Book reviews

Mikhail S. Gorbachev, On My Country and the World, George Shriver (Translator). New York: Columbia University Press, 2000. Pp.308, index. $29.95 (cloth). ISBN 0–231–11514–8.

Simon Duke, The Elusive Quest for European Security: From EDC to CFSP. New York: St. Martin's, 2000.Pp.xvii + 406, notes, list of abbreviations, acronyms and conventions, index. $69.95 (cloth). ISBN 0–312–22402–8.

Hugh Miall, Oliver Ramsbotham and Tom Woodhouse, Contemporary Conflict Resolution. Oxford: Polity Press, 1999. Pp.xviii + 270, table of abbreviations, bibliog., index. $69.95 (cloth). ISBN 0–7456–2034–5.     

Facial Soft Tissue Depth Statistics and Enhanced Point Estimators for Craniofacial Identification: The Debut of the Shorth and the 75‐Shormax

Several methods that have customarily been used in craniofacial identification to describe facial soft tissue depths (FSTDs) implore improvement. They include the calculation of arithmetic means for skewed data, omission of concern for measurement uncertainty, oversight of effect size, and misuse of statistical significance tests (e.g., p‐values for strength of association). This paper redresses these limitations using FSTDs from 10 prior studies (N = 516). Measurement uncertainty was large (>20% of the FSTD), skewness (≥0.8) existed at 11 of the 23 FSTD landmarks examined, and sex and age each explained <4% of the total FSTD variance (η² calculated as part of MANOVA). These results call for a new and improved conceptualization of FSTDs, which is attained by the replacement of arithmetic means with shorths and 75‐shormaxes. The outcomes of this implementation are dramatic reduction in FSTD complexity; improved data accuracy; and new data‐driven standards for casework application of methods.     

The Application of the Central Limit Theorem and the Law of Large Numbers to Facial Soft Tissue Depths: T‐Table Robustness and Trends since 2008,

By pooling independent study means (), the T‐Tables use the central limit theorem and law of large numbers to average out study‐specific sampling bias and instrument errors and, in turn, triangulate upon human population means (μ). Since their first publication in 2008, new data from >2660 adults have been collected (c.30% of the original sample) making a review of the T‐Table's robustness timely. Updated grand means show that the new data have negligible impact on the previously published statistics: maximum change = 1.7 mm at gonion; and ≤1 mm at 93% of all landmarks measured. This confirms the utility of the 2008 T‐Table as a proxy to soft tissue depth population means and, together with updated sample sizes (8851 individuals at pogonion), earmarks the 2013 T‐Table as the premier mean facial soft tissue depth standard for craniofacial identification casework. The utility of the T‐Table, in comparison with shorths and 75‐shormaxes, is also discussed.     

Working Smarter on Cold Cases: Identifying Factors Associated with Successful Cold Case Investigations

Cold case squads have garnered much attention; however, they have yet to undergo significant empirical scrutiny. In the present study, the authors interviewed investigators and reviewed 189 solved and unsolved cold cases in Washington, D.C., to determine whether there are factors that can predict cold case solvability. In the interviews, new information from witnesses or information from new witnesses was cited as the most prevalent reason for case clearance. The case reviews determined that there were factors in each of the following domains that predicted whether cases would be solved during cold case investigations: Crime Context, Initial Investigation Results, Basis for Opening Cold Case, and Cold Case Investigator Actions. The results suggest that it is possible to prioritize cold case work based on the likelihood of investigations leading to clearances.     

“Big Questions” about Intergovernmental Relations and Management: Who Will Address Them?

Fiscal, administrative, and political tensions among the partners in the federal system have not eased, and perhaps have grown, since the demise of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations in 1996. Yet no governmental organizational capacity exists to address big intergovernmental questions in an ongoing manner through nonpartisan or bipartisan research, data collection, deliberation, and policy formulation.     

On Gerasimov's plastic facial reconstruction technique: new insights to facilitate repeatability

Gerasimov's plastic facial reconstruction method is notoriously difficult to repeat from the published literature. Primarily, this is because of the method's underlying qualitative basis but other factors contribute including: misreports in the secondary literature of Gerasimov's method essence; a lack of published details concerning Gerasimov's modeling mastic; Gerasimov's deviation from his own published nose projection prediction guidelines; and continued refinement of the methods in the 15 years following their foremost publication. As Gerasimov cannot be consulted to resolve these issues, we provide solutions via one of his five former principal students. This includes clarification of Gerasimov's method and use of soft tissue depths; the constitution of his modeling mastic; methods used for nose projection prediction; and refinements made to his methods following their primary publication.     

Will there be a Nordic model in the platform economy? Evasive and integrative platform strategies in Denmark and Sweden

The entry of gig-platforms to labor markets world-wide has caused significant frictions with national institutions and regulators, including trade unions. In this article, we compare the interactions between taxi and food delivery platforms with the industrial relations (IR) systems of Denmark and Sweden, where we observe isolated instances of unions striking collective agreements with platforms. We assess and compare platform strategies and interactions with IR system agents, using an RIT-framework (rulemaker-intermediary-ruletaker) which considers how rulemaking capacity is allocated within the Nordic IR systems. We detect both IR system evasion and integration in Denmark and Sweden, with significant variation in causes and mechanisms. We find that IR system integration can be explained by public backlash, pressure from IR system insiders, and gaining first-mover advantages. Our findings shed light on integrative mechanisms of the Nordic IR systems allowing us to identify and discuss future challenges posed by the platform economy.