Programs for Men who Perpetrate Domestic Violence: An Examination of the Issues Underlying the Effectiveness of Intervention Programs

This review paper seeks to explore some of the reasons why rehabilitation programs for male perpetrators of domestic violence appear to be less effective in reducing recidivism than programs for other offender groups. It is argued that while the model of systems response to domestic violence has predominated at the inter-agency level, further consideration might be given to way in which men’s intervention groups are both designed and delivered. It is concluded that the program logic of men’s domestic violence programs is rarely articulated leading to low levels of program integrity, and that one way to further improve program effectiveness is to incorporate some of the approaches evident in more general violence prevention programs and from what is know about good practice in general about offender rehabilitation.

Severe Cardiac Rupture by Only One Blow to the Chest in a Young Boy: An Autopsy Case

Cardiac rupture by blunt chest trauma is commonly seen after motor vehicle accidents and falls; however, it is rarely caused by a blow to the chest. We herein report an autopsy case of a high school boy who sustained severe right ventricular rupture by only one knee kick to the chest during a quarrel. He was hospitalized and developed cardiopulmonary arrest. Emergency surgery was performed, but the patient died. The autopsy revealed no external severe trauma or deformation, but the side wall of the right ventricle contained a large V‐shaped laceration. The other thoracic organs had no injuries. This case illustrates that severe cardiac rupture can occur by only one blow to the chest. Blunt cardiac injuries can occur even if no severe injuries are present on the body surface. We should consider the possibility of severe cardiac injuries regardless of the presence of external injuries.     

An analysis of strategies used to disseminate the PLATO system

Two aspects of efforts to disseminate an innovative computer-assisted instructional system called PLATO between 1972 and 1976 are addressed. The first pertains to the dissemination problems encountered and resolved by the system developers. The second covers dissemination modus operandi chosen by the developers to bring PLATO to the attention of large numbers of people. An ex post facto analysis of data obtained suggested PLATO developers made dissemination decisions that reflected viable dissemination theory and practice of the time, committed substantial resources to the dissemination process, and selected what appeared to be a cost-effective marketing strategy. Perhaps the most important consequence of these actions is that PLATO flourished throughout the 1970s and continues to flourish.