Laws, Models, and Real People: Choice of Chapter in Personal Bankruptcy

It has been a central assumption in bankruptcy policy debates that financially troubled persons faced with bankruptcy will respond to economic incentives and disincentives. Two provisions of the Bankruptcy Code (Chapters 7 and 13) are most commonly used by individual debtors. Under Chapter 7 debtors agree to give up all their property (n excess of state-determined exemptions) to a trustee for sale and distribution to creditors. Under Chapter 13 debtors keep all their property but agree to pay all or part of their debts over three to five years. This empirical study of fifteen hundred consumers in three states explores whether economic incentives and disincentives are in fact the chief factors influencing choice of chapter. The analysis demonstrates that while economic factors play a part, noneconomic factors are also significant, among them intra- and interstate migration, marital status, self-employment, state of residence, and local legal culture. We conclude that to explore fully how individual decisions are made, the simplistic economic model must be replaced by a more sophisticated model that accounts for both economic and noneconomic factors.     

Exhumation examination to confirm suspicion of fatal lead poisoning

Acute poisonings with inorganic lead compounds are exceptionally rare. In all cases of diagnosis, there are two possible sources of error: failing to recognise lead poisoning when it is present, and mistaking other diseases for lead poisoning. If exposure history is carefully taken and proper laboratory techniques are employed, the diagnosis of lead poisoning should not be difficult. In the described case of the death of a 41-year-old-man, no enzymatic disturbances characteristic of congenital erythropoietic porphyria were ascertained, and furthermore, a considerable concentration of lead was found in antemortem material, 5 months before death (blood: 1584 microg/l, urine: 531 microg/24 h). Postmortem tissue lead content in the biological material, exhumed 6 months after death, were as follows: liver, 47.6 microg/g; kidney, 4.75 microg/g; bone, 103 microg/g of sacral vertebra, 20.4 microg/g of femoral bone, 112 microg/g of pelvis; hair, 30.2 microg/g of scalp hair, 33.7 microg/g of pubic hair; nails, 13.6 microg/g. The results indicated a case of acute lead poisoning (with lead(II) oxide, as it later turned out), which manifested as acute intermittent porphyria.     

Occupations and attitudes of former student activists 10 years later

Respondents in a 1969 survey (N=400)of undergraduate men at the University of Michigan were resurveyed as alumni in 1979 (N=215).Of the 400 surveyed in 1969, 50 were active in political organizations (organization activists) and 57 had been in demonstrations. These were rank- and-file student activists in the 1960s, not leaders. The demonstration activists were the more extreme in attitudes in both 1969 and 1979. In 1979 the demonstration activists were still more interested in political affairs than the nonactivists, more suspicious of free enterprise ideology, more opposed to current fears of communism, and more alienated from the military. Former organization activists were disproportionately employed in the human services areas of government, disproportionately absent from the business sector. In 1979 the former activists were no longer critical of the universities or of American society as a producer of poverty. They had shifted their main involvement from national to community affairs. While still distinctive in some attitudes, they were generally less radical than earlier.Financial support was provided by the Spencer Foundation.Received Ph.D. from Harvard University. Research interests include sociology of religion and youth.Received M.A. from Catholic University. Research interests include social movements and sociology of the arts.     

Genetic profile of a multi-ethnic population from Guiné-Bissau (west African coast) using the new PowerPlex 16 System kit

Allele and haplotype frequencies of 15 chromosome STR loci included in the kit PowerPlex16 System from Promega, were determined in a sample of unrelated males from Guiné-Bissau, a country from the west African coast. All individuals were subjected to an interview in order to make sure that their ancestors belonged to the same ethnic group. This way we intended to look for possible inter-ethnic differences. PowerPlex 16 includes STRs not studied before in any multi-ethnic population. The kit includes two new allele markers (Penta D and Penta E), which are very useful either in forensics or population genetic studies. The Guinean population presents significant differences when compared with other African populations.     

Child Suicide in the North of Portugal

Suicide in children is a rare finding and is probably motivated by acts of impulsiveness. This study aims to contribute to the characterization of child suicide in a forensic perspective in the Portuguese population. Data of forensic autopsies from 2004 to 2012 related to suicide victims under 18 years were reviewed. A total of 17 cases, with a male predominance (64.7%) and a mean age of 15.24 ± 1.348 for both genders, were registered. The leading suicide method was hanging (35.3%), and a suicide note was found in 41.2%. Psychological autopsy proved to be useful in promoting a better understanding of these incidents and their antecedents. This study also offers useful information, namely the implied risk factors, for future programs of suicide research and prevention.     

Madeira Regional Elections 2015: A Polity Tyrannized by Majorities or the End of an Era?

The 2015 Madeira regional elections, held on 29 March, saw the re-election of the Social Democratic Party (PSD/M), for the twelfth regional government. This was despite the incumbent party's vote share falling to 44.36%. For almost 40 years of regional elections in Madeira, the PSD/M has won consecutive absolute majorities without once losing power. The result of the 2015 election reinforced the tendency over the last 40 years of politics in Madeira: the emergence of a viable electoral challenger to the ruling party continues to be unlikely and the incumbent continues to mobilize the regional electorate and win the electoral contest.     

Contact disputes and allegations of gender violence in Spain

ABSTRACT

In Spain, progress is being made to restrict contact between aggressors and their children in cases of gender violence. However, visits and communication, even shared custody, are still granted by judges despite shared custody being prohibited by law in such cases since 2005. Under recent legal reforms, children are now considered primary victims of gender-based violence. However, even today, Spanish judges frequently allow contact and even grant shared custody to the aggressor. This is despite the fact that in cases of gender violence, there are usually measures in force that include restraining orders and prohibitions against communicating with the mother. In these cases, communication between the father and his children is effected through grandparents or at the so-called ‘family meeting points’ – neutral spaces supervised by professionals. Insufficient budgets and shortcomings in the management of these meeting points have led to many problems, including women being murdered by their partners after leaving one of these meeting places.