Developments in criminal law and criminal justice

LL.B., Victoria University of Wellington 1969; J.S.M., Stanford University 1972.     

Distribution of 6-monoacetylmorphine and morphine in head and pubic hair from heroin-related deaths

There is limited published data to aid interpretation of analytical findings from hair analysis. The aim of the study was to collate 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-AM) and morphine concentrations in head and pubic hair from heroin users and to propose reference ranges and relate these to the amount of heroin used. The ratio of morphine-to-6-AM was also investigated. A total of 82 head hair samples divided into 173 segments of various lengths and 15 pubic hair samples were collected at postmortem from heroin users. The hair was analysed using a previously published method. A statistical evaluation demonstrated that in head hair, the lower, middle and upper concentration ranges of 6-AM were 0.1–0.9, 0.9–12.5 and 12.5–154.1 ng/mg and those of morphine were 0.1–0.8, 0.8–6.0 and 6.0–36.3 ng/mg. In pubic hair, the lower, middle and upper concentration ranges of 6-AM were 0.2–0.5, 0.5–2.3 and 2.3–18.2 ng/mg and those of morphine were 0.2–0.4, 0.4–2.4 and 2.4–13.3 ng/mg. The morphine-to-6-AM ratio showed a large variation. The ratio tended to decrease from proximal to distal segments. The statistical results suggest low, middle and high concentration ranges which we propose can be used for estimating the amount of heroin consumed into corresponding low or occasional, regular or habitual and heavy or excessive drug use. The ratio of morphine-to-6-AM showed great variation and did not support the proposal that a ratio less than 0.77 is needed to prove ingestion of heroin.     

The Adaptive Capacity of Markets and Convergence in Law: UK High Yield Issuers,US Investors and Insolvency Law

This article examines the increasing access by UK issuers of high yield bonds to US investors notwithstanding substantive differences in the approach to valuation of the issuer in financial distress in US and UK restructuring law and, therefore, in anticipated return on default. It examines the development of the market in the context of existing theories on the relationship between law and finance and suggests that previous accounts have overlooked the adaptive capacity of the finance market to legal environment and the implications of such structural adaptation for the prospects of convergence in law. Three states are identified: where the market is poorly adapted to the legal environment and reinforces other pressure for change, where the market is adapted to the legal environment and is a neutral influence on, or even dampens, other pressure for change and where both legacy and adapted structures exist, potentially pulling in different directions at the same time.     

Large firms as political actors: A comparative analysis of the chemical industry in Britain,Italy and West Germany

Large firms as political actors are compared in the chemical industry in three countries. In West Germany, co‐ordinated action through the industry associations is important, but firms are developing their own political capabilities. In Italy links with political parties are important, but the operating environment of firms has become less politicised. Britain conforms more to a ‘company state’ model, with the government relations divisions of firms playing a key role. The greatest divergence between the three countries is in terms of relationships with political parties. In general, there is a trend towards greater convergence in government‐business relations in the industry in the three countries, internationalisation being a key factor.     

Co-witnesses talk: A survey of eyewitness discussion

Abstract

The objective of this study was to obtain a quantitative measure of the discussion behaviour of real eyewitnesses. Undergraduate psychology students were given a questionnaire to determine if they had witnessed a serious event. Results from the questionnaire showed that the majority of respondents had witnessed a serious event at some point in their lives, and the majority of witnesses were not alone when they observed the event. Respondents who had experienced a serious event for which there was more than one witness present were invited to fill out a follow-up questionnaire. The follow-up study showed that when there is a co-witness present, most people (86%) report discussing the event with the co-witness. This is potentially problematic if the witnesses are contaminating one another's memories of the event. The results are discussed in terms of psychological research and policy implications.     

Can a witness report hearsay evidence unintentionally? The effects of discussion on eyewitness memory

Abstract

When eyewitnesses are exposed to misinformation about an event from a co-witness, they often incorporate this misinformation in their recall of the event. The current research aimed to investigate whether this memory conformity phenomenon is due to change in the witness's memory for the event, or to social pressures to conform to the co-witness's account. Participants were shown a crime video and then asked to discuss the video in groups, with some receiving misinformation about the event from their discussion partners. After a one-week delay some participants were warned about possible misinformation before all participants provided their own account of the event. In Study 1, participants made remember/know judgments about the items recalled, and in Study 2 they indicated the source of their memories. Co-witness information was incorporated into participants’ testimonies, and this effect was not reduced by warnings or source monitoring instructions, suggesting memory change may have occurred. However, there was some indication that remember/know judgments may help distinguish between ‘real’ memories and co-witness information.     

The production of colour coordinates from microgram quantities of textile fibres. Part I

This paper describes a method for defining the colour of small samples of textile fibre in terms of its complementary chromaticity coordinates. The coordinates can be calculated from the absorption spectra of solutions of the dye extracted from fibres and use is made of data taken from published tables. Problems arising from this procedure, its significance for the court going officer, and possible future developments are discussed.     

Drug levels found in cases of fatal self-poisoning

A list of drug levels found in cases of fatal self-poisoning is presented here. These are all cases where only one drug was found and the cause of death in each case was attributed to an overdose of that particular drug. For each case a full drug screen was carried out. In general thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was used as the initial screening technique and any positive findings were then confirmed by gas liquid chromatography (GLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). When the drug had been positively identified, the blood level was measured.