Crime, economic conditions, social interactions and family heritage

This paper tests whether factors referring to socio-economic aspects, family heritage, social interaction, habits and customs explain differences among violent and non-violent prisoners. Some of the results of the probit estimation show that economic issues are the main factors that stimulate the practice of non-violent crime. On the other hand, violent crimes results suggest that factors related to family heritage reduce this kind of crime. In relation to variables of social interaction, prisoners who were brought up in a good neighborhood have a lower probability of committing violent crimes.     

Perceptions of Economic Inequality and Support for Redistribution: The role of Existential and Utopian Standards

Perceived greater economic inequality is supposedly associated with higher demand for redistribution. However, the findings in the literature are mixed in this regard, with some researchers providing evidence in favour of this association and some findings evidence against it. Given that perceived economic inequality and endorsement of system-justifying beliefs are related to increased inequality acceptance, we explore the interplay between them in relation to support for redistribution. This study is intended to shed light on the role of utopian standards (ideal estimates about what ought to be) as one mechanism that affects the relationship between perceived greater economic inequality and support for redistribution. Based on correlational data (N?=?794), we conducted a conditional process analysis and found that perceived greater inequality displayed a negative indirect effect on support for redistribution, through acceptance of ideal level of economic inequality: Perception of higher inequality was related to increased ideal levels of inequality and thus with lower support for redistribution. In addition, we found that economic system-justifying beliefs conditioned the effect of perceived economic inequality in two ways: First, perceived economic inequality was positively associated with higher acceptance of inequality, and this association was stronger for those that justified the economic system more, and perceived greater inequality was associated with higher support for redistribution—but only for those who endorsed lower levels of economic system justification beliefs. These findings provide evidence that perceived greater economic inequality does not in itself lead to a push for more redistribution; rather, utopian standards such as ideal estimates of economic inequality, which are conditioned by system-justifying ideologies.     

A Peruvian population study of eight Y-chromosome STR loci

We have analyzed the distribution of the allele frequencies and haplotypes at eight Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci (DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS460, DYS461, GATA A10, GATA C4 and GATA H4) in a sample population of 87 unrelated individuals from Perú.     

Assessing a voluntary environmental initiative in the developing world: The Costa Rican Certification for Sustainable Tourism

The public policy literature has paid little attention to evaluating the ability of voluntary environmental programs to generate economic benefits for firms. Yet, given their voluntary nature, provision of economic benefits to firms is a necessary condition for these programs to become effective environmental policy instruments. Additionally, little is known about why firms operating in developing countries would participate in these initiatives.This paper provides some of the first cross-sectional empirical evidence about voluntary environmental programs established in developing countries. Specifically, the paper focuses on studying hotel participation in the Costa Rican Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST program). The CST program is probably the first performance-based voluntary environmental program created by a developing country government. Results indicate that hotels with certified superior environmental performance show a positive relationship with differentiation advantages that yield price premiums. Participation in the CST program alone is not significantly related to higher prices and higher sales. The evidence also indicates that participation in the CST program was significantly related to government monitoring, trade association membership and hotels focus on green consumers.     

Child Suicide in the North of Portugal

Suicide in children is a rare finding and is probably motivated by acts of impulsiveness. This study aims to contribute to the characterization of child suicide in a forensic perspective in the Portuguese population. Data of forensic autopsies from 2004 to 2012 related to suicide victims under 18 years were reviewed. A total of 17 cases, with a male predominance (64.7%) and a mean age of 15.24 ± 1.348 for both genders, were registered. The leading suicide method was hanging (35.3%), and a suicide note was found in 41.2%. Psychological autopsy proved to be useful in promoting a better understanding of these incidents and their antecedents. This study also offers useful information, namely the implied risk factors, for future programs of suicide research and prevention.     

Political succession in Cuba

Amazonia 1990: the burning question

White Gold: the diary of a rubber cutter in the Amazon 1906–1916 John C Yung johann Edited by Ghillean Prance Oracle, Arizona: Synergetic Press. 1989. 103pp. $7.95/£6.95pb

Fight for the Forest: Chico Mendes in his own words Tony Gross London: Latin America Bureau. 1989. 96pp. £2.95pb

Government Development Policies and Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon Region Dennis J Mahar Washington DC: World Bank Publications. 1989. 65pp. n/p

Bound in Misery and Iron: the impact of the Grande Carajas programme on the Indians of Brazil Dave Treece London: Survival International. 1987. 151pp. £2.00pb

International Amazonia: its human side Donald J Bogue and Yolanda Butts Chicago: Social Development Center. 1989. 177pp. n/p

Indigenous Peoples and Tropical Forests: models of land use and management from Latin America Jason Clay Cambridge, Massachusetts: Cultural Survival. 1988. 116pp. n/p

The Fate of the Forest: developers, destroyers and defenders of the Amazon Susanna Hecht and Alexander Cockburn London: Verso. 1989. 224pp. £16.95hb

Saving the Tropical Forests Judith Gradwohl and Russell Greenberg London: Earthscan. 1988. 207pp. £6.95pb

Reflections on the Gulf War

The Gulf War Edgar O'Ballance London: Brassey's Defence Publishers. 1988. 232pp. £17.95/$32.00hb

The Longest War: the Iran‐Iraq military conflict Dilip Hiro London: Grafton Books. 1989. 312pp. £17.95hb

The Iran‐Iraq War: impact and implications Edited by Efraim Karsh London: Macmillan/Tel Aviv: The Jaffee Center for Stategic Studies. 1989. 303pp. £37.50hb/£15.99pb

The Gulf War: regional international dimensions Edited by Hans Maull and Otto Pick London: Pinter. 1989. 344pp. £30.00hb

Iran and Iraq at War Shahram Chubin and Charles Tripp London: I B Tauris. 1988. 318pp. £19.50hb

The Gulf War: the origins and implications of the Iraq‐Iran conflict Majid Khadduri New York/Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1988. 236pp. $24.95hb

The Iranian Military in Revolution and War Sepehr Zabih London/New York: Routledge. 1988. 279pp. £35.00hb     

Strategic voting in local elections: evidence from Portugal (1979–2013)

Do voters behave strategically in local elections? Does democratic experience influence voters’ capacity to behave strategically? Is there a relation between education and voters’ capacity to anticipate the mechanical effects of electoral statutes and adapt their behaviour accordingly? Using an original data set covering the complete democratic period, this paper studies strategic voting at the local level in Portugal. Using an ecological inference approach, we contribute to a vast body of literature on strategic voting by testing whether theories developed for national contexts travel to local contexts. Our findings suggest that (1) voters consistently defect to non-viable lists to support viable lists; (2) democratic experience helps voters to learn how to maximize their utility; and (3) education is important for voters’ ability to identify a strategic setting.