HIV-positive person who did not disclose status convicted of attempted aggravated assault

On 18 September 2003, the Supreme Court of Canada released its unanimous decision in Williams. This is the first case on the issue of criminal liability for HIV exposure decided by the court since its 1998 decision in the Cuerrier case. Williams raised the issue of whether persons with HIV who have unprotected sexual intercourse without disclosing their status to a sexual partner who might already have been infected with the virus, can be convicted of aggravated assault or attempted aggravated assault. The Supreme Court decided that only a charge of attempted aggravated assault could stand. The decision is also significant because the Supreme Court's comments on two ancillary issues may lead to a significant extension of the criminal law related to HIV transmission or exposure.     

Expert testimony about eyewitness identification

Recent research concerning eyewitness identification is surveyed with respect to its adequacy (reliability and validity) to support expert testimony. The conclusion is that the scientific basis is generally inadequate and that the more we have learned about various aspects of eyewitness identification, the most inadequate it appears. The argument is made that presentation in policy settings requires greater circumspection than would be required in presentation to scientific audiences. Prudential rules are suggested. They would have the effect of sharply reducing participation in the adversarial system.     

Self-reported offending,maturational reform,and the Easterlin hypothesis

The maturational reform hypothesis and the Easterlin cohort size hypothesis are used to specify models in which age, period, and cohort effects on self-reported crime and delinquency are estimated. Curvilinear effects, logarithmic transformations, and the distinction between prevalence and frequency of offending are considered. The maturational reform hypothesis is supported for general delinquency but not for serious (Index) delinquency, for which there appears to be a steady decline in the behavior with age. The Easterlin hypothesis is supported for both general and Index delinquency. Theoretical, methodological, and substantive implications of the results are discussed.     

Drug use and level of anxiety among college students

The present study was begun with the expectation that a positive relationship would be found between extent of drug use and level of anxiety, since earlier research had suggested that more anxious individuals were more likely to experiment with drugs. However, this was not found to be the case. Male drug users and nonusers were not found to differ in mean anxiety score on three separate anxiety scales. Female users were found to be less anxious than nonusers, findings contradictory to the initial hypothesis. The findings are consistent with recent research by Cross and Davis (1972) and Hogan et al.(1970) in suggesting that drug users may be more socially outgoing and adventuresome than nonusers.Research interests include psychotherapy processes and the measurement of personality variables.Research interests include drug usage among both college and noncollege youth and the effectiveness of residential and other treatment programs in reducing drug dependence.     

US: appeals court dismisses employment discrimination suit by HIV-positive dental hygienist

Shortly before the decision in Toyota Motor Manufacturing, the US Court of Appeals (11th Circuit) issued another restrictive judgment, in a case dealing specifically with HIV-based discrimination. On 21 December 2001, in Waddell v Valley Forge Dental Associates Inc, it dismissed the case of a dental hygienist who sued his employer for suspending him from treating patients after he tested HIV-positive. The decision is a setback for efforts to ensure that the Americans with Disabilities Act translates into actual protection against discrimination for people with HIV/AIDS.     

El Salvador: activists challenge law allowing pre-employment HIV testing

On 24 October 2001, El Salvador's national legislature passed a law allowing employers to impose pre-employment HIV testing on job applicants, although it also prohibits employers from discriminating against those who test HIV-positive.