The contribution of statistics in the forensic appraisal of post-transfusion contamination by hepatitis C virus

Many patients were contaminated by blood products in the 1980s and early 1990s, a period during which there was no means of detecting hepatitis C virus (HCV) and measures of vigilance in French blood transfusion centers were lacking in rigor, and it has become a real public health issue by now. The blood transfusion centers which produce and distribute the products are liable for such contamination, as long as the expert appraisal has established a link of causality between the transfusion and the contamination. When the viral serologic status (i.e. the contaminating potential) of the donors is not known, experts often resort to indirect evidence, including use of probability estimates calculated according to the following method. The probability (P) that there was at least one contaminating donor among those having provided the blood given to a patient, is calculated using the following formula:P=1.(1.pHCV)(N)where pHCV is the prevalence of subjects who have tested positive for anti-C virus antibodies in a population of blood donors, and N is the number of donors having contributed to the transfusion in question. Although the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is very sensitive, its threshold, below which weak replication is undetectable, varies depending on the technique used. One study has demonstrated that below a dilution of 10(-4), RNA is no longer detected by the majority of laboratories. The specificity of PCR is not flawless either, since false-positive results are found, probably resulting from contamination of the samples. Considering that 0.10% is a reasonable approximation of the prevalence of subjects who had anti-HCV antibodies that were detectable by recombinant immunoblot assay during that period, one can calculate the probability that there is a contaminating donor among the blood donors who contributed to the product that was administered and determine a curve.     

A Challenge for Police-Community Relations: Rethinking Stop and Search in England and Wales

This article presents research carried out as part of a government research programme looking at how police tactic of 'stop and search' in England and Wales. For many years, figures which have shown a higher rate of stop and search of minority ethnic groups, particularly black people, have provoked much controversy, and have been seen by many as a manifestation of police racism. This article reviews the way in which stop and search impacts on public confidence, with particular reference to those from minority ethnic groups. It goes on to explore its role within policing, including an examination of its effectiveness against crime and the evidence for racism in police practice. Following from this, it considers how stop and search can be used in a way that minimises negative impacts on the community and maximises its effectiveness against crime.     

An economic analysis of the use of citations in the law

This paper examines the use of citations analysis as an empiricaltool for understanding aspects of the legal system and for improvingthe performance of the system. Emphasis is laid on the use ofsuch analysis as a means to evaluate courts and judges (andtherefore as a judicial-management tool), to test hypothesesabout judicial behavior, and to evaluate and improve legal scholarship.It is argued that economic models, particularly of reputationand of human capital, can frame and guide the use of citationsanalysis in law.     

Schadenersatz wegen im Prozess verz?gerter R?umung

Immer wieder kommt es vor, dass Bestandnehmer in R?umungsprozessen Einwendungen erheben, um die R?umung zu verhindern bzw hinauszuschieben. Dadurch k?nnen dem Vermieter Sch?den entstehen, die durch die prozessrechtliche Kostenersatzpflicht und Benützungsentgelte nicht gedeckt sind. In deswegen geführten Schadenersatzprozessen hat der OGH die Frage der Beweislast zum Verschulden bisher unterschiedlich beantwortet. Oftmals wurde der Vermutung, dass die Anrufung des Gerichtes gutgl?ubig erfolgt, Vorrang gegenüber der Beweislastregel nach § 1298 ABGB gegeben. Zu diesem Rechtsstandpunkt ?u?erte sich der OGH nun ausdrücklich in der nachstehend besprochenen Entscheidung 1 Ob 153/11y.     

Is Age Irrelevant? Perceptions of Young and Old Adult Eyewitnesses

In Experiment 1, we videotaped elderly and younger adults (n = 69) reporting their memories for a crime video. The seniors were significantly less accurate than the younger adults. In Experiment 2, participants viewed the testimony videotapes and rated the elderly as less credible than the younger adults. In Experiment 3, participant-jurors (n = 302) evaluated transcribed testimonies provided by Experiment 1 participants. The ostensible age of the witnesses was manipulated. Thus, some participants read a senior's testimony believing it was provided by a younger adult and vice versa. Participants were apparently not biased by negative stereotypes of seniors' eyewitness capabilities.     

The evolution of the New Patriotic Party in Ghana

This paper examines the emergence and development of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in the context of a broader examination of the roles of political parties within the Ghanaian political landscape. After describing the political architecture as well as some significant constitutional issues of Ghana's democracy and the roles played by other societal stakeholders, the paper examines the rationale for the formation of the NPP, its manifesto, structure, constituency, power brokers. It then analyses various aspects of the implementation (or not) of the NPP's political and economic objectives since it came to power in 2000 with a message of ‘positive change’. The electoral politics of the campaigns against its major opposition, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and issues of regionalism, ethnicity and other factors are considered in detail. The paper concludes with some lessons learned and generic recommendations for emerging African political parties in relatively young democracies.