Prison mental health services: results of a national survey of standards, resources, administrative structure, and litigation

The formation of adequate mental health systems within prisons has accelerated as a result of successful class action lawsuits. Our recent national survey questioned all state correctional departments about the existence of standards in each system, compliance with such standards, prevalence of class action lawsuits involving the issue of providing adequate mental health services for inmates, issues related to consent decrees, available mental health resources within the correctional system, and the administrative structure of the mental health system. Our purpose was to identify those factors correlated with certified class action lawsuits involving issues related to mental health services. Twenty-one states were involved in such litigation. Only the presence of psychiatric hospitals operated by the department of corrections correlated with the presence of certified class action lawsuits involving mental health services. Prison systems larger than 15,000 inmates were at higher risk for such litigation. Smaller systems having psychiatric hospitals run by the state mental health agency appeared to be at less risk for such litigation.     

The decision to leave an abusive relationship: The testing of an alternative methodological approach

Most studies that consider the factors influencing the decision to leave an abusive relationship rely on retrospective, self-report data. In addition to the biased samples that are frequently obtained in such investigations, the methodological shortcomings of survey research limit its explanatory power, particularly when applied to such sensitive topics as family violence. This report introduces an alternative method for studying the decision to leave an abusive relationship. Forty-five men and 68 women were studied using an experimental computer game of an abuse-like relationship. The tendency to leave this relationship was measured under four differing conditions of severity and frequency of abuse. A logit analysis revealed that the frequency of abuse was more consequential to women's decisions to leave, while severity of abuse was more salient for men. In addition, the hypothesized model, including frequency of abuse, severity of abuse, and locus of control, fits well for women but not for men. The implications of these findings, as well as the validity and future application of experimental games, are discussed.     

The use of human skin in the fabrication of a bite mark template: two case reports

Comparison of a suspected biter's dental arches with the patterned injury of a bite mark is especially difficult when the bite occurs in an anatomic location with a small radius of curvature or with complex or compound curves. The authors present two case reports in which human skin was used as a template for the reproduction of a bite. In one case the victim's skin was used; in the other, the skin of a anatomically similar person was used. The use of inked dental casts, photography, and transparent overlays significantly reduced the errors common to analysis of bite marks in these highly curved areas.     

程序治校与学生权利保护

《普通高等学校学生管理规定》第55条规定:“学校对学生的处分,应当做到程序正当、证据充分、依据明确、定性准确、处分适当。”这是我国第一次在教育法律、法规中使用“程序正当”一词,充分表明了中国在教育法治的道路上已经迈出了重要一步。而规定中提到的“程序正当”并不能完全等同于“程序正义”,前者是后者的必要条件,即正当的程序是     

20世纪60年代前期中国的思想革命化运动及其影响

在我国20世纪60年代前期是运动繁多的一个历史阶段。当时一系列运动的目的主要是为了提高人们的思想觉悟,因此,可将这一时期的运动称为“思想革命化运动”。这段时期的一系列宣传教育是有成效的,但在“左”的思潮影响下也产生了某些不良影响,有些甚至出现了严重的恶果。     

和谐社会构建中的政府公共关系研究

和谐社会的构建为我国政府公共关系的发展提供了新的契机,也对政府公关工作的有效开展提出了新的要求.深入认识政府公共关系在整合社会关系和协调矛盾冲突中的有效性,合理定位政府公共关系的基本目标,正确把握政府公共关系工作开展的着力点,对于新形势下政府公关工作的有效开展具有重要意义.