Effects of genetic and environmental explanations of psychopathy and gender on perceptions of criminal behaviors

Genetic/biological evidence is increasingly introduced into courtrooms but findings regarding its impact are mixed. This study integrates research on psychopathy and the use of genetic evidence in legal contexts by considering how information on genetic causal accounts of psychopathy affect perceptions of culpability, recidivism, amenability to treatment, and sentencing severity. Perpetrator gender was examined as a moderator. Two-hundred thirty-eight undergraduates read a hypothetical violent crime vignette and mock expert testimony regarding psychopathy. The testimony included a diagnosis only, or a diagnosis plus genetic or environmental explanations of the etiology of psychopathy. Results indicated that a genetic account of psychopathy was not clearly perceived as aggravating or mitigating such that participants were more lenient in their perceptions of culpability yet more punitive in their sentencing recommendations when perpetrators were described to have genetically-caused psychopathy. An environmental account of psychopathy was mitigating but only for sentencing severity. In addition, although participants were more lenient in sentencing male and female perpetrators when provided with an environmental cause of psychopathy, participants judged male perpetrators most harshly when provided with a genetic cause of psychopathy. Implications of the relations between etiology and gender in legal decision-making are discussed.     

Predicting suicidal risk in a cohort of depressed children and adolescents

Background: In children and adolescents with a depressive disorder, predicting who will also go on to exhibit suicide-related behaviors (SRBs), including suicide attempt or self-harm, is a key challenge facing clinicians. Aims: To investigate the relative contributions of depressive disorder severity, hopelessness, family dysfunction, and perceived social support to the risk of suicide-related behaviors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of a group of 10-16-year-olds with major depressive disorders and dysthymic disorder. Results: Child-rated depressive disorder symptom severity emerged as the greatest predictor of risk. Hopelessness and family dysfunction were also significant predictors of SRBs. In combination these variables were strong predictors, accounting for 66% of the variance. This is a cross-sectional study design, rather than longitudinal, therefore risk prediction over time was not possible. Conclusions: Understanding the child and adolescents depressive disorder symptom severity from their perspective, their level of hopelessness, as well as their family context is critical in understanding the risk of SRBs. These findings may help to provide direction for targeted interventions to address these clinical risk factors.     

A SOP TO THE "OI POLLOI": CAPITAL, LABOUR AND THE REFORM OF NEW SOUTH WALES MARITIME ADMINISTRATION 1867 TO 1914

Abstract: In 1867 NSW maritime services were rationalised by the formation of a Marine Board comprising government appointees and elected representatives of shipowners. Following several scandals relating to Marine Board administration and an inquiry by the new Public Service Board sitting as a Royal Commission, the Marine Board was replaced in 1899 by a Navigation Department. In 1900 Sydney wharfage was nationalised in response to the bubonic plague outbreak of 1899 and placed under the control of a Sydney Harbour Trust. This dual structure persisted throughout the pre-war period. Calls came from the Greater Sydney movement for wharfage to be placed under the control of an enlarged city council, and from the labour movement of trust tenants and employees for the trust to operate on non-commercial principles. These pressures were successfully resisted by the trust commissioners, despite the presence of a Labor government after 1910. In their administration the commissioners of the Trust favoured capital, but their image of technocratic impartiality enabled them to constrain Labor governments and to carry through substanial extensions of state activity when this was in the interests of capital as a whole.     

Job hazards and job security

This paper studies the link between occupational health hazards and job security. Consistent with the underlying hypothesis that firms utilizing hazardous technologies tend to employ low-skilled workers who can be discharged easily in case of a downturn in business, the analysis indicates that workers in hazardous positions are more likely to face involuntary job loss than are those in safe positions. These workers may be particularly sensitive to political arguments that efforts to reduce exposure to toxins in the workplace and the general environment are responsible for layoffs and plant closures. The paper discusses policy alternatives that could reduce the impact of health regulations on job security.     

Determinants of the decision to drive while disqualified

As part of a large-scale study of disqualified drivers, the present study focused on determinants of offenders' decisions for or against driving during the disqualification period. It was predicted that four types of factors would operate to produce a decision. In particular, it was anticipated that three factors-assessment of risk, perceived disruption, and evaluation of the relation between perceived ability and sanction legitimacy-would combine to produce a fourth factor-anxiety-which, in turn, would be related to driving behavior during the sanction period. A sample of 1552 drivers, completed a mail questionnaire designed to provide data about these factors. Multiple regression analyses indicated general support for the predicted relations between factors, although the variables of perceived ability and awareness of penalty added little to the final predictor equation, and these relations were found not to be affected by driver demographic and background variables. Findings were discussed in terms of their implications for subjects' decisions about whether or not to violate the sanction.     

Attitudes toward sentencing guidelines and simulated sentencing among Missouri circuit court judges

This study examines attitudes toward sentencing guidelines and simulated sentencing practices among Missouri circuit court judges. In addition, the study investigates the efficacy of sentencing workshops by comparing judges who attended or did not attend workshops. All Missouri circuit court judges were mailed surveys and 97 judges responded. Results indicated that judges generally felt positive toward Missouri’s voluntary sentencing guidelines, but often failed to refer to the guidelines when sentencing sample cases. Attendance at a sentencing workshop was not associated with attitudes about Missouri sentencing guidelines or sentencing in simulated cases. Sentencing in simulated cases varied by nature of the crime and circuit type. Judges from metropolitan areas tended to sentence more leniently than judges from rural areas. In their written comments, many judges expressed fear about the possibility of mandatory guidelines. Results suggest that there is ambivalence among Missouri judges over the acceptance and use of sentencing guidelines.     

Incapacitation and Just Deserts as Motives for Punishment

Law and Human Behavior - What motivates a person's desire to punish actors who commit intentional, counternormative harms? Two possible answers are a just deserts motive or a desire to...     

The human distribution of some barbiturate sedatives in combination with miscellaneous CNS-active drugs

This paper presents 14 cases in which the distribution of barbiturates and the hydroxylated metabolites in combination with miscellaneous CNS-active drugs was studied. In 7 of these cases the other drug present was methadone, and in the remainder dihydrocodeine, morphine, propoxyphene, amitriptyline, meprobamate, cyclizine and dipipanone, diphenhydramine and methaqualone.Amitrityline, methadone, cyclizine and dipipanone, methaqualone and diphenhydramine appeared to modify the distribution of amylobarbitone and quinalbarbitone. Likewise, the barbiturates seemed to alter the distribution of amitriptyline, propoxyphene and, in one instance, methadone.     

Toxicological investigations of six chlormethiazole-related deaths

This paper presents the toxicological findings for six coroners' autopsy cases where chlormethiazole was contributory to the cause of death. The drug, which was assayed by a gas-chromatographic procedure, was the only drug found in five of the cases.