Development and use of a restorative justice ideology instrument: assessing beliefs

Researchers have noted that restorative justice (RJ) practices in schools seem to improve targeted outcomes (e.g. decreased office visits, increased grades, etc.). It has been acknowledged that a ‘grassroots’ (beliefs level) buy-in from teachers is necessary for the creation of a school environment that is in line with the ideals of RJ. In the current study, an operational definition for restorative justice ideology (RJI) was developed and used as the basis for the creation of a RJI measurement instrument. This is intended to facilitate understandings of the influence that RJ training has on individuals at the beliefs level, and whether the degree to which an individual holds an RJI is associated with the degree to which RJ practices are carried out at the classroom and school level. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted, a three-factor model was selected, and the instrument was tested for reliability and validity. The RJI was then used to investigate whether other individual differences were related to the RJI of teachers. The outcome of this study was the development of a psychometrically sound RJI instrument. Perspective taking, empathic concern, pupil control ideology, personal distress, and self-efficacy were identified as important characteristics of RJI.     

E-Governance Approaches at the Local Level: A Case Study in Best Practice

In the fall of 2009, the city of Prague set out to conduct a critical analysis of its overall performance by closely examining the performance of the city's districts. In conjunction with the E-Governance Institute at Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, and the Public Technology Institute in Washington D.C., a quantitative survey of all 22 administrative districts' e-governance and online presence was conducted. Guided by the survey results, qualitative case studies of the top five performing districts were carried out in January 2010. The underlying goal of this research project is to further improve e-governance in Prague and foster a greater understanding of successful digital government initiatives. The findings of the survey and the case studies are presented, and key findings in the case studies are highlighted.     

China's Maritime Security and the “Malacca Dilemma”

Abstract

As maritime trading becomes an increasingly important element of the modern Chinese economy, concerns in Beijing are being raised about the safety of vital sea lanes. Central to this thinking has been Hu Jintao's explanation of the “Malacca Dilemma” in late 2003, which describes the problem of sea routes crucial to China's trade, especially the Malacca Straits, being subject to interdiction from another state. At the same time, the international war on terror has also raised the specter of economic terrorism aimed at disrupting commerce via the Straits. Due to the complex nature of these potential threats, there is the temptation for China to address the “Dilemma” unilaterally as the country modernizes its naval forces. However, it remains in Beijing's interests to work both with littoral states and other great powers in ensuring greater security in the Malacca region.     

Terrorism—Historical perspective on U.S. congressional action

Abstract

This paper focuses on motivation of soldiers to fight against terrorists. On a theoretical level it discusses the specific nature of this type of war as compared to a conventional war. It delineates the interplay of the justice laws of war and the different types of fighting against terrorists. On a practical level, it presents the specific example of the Israeli ways of fighting the terrorists and attempts to learn from the experience of soldiers who refused to fight in the Lebanese war and about the socio‐moral factors which discouraged them.     

Organizing international armaments cooperation: institutional design and path dependencies in Europe

Abstract

Few issues are more important to scholars of Europe's emergence as a foreign policy actor than whether the European Union (EU) can forge a common defense-industrial policy out of 27 states' procurement policies and defense industries. Overlooked in most scholarly analyses of European defense-industrial cooperation, the story of Europe's international armaments organizations stretches back more than six decades. In this article, we examine the impact of past institutional outcomes on the defense-industrial field by applying the concepts and analytic tools of historic institutionalism to European armaments organizations. Because past institutional dynamics have channeled the subsequent development of armaments cooperation, what has emerged is a polycentric governance architecture wherein organizations with transatlantic, pan-European and restrictive-European memberships dominate distinct components of the cooperative process. We demonstrate that this maturing institutional pattern will likely limit the opportunities for the EU – and especially its Commission – to shape the future contours of European defense-industrial cooperation.     

Examination of the steps leading up to the physical developer process for developing fingerprints

This is a systematic study that examines several acid prewashes and water rinses on paper bearing latent prints before its treatment with a silver physical developer. Specimens or items processed with this method are usually pretreated with an acid wash to neutralize calcium carbonate from the paper before the treatment with a physical developer. Two different acids at varying concentrations were tested on fingerprints. Many different types of paper were examined in order to determine which acid prewash was the most beneficial. Various wash times as well as the addition of a water rinse step before the development were also examined. A pH study was included that monitored the acidity of the solution during the wash step. Scanning electron microscopy was used to verify surface calcium levels for the paper samples throughout the experiment. Malic acid at a concentration of 2.5% proved to be an ideal acid for most papers, providing good fingerprint development with minimal background development. Water rinses were deemed unnecessary before physical development.     

Work and mental health: learning from return-to-work rehabilitation programs designed for workers with musculoskeletal disorders

Despite the high costs associated with mental health problems in the workplace, few studies have yet been published on the design and evaluation of return-to-work rehabilitation programs for workers with mental health problems. In fact, the best-documented return-to-work rehabilitation programs concern workers with musculoskeletal disorders (MSKD). For this clientele, a disability paradigm has been adopted which explains the multicausality of work disability. Long-term work disability is no longer seen simply as the consequence of impairment, but rather as the result of interactions between the worker and three main systems: the health care, work environment and financial compensation systems. A return to work is thus influenced by a complex set of interrelated factors that must be taken into account in any intervention. Parallels can inevitably be drawn in the field of mental health in the workplace, where individual and organizational factors are involved and must be taken into account in the return-to-work process. This paper presents the first results of an exploratory study aimed at determining the possible links between work rehabilitation programs for workers with MSKD and those for workers with mental health problems. To this end, the components of a work rehabilitation program for workers with MSKD, the Therapeutic Return to Work (TRW) program which addresses psychological factors, work environmental factors and factors related to the involvement of the various stakeholders in the rehabilitation process, are described through a multiple-case analysis and mapping of interventions. The results support the relevance of adopting the disability paradigm and considering the return-to-work clinical activities conducted with workers with MSKD (and their mechanisms of action) in the design of work rehabilitation programs for workers with mental health problems.     

Evidence of a gene x environment interaction in the creation of victimization: results from a longitudinal sample of adolescents

A large body of research has revealed that aggressive personality traits and violent criminal behaviors are influenced by genetic factors. Surprisingly, however, no research has been devoted to investigating the potential genetic origins to adolescent victimization. In the current study, the authors address this gap in the literature by using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to examine whether different variants of the dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) are related to victimization, net of the effects of environmental measures. The results of the multivariate models revealed a significant gene X environment interaction in the creation of victimization for White males. Specifically, DRD2 interacted with delinquent peers to predict victimization. The authors discuss the implications of these findings.     

Simultaneous analysis of six amphetamines and analogues in hair, blood and urine by LC-ESI-MS/MS. Application to the determination of MDMA after low ecstasy intake

A rapid and sensitive method using LC-MS/MS triple stage quadrupole for the determination of traces of amphetamine (AP), methamphetamine (MA), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy"), 3,4-methylenedioxyethamphetamine (MDEA), and N-methyl-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-butanamine (MBDB) in hair, blood and urine has been developed and validated. Chromatography was carried out on an Uptisphere ODB C(18) 5 microm, 2.1 mm x 150 mm column (Interchim, France) with a gradient of acetonitrile and formate 2 mM pH 3.0 buffer. Urine and blood were extracted with Toxitube A (Varian, France). Segmented scalp hair was treated by incubation 15 min at 80 degrees C in NaOH 1M before liquid-liquid extraction with hexane/ethyl acetate (2/1, v/v). The limits of quantification (LOQ) in blood and urine were at 0.1 ng/mL for all analytes. In hair, LOQ was <5 pg/mg for MA, MDMA, MDEA and MBDB, at 14.7 pg/mg for AP and 15.7 pg/mg for MDA. Calibration curves were linear in the range 0.1-50 ng/mL in blood and urine; in the range 5-500 pg/mg for MA, MDMA, MDEA and MBDB, and 20-500 pg/mg for AP and MDA. Inter-day precisions were <13% for all analytes in all matrices. Accuracy was <20% in blood and urine at 1 and 50 ng/mL and <10% in hair at 20 and 250 pg/mg. This method was applied to the determination of MDMA in a forensic case of single administration of ecstasy to a 16-year-old female without her knowledge during a party. She suffered from hyperactivity, sweating and agitation. A first sample of urine was collected a few hours after (T+12h) and tested positive to amphetamines by immunoassay by a clinical laboratory. Blood and urine were sampled for forensic purposes at day 8 (D+8) and scalp hair at day 60 (D+60). No MDMA was detected in blood, but urine and hair were tested positive, respectively at 0.42 ng/mL and at 22 pg/mg in hair only in the segment corresponding to the period of the offence, while no MDA was detectable. This method allows the detection of MDMA up to 8 days in urine after single intake.