Schizophrenia: Causes,crime, and implications for criminology and criminal justice

This paper is aimed at criminologists and criminal justicians seeking to understand their role in educating law enforcement and correctional personnel who must deal with the mentally ill. It is motivated by William Johnson's (2011) recent call for rethinking the interface between mental illness, criminal justice, and academia, and his call for advocacy. We concur with his concerns, and insist that this rethinking must necessarily include grounding in the etiology of mental illness (specifically, with schizophrenia) as it is currently understood by researchers in the area. Advocacy must go hand in hand with a thorough knowledge of the condition of the people for whom we are advocating. We first examine major etiological models of schizophrenia, emphasizing the neurodevelopmental model that incorporates genetics, neurological functioning, and immunological factors guided by the assumption that the typical criminologist/criminal justician has minimal acquaintance with such material. We then address the link between schizophrenia and criminal behavior, and conclude with a discussion of the implications for criminology and criminal justice.     

Autosomal microsatellite allele frequencies for a nationwide dataset from the Australian Caucasian sub-population

DNA profiling results presented in court must be accompanied by a statistical estimate of its evidential weight. In calculating such statistics, allele frequencies from the tested loci are required. This paper reports allele frequencies and the results of population genetic testing of datasets of autosomal microsatellite profiles from Australian Caucasian donors. In contrast to previous practice in Australia these data have been collated at the national level rather than at the State and Territory level. We consider that this national dataset could be used in forensic DNA casework throughout Australia as previously recommended by Ayres et al. [K.L. Ayres, J. Chaseling, D.J. Balding, Implications for DNA identification arising from an analysis of Australian forensic databases, Forensic Sci. Int. 129 (2002) 90-98].     

Spherical Photography and Virtual Tours for Presenting Crime Scenes and Forensic Evidence in New Zealand Courtrooms

The delivery of forensic science evidence in a clear and understandable manner is an important aspect of a forensic scientist's role during expert witness delivery in a courtroom trial. This article describes an Integrated Evidence Platform (IEP) system based on spherical photography which allows the audience to view the crime scene via a virtual tour and view the forensic scientist's evidence and results in context. Equipment and software programmes used in the creation of the IEP include a Nikon DSLR camera, a Seitz Roundshot VR Drive, PTGui Pro, and Tourweaver Professional Edition. The IEP enables a clear visualization of the crime scene, with embedded information such as photographs of items of interest, complex forensic evidence, the results of laboratory analyses, and scientific opinion evidence presented in context. The IEP has resulted in significant improvements to the pretrial disclosure of forensic results, enhanced the delivery of evidence in court, and improved the jury's understanding of the spatial relationship between results.     

Accountability and effectiveness of NGOs: adapting business tools successfully

The central argument of this article is that many of the tools developed to strengthen for-profit businesses can be applied to NGOs to make them more effective and accountable. The authors address a gap in the development literature by defining and describing how business tools can be effectively transferred to NGOs. They examine the implementation of ISO 9000 Quality Standard by one NGO, the Cambodia Trust. The experiences of the Cambodia Trust demonstrate that business tools have a place in NGO management. The article also questions the extent to which the Cambodian experience can be seen as best practice for NGOs.     

Alternatives to abstinence: the practice of (un)safe sex in prison

Correctional rules and regulations requiring sexual abstinence for prison inmates, coupled with unsupported beliefs about the risks of condom provision, keep most inmates in a dangerous muddle of criminalized sexual expression, covert efforts at erroneous myth-based safe sex practices, and high risk of sexual disease contraction and transmission. With the vast majority of inmates eventually released to re-enter communities across the US, these health concerns are not quarantined to the correctional environment, but rather contribute to what has been described as the hidden epidemic in public health . Using inmate voice from a large-scale national examination of inmate sexual behavior, the current study explores inmates’ attempts at ‘safe sex’ in an environment where sexual behavior, though prohibited, frequently occurs, and where no sex is the only accepted form of ‘safe’ sex. Inmates identify many approaches to safe sexual practice including barrier protection, partner selection, and risk reduction strategies. Unfortunately, many improvised, though innovative, inmate protection strategies reflect a very rudimentary understanding of safe sex for the purpose of reducing disease transmission and contraction, frequently exacerbating these risks. Policy implications include widespread condom provision and expanded inmate education and programming around sexual health and disease prevention.     

Contextualizing the Impact of Legal Representation on Juvenile Delinquency Outcomes: A Review of Research and Policy

This study examines the empirical research on legal representation in delinquency proceedings and situates it in the broader investigation of how states provide legal assistance to juvenile defendants. Our review of empirical studies found that attorney presence was an aggravating factor in dispositional decisions. After closely examining state statutory provisions on legal representation in juvenile delinquency proceedings, we suggest that the penalty effect of attorney presence is an artifact of the variation in state laws governing access and oversight of juvenile counsel. We conclude with suggestions for future research, policy, and practice.