In Defense of the Practice Theory

Hart proposed that law is made possible by the practice among legal officials of observing conventional social rules, the most important being rules of recognition. This view has been dubbed the practice theory, and it has been attacked by many legal theorists. This paper argues that many criticisms of the practice theory fail because they misunderstand the nature of the organizational challenge to which rules of recognition are the solution. The challenge of constituting a legal system is essentially the challenge of constituting a group agent, and when viewed through Pettit’s account of group agency, the practice theory can easily be defended.     

Intimate Partner Violence in Turkey: The Turkish Intimate Partner Violence Attitude Scale-Revised

This study documents psychometrics of the Turkish version of Intimate Partner Violence Attitude Scale-Revised (IPVAS-R; Fincham et al. in Psychological Assessment, 20, 260–269, 2008). Dating college students (n=280) from four universities completed Turkish versions of the IPVAS-R, Multidimensional Measure of Emotional Abuse, Physical Assault of Conflict Tactics Scale - Revised, and Ambivalent Sexism Inventory. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the three factor structure of the IPVAS-R, albeit with an item change from the Abuse to the Control factor, due to the cultural nuances. This factor structure was cross validated with a second independent sample of 205 dating college students. Convergent validity and satisfactory internal consistency were also reported. The IPVAS-R was found to be a psychometrically sound measure to gauge attitudes toward psychological and physical dating aggression among college students outside of North America.     

Running Away From Home: A Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Risk Factors and Young Adult Outcomes

Little is known about the adolescent risk factors and young adult health-related outcomes associated with running away from home. We examined these correlates of running away using longitudinal data from 4,329 youth (48% female, 85% white) who were followed from Grade 9 to age 21. Nearly 14% of the sample reported running away in the past year at Grade 10 and/or Grade 11. Controlling for demographics and general delinquency, running away from home was predicted by lack of parental support, school disengagement, greater depressive affect, and heavier substance use at Grade 9. In turn, runaways had higher drug dependence scores and more depressive symptoms at age 21 than non-runaways, even after taking these antecedent risk factors into account. Runaway status did not predict alcohol dependence risk at age 21. Results highlight the importance of substance use and depression, both as factors propelling adolescents to run away and as important long-term consequences of running away.     

Superimposition of ante- and post-mortem photographs of tattoos as a means of identification--a case report

With the rising number of tattooed people tattoos have become increasingly important for the identification of unknown corpses. Tattoos can be helpful in both phases of the identification process, either by providing clues to the identity of an unknown person or body or as a means of verifying a postulated identity. In the presented case, an ante-mortem photograph of a tattoo was available although it was of poor quality. The respective skin region of the body was photographed from the same angle as the tattoo on the ante-mortem photograph. When superimposing the two photos, the tattoos were found to match and the identity of the body could be verified.     

Direct ELISA kits as a sensitive and selective screening method for abstinence control in urine

In 2009 cutoff values of assessment criteria to testify abstinence control in order to estimate driving ability were standardized in Germany. The cutoff values are lower than required in existing guidelines like SAMHSA and there is critical discussion about detection of low concentrations by using immunoassay, especially concerning amphetamines in urine (50 ng/ml). In this study Direct ELISA kits were tested for their applicability to identify the absence of amphetamines, cannabinoids, opiates, cocaine, methadone and benzodiazepines in urine. Results were confirmed by LC/MS or GC/MS analyses. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values (positive as well as negative) and overall misclassification rates were evaluated by contingency tables and were compared to ROC-analyses. Sensitivity results as well as specificity results were satisfying showing sensitivity values higher than 96% for each analyte. The amphetamine test we used showed sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 88%, respectively, even if amphetamine tests usually react with high cross-reactivity. Our study results include high discrimination at required cutoff values between positives and negatives for each drug group and demonstrate that immunological tests complying with requirements of current decreased urine cutoff values for assessment of driving ability do exist.     

Global Justice and the Bretton Woods Institutions

Together with the WTO, the Bretton Woods Institutions are thepreeminent international institutions devoted to managing internationaleconomic relations. This mandate puts them squarely in the centerof the debate concerning development, inequality and globaljustice. This essay explores how justice criteria might applyto the ideology and operations of the World Bank and the InternationalMonetary Fund. Using the Rawlsian model of egalitarian justiceadapted to international institutions by the author in connectionwith the WTO, this essay asks what difference it would makefor the Bank and Fund if an explicit justice framework informedtheir international lending activities.