“Give me some space”: exploring youth to parent aggression and violence

A small scale qualitative project, undertaken by an interdisciplinary domestic violence research group involving academic researchers and research assistants, with colleagues from Independent Domestic Abuse Services (IDAS), investigated youth aggression and violence against parents. Following the literature review, data was generated through several research conversations with young people (n = 2), through semi-structured interviews with mothers (n = 3) and practitioners (n = 5), and through a practitioner focus group (n = 8). Thematic analysis and triangulation of the data from parents, practitioners and young people, elicited interconnected and complex overarching themes. Young people could be both victim and perpetrator. The witnessing or experiencing of domestic aggression and violence raised the concept of ‘bystander children’. The impact of young people experiencing familial violence was underestimated by parents. For practitioners, the effects of working with domestic violence was shown to be significant - both positively and negatively.     

The utility of extended outpatient civil commitment

OBJECTIVE: This study considers three hypotheses regarding the impact of extended involuntary outpatient commitment orders on services utilization. METHOD: Service utilization of Victorian Psychiatric Case Register (VPCR) patients with extended (> or =180 day) outpatient commitment orders was compared to that of a diagnostically-matched treatment compliant group with similarly extended (> or =180 day) periods of outpatient care (N=1182)--the former receiving care during their extended episode on an involuntary basis while the latter participated in care voluntarily. Pre/post first extended episode mental health service utilization was compared via paired t tests with individuals as their own controls. Logistic and OLS regression as well as repeated measures ANOVA via the GLM SPSS program and post hoc t tests were used to evaluate between group and across time differences. RESULTS: Extended episodes of care for both groups were associated with subsequent reduced use of hospitalization and increases in community treatment days. Extended orders did not promote voluntary participation in the period following their termination. Community treatment days during the extended episode for those on orders were raised to the level experienced by the treatment compliant comparison group during their extended episode and maintained at that level via subsequent renewal of orders throughout the patients' careers. Approximately six community treatment days were required for those on orders to achieve a one-day reduction in hospital utilization following the extended episode. CONCLUSION: Outpatient commitment for those on extended orders in the Victorian context enabled a level of community-based treatment provision unexpected in the absence of this delivery system and provided an alternative to hospitalization.     

Volunteer labor sorting across industries

Volunteer labor is generally analyzed as a homogeneous activity, implying that the marginal effects of tax changes and demographic shifts are equal across industries and forms of volunteering. Here the homogeneity assumption is tested by estimating and comparing volunteer labor supply functions in three sectors that rely on volunteer labor—health, education, and religious organizations. Differences in the marginal volunteer labor supply effects are associated with personal demographics, household composition, and tax status. These differences are significant statistically as well as for their policy implications. The effects on volunteering to each sector are predicted for changes in the age, education, and marital status distributions of the population, as well as for changes in income tax rates, itemization status, and income. © 2002 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.     

The insanity defense in Shelby County,Tennessee

The purpose of this investigation was threefold: to document the number of cases in Shelby County, Tennessee where an insanity defense was possible: to follow cases through to disposition to determine what percentage of defendants use the defense successfully; and to examine the type of charges for insanity cases. Of the 25.000 individuals processed through the Criminal Courts. 685 (2.7%) were referred for insanity evaluations and 45 defendants (6.6%) were returned to the court with a recommendation from the Midtown Mental Health Center's Forensic Team that an insanity defense was possible. Of the 45 insanity defendants identified, 49% (n=22) pleaded guilty, 31% (n=14) went to trial, and 20% (n=9) were dismissed. Overall, 22% (n=10) of the insanity defendants were adjudicated not guilty by reason of insanity. Thus, of all defendants processed (25,000), 04% (n=11) were adjucated not guilty by reason of insanity. While no one type of offense predominated, two general categories were observed: murder and related offenses (33%) and property crimes (27%). The findings are discussed with reference to procedures for handling insanity cases in Tennessee and the position that extreme caution should be exercised before investing substantial resources to effect sweeping changes in laws that effect so few criminal defendants.     

Provoked shooting by police as a mechanism for suicide

We report a case which was processed by the Philadelphia Office of the Medical Examiner in which a person with a previous known suicide attempt clearly provoked the Philadelphia police into shooting him. We believe that this is but one of many such incidents in which the victim provokes another into administering fatal injury. This is a mechanism of suicide which, we believe, is exemplified by the case presented.