prisons

Purpose: There is a lack of good-quality outcome evaluations of interventions for offenders whose crimes are alcohol-related. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are considered gold standard in treatment evaluations. Here, we report on a feasibility study for an RCT of an alcohol-related violence intervention, Control of Violence for Angry, Impulsive Drinkers (COVAID). Method: 115 adult male prisoners were randomly allocated to COVAID plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU only. Results: Most participants (84%) found COVAID useful. Reconviction data at six months were accessed for 109 (95%) participants. There were no differences between the two groups on violent reconvictions or all reconvictions at the six-month period, but at 17?months the COVAID group had 13% fewer people reconvicted for violence, and 20% fewer had reconvictions for any offence. Conclusion: The results indicate that an RCT is feasible and provides parameters for designing a full RCT. Differences in reconviction between groups favoured COVAID and were clinically important.     

Rising to the Challenge: Europe’s Security Policy in East Asia amid US-China Rivalry

ABSTRACT

China’s growing power and assertiveness towards its smaller and weaker neighbours has been a wakeup call for the European Union and its member states which, as a result, have stepped up their involvement in East Asia. EU security policy in the region shows many elements of alignment with the United States, but also differences. In North East Asia, the EU has adopted harsh sanctions against North Korea but, contrary to the Trump administration which continues to seek regime change, has left the door open for dialogue. Moreover, the EU supports the process of trilateral cooperation among China, Japan and South Korea, while Washington has traditionally been lukewarm towards a process that excludes the US and risks being dominated by Beijing. The transatlantic allies also show differing approaches with regard to maritime disputes in the South China Sea. While EU security policy in East Asia is largely complementary to that of Washington, in some cases Europe tends – albeit inadvertently – to favour Beijing.     

The changing political culture of the African National Congress

The early elite of the African National Congress (ANC) embraced values of moral improvement, individual responsibility and a sense of social consciousness. The ANC now governs South Africa, but with what appears to be a different set of principles. The current scourge of corruption, increasing state control, coupled with a general lack of service delivery point to behaviour of the ruling party which is inward-looking, self-seeking and self-preserving. Arguing that political culture and its accompanying values and attitudes is a prime motivator of behaviour, the paper seeks to understand the changing political culture of the dominant party. To understand the political culture of the ANC we use interviews with ANC parliamentarians and ANC supporters conducted in 2006–2007 and 2013 as well as an analysis of the ANC's Strategy and Tactics policy documents. We contend that the liberal values of the early elites were never fully embedded, but in their stead is a liberationist culture, where the state is normatively understood to be extensive and embodying the will of the people. We argue, that through the resulting centralized determination of the interests of the people, patronage networks, and diminishing of accountability, a system conducive to corruption and the pursuit of personal interest is created.     

EARLY INTERVENTION IN NEW ZEALAND FAMILY COURT CASES

In April 2010 the New Zealand Family Court introduced the National Early Intervention Process (NEIP) to diversify its previous unitary dispute resolution pathway into two tracks (standard and urgent). A “triage” model is now in use to assess and assign cases appropriately. This article outlines the key milestones in the Family Court's 30‐year history which have led to this new initiative to reduce delays and help avoid the escalation of family conflicts over the care of children into bitter and intractable disputes. NEIP represents the most overarching reform of the Family Court since the Court's inception in 1981.