Using the institutional grammar tool to understand regulatory compliance: The case of Colorado aquaculture

What is the relationship between the design of regulations and levels of individual compliance? To answer this question, Crawford and Ostrom's institutional grammar tool is used to deconstruct regulations governing the aquaculture industry in Colorado, USA. Compliance with the deconstructed regulatory components is then assessed based on the perceptions of the appropriateness of the regulations, involvement in designing the regulations, and intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. The findings suggest that levels of compliance with regulations vary across and within individuals regarding various aspects of the regulatory components. As expected, the level of compliance is affected by the perceived appropriateness of regulations, participation in designing the regulations, and feelings of guilt and fear of social disapproval. Furthermore, there is a strong degree of interdependence among the written components, as identified by the institutional grammar tool, in affecting compliance levels. The paper contributes to the regulation and compliance literature by illustrating the utility of the institutional grammar tool in understanding regulatory content, applying a new Q‐Sort technique for measuring individual levels of compliance, and providing a rare exploration into feelings of guilt and fear outside of the laboratory setting.     

The Role and Place of <Emphasis Type="Italic">American Journal of Criminal Justice</Emphasis> in the Discipline

The American Journal of Criminal Justice (AJCJ), the peer-reviewed publication of the Southern Association of Criminal Justice (SCJA), has been in publication for 35 years. SCJA has often been viewed as an approachable association to become involved with for young faculty in criminal justice. In addition, based on the findings of this assessment, SCJA’s journal has also been viewed as a desirable starting place for new academics to foray into the world of peer-reviewed publications. This article reviews the 35 year history of AJCJ’s articles and authors by addressing the trends in subjects, methods, authors, and citations to articles in the journal.     

Results and lessons from Canada's PS2000

Canada has been a world leader in administrative reform, eager to experiment during turbulent times in public administration. Public Service 2000, an attempt to instill the Canadian public service into a people- and results-oriented management culture, has been widely heralded as among the boldest of recent Canadian administrative reforms. Results from implementing PS2000 were expected within a decade of its 1990 launch. Halfway through that timeframe, the results are surprising, complex, contradictory and paradoxical. For example, in the second year of implementation, the longer term solutions of PS2000 conflicted with a financial crisis demanding fast results, and PS2000 principles, throughout implementation, contradicted certain traditional public service values. Reflecting on their experience, individuals who participated in PS2000 confirmed lessons in the extant literature, and suggested lessons specific to Canadian circumstances. PS2000 has been an unavoidable and much-needed effort to reform the Canadian public service, though perhaps inevitably it fell short of expectation. Yet, inside opinion remains mixed, seeking rationalist explanations, and expressing dissatisfaction over the progress of implementation. PS2000 has been absorbed into a much broader plan to reinvent federal government administration and the role of the state in Canadian society. Continuing difference of opinion may well call for a more fundamental change in administrative and managerial doctrine, especially with respect to launching future comprehensive administrative reform projects.     

Additional predictions for forensic DNA phenotyping of externally visible characteristics using the ForenSeq and Imagen kits

Multiplex DNA typing methods using massively parallel sequencing can be used to predict externally visible characteristics (EVCs) in forensic DNA phenotyping through the analysis of single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The focus of EVC determination has focused on hair color, eye color, and skin tone as well as visible biogeographical ancestry features. In this study, we researched off-label applications beyond what is currently marketed by the manufacturer of the Verogen ForenSeq kit primer set B and Imagen primer set E SNP loci. We investigated additional EVC predictions by examining published genome wide sequencing studies and reported allele-specific gene expression and predictive values. We have identified 15 SNPs included in the ForenSeq kit panel and Imagen kits that have additional EVC prediction capabilities beyond what is published in the Verogen manuals. The additional EVCs that can be predicted include hair graying, ephelides hyperpigmented spots, dermatoheliosis, facial pigmented spots, standing height, pattern balding, helix-rolling ear morphology, hair shape, hair thickness, facial morphology, eyebrow thickness, sarcoidosis, obesity, vitiligo, and tanning propensity. The loci can be used to augment and refine phenotype predictions with software such as MetaHuman for missing persons, cold case, and historic case investigations.     

Socio-religious communities and fertility patterns in West Bengal,India

This article explores the fertility differential of different religious groups across various socio-economic characteristics. The article is based on primary data collected from a field survey of 2,590 households in the Malda district of West Bengal in India. The mean number of children ever born (MCEB) is used to measure fertility. The analysis shows that there is a major variation in the impact of various socio-economic variables on the number of children ever born among different religious groups. The study findings will be helpful for policymakers regarding the planning for management of different demographic processes.     

Rape myth acceptance in men who completed the prostitution offender program of British Columbia

In an effort to characterize the attitudes and characteristics of men who solicit sex, this study investigated rape myth acceptance as assessed by a modification of Burt's Rape Myth Acceptance Scale. The participants were all men who took part in the Prostitution Offender Program of British Columbia after being arrested for attempting to solicit sex from an undercover police officer. Relationships between endorsement of rape myths, other attitudes, sexual behavior, and demographic variables were examined. Results reveal that age, education, use of pornography, ideal frequency of intercourse, and believing that purchasing sex is a problem are all negatively correlated with rape myth acceptance. Positive correlations were found between rape myth acceptance and sexual conservatism, sexual violence/coercion, and social desirability. Results are discussed in terms of the association between rape myth acceptance and the violence frequently perpetrated against those working in the sex trade.     

Recommended Practices for Macerating Human Thyroid Cartilage

Visible abnormalities on the thyroid cartilage may be indicative of perimortem trauma including fractures or sharp force trauma. During autopsy, the thyroid cartilage must be freed of surrounding soft tissue before these abnormalities can be clearly observed. Several processing methods were first experimentally tested on pig ears to narrow down which might work best to process human thyroid cartilage. Several methods in the categories of hot water maceration, chemical/enzyme maceration, and dermestid beetles were then tested on a sample of 37 human thyroid cartilages. An adapted 22-point scoring system was used to score the efficacy of each processing method. Chemical maceration using bleach was found to be the best method for removing surrounding tissue from thyroid cartilage, with Arm & Hammer^TM powdered laundry detergent as a close second. These methods are inexpensive, quick, and easy to implement, making them a simple addition to busy medical examiner’s offices or forensic anthropology laboratories.