Sudden infant death with periventricular leukomalacia

Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is a form of cerebral infarction occurring in neonates, particularly in low-weight and premature infants. PVL is well-known to neonatologists, but generally considered nonfatal. Many infants with PVL die in the hospital with multiple medical problems. Those infants with PVL who survive because of intensive care will have serious motor and sensory deficits, but these problems are rarely recognized before one year of age. When infants with PVL die at home, death seems sudden and unexpected. However, it is important to distinguish death caused by PVL from the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome because the implications for the family are quite different. This case report emphasizes that PVL may be fatal.     

Black and white complainants and the police: A comparison of individual and contextual characteristics

Citizens have always had an important role in the crime control process; they are most often responsible for the detection of crime. It is imperative, therefore, that citizens perceive police officers to be competent and just in the execution of their duties; in the absence of such confidence, the process suffers. Ironically, the groups which are most often the victims of crime hold the most negative attitudes toward the police. Minorities in urban communities, particularly blacks, fit this pattern. These attitudes appear to be linked to the perception of negative, differential experiences with the police, experiences which often lead to the filing of a formal complaint. Using a data set from the complaint files of a large American city, this article explores the relationship between the attitudes of blacks toward the police, experiences with the police, and complaints lodged against the police.     

Sibling violence and agonistic interactions experienced by early adolescents

Negative physical and verbal interactions occurring between early adolescents and their closest-spaced sibling were examined. Two hundred forty-four junior high school students provided information concerning their experiences as victims and perpetrators of aggressive and agonistic behaviors. Results confirm earlier studies' findings that siblings engage in numerous hostile interactions and that females and males perform these behaviors to an almost equal extent. Participants' self-reports suggest that parents may underestimate sibling use of physical force to resolve conflicts. Findings indicate there is further need to examine sibling interactions in order to better understand family functioning and family violence.     

Improving linear computer assisted learning

This paper draws upon research done at the Centre for Law and Computing at the University of Durham into different types of Computer Assisted Learning ('CAL') programs in law. The research concentrates on linear CAL programs and the features which authors may wish to incorporate into their programs in order to increase their effectiveness. It examines four linear CAL programs which were written with the specific goal of developing an understanding of basic legal principles. The findings of the research highlight the limitations of linear CAL, whilst making several specific suggestions how such programs should be implemented and enhanced.     

Volunteerism and technology transfer: A case study

The withdrawl of Federal funds in a number of social service programs and state and local government budgets calls for an upsurge in volunteerism. Since August 1978, a Technical Volunteer Service (TVS) has been doing just that at one of the nation’s largest Federal laboratories. As measured by service to the community, acceptance by laboratory management, and satisfaction for the volunteers, this program has been an outstanding success. The time is ripe to transfer this program to other Federal laboratories, universities and industry. This paper describes the program and offers practical suggestions for its transfer to other organizations.