Using myths: Former Yugoslav perpetrators and violence

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, increased levels of east to west immigration in Europe partly explains the delinquent activities among a growing number of Eastern Europeans in western cities. Young people from te former Yugoslavia have a reputation for being particularly violent. In this article we argue that the alleged violence among Yugoslav delinquents is not so much a reflection of reality, but rather a myth used instrumentally by Yugoslav delinquents themselves to establish a position on the criminal scene – as doorkeepers, bodyguards, money collectors or other so-called `specialists in violence'.     

Postmortem red coloration of teeth. A retrospective investigation of 26 cases

Postmortem red coloration of teeth (pink teeth) was found in 26 of 119 consecutive autopsy or forensic dental identification cases during 1973-1984. The present study confirms that red coloration of teeth may occur some time after death under conditions that promote putrefaction and adipocere formation. The red coloration is due to hemolysis after exudation of hemoglobin derivatives through the dentine tubules in cases in which blood has accumulated in the head, either due to congestion or by a postmortem head-down position, as after submersion in water.     

Co-occurring mental disorders among criminal offenders

Many convicted offenders suffer from major mental disorders. These offenders commit crimes with great frequency. They do not receive mental health care and are often found in isolation cells of correctional facilities. The present investigation examined lifetime multiple disorders, measured by the DIS, among a representative sample of male penitentiary inmates. Pure forms of the major mental disorders were rare. All possible combinations of the major disorders were found to exist. No patterns of groupings of disorders were evident.     

The Mediator as Face-Giver

Face issues under the surface can make mediation akin to negotiating a minefield. This article proposes to help mediators map the terrain, uncovering critical face issues that can stymie the negotiation. The author demonstrates how, by using face-giving techniques to diffuse uncovered face issues, mediators can help move the parties through sensitive conflicts to sustainable resolution—with egos and relationships intact.     

Government survival in Western multi–party democracies: The effect of credible exit threats via dominance

Based upon findings in other fields in the social sciences, it is proposed in this article that cooperation between government parties can be induced when parties in governments are able to exercise credible exit threats. As stability is more likely to be induced by cooperation than by defection, more durable governments can be expected. The possibility for credible exit threats in a government is operationalized via the presence of a dominant party in the government. The corresponding prediction is tested against a data set that contains 261 postwar governments in twelve western multiparty democracies. In the event history analyses of government survival, I control for variables pertaining to the bargaining environment, bargaining complexity, and the ideological diversity of the governments. It is found that the presence of dominant parties in governments does indeed enhance the survival time of governments.