Wrist slashing in a detention center. Case report and review of the literature

Suicides that occur in custody are rare and thus require extensive forensic analysis. Asphyxia by hanging is the most common means of suicide: at least 87.5% of successful suicides are committed in this way. A unique case of suicide in custody is presented in which a prisoner slashed his wrist with an eyeglass lens. The evidence and proceedings that led to this suicide are reviewed and the data are compared with known behavioral patterns. The world literature concerning suicide while incarcerated is reviewed.     

Phases of recognition and management of financial crisis in public organizations

Abstract: This article provides a model of the manner in which public organizations recognize and attempt to manage financial crises and prolonged financial stress. It presents some cutback management options and provides an approach for assessing the severity of financial crises. Issues and management approaches discussed include program reduction and termination costs and benefits, organizational planning, evaluation and decision participation, centralization of decision-making and improvement of public sector marketing. Among the conclusions drawn are that (a) greater investment in market research and marketing is needed in the public sector; (b) management of financial crises must take into account the rigidities arid constraints which characterize bureaucratic organizations; and (c) inability to adapt to environmental change aid new social conditions reduces the probability of survival for public agencies. Sommaire: Cet article fournit un modèle de la façon dont les organismes publics admettent l'esistence de crises financières oil de contraitites inonétaires prolongées et essaierit d'y faire face. Il présente certaines options de retranchement ainsi qu'une approche permettant d'évaiuer la gravité des crises financières. Les problèmes et les concepts de gestion envisagés incluent l'analyse coût-bénéfice de la réduction et de l'annulation des programmes, la planification organisationnelle, l'évaluation et la décision participative, la centralisation de la prise de décision et l'amélioration du marketing. Parmi les conclusions qu'en tire l'auteur, citons le hesoin d'un plus grand investissement dans la recherche et le marketing pour le secteur public, la nécessité de traiter et de gérer les crises financières en fonction des rigidités et des contraintes qui caractérisent les organisations bureaucratiques et, finalement, la conscience que l'incapacitéà s'adapter aux changements de l'environnement et aux nouvelles conditions sociales réduit les chances de survie de ces organismes publics     

Suicide by intravenous injection of a veterinary euthanasia agent: report of a case and toxicologic studies

Previously reported cases of suicide by intravenous barbiturates, as well as two other unusual cases [5,6], are compared in Table 2. All decedents were either medical or paramedical personnel and familiar with the drugs and the routes of administration used for their suicides. Lethal is used in veterinary euthanasia at an intravenous dose of 1 ml per 5 kg (10 lbs) body weight. Unconsciousness usually occurs during injection and death supervenes within a matter of seconds. The decedent in the present case weighed 90 kg (200 lbs) and had injected at least 40 ml of the drug, approximately twice the recommended lethal dose. There appears to be little doubt of the victim's suicidal intent, since he had used Lethal in his daily occupational duties. Additionally, the physical configuration of the supports devised to hold the syringe was quite stable, and injection stopped only when the decedent's hand came to rest upon the towels. To our knowledge, the present case represents the only one of its kind in the literature.     

An analysis of toxic deaths, 1982 to 1985, Pima County, Arizona

Toxic deaths in Pima County, Arizona, were studied over a four-year period. The deaths were analyzed according to cause and manner of death, toxic substance, and demographic data. The age group 40 to 49 years had the highest rate of suicide from toxic substances. The accident death rate was highest for ages 20 to 29 years. Carbon monoxide was most often found to be the cause of deaths in this study. The most prevalent drugs were narcotics followed by antidepressants, cocaine, and barbiturates. Comparisons are made with similar studies.     

An evaluation of an enzymatic choline determination for the identification of semen in casework samples

This study compares the detection of choline in seminal stains by both an enzymatic method and by the standard Florence crystal test. The tests were conducted on 293 actual casework samples. In those samples identified as containing semen, choline was detected twice as often by the enzymatic method compared to the Florence method (84.6 versus 40.3%). The choline results were correlated with spermatozoa and acid phosphatase tests. The enzymatic detection of choline in seminal stains was found to be a fast, easy, sensitive, and reliable test.     

What Made Me a Legal Aid Lawyer?

This article is a contribution to the occasional series dealing with a major book that influenced the author. Previous contributors include Stewart Macaulay, John Griffith, William Twining, and Carol Harlow.