The use of human skin in the fabrication of a bite mark template: two case reports

Comparison of a suspected biter's dental arches with the patterned injury of a bite mark is especially difficult when the bite occurs in an anatomic location with a small radius of curvature or with complex or compound curves. The authors present two case reports in which human skin was used as a template for the reproduction of a bite. In one case the victim's skin was used; in the other, the skin of a anatomically similar person was used. The use of inked dental casts, photography, and transparent overlays significantly reduced the errors common to analysis of bite marks in these highly curved areas.     

Marketization, Managers and Moral Strain: Chairmen, Directors and Public Service Ethos in the National Health Service

Survival of the public service ethos in Britain has been called into question following introduction of the 'new public management' and marketizing reforms in much of the public sector. This article examines how these developments have occurred in the NHS, using survey data to analyse NHS board members' substantive ethical values. Unexpectedly the results suggest that NHS board members with a predominantly NHS background appear less ethically conservative, more flexible and less risk–averse than those recruited from non–NHS backgrounds; and that as yet the NHS management 'culture' is not very homogenous in respect of 'business ethics'. The NHS reforms also appear to accentuate the tensions between transparent public accountability in NHS management and incentives not to publicize certain types of information. Recent codification of NHS 'business ethics' can be understood as an attempt to buttress the public service ethos against the increased moral strains of a quasi–market.     

E-Government and the Transformation of Service Delivery and Citizen Attitudes

The impact of new technology on public-sector service delivery and citizens' attitudes about government has long been debated by political observers. This article assesses the consequences ofe-government for service delivery, democratic responsiveness, and public attitudes over the last three years. Research examines the content of e-government to investigate whether it is taking advantage of the interactive features of the World Wide Web to improve service delivery, democratic responsiveness, and public outreach. In addition, a national public opinion survey examines the ability of e-government to influence citizens' views about government and their confidence in the effectiveness of service delivery. Using both Web site content as well as public assessments, I argue that, in some respects, the e-government revolution has fallen short of its potential to transform service delivery and public trust in government. It does, however, have the possibility of enhancing democratic responsiveness and boosting beliefs that government is effective.     

NOAA's Resurrection of Program Budgeting: Déjà Vu All Over Again?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration instituted a Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution System (PPBES) in 2002. As supplemented by matrix management, PPBES was appealing as an effort to rationalize the performance of an agency with an especially high degree of functional overlap among its component parts. Although PPBES has had some salutary effects, the agency's experience to date consistent with accounts of the difficulties that led to the abandonment of program budgeting by the civilian bureaucracy almost 40 years ago. As such, it speaks to the limits of performance assessment as a means of reallocating resources and responsibilities across organizational boundaries.     

Polling effects in election campaigns

The effects of polls on public opinion and voting behavior have begun to attract considerable attention. However, aside from experimental studies and research on exit polls, the impact of preelection polls has not received adequate analysis. This paper investigates whether exposure to polls released during the campaign influences voter choices and how the electoral context of referendum versus candidate elections makes a difference in terms of polling effects. These questions were addressed in a cross-election comparison of the 1980 presidential campaign and a 1986 state referendum on the right-to-life issue. Basically, I found significant effects during the referendum, but weak effects in the presidential general election.     

Black women and intimate partner violence: new directions for research

African American women are at elevated risk for nonfatal and lethal intimate partner violence (IPV). Accordingly, the purpose of this article is to review our current knowledge, with a focus on the sociodemographic factors that make this population particularly vulnerable to abuse. Future research directions include using more diverse Black samples, considering how living at the intersection of multiple forms of oppression shapes Black women's experience with violence, exploring the influence of historical events and oppressive images on victimization, and focusing on survivors' resilience and activism.     

监禁死亡的法医病理学研究

目的　探讨监禁死亡的法医病理学及其流行病学特点。方法　对华西医科大学法医学系 1 987～ 1 998年所作 5 2例监禁死亡案例病理材料进行统计分析。结果　性别 :5 2例均为男性。年龄 :从 1 8岁～ 70岁 ,以 2 1至 4 0年龄段为主 ( 6 1 5 3% )。民族 :汉族人居多 ( 84 6 1 % )。职业 :待业、农民、工人最多 ( 75 % )。婚姻状态 :已婚者占多数 ( 5 9 6 1 % )。监禁原因 :以抢劫、偷盗为主 ( 6 3 4 6 % ) ,首次被监禁为主 ( 94 2 3% )。监禁死亡时间以 3个月常见 ( 36 5 4 % ) ,死亡地点以派出所、看守所及监狱常见 ( 82 6 9% )。死亡方式 :自然死亡以肺结核及支气管炎为主 ( 4 6 1 5 % ) ,自杀以自缢及高坠为主 ( 4 8 1 5 % ) ,少部分为他杀 ,以同监犯人打死为主( 5 76 % )。结论　监禁中死亡与多种因素有关 ,防止该类事件的发生需要各方面的努力。