A multitask scientific investigation resolved an unusual road crash case.

Crime or accident scenes are sometimes almost unbelievable. Elements of the scene can be so strange that a reconstruction of the event is almost impossible. What can the investigator do in such a case? The only solution is to collect all the evidence and samples, even if they appear useless, and send them to specialised laboratories. Scientific data are held in high esteem by the law and court proceedings consequent on crashes will almost certainly require analytical results of one sort or another to be presented as evidence. The case presented is one of those strange and almost unbelievable cases with little physical evidence, no eyewitnesses and the almost fortuitous collection of one unique, incredibly small, sample. The prosecutor's decision to instruct unusual but appropriate experts turned out to be successful.     

Suicide by exposure to sulfuryl fluoride

The insecticide fumigant, sulfuryl fluoride, was used as an instrument of self destruction in at least two of the three fatal exposures detailed in this report. The autopsy findings, while nonspecific, have a confirmatory value. Toxicologic analysis should include a plasma and a urine fluoride level, since the toxic effects of exposure are probably related to this ion. Concentrations of fluoride in our cases were: 50.42 mg/L (Case 1) and 20 mg/L (Case 3). However, the values must be interpreted in light of all known information as a result of the paucity of reported cases of fatal sulfuryl fluoride exposures. The cases described provide a model for the investigation of tent fumigation deaths. Proper investigation of fumigant deaths requires knowledge of the insecticide, the fumigation procedure, and the implementation of warning devices. Guidelines are offered along with a procedural checklist for the investigation of tent fumigation deaths.     

Factors Associated With College Students’ Responses to Rape-Disclosure Scenarios: Influence of Gender,Rape Characteristics,and Opinions About Health Professionals

ABSTRACT

Few studies examine the role of friends in victims’ decisions to seek help from health professionals. This study used a sample of college students (N = 637) to examine the factors that may influence whether students would advise a friend to seek help from health professionals. After providing an open-ended response to a vignette, students answered a series of questions about formal support providers, attitudes toward women and rape victims, and their background. Findings suggest a gender divide on the advice given, and more students who responded to an acquaintance-rape scenario recommended that a victim contact health professionals in comparison to those whose scenario depicted an intimate partner rape. Implications are discussed, focusing on the role of friends and campus policy in minimizing the impacts of victimization.     

School Climate as a Predictor of Incivility and Bullying Among Public School Employees: A Multilevel Analysis

We surveyed public school educators on the workplace incivility and workplace bullying they experienced and obtained their ratings of the organizational climate of the school. We used multilevel modeling to determine the effects of individual-level and school-level predictors. Ratings of school climate were significantly related to incivility and bullying. We found inverse relationships— the better the organizational climate, the lower the incivility and bullying. Several demographic variables of educators and two school-level variables were not significant predictors. Leaders who focus on improving organizational climate may find that their efforts benefit both student achievement and relationships among educators.