Incentive Effects of Expanding Federal Mass Transit Formula Grants

Public subsidies to industries firms incentives to alter their behavior. When calculating the effects of such programs, previous assessments of transit subsidies have not included the effects of these incentives on the firms' output. This article reports the responses of mass transit firms to the federal transit subsidy program and changes the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA 21) made to that program, as predicted by a structural model of output choice. TEA 21 increases bus service in medium‐sized cities by 6‐8 percent, butincreases service in large cities by only 1‐2 percent. The formula's incentive tier is weak, and the size of the subsidy depends little on whether that output results in increased ridership. The formula could be redesigned to provide stronger incentives to lower cost and increase ridership, thus encouraging a more efficient response from transit firms. © 2001 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.     

Suicidal and accidental carbon monoxide poisonings due to charcoal fires in closed spaces

The number of fatal carbon monoxide poisonings has significantly decreased since the introduction of natural gas. Apart from their occurrence during house fires, accidental and suicidal carbon monoxide poisonings are only rarely seen nowadays. We report on 7 cases of unintentional and intentional fatal carbon monoxide poisoning (CO-Hb concentrations between 56.4% and 74%) due to improper handling of charcoal fires in closed spaces. Autopsy findings and results of the toxicological analysis are presented and discussed.     

Site‐, Technique‐, and Time‐Related Aspects of the Postmortem Redistribution of Diazepam,Methadone, Morphine,and their Metabolites: Interest of Popliteal Vein Blood Sampling

Sampling site, technique, and time influence postmortem drug concentrations. In 57 cases, we studied drug concentration differences as follows: subclavian vein‐dissection/clamping versus blind stick, femoral vein‐dissection/clamping versus blind stick, right cardiac chamber, and popliteal vein‐dissection and clamping only. Cases were distributed in group #1 (all cases with both techniques), group #2 (dissection/clamping), and group #3 (blind stick). Sampled drugs were diazepam, methadone, morphine, and their metabolites. To assess PMR, mean concentrations and ratios were calculated for each group. Time‐dependent variations of blood concentrations and ratios were also assessed. Results indicate that site, method, and time may influence postmortem distribution interpretation in different ways. Popliteal blood seems less subject to PMR. In conclusion, our study is the first to evaluate concurrently three main aspects of PMR and confirms that the popliteal vein may represent a site that is more resistant to the changes seen as a result of PMR.     

Attempted Drug‐facilitated Sexual Assault—Xylazine Intoxication in a Child

There are only a few cases of drug‐facilitated sexual assaults on children reported in the literature so far. Here, a case of a four‐year‐old boy is presented. He was unconscious, and the accompanying adults reported that the child had been at a playground on his own. Returning home, he complained of having been stung and collapsed immediately. Urine and serum samples of the child were investigated. In the toxicological analysis, xylazine, a sedative and muscle relaxant used in animals, was detected. Subsequent quantification by GC/MS after solid‐phase extraction revealed 0.053 mg/L xylazine in serum and approximately 0.63 mg/L in urine. Furthermore, the child was examined by a forensic medical specialist. Police investigations revealed that the godfather, who had been previously accused of sexual abuse of children, had injected the child with the drug, possibly in preparation for a shared bath.     

Laryngohyoid fractures after agonal falls: not always a certain sign of strangulation

Haemorrhagic fractures of the thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone are frequently observed in cases of strangulation and often regarded as evidence for an assault against the neck. In contrast, two cases of laryngohyoid fractures after agonal falls in prone position are presented to draw attention to alternative causes of these injuries with special regard to practical medicolegal casework. A 45-year-old man collapsed at a fairground and died after unsuccessful resuscitation. He showed excoriations at his elbows and right knee, a crush injury at the mentum and his mandibular front teeth were knocked out. The upper parts of the chest and the head showed blue discolouration as a marked sign of congestion due to heart failure. The right coronary artery (RCA) was completely obturated by a 5 cm long post-stenotic thrombus with subsequent myocardial infarction of the lateral part of the left ventricle. Both superior horns of the thyroid cartilage were fractured with surrounding haemorrhage, the skin and muscles of the neck uninjured. In the second case, a 63-year-old woman with a mobility handicap had fallen from a 2m high lifting platform and was found in prone position with her wheelchair on her. Resuscitation efforts were not successful. Autopsy showed signs of blunt external force against head, neck, chest and limbs. Examination of the neck revealed haemorrhage of the right sternocleidomastoid muscle, both superior horns of the thyroid cartilage were fractured, as well as the hyoid bone, with slight haemorrhage of the surrounding soft tissue and mucosa. On the same level, the fifth intervertebral disk was ruptured, without any injury of the spinal cord. These cases demonstrate that laryngohyoid fractures should not be overestimated as unequivocal indication of neck compression and may well be caused by falls, even at ground level.     

Death due to positional asphyxia under severe alcoholisation: pathophysiologic and forensic considerations

In contrary to "physical restraint", describing a fixed body position due to external devices, "positional restraint" is defined as an abnormal body position, resulting from accidental fixation under unfortunate circumstances. We report on a remarkable case of positional asphyxia of an alcoholised young man after a fall down a staircase. On external examination, the body showed petechiae of the conjunctivae and oral mucosa, abrasions on the left zygomatic region and scratch marks, respectively. Neither broken fingernails, etc. nor signs of external violence against the neck were found. Autopsy revealed haemorrhages in the praevertebral cervical musculature and Simon's sign. Haemorrhagic pulmonary edema and cerebral edema were observed; blood alcohol concentration: 2.60 g/l, urine alcohol concentration: 3.26 g/l. As cause of death, positional asphyxia after blunt head trauma has to be considered as well as lethal ethanol intoxication. To us, alcoholisation attributed to the fall and together with unconsciousness following blunt head trauma circumvented self-rescue efforts, and therefore, aggravated the potentially lethal impact of positional restraint.     

Complex suicide by two gunshots to the chest and consecutive hanging: circumstances and aspects of reconstruction

In cases of suicidal gunshots, the capacity to act may be preserved for a certain period of time, so that the suicide may be completed with another method. In the presented case a 74-year-old man was found hanged on the first floor of his house with two gunshot wounds in the chest. Both on the ground and the upper floor traces of suicidal acts were detected. As shots to the precordial region suggest rapid incapacitation, a suicide extending over two floors seemed almost impossible without knowledge of the cause of death and evaluation of the ability to act. The autopsy findings confirmed vital signs of hanging. Moreover, a through-and-through gunshot wound of the chest and abdomen affecting the spleen and a shot lodged in the body without injuring the lung were found. The injury findings thus sufficiently explained the preserved ability to act. The presented case shows characteristics of a complex suicide not yet described so far, but could be clearly classified as suicide in congruity with the pertinent literature.     

“Staatswirtschaftslehre”—A Component of “Staatswissenschaften” Today and Tomorrow

The paper starts from problems of reorganization of the Welfare State. The second paragraph contains definitions and materials. The third paragraph turns to the development of Staatswissenschaften, especially to cameralistic views, public choice and deregulation. The fourth section deals with present Staatswirtschaftslehre as a component of Staatswissenschaften. The fifth paragraph is focussed on deregulation and reorganization of the state.The paper demonstrates: Staatswissenschaften and Staatswirtschaftslehre will be important academic disciplines also tomorrow, though the State will be reorganized by privatization, non-government-organizations and rearrangements of private and public sector activities under the conditions of new technologies and open markets.     

Homicide by burning

Compared to the total number of deaths by heat (burning, scalding), homicides by the direct effect of thermal energy (setting the victim on fire, pouring hot liquids over them) are rare; accordingly this subject is seldom dealt with in forensic and criminological literature. From our own autopsy material three cases are presented describing some peculiarities of homicide by heat. Sometimes additional findings (e.g., residual traces of gagging or tying) primarily point in the direction of homicide.     

Simulation of homicide to hide child's suicide

A case of pretending a homicide to conceal a child suicide is reported in which characteristic findings of the postmortem examination and conclusions from the analysis of forensic autopsy series provided substantial support for the police investigation. In the late night hours of a spring day the police authorities were informed that a 10-year-old girl had been found dead on a playground near its parents' house. As injuries of the neck were recognized by the police officers a homicide investigation was initiated. The post mortem examination showed a furrow symmetrically slanting from the front to the nape of the neck, discrete punctate haemorrhages of the skin of the face and numerous 'tram-line' bruises of the back, buttocks and extremities. These findings indicated as cause and manner of death suicidal hanging following corporal punishment. Confronted with these conclusions the mother immediately made a corresponding confession.