Experimental study of the expansion dynamic of 9 mm Parabellum hollow point projectiles in ballistic gelatin

We study in this paper the expanding behaviour of hollow point 9 mm Parabellum projectiles (Hornady XTP(?) and Speer Gold Dot(?)). We defined a deformation rate that takes into account both the diameter increase and the length reduction. We plotted the behaviour of this parameter versus impact velocity (we refer to this curve as the expanding law). This expanding law has been plotted for different gelatin weight ratios and different gelatin block lengths. We completed our experiments with a set of high speed movies in order to correlate the deceleration to the state of expansion and size of the temporary cavity. Our results pointed out that full expansion is reached shortly after the projectile fully penetrates the gelatin. This result shows that the key point to accurately simulate human body interaction with a hollow point projectile is to accurately simulate the interface (skin, skull, clothes thoracic walls). Simulating accurately organs is only an issue if a quantitative comparison between penetration depths is required, but not if we only focus on the state of expansion of the projectile. By varying the gelatin parameters, we discovered that the expanding law exhibits a velocity threshold below which no expansion occurs, followed by a rather linear curve. The parameters of that expanding law (velocity threshold and line slope) vary with the gelatin parameters, but our quantitative results demonstrate that these parameters are not extremely critical. Finally, our experiments demonstrate that the knowledge of the expansion law can be a useful tool to investigate a gunshot in a human body with a semi-jacketed projectile, giving an estimation of the impact velocity and thus the shooting distance.     

In vitro production of GHB in blood and serum samples under various storage conditions

The in vitro production of GHB was observed in freshly collected, untreated whole blood samples using glass BD-Vacutainers and polypropylene S-monovettes. GHB concentrations were determined daily over a period of one week and after 3, 6 and 9 weeks again. Furthermore, the GHB concentration in 40 untreated random whole blood samples stored at 4°C for a longer period of time (10 samples 12 month, 10 samples 24 month and 20 samples 36 month) was also determined. For comparison, the in vitro production of GHB in freshly collected and prepared serum samples was observed. GHB serum concentrations were determined three times over a period of one week and once again after six weeks. Sample preparation was performed by means of methanolic extraction following the precipitation of whole blood and serum samples. A methanolic standard calibration was done in a low range of 0.005-0.1 μg/mL (LOD: 0.004, LLOQ: 0.013). For quantification a spiked blood bank serum with a determined GHB concentration of 0.09 μg/mL was used. Corrected calibrations in the range of 0.09-5.09 μg/mL were used (LOD: 0.08 μg/mL, LLOQ: 0.30 μg/mL), recovery: 91.3% (high level: 4.09 μg/mL) 50.5% (low level: 0.19 μg/mL). RESULTS: Relevant elevation of GHB was observed in all whole blood samples stored in liquid form (4°C or room temperature). In two of the 40 whole blood samples stored over a longer period of time at 4°C, GHB concentrations in the range of 13 μg/mL were even determined. These findings constitute grounds for caution. Even a GHB cut-off level of 5 μg/mL cannot be considered as "absolutely positive" proof of a case of exogenous administration, at least in untreated liquid blood samples in long time storage. However, no significant elevations of GHB were otherwise observed in any of the serum samples independently of storage temperature nor in the whole blood samples that were frozen for storage. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the cut-off for exogenous GHB of 5 μg/mL could be lowered significantly, with the consequence of winning valuable time for the potential victim, but only if serum is collected for GHB determination or if the whole blood sample is frozen immediately after collection and the procedure well documented.     

Raman spectroscopy and microspectrophotometry of reactive dyes on cotton fibres: Analysis and detection limits

A collaborative study on Raman spectroscopy and microspectrophotometry (MSP) was carried out by members of the ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes) European Fibres Group (EFG) on different dyed cotton fabrics. The detection limits of the two methods were tested on two cotton sets with a dye concentration ranging from 0.5 to 0.005% (w/w). This survey shows that it is possible to detect the presence of dye in fibres with concentrations below that detectable by the traditional methods of light microscopy and microspectrophotometry (MSP). The MSP detection limit for the dyes used in this study was found to be a concentration of 0.5% (w/w). At this concentration, the fibres appear colourless with light microscopy. Raman spectroscopy clearly shows a higher potential to detect concentrations of dyes as low as 0.05% for the yellow dye RY145 and 0.005% for the blue dye RB221. This detection limit was found to depend both on the chemical composition of the dye itself and on the analytical conditions, particularly the laser wavelength. Furthermore, analysis of binary mixtures of dyes showed that while the minor dye was detected at 1.5% (w/w) (30% of the total dye concentration) using microspectrophotometry, it was detected at a level as low as 0.05% (w/w) (10% of the total dye concentration) using Raman spectroscopy. This work also highlights the importance of a flexible Raman instrument equipped with several lasers at different wavelengths for the analysis of dyed fibres. The operator and the set up of the analytical conditions are also of prime importance in order to obtain high quality spectra. Changing the laser wavelength is important to detect different dyes in a mixture.     

Does Self-Control Influence Maternal Attachment? A Reciprocal Effects Analysis from Early Childhood Through Middle Adolescence

Objectives

The purpose of this study is twofold. First, this study assesses the extent to which self-control and maternal attachment mutually influence one another. Second, it investigates whether this process continues to occur during adolescence. To date, studies of the etiology of self-control have yet to adequately address these issues, despite the fact that a number of theoretical perspectives emphasize the reciprocal nature of the parent-child relationship.

Methods

The current study seeks to shed light on these issues by examining the relationship between self-control and maternal attachment using structural equation modeling for eight waves of data spanning a period of time that encompasses early childhood through middle adolescence.

Results

The results yield two findings bearing on the adequacy of Gottfredson and Hirschi??s model of self-control development. First, measures of self-control and maternal attachment were found to mutually influence one another during childhood. Second, these effects were reduced to nonsignificance during adolescence.

Conclusions

This study finds that self-control emerges during childhood in a complex manner in which it both shapes and is shaped by parental attachment.     

Crime and Justice Statistics Collected by International Agencies

Other papers in this edition of the European Journal of Criminal Policy and Research use mainly statistics collected through the European Sourcebook on Crime and Justice Statistics but there are many other sources of international statistics collected by different agencies for different purposes. This paper critically examines the main current and planned collections of comparative data within the European community and wider international bodies. Full Web references are given of available questionnaires and publications where these exist. It also discusses the importance of comparative data generally and pitfalls in its interpretation and examines the guidelines published by international bodies to assist with data collection on crime and justice. Finally, the future of comparative data collections is discussed and recommendations are made.     

The Impact of Transformations in National Cultural Identity upon Competing Constitutional Narratives in the United States of America

Shifts in the national cultural identity of the US have been reflected in shifts in the US?? dominant constitutional narratives. For the United States, ??inter-legality?? has been less a matter of dealing with alternative non-state legal narratives than of contending with constantly arising and competing narratives about the ??correct?? nature of the ??official?? legal order of the state. The US Supreme Court has claimed to have the ??last word?? in resolving these arguments but because that Court is so often sharply divided and because the Court membership and the nature of its ??last words?? changes so often, where a significant element of the society seeks to advance its ideas and interests, it will often do so in legal and constitutional terms. As the national culture undergoes changes, a competing constitutional narrative may gain ground and even ultimately prevail, at least for a time, and achieve Supreme Court ??endorsement?? for its claims.     

Determining the Refractive Index Variation within Panes of Vehicle Windshield Glass

Refractive indices of seven double‐paned vehicle windshields were measured to assess the variation across the pane of glass and to evaluate collection techniques for known glass standards by comparing false negative rates. Measurements were made using a Foster and Freeman GRIM3 instrument, and a minimum of 240 measurements were made per pane. The mean SD of the windshields was 0.00004. It was further determined that collecting a known sample from two different sections of a shattered windshield gave the lowest rate of false negatives when using ± 2 standard deviations to estimate the RI variation of the known glass. Additionally, refractive indices often were highest in the center of the windshield and decreased toward the left and right edges; in approximately half the sample set, the two panes of a single windshield were differentiated by one or more properties.