Beyond the sphere of the English facial approximation literature: ramifications of German papers on western method concepts

In the English literature, facial approximation methods have been commonly classified into three types: "Russian,"American," or "Combination." These categorizations are based on the protocols used, for example, whether methods use average soft-tissue depths (American methods) or require face muscle construction (Russian methods). However, literature searches outside the usual realm of English publications reveal key papers that demonstrate that the Russian category above has been founded on distorted views. In reality, Russian methods are based on limited face muscle construction, with heavy reliance on modified average soft-tissue depths. A closer inspection of the American method also reveals inconsistencies with the recognized classification scheme. This investigation thus demonstrates that all major methods of facial approximation depend on both face anatomy and average soft-tissue depths, rendering common method classification schemes redundant. The best way forward appears to be for practitioners to describe the methods they use (including the weight each one gives to average soft-tissue depths and deep face tissue construction) without placing them in any categorical classificatory group or giving them an ambiguous name. The state of this situation may need to be reviewed in the future in light of new research results and paradigms.     

Criminal-thinking styles and illegal behavior among college students: validation of the PICTS

The present study examined the relation of self-reported criminal-thinking styles and self-reported illegal behavior among college students. Participants were 177 male and 216 female (N=393) undergraduate students. Participants were divided by gender and further classified into four groups of self-reported illegal behavior: control-status offenses, drug crimes, property crimes, and violent crimes against people. The psychological inventory of criminal-thinking styles (PICTS) (1) measured criminal-thinking patterns on eight scales. Results indicated that males who committed violent crimes against people endorsed significantly higher levels of distorted criminal-thinking patterns on all scales than the control-status offenses, and drug crimes groups. Interestingly, female participants who committed property crimes displayed six significantly elevated PICTS scales whereas females with violent crimes against people had significant elevations on only four of the criminal-thinking style scales. These results extend Walter's initial validation of the PICTS with incarcerated respondents to a non-incarcerated population and show potential use of the PICTS with other populations.     

Do not cry wolf until you are sure: The manufactured crises in evaluation research

This article argues that the so-called crisis in evaluation is phenomenological rather than empirical. That is, our statements about evaluation, the presentational strategies used to define our expertise, and the ceremonies surrounding the dissemination of results are more problematic than what it is we actually do. If we can avoid calling attention to imaginary wolves, people might well listen when we do have something to say.     

Incarcerated clients' perceptions of therapeutic change in substance abuse treatment: a 4-year case study

Therapeutic communities (TCs) are a primary approach for treating substance abusers in the criminal justice system. The transformation from residential treatment to a TC marked a significant change in the service delivery and organizational culture for one in-prison substance abuse treatment program. This longitudinal case study examines how clients perceived their treatment as a result of treatment and organizational changes. This is important because the scientific literature shows that client perceptions of their treatment impacts treatment retention and the benefit they gain from treatment. Data that were collected over 5 years are presented. Implications, including how the program's interim therapeutic milieu eased the transition to a therapeutic community, are discussed.     

A Rorschach investigation of incarcerated female offenders with antisocial personality disorder

Although male psychopathy has been linked to histrionic, narcissistic, and antisocial personality disorders (ASPD), less is known about female psychopathy. The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) and the Rorschach were used to explore the personality functioning of 45 incarcerated female offenders with ASPD delineated by their psychopathy level. Psychopaths (PCL-R > or = 30) and nonpsychopaths (PCL-R < 24) were compared on Rorschach measures of self-perception, interpersonal relatedness, and reality testing. Compared to female offenders with ASPD who were nonpsychopathic, female offenders with ASPD who were psychopathic exhibited marked disturbances in self-perception, interpersonal relatedness, and reality testing. Our findings highlight the heterogeneity of the ASPD diagnosis in women, support the utility of the psychopathy construct with female offenders, and implicate important differences between men and women with ASPD. These gender differences have relevance to the evaluation (PCL-R scoring) and treatment of female offenders. Our findings are discussed within the context of the female psychopath's hypothesized hysterical character style.     

Exploring the type-of-crime hypothesis, religiosity, and spirituality in an adult male prison population

This study examined the association between measures of spirituality and religiosity and characteristics of current criminal conviction in a male prison population. Spirituality was operationalized as spiritual well-being and existential well-being. Religiosity was operationalized as frequency of religious service attendance, whether an individual considered himself to be religious, and how strongly an individual believed his religious beliefs influenced his behavior. Inmates whose convictions were property related reported greater spiritual wellbeing, were more likely to consider themselves religious, and to say that religious beliefs influenced their behavior than inmates whose crimes were not property related. Inmates whose convictions were drug related were less likely to consider themselves religious, and inmates whose conviction involved violence were more likely to consider themselves religious but less likely to endorse statements that religious beliefs influenced their behavior. The distinction between religiosity and spirituality is discussed in terms of the type-of-crime hypothesis.     

Issues and Options for the Post-2012 Climate Architecture – An Overview

This article provides a background for the Developing post-2012 scenarios project, an international study which looks at a range of scenarios that countries may wish to consider for a post-2012 framework to tackle climate change. The purpose of the article is threefold. Firstly, it provides a review of the literature for the future climate regime. Secondly, it provides a set of criteria that are used in order to evaluate whether the scenarios provided in the other articles in this Special Edition are likely to be effective. Thirdly, the article spells out some of the more general policy implications rising from these scenarios.     

Influence of blood loss on the pharmacokinetics of citalopram

Extended blood loss results in several compensatory physiological mechanisms, including transfer of extravascular fluid into the blood circulation. If drugs are present in the body, this fluid exchange may imply that blood drug concentrations found in a trauma victim may differ from the concentrations present at the time of the trauma. To address this issue, an animal model was used to investigate the influence of blood loss on pre-existing levels of the antidepressant drug citalopram and its demethylated metabolites. Rats were administered citalopram either acutely (40 mg/kg, orally) or chronically (20 mg/kg daily, subcutaneously) for 6 days using osmotic pumps. In the experimental rats, blood loss was accomplished by withdrawing 0.8 mL blood at 10 min intervals during 70 min. In the control rats, blood was withdrawn at 0 and 70 min only. Blood, brain and lung drug concentrations were analyzed with an enantioselective HPLC method. In the chronically treated rats, the ratios between final and initial citalopram concentrations were 1.08 +/- 0.15 and 1.01 +/- 0.09 in the experimental rats and controls, respectively, indicating no major effect of blood loss. In contrast, acute oral administration resulted in increased ratios in the exsanguinated rats as compared to controls (1.84 +/- 0.50 versus 0.73 +/- 0.07; p = 0.0495). In conclusion, the observation of increased blood drug levels in the acute oral rats indicates that absorption of fluid from the gastrointestinal tract may be important in the intravascular refill. Further, in the interpretation of post-mortem blood levels of drugs, these physiological mechanisms should be taken into account.     

Estimating eyeball protrusion from body height, interpupillary distance, and inter-orbital distance in adults

Eyeball protrusion is one characteristic that must be assessed/predicted in craniofacial identification methods of skull-face superimposition and facial approximation. Previously it has been suggested that average exophthalmometry values, as measured on living individuals, should be used. However, it is unknown if proptosis prediction can be improved beyond the accuracy obtained when using mean values. Some authors have suggested that relationships between exophthalmos, height, interpupillary distance, and interorbital distance exist and it has been reported that these latter variables can be used to estimate eyeball projection. However, crucial tests are yet to be conducted. This study measures these variables and tests the accuracy of exophthalmometry means, a previously proposed prediction equation, and newly derived regression equations to determine which methods provide the best results. Data indicate that variation in exophthalmos is fairly small and as such prediction from other variables, like body height, are weak; thus, exophthalmometry means currently offer the best practical method of prediction. It should be noted that up to 2 mm error from either side of the mean is expected for 68% of cases.     

Blunt force injury of the abdomen complicating previously undiagnosed peliosis hepatis in a 2-year-old female

Peliosis hepatis is an abnormal accumulation of blood-filled lakes in the liver that is most commonly seen in adults and is generally associated with chronic wasting diseases, use of androgenic steroids or bacterial infection. Few cases have been reported in children. We report a case of a 2-year-old female with no past medical history who presented with homicidal blunt force abdominal injury. The autopsy revealed lacerations in the liver and previously undiagnosed peliosis hepatis.