The clinical problem of occult cardiac amyloidosis. Forensic implications.

A 68-year-old man with known coronary heart disease experienced rapidly progressive cardiac dysfunction and was found to have occult cardiac amyloidosis at autopsy. The amyloidosis was undiagnosed during life and initially at autopsy. Marked diffuse involvement of the intramural coronary arteries by amyloid deposits resulted in severe luminal compromise of numerous medium and small vessels. The myocardium proper was virtually spared from amyloid deposits. Amyloid-related coronary narrowing contributed to cardiac ischemia and sudden death. The significance of amyloid coronary disease in this patient relates primarily to the difficulty in considering the diagnosis when other reasons for cardiac signs and symptoms preexist. Also, the adverse effects of amyloid coronary disease may be profound without direct myocardial involvement.     

Trends of indecent images of children and child sexual offences between 2005/2006 and 2012/2013 within the United Kingdom

Abstract

Little is known about the trends of indecent images of children (IIOC) offences, as UK criminal justice figures are unavailable within official crime data. This study aims to explore the rates of conviction and the relationship between IIOC offences and child sexual abuse offences from 2005/2006 to 2012/2013. The results indicated a continuing increase in offences of take, permit, distribute IIOC, rape of a child under 13, sexual activity of child under 16 and abuse of children through prostitution or pornography. Six out of a possible 17 correlations were significant, with the strongest correlation found between take, make, distribute IIOC and rape of a female under 13. Explanations for the findings are discussed and the utility of comprehensive prevalence figures for different stakeholders involved in addressing this crime issue.     

Police–victim engagement in building a victim empowerment approach to intimate partner violence cases

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been highlighted as a priority for UK governments and criminal justice agencies since the 1990s. However, whilst generating significant policy and procedural responses, the overall impact continues to be criticised. This paper examines contemporary approaches to IPV identification and response, highlighting the limitations within victim engagement and empowerment. It then moves on to specific developments and theories in victimology, demonstrating how research into victim engagement is emerging and could be utilised in practice to enhance victim empowerment. It argues that policy and procedure based upon an enhanced victim empowerment approach would be necessary in striving for positive criminal justice outcomes and for increasing victim satisfaction.     

The Influence of Temporal Specification on the Identification of Crime Hot Spots for Program Evaluations: A Test of Longitudinal Stability in Crime Patterns

Journal of Quantitative Criminology - Longitudinal studies from the criminology of place suggest crime hot spots are repeatedly found in the same locations within cities over extended periods of...