Refining Stable Oxygen and Hydrogen Isoscapes for the Identification of Human Remains in Mississippi,

Isoscape refinement is an essential component for accurately predicting region‐of‐origin in forensic investigations involving isotope analysis of unidentified human remains. Stable oxygen (δ¹⁸O) and hydrogen (δ²H) isotopes were measured from 57 tap water samples collected across Mississippi to model refined isoscapes for the state. A tap water conversion equation, δ¹⁸O_tw=1.64 δ¹⁸Op?31.35, was developed for the southeastern USA to test the prediction accuracy of the δ¹⁸O_tw isoscape using individuals with known residential histories. A local Mississippi resident (USAFA‐134) was assigned with 90% probability to the correct region‐of‐origin reported by the participant. Assignments for Georgia residents (USAFA‐118 and USAFA‐205) had variable results, predicting USAFA‐118 from Mississippi and USAFA‐205 as a nonlocal resident. Stable isotope values often overlap geographically and a multi‐isotope approach should be used when narrowing region(s)‐of‐origin(s). This study demonstrates the utility of refining isoscapes and the importance of tissue calibration in prediction assignments of human remains.     

The feasibility of external blind DNA proficiency testing. I. Background and findings

We describe the origins, purposes, and findings of a national study to determine whether a large-scale program of blind proficiency testing in U.S. DNA laboratories is feasible and/or practical. Proficiency testing in clinical laboratories is reviewed, particularly as mandated by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Acts and its role in the regulation of those laboratories. Proficiency testing in forensic urine drug testing labs is also briefly reviewed. Studies involving comparisons between open and blind proficiency testing are discussed. The clinical laboratory proficiency testing and regulation landscape provides the background for the DNA Act of 1994, and the congressional mandate to investigate blind proficiency testing in forensic DNA laboratories. Four models of blind proficiency testing are defined and discussed, along with the advantages and disadvantages of each and estimates of the costs of a large-scale program. The purposes of proficiency testing in a quality-assurance context are likewise discussed and related to the models and the arguments generally proffered for and against blind vs. open proficiency testing.     

Adolescent fears: Some Caribbean findings

A total of 657 adolescents (12–15 years) in Barbados provided responses to the question, “Is there anything you are really scared or afraid of?” Most frequently named fears were of three main types: fear of injury or death of self or loved ones, sexual concerns, and fears associated with school failure. However, certain other fears usually reported as relatively infrequent among adolescents in industrialized countries, such as fear of the dark, fear of walking lonely roads, and fear of animals, were also prominent, and reflect local geographical and cultural conditions. The influence of the media was also evident: many students were concerned about nuclear war, or held somewhat exaggerated fear of certain threats to personal safety (for example, being killed) given actual local incidence levels. From a guidance and counseling perspective, the data particularly highlight the need for improved sex and family life education.     

How mock jurors’ cognitive processing and defendants’ immigrant status and ethnicity relate to decisions in capital trials

Journal of Experimental Criminology - This study examined how defendants’ immigrant status and ethnicity interact with evidence strength and mock jurors’ cognitive processing traits to...     

Continuous development in organizations Romanian model

This paper presents the results of an experimental study applied on an average level company, sales/distribution profile, from Mutes County, Romania. The study analyzes the role of formative intervention in the development of a positive organizational environment in an organization. Following the results of this experiment and especially the results that confirm the importance of formative intervention in the development of human resources, the improvement of communication and professional motivation, a nonrefundable financed phare project has been initiated and implemented within the organization-the center of developing and training the human resources from selling-it＇s goal being the development of an ensemble of training services for the company＇s personnel and the development of a human resource consultancy network for other similar companies. The last part of this paper briefly describes the main activities and results of this project. All the elements that we have deciphered during the implementation of the project and also the conclusions of the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the experiment＇s results, determine us to support continuous professional development in organizations, which, as proved, can improve communication in the organization, maintain the personnel on a high level of motivation, increase professional and personal performance and efficiency, also can lead to self-awareness and auto-implication, satisfaction with the accomplished work.     

The Influence of Accounts and Remorse on Mock Jurors’ Judgments of Offenders

Defendants often provide accounts that minimize their responsibility for the accused offense. Jurors attribute responsibility to defendants and decide legal outcomes based on the given account. The current research examined the effects of accounts (i.e., excuse, justification, denial, and no explanation) and the defendant’s remorse display (i.e., remorseful, remorseless) on mock jurors’ judgments. Participants acquitted the defendant in the denial condition most often and recommended the most lenient punishment in the justification condition. The remorseful defendant was found guilty more frequently than the remorseless defendant in the no explanation and (marginally) excuse conditions. Limitations and future research are discussed.     

Traumatic Events and Symptoms Among Mexican Deportees in a Border Community

Research on traumatic events experienced among Mexicans deported from the United States is scant. Using clinical interviews, this study assessed the frequency of traumatic events and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among 47 Mexican deportees in a U.S.-Mexico border community. The majority of participants (98%) reported having experienced one or more traumatic events (M = 9, SD = 5) and nearly half met DSM-IV-TR criteria for PTSD. Meeting criteria for PTSD was associated with a higher number of traumatic events. Results suggest that prevention, intervention, and policy efforts are necessary to improve the well-being of this understudied immigrant subgroup.     

Personal Identity Development in Hispanic Immigrant Adolescents: Links with Positive Psychosocial Functioning,Depressive Symptoms,and Externalizing Problems

The present study was designed to examine trajectories of personal identity coherence and confusion among Hispanic recent-immigrant adolescents, as well as the effects of these trajectories on psychosocial and risk-taking outcomes. Personal identity is extremely important in anchoring young immigrants during a time of acute cultural change. A sample of 302 recently immigrated (5 years or less in the United States at baseline) Hispanic adolescents (M_age?=?14.51 years at baseline; SD?=?0.88 years, range 14–17) from Miami and Los Angeles (47?% girls) completed measures of personal identity coherence and confusion at the first five waves of a six-wave longitudinal study; and reported on positive psychosocial functioning, depressive symptoms, and externalizing problems at baseline and at Time 6. Results indicated that identity coherence increased linearly across time, but that there were no significant changes in confusion over time and no individual differences in confusion trajectories. Higher baseline levels of, and improvements in, coherence predicted higher levels of self-esteem, optimism, and prosocial behavior at the final study timepoint. Higher baseline levels of confusion predicted lower self-esteem, greater depressive symptoms, more aggressive behavior, and more rule breaking at the final study timepoint. These results are discussed in terms of the importance of personal identity for Hispanic immigrant adolescents, and in terms of implications for intervention.