Elevated creatinine levels in rape assault survivors

Urine specimens were collected from alleged rape survivors. In 13 of the 29 survivors, creatinine levels were over 150 mg/dl, and nine of these were over 200 mg/dl. These elevated urine creatinine levels persisted for some time after the alleged rape attacks. Various controls yielded overall levels below those of the alleged rape assault survivors. When control values of creatinine and osmolality of pre- and postintercourse samples were plotted and compared by linear regression covariance analysis to the data on alleged rape survivors, the levels of urinary creatinine in the alleged rape survivors were higher than would have been expected from urine osmolality increases. The dissimilarity of the two sets of data has a p value less than 0.0001. These findings might serve as supplemental objective evidence of rape (or terror) that could be used medicolegally.     

Clusters of Nonverbal Behaviors Differ According to Type of Question and Veracity in Investigative Interviews in a Mock Crime Context

Evaluating truthfulness and detecting deception is a capstone skill of criminal justice professionals, and researchers have long examined nonverbal cues to aid in such determinations. This paper examines the notion that testing clusters of nonverbal behaviors is a more fruitful way of making such determinations than single, specific behaviors. Participants from four ethnic groups participated in a mock crime and either told the truth or lied in an investigative interview. Fourteen nonverbal behaviors of the interviewees were coded from the interviews; differences in the behaviors were tested according to type of question and veracity condition. Different types of questions produced different nonverbal reactions. Clusters of nonverbal behaviors differentiated truth tellers from liars, and the specific clusters were moderated by question. Accuracy rates ranged from 62.6 to 72.5% and were above deception detection accuracy rates for humans and random data. These findings have implications for practitioners as well as future research and theory.