Interpreting the Effects of Burning on Pre-incineration Saw Marks in Bone

This study examined the effects of fire on the features associated with saw marks in bone. Both class and individual characteristics were examined using stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Twenty-four semifleshed Sus scrofa L. tibiae were sawed into three sections with the middle section having deep and shallow false starts. Twelve saw blades of varying age and type were each used to cut two tibiae. In each case, the first tibia was burned in an outdoor open fire to the point of partial calcination. The second tibia, our control, was macerated using a heated enzyme solution. Controls and burned specimens were examined for the following characteristics: breakaway spur, tooth hop, false start, exit chipping, tooth imprint, breakaway notch, pull out striae, kerf flare, and blade drift. In general, there was parity in the observed characteristics in the burned samples using the SEM and the stereomicroscope. SEM observation, however, provided enhanced images, with the addition of observing individual tooth imprints, previously not visible. Therefore, this study recommends using an SEM for the examination of saw cuts in burnt bone.     

Understanding Employee Turnover in the Public Sector: Insights from Research on Teacher Mobility

Employee turnover is a key area for public administration research, but one about which there is much still to be learned. Insights from an extensive body of research on employee turnover in a specific area of the public sector—public education—contributes to the understanding of employee mobility in public organizations more generally. The authors present a conceptual framework for understanding employee turnover that is grounded in economic theories of labor supply and demand, which have formed the foundation of many studies of teacher turnover. The main findings of this body of work are documented, noting connections to the literature on public employee turnover, lessons that can be learned, and potential new areas for empirical inquiry for scholars of turnover in the public sector.     

Occupational exposure to traumatic evidence and posttraumatic stress symptoms in forensic science professionals: Prevalence and patterns

Forensic science professionals are routinely exposed to potentially traumatizing evidence. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of occupational posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among forensic science professionals, identify job-related correlates of PTSD symptoms, and examine the role of social support in mitigating PTSD symptomology. In response to recruitment through the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors, and Evidence Technology Magazine, 449 forensic science professionals participated in the current study. Results found that 73.5% (n = 330) of the overall sample experienced at least one work-related traumatic event consistent with meeting Criterion A for PTSD, and these rates were higher for field-based respondents (n = 203, 87.9%). The prevalence of past-month provisional PTSD was 21.6% for the full sample. Disaggregated PTSD rates were 29.0% and 14.5% for field-based and non-field-based respondents, respectively. These rates were 6- to 8-fold higher than the past-year prevalence of PTSD in the general US population, estimated to be 3.5%, and were found to be at least as high as those observed in prior epidemiological research with non-treatment seeking members of the US military deployed to war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. Results further showed that social support was protective against PTSD symptomology. The high rates of occupational exposure to trauma and consequent PTSD symptomology observed in this large sample of forensic science professionals highlight the under-acknowledged psychological risks of these occupations and the need for enhanced attention to mental health resources for these professionals.     

A meta-analytic review of the frequency and patterning of laryngohyoid and cervical fractures in cases of suicide by hanging

The frequency and distribution of fractures are commonly utilized to assist in interpreting the manner of death. In cases of alleged suicide by hanging, however, the evidence base for the frequency and patterning of laryngohyoid and cervical vertebrae fractures resulting from such blunt force traumatic events is limited and so fractures cannot be reliably used to assist in interpreting the manner. Using meta-analytic techniques, this study aimed to estimate frequency and distribution of fractures in the context of relevant intrinsic and extrinsic variables. A systematic review of the literature identified 20 studies with relevant data (8523 cases of suicide by hanging). Meta-analyses identified the frequency and distribution of fractures present and how fracture frequency was affected by the subgroups of age, sex, completeness of suspension, ligature knot position and study design. Results indicated that fracture frequency was variable, there was no unique patterning, and high levels of heterogeneity were present in all variable sub-groups. Age was the only subgroup to show differences. Findings suggest that neck fracture frequency is inconsistent and cannot be predicted by the chosen variables. Subsequently, neck fractures in isolation should not be given weight in medico-legal interpretations of a hanging death as suicidal.     

Living Death at the Intersection of Necropower and Disciplinary Power: A Qualitative Exploration of Racialised and Detained Groups in Australia

Critical Criminology - This article challenges state-sponsored violence in Australia by exploring the experiences of young Indigenous people in youth detention and refugees in immigration detention...