Computerizing Client Services in the Law School Teaching Clinic: An Experiment in Law Office Automation

In an earlier article (1979 American Bar Foundation Research Journal 1), James A. Sprowl described a new computational processor that enabled attorneys to automate repetitive client-interviewing and document-drafting tasks. In this article, Sprowl and coauthor Ronald W. Staudt describe the first experimental use of the new processor to serve the clients of a law school clinic. In the experiment attorneys and secretaries were trained to design automated practice systems. The authors analyze the results of this experiment and draw some preliminary conclusions about the future usefulness of automated law practice systems.     

THE BOOKSHELF

SCOIAL WORK WITH CHILDREN Florence Liberman
WHEN I SAY NO. I FEEL GUILTY Manuel J. Smith, Ph.d.
BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT: NEW DIRECTIONS IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY Eds.-John D. Cone & Robert P. Hawkins     

An Unusual Cause of Headache and Sudden Death of a Young Sailor—Postmortem Computed Tomography and Histological Findings of a Fatal Retroperitoneal Malignant Mixed Germ Cell Tumor

A 26‐year‐old Caucasian sailor, with no past medical history aside from headache for the last 1 week, was found dead in his cabin. The body was stored in a refrigerator on board and disembarked for autopsy 3 days later. Autopsy showed a large, nodular, necrotic and hemorrhagic retroperitoneal mass, and smaller hemorrhagic nodules in the brain, lungs, liver, and left kidney, with the brain being markedly edematous. Both testes were descended and normal. Histologically, the retroperitoneal mass showed a malignant mixed germ cell tumor comprising choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, and teratoma components. Retroperitoneal extragonadal germ cell tumors are uncommon, and this case of a young male who presented with headache and sudden death due to metastases is extremely rare.     

Changes in homeland security activities since 9/11: an examination of state and local law enforcement agencies’ practices

This study investigated differences in state and local law enforcement agencies participation in homeland security activities within the year after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and 13 years later. Further, this investigation assessed whether there were regional differences for these practices during these same time periods. Activities assessed were based on a homeland security initiatives index. Data suggest that, in the year after the attacks, agencies’ participation in all of Stewart and Morris’ homeland security activities was not high and statistically significant differences existed across several regions for some of these practices. However, since then, the number of agencies participating in all of Stewart and Morris’ homeland security activities increased and statistically significant differences between regions decreased. The increase in participation may be attributed to incentives provided by the federal government. Nevertheless, data suggest that support may be waning within law enforcement agencies to participate in homeland security activities.     

Prostitution control in America: Rethinking public policy

In the past two decades there has been little critical examination of the prevailing methods of controlling prostitution in the United States. This article examines selected problems in the control of prostitution in the United States and critically assesses three major alternatives to the prevailing policy of criminalization. Alternative approaches are evaluated using the criteria of public preferences, efficient use of criminal justice resources, and harm reduction. One policy, involving a dualistic approach, is found to be superior in satisfying these criteria. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.