Is PCL-R psychopathy associated with either type or severity of personality disorder?

The extent to which assessment of personality disorders (PDs), and trans-diagnostic measures of PD severity, can capture the variance in psychopathy measured by the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) was examined in 100 forensic patients with a history of violent offending. Correlational and linear regression analyses were carried out to establish whether (i) combinations of PDs would predict PCL-R scores for each of its two factors, interpersonal–affective (F1) and antisocial deviance (F2); (ii) ‘acting out’, a putative measure of externalising maladjustment that transcends PD categories, would predict PCL-R scores. Results showed that narcissistic and avoidant PDs contributed significantly to the prediction of F1, but only antisocial PD contributed to the prediction of F2. ‘Acting out’ predicted both F1 and F2, suggesting that core features of PCL-R psychopathy are embedded within and across different PD diagnoses. Results are discussed in relation to different sub-types of psychopathy described in the literature.     

Insulin- or morphine-injection?: Immunohistochemical contribution to the elucidation of a case

Two autopsy cases of an elderly couple who died on the same day will be used to underline the importance of immunohistochemistry in forensic practice. At first unexplainable injection marks on the upper arms of the corpses and the possibility of a closely related physician injecting insulin and certifying a natural death made it important, considering suspect insulin concentrations in the blood, to exclude insulin injections in these marks. Further, the statement that morphine had been injected for the analgesia of tumour pains, was reinforced by immunohistochemistry.     

The sociopathic police personality: Is it a product of the “Rotten Apple” or the “Rotten Barrel?”

The “Rotten Apple” theory states that deviant police officers are those who psychological testing fails to screen out. This concept is favored by police administrators because it offers a quick and easy solution to police deviant behavior. However, there is a growing body of literature that suggests that it is the stressful occupation that is policing that is the fertile soil from which police deviant behavior springs otherwise known as the “Rotten Barrel” theory. This article shall explore police deviant behavior from the perspective that it is the “Rotten Barrel” that leads to police deviant behavior.     

Is there a need to regulate mediation? The English and Welsh case study

The use of mediation in England and Wales is nowadays an accepted and common practice within the alternative dispute resolution industry. Credited professionals have been performing the duties of a mediator in different fields of legal disputes; however, despite the positive perception of mediation, this area remains unregulated. So far, the rules applying to mediation in England and Wales originate from case law and contract between the parties. Such a scenario is not shared by other countries in which mediation has been regulated through an Act covering either private or judicial mediation. This article examines the current mediation scenario in England and Wales to assess whether there is a need to give it a statutory character in a similar manner to other jurisdictions.     

Is there a distinct profile of police officers accused of violence? The Israeli case

In recent years, the Israeli National Police has come under attack for excessive use of physical force. This article focuses on the organizational characteristics of police officers suspected of committing offenses involving the illegal use of force. A random sample of 612 official files opened, investigated, and completed between 1993 and 1998 was examined. The findings show that there are no salient differences between the proportion of the suspect police officers serving at the different geographic police districts in the sample and their proportion in the total police force in recent years. Complaints tend to be submitted against police officers in operational and investigative functions, especially against those of middle and low ranks. Regarding the files' characteristics, many significant differences are found between files opened against regular police (RP) officers (who fulfill traditional police functions) and those opened against officers of the Border Police (BP, who fulfill mainly internal security-related tasks among the Arab population). These differences are mainly explained by factors related to organizational features of the BP.     

Determinants of judges’ career choices and productivity: a Polish case study

European Journal of Law and Economics - The goal of this paper is to identify factors which affect judges’ productivity and career choice motives with the view of increasing judicial...     

Theories of Rights: Is There a Third Way?

Some important recent articles, including one in this journal,have sought to devise theories of rights that can transcendthe longstanding debate between the Interest Theory and theWill Theory. The present essay argues that those efforts failand that the Interest Theory and the Will Theory withstand thecriticisms that have been levelled against them. To be sure,the criticisms have been valuable in that they have promptedthe amplification and clarification of the two dominant theoriesof rights; but their upshot has been to reveal the need forthe improvement, rather than the abandonment, of those theories.     

Are DNA data a valid source to study the spatial behavior of unknown offenders?

Studying the spatial behaviour of unknown offenders (i.e. undetected offenders) is difficult, because police recorded crime data do not contain information about these offenders. Recently, forensic DNA data has been used to study unknown offenders. However, DNA data are only a subset of the crimes committed by unknown offenders stored in police recorded crime data. To establish the suitability of DNA data for studying the spatial offending behaviour of unknown offenders, we examine the concentration and spatial similarity of detected but unsolved crimes in police recorded crime data (N?=?181,483) and DNA data (N?=?1913) over 27 Belgian judicial districts for four crime types. We established spatial similarity for certain crime types (in some districts). This offers opportunities for DNA data to be used to study unknown offenders' spatial offending behaviour. Implications for theory and research are discussed.     

The influence of personality on violent victimization – a study on police officers

The current study aims to examine the influence of police officer characteristics, civilian characteristics, and possible interactions between both on violent victimization of police officers. Based on literature distinguishing between ‘provocative’ and ‘submissive’ victims, focus is given on effects of police officers’ personality in terms of the five-factor model plus risk-taking. Patrol police officers (n?=?1813) from Lower Saxony, Germany, completed a paper-and-pencil survey including personality assessments as well as questions about their last three police encounters. Binary logistic multilevel regression analyses demonstrate that police officers with higher scores on neuroticism and openness to experience were more likely to be violently attacked. Furthermore, agreeableness reduced police officers’ risk of violent victimization, while risk-taking and neuroticism increased their risk when confronted with a violent civilian. The study indicates that personality and especially traits that are assumed to provoke potential perpetrators were linked with violent victimization. It further stresses the need to include perpetrator attributes in victim studies in order to identify relevant interaction effects between both parties.     

Violence and personality in forensic patients: is there a forensic patient-specific personality profile?

Concerning the discussion about the connection of personality traits, personality disorders, and mental illness, this study focused on the personality profiles of male forensic patients, prison inmates, and young men without criminal reports. The main topic centered on group-specific personality profiles and identifying personality facets corresponding with mental illness. The authors therefore used the Rasch model-based Trier Integrated Personality Inventory. They individually tested 141 German forensic patients with different crime backgrounds, 122 prison inmates, and 111 soldiers of the German army. Within group differences they found that the individuals with mental retardation differ from patients with a personality disorder or psychosis. Patients with mental retardation displayed higher neurotic and/or paranoid personality accents and tended to be low organized and self-confident.     

Clearing and Settlement of Derivatives: Is a Code of Conduct Advisable?

This article is a first step to assess whether a self‐regulatory ‘Code of Conduct’, which has been in effect for European equities, should also be extended to derivatives. The aim of the code is to increase competition and customer choice in the European transaction process (trading, clearing and settlement). The article examines whether such a code is advisable for derivatives by evaluating potential market failures and inefficiencies in European derivatives markets. More specifically, the article: a) highlights the main differences in the clearing and settlement procedures of derivatives versus equities; b) outlines current and alternative market infrastructures in derivatives post‐trade markets; and c) evaluates the current level of competition among derivatives exchanges and also between the on‐ and off‐exchange trading segments. The article concludes that if imminent initiatives taken to increase the competitiveness of over‐the‐counter (OTC) derivatives markets vis‐à‐vis the incumbent derivatives exchanges—such as increased clearing house usage and new entry of multilateral trading facilities—are not effective in the near future, a code of conduct could be envisaged. This should entail promoting faster automation of OTC post‐trade processes and ensuring price comparability is maintained between derivatives exchanges.     

Intracranial sewing needle in a man with seizure: a case of child abuse?

Physical abuse in infancy can cause persistent neurological deficits. Although intracranial foreign bodies are generally secondary to penetrating trauma or surgical procedures, rarely they also occur as a result of child abuse. A 32-year-old man presented with the complaint of generalized tonic clonic seizures to the Neurology Department of Marmara, University Hospital. Computerized tomography (CT) scan revealed a sewing needle located within the temporal lobe. The location and the position of the needle suggested that it must have been introduced in infancy through the lamdoid suture before the closure of it, as an unsuccessful deliberate homicide attempt or accidental injury.     

Is Coercion a Ground of Distributive Justice?

In his rich and stimulating book, Blake argues (among other things) that comprehensive coercion triggers egalitarian obligations of distributive justice. I argue that (1) coercion is not a necessary condition for egalitarian justice to apply; (2) Blake’s use of a moralised conception of coercion is a mistake; (3) coercion is a redundant member of any set of sufficient conditions that might explain why distributive justice applies; (4) Blake’s emphasis on providing conditions for the exercise of autonomy might support a much more cosmopolitan theory of distributive justice.     

Is Deterrence Effective? Results of a Meta-Analysis of Punishment

It is supposed that threats of punishment deter potential criminals from committing crimes. The correctness of this theory is, however, questionable. Numerous empirical investigations have come to different results. In this article a meta-analysis is described which tries to find out the reasons for the different findings. First evaluations indicate that the methods of research have an influence on the results and that a possible deterring effect of the penal law can only be covered reasonably with a very differentiating model. Not all criminal acts can be influenced by deterrence. It appears that the most significant deterrent effects can be achieved in cases of minor crime, administrative offences and infringements of informal social norms. In cases of homicide, on the other hand, the meta-analysis does not indicate that the death penalty has a deterrent effect. According to the results, the validity of the deterrence hypothesis must be looked at in a differenciated manner.