Sexual assault of older women by strangers

This study examines victim, offender, and offence characteristics associated with sexual assaults by strangers of older women compared to those against younger women. Cases are obtained from the Serious Crime Analysis Section of the United Kingdom National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA; formerly Centrex). All possible cases of rape, attempted rape, and lesser sexual assault involving a single female victim aged 60 or older are selected (n = 53). These are matched with a sample of sexual assaults against women aged between 20 to 45 years ( n = 53). Research findings reveal significant differences in relation to a number of variables, including ethnicity of the offender, number of previous convictions of the offender, and characteristics associated with the assault itself. The results of this research reveal new information about violent sexual assaults on older women by strangers and have implications for practitioners dealing with such cases.     

Psychological autopsy in the investigation of serial neonaticides

While the use of psychological autopsies has at least a 50-year history in the investigation of equivocal deaths and suicides, we report a case where, after the discovery of a woman who died of natural causes, a subsequent search of her home found three deceased newborn infants. The infants were born on three separate occasions; the most recent was delivered approximately 2 weeks before the death of the mother. Using her own diaries and interviews with family and friends along with the physical autopsy and scene investigation data, we built a psychological autopsy that addressed the mother's mental state over the period of time when the infants' deaths took place. While the use of the psychological autopsy was not employed to distinguish the manner of death of the mother, it did provide explanatory power over circumstances of the crime scene and the behavioral disturbance of the mother.     

Can't get no satisfaction? The recognition of revisionist states

Attributions of satisfaction or dissatisfaction to states forman important foundation of theories about international relations,especially with respect to the outbreak of war among major powers.This paper addresses several conceptual and empirical problemsin the application of these attributions. It first offers acritique of the conventional denotation of states as putativelysatisfied or dissatisfied. It then presents the multiple connotationsthat this distinction has been associated with. This is followedby the suggestion of an alternative indicator, based on theextent of a state's participation in international governmentalorganizations (IGOs), for assessing and tracking national satisfaction/dissatisfaction.The paper then proceeds to a discussion of prior studies ofthe power-transition theory, and presents a serial reading ofnational satisfaction/dissatisfaction on the part of the maincontenders for international leadership from 1860 to 1949. Givenits central role in the wars among these contenders, Germany'sscores are the subject of special scrutiny. The proposed measureof satisfaction/dissatisfaction, when combined with the occurrenceof power shifts as determined by prior research, shows a strongassociation with the timing of past wars between major powers.The conclusion discusses some further theoretical and policyimplications of the perspective presented.     

The Quality of Forensic Psychological Assessments,Reports, and Testimony: Acknowledging the Gap Between Promise and Practice

During the past decade, the field of forensic psychological assessment entered a period of standard setting, reflected in the publication of specialty guidelines for practice and in the proliferation of educational opportunities, training programs, and credentialing and certification procedures for forensic examiners. Representing significant efforts to advance the quality of psychological assessments in legal contexts, these developments foreshadow the promise of forensic assessment. During this same time period, new evidence emerged regarding the quality of forensic practice. This article reviews this evidence and evaluates current practice against the promise of forensic assessment. Forensic reports appear to be of higher quality than those described by commentators in the 1970s and early 1980s; nevertheless, the level of practice falls far short of professional aspirations for the field. The review identifies significant areas of weakness that demand the attention of professional organizations, accrediting agencies, educators, lawmakers, practitioners, and consumers.The truth is what is, not what should be.--Lenny Bruce