Differential pharmacological treatment of paraphilias and sex offenders

This article gives an overview of current pharmacological treatment of paraphilias and sex offenders focusing on the situation in Germany. Information about selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) is followed by data about established antihormonal substances (cyproterone acetate/CPA, and medroxyprogesterone acetate/MPA), as well as a more detailed account on luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists (LHRH agonists). The results of open, uncontrolled clinical studies with SSRIs (n = 16) and LHRH agonists (n = 11) in paraphilic outpatients confirm the positive effects of these substances. A survey about the use of CPA and LHRH agonists in forensic hospitals in Germany shows that half of the patients treated with any kind of (anti-) hormonal agents received an LHRH agonist. The authors present a protocol on side effects, contraindications, and monitoring of CPA and LHRH agonists and develop an algorithm for differential pharmacotherapy of paraphilias.     

Isotope ratio mass spectrometry as a tool for forensic investigation (examples from recent studies).

The versatility of isotope ratio mass spectrometry is demonstrated by reference to diverse case studies. Variations in the natural isotopic composition of non-biological, organic materials are compared as a means by which samples may be associated or discriminated. These techniques may be used to augment or compliment conventional forensic methodologies. delta13C analysis was used to demonstrate that different masking tape had been recovered in two, apparently similar cases, involving the smuggling of money. Visually similar ecstasy tablets were compared by consideration of the delta13C and delta15N composition of MDMA extracted from the tablets. Although only a limited number of tablets were analysed, the isotopic similarity between two different seizures was sufficient to induce a guilty plea from a person suspected of possessing both. A combination of delta2H, delta13C, delta15N and delta18O together with GC-MS analyses were applied to small samples of seized heroin. Although GC-MS analysis indicated differences between the chemical composition of two of the heroin samples, isotopic analysis suggested similarities, which were confirmed by further delta2H, delta13C and delta18O isotopic analysis of the clingfilm in which the samples were wrapped.     

Potential impact of the Draft Money Laundering Regulations 2007 on trusts

Representative bodies, including the Law Society of Englandand Wales and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners,have raised concerns on the Draft Money Laundering Regulations2007 released on 22 January. They are intended to implementthe Third European Money Laundering Directive in England. However,many are fearful about the impact of Part 2 of the Draft Regulationswhich deals with customer due diligence (CDD) and, in particular,how the requirements will apply to trusts.     

Hair analysis for cocaine: Factors in laboratory contamination studies and their relevance to proficiency sample preparation and hair testing practices

Hair samples were contaminated by rubbing with cocaine (COC) followed by sweat application, multiple shampoo treatments and storage. The samples were then washed with isopropanol for 15 min, followed by sequential aqueous washes totaling 3.5 h. The amount of drug in the last wash was used to calculate a wash criterion to determine whether samples were positive due to use or contamination. Analyses of cocaine and metabolites were done by LC/MS/MS. These procedures were applied to samples produced by a U.S. government-sponsored cooperative study, in which this laboratory participated, and to samples in a parallel in-house study. All contaminated samples in both studies were correctly identified as contaminated by cutoff, benzoylecgonine (BE) presence, BE ratio, and/or the wash criterion. A method for determining hair porosity was applied to samples in both studies, and porosity characteristics of hair are discussed as they relate to experimental and real-world contamination of hair, preparation of proficiency survey samples, and analysis of unknown hair samples.     

Thought Crime and the Treason Act 1351

Liverpool Law Review - Has there ever been a law criminalizing mental states in themselves? We show that there has been, and still is: the Treason Act 1351. We argue for what we call ‘the...     

Labour Migration and Health of Left-Behind Children in China

With rapid urbanisation, millions of people from rural areas have migrated to major cities for employment, leaving their young children at home. This labour migration creates substantial mental and physical challenges for these left-behind children. This study establishes two empirical models for comparing the health status of left-behind children with that of children in rural areas without migrant parents and with that of migrant children in urban areas. Our empirical findings reveal that parental migration negatively affects the height and weight indices of left-behind children. The effects are particularly prominent for younger children, when both parents migrate or when parents migrate out of province.     

Is the internet an instrument of global democratization?

This article explores the hypothesis that people in less democratic nations will use the Internet newsgroups devoted to those countries as a relatively ‘safe’ form of political discussion and even protest. Also, it is expected that nationals of those countries living overseas will use these newsgroups to more openly discuss politics in those nations than they could otherwise do so. Before turning to a content analysis of the messages posted in non‐United States Usenet groups, the number of these groups and the levels of political discussion in them are quantified. The article quantifies the international usage of the Usenet as a first attempt to find some patterns in this usage that may be politically motivated. After all, many pundits imagine that the Internet will become the vaunted ‘global village’ and source of ‘grass‐roots democracy’, and not merely in the United States. An examination of the content of about 2500 messages in 41 Usenet groups then follows, with a view to establishing the following: how many messages are explicitly political; how many are in opposition to the current government; how many are pro‐government; whether they primarily serve as alternative sources of news; whether they are attempts to recruit people in the subject country and around the world into some sort of political action; and whether richer nations are more likely to have higher levels of discussion in their newsgroups than poorer ones. The findings conclude that newsgroups devoted to countries with lower levels of democratization have a much higher percentage of anti‐government messages than the newsgroups about nations that are more democratic.     

Rethinking Timing of First Sex and Delinquency

The relation between timing of first sex and later delinquency was examined using a genetically informed sample of 534 same-sex twin pairs from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, who were assessed at three time points over a 7-year interval. Genetic and environmental differences between families were found to account for the association between earlier age at first sex and increases in delinquency. After controlling for these genetic and environmental confounds using a quasi-experimental design, earlier age at first sex predicted lower levels of delinquency in early adulthood. The current study is contrasted with previous research with non-genetically informative samples, including Armour and Haynie (2007, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36, 141–152). Results suggest a more nuanced perspective on the meaning and consequences of adolescent sexuality than is commonly put forth in the literature.