Blockchain Matters—Lex Cryptographia and the Displacement of Legal Symbolics and Imaginaries

Law and Critique - This article focusses on the social and legal implications that blockchain technology brings about, not only due to its ideological framework, but also, and...     

‘Joe everyday,people off the street’: a qualitative study on mediators’ roles and skills in victim–offender mediation

This qualitative study examined multiple perspectives of participants who experienced a Victim–Offender Mediation (VOM) program in a Midwestern city in the United States. Of particular interest are the roles and skills of mediators. Data consisted of 34 face‐to‐face interviews with 37 participants including adult crime victims, juvenile offenders and their parents, mediators and representatives from referring agencies. Insider perspectives regarding the roles and skills of the mediators in restorative processes were revealed through personal stories. Although the majority of the participants reported that the roles and skills of mediators were consistent with restorative justice principles, this exploratory study also revealed that some roles and skills exhibited by mediators were inconsistent with restorative justice values, which shows the variance of ‘real world’ restorative justice. Recommendations are made to promote mediators’ roles and skills that are compatible with restorative justice principles.     

A chance for a breakthrough in Russo-Japanese relations: will the logic of great power relations prevail?

Under Mori Yoshiro the Japanese government energetically pursued Russia's new leader, Vladimir Putin. Progress was achieved, as Putin recognized the 1956 treaty in which Moscow pledged to return two islands. From the summer of 2000, however, a backlash could be detected. The architects of the initiative not only failed to make their case to Japanese politicians, but also became the object of two years of attacks, leading to Suzuki Muneo's ouster from the LDP and arrest and to Togo Kazuhiko being fired as ambasador to The Netherlands. Under Koizumi Junichiro Japan lost interest, while the media feasted on the image of foreign policy being hijacked. Lost in the media frenzy and setback to relations was the case for why Tokyo and Moscow need each other as great power partners in the face of rising Chinese power and overwhelming US power. Since both parties sided with the US war against terror, the logic of cooperation has become clearer. A general outline for an interim agreement is well understood on both sides, but a breakthrough is unlikely soon.     

Fatal Ischemic Enteritis with Hemorrhage—A Late Complication of Treated Wilms Tumor

A 35‐year‐old man with a history of childhood Wilms tumor successfully treated with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery, collapsed and died unexpectedly in hospital following admission for abdominal pain. At autopsy, there was ischemic necrosis of the small intestine with altered blood within the stomach and small intestine. Within the upper abdominal aorta, there was patchy confluent calcific atherosclerosis with extension into the proximal superior mesenteric artery which was occluded by thrombus. Death was attributed to ischemic enteritis of the small intestine caused by mesenteric artery thrombosis complicated by gastrointestinal hemorrhage with aspiration. Localization of atherosclerosis to the radiation field with no significant atherosclerosis elsewhere and the young age of the decedent were supportive of radiation‐induced atherogenesis. Geographically, localized atherosclerosis at autopsy in a tumor survivor should raise the possibility of a treatment‐related side effect that may directly contribute to death many years after the original therapeutic intervention.     

Occult Adrenocortical Carcinoma and Unexpected Early Childhood Death

A four‐year‐old previously well boy collapsed unexpectedly and was taken immediately to hospital, where he developed seizures and cardiogenic shock with lethal, rapidly progressing multi‐organ failure. At autopsy, the height was >90th percentile and there were indications of early virilization. Internally, a friable tumor of the left adrenal gland was identified that had invaded the left renal vein and inferior vena cava. Histology revealed typical features of an adrenocortical carcinoma with aggregated trabeculae of cells containing abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and large pleomorphic nuclei. There was strong positive cytoplasmic staining for inhibin; mitochondria were shown on electron microscopy to contain prominent electron‐dense granules. Death was due to massive pulmonary tumor embolism. Although adrenocortical carcinomas are very rare and are more commonly found in adults, the current case demonstrates that they may also occur in childhood and be responsible for unexpected death by the very unusual mechanism of tumor embolism.     

Use of a pig model to demonstrate vulnerability of major neck vessels to inflicted trauma from common household items

Commonly available items including a ball point pen, a plastic knife, a broken wine bottle, and a broken wine glass were used to inflict stab and incised wounds to the necks of 3 previously euthanized Large White pigs. With relative ease, these items could be inserted into the necks of the pigs next to the jugular veins and carotid arteries. Despite precautions against the carrying of metal objects such as knives and nail files on board domestic and international flights, objects are still available within aircraft cabins that could be used to inflict serious and potentially life-threatening injuries. If airport and aircraft security measures are to be consistently applied, then consideration should be given to removing items such as glass bottles and glass drinking vessels. However, given the results of a relatively uncomplicated modification of a plastic knife, it may not be possible to remove all dangerous objects from aircraft. Security systems may therefore need to focus on measures such as increased surveillance of passenger behavior, rather than on attempting to eliminate every object that may serve as a potential weapon.     

Symmetrical "mirror-image" injuries and the "chessboard" pattern: useful markers of self-mutilation

The evaluation of injuries due to self-mutilation may be complicated by atypical lesions and fabricated histories of the causative events. Four cases are described where one of the most striking findings was the presence of "mirror-image" injuries and/or a "chessboard" pattern of intersecting parallel lines from self-inflicted incised wounds. Case 1: A 32-year-old man was dead in his burnt-out car, with symmetrical, "mirror-image", circular burns from the car cigarette lighter over his forehead, cheeks, ears, upper and lower arms, the dorsal and palmar aspects of the hands, the anterior chest wall including the nipples, the anterior abdomen, thighs, lower legs, and the back of his neck. The deceased had a history of psychotic depression and had died of burns and inhalation of products of combustion. Case 2: A 19-year-old woman who fabricated a history of assault demonstrated multiple, superficial, "mirror-image" injuries of her thighs and forearms. Case 3: A 32-year-old man who exsanguinated from cut wrists showed multiple, superficial, and "mirror-image" incised wounds of the wrists, with a "chessboard" pattern. Case 4: A 26-year-old man died after jumping from a building. He had multiple superficial, "mirror-image" incised wounds of his anterior chest and thighs, with a typical "chessboard" pattern. Given the difficulties that sometimes arise in determining whether injuries have been self-inflicted or not, the finding of symmetrical "mirror-image" injuries, and/or a "chessboard" pattern formed by 2 groups of regular, parallel, superficial incised wounds running at right angles to each other provides compelling evidence of self-mutilation, unless a plausible alternative explanation is available.     

Evaluation of the rapid analyte measurement platform (RAMP) for the detection of Bacillus anthracis at a crime scene

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of the rapid analyte measurement platform (RAMP) for presumptive identification of Bacillus anthracis spores. Test samples consisted of serial dilutions of spore preparations of several Bacillus species, including B. anthracis, which were tested, using the RAMP Anthrax test cartridge, according to the manufacturer's instructions. The fluorescence labelled antibody-antigen complexes were detected in the portable reader after 15 min following sample addition. Dilutions of common environmental and household powders were also tested to identify possible false positive results. B. anthracis spores were identified reliably in test samples containing more than 6000 spores. The test kits were highly specific, showing no cross reactivity with other Bacillus species or any environmental powders tested. The RAMP system for detection of B. anthracis spores, from environmental samples, showed consistent results under a variety of analytical conditions, enabling the trained user to provide a rapid, accurate preliminary risk assessment of a suspected bioterrorism incident.     

Black Mist and White Collars: Economic Crime in the United States and Japan

Comparative studies of crime have persistently challenged and daunted criminology scholars. For criminologists studying Japan, interest has traditionally been focused on the country’s much-heralded low crime rate. The current study examines white-collar lawbreaking in both the United States and Japan, focusing on similarities and differences in culture, law, criminal justice system response, corporate governance, and regulation. The study concludes that if Japan’s low crime rate is an enigma to criminologists, then its ample amounts of white-collar and corporate crime appear that much more puzzling. Given that the depth of the problem of white-collar crime goes far beyond adjudicated cases, Japan’s remarkably low rate of common crime is likely eclipsed by its rate of white-collar and corporate crime. The study concludes that the different legal and cultural contexts of the “law in inaction” go far in explaining the official nonrecognition of white-collar and corporate crime in both the United States and Japan.

Cases of Kava Impairment in Iowa Drivers

Kava is an Oceanic plant in which the root is consumed as a beverage and is becoming increasingly popular. The effects of kava consumption may include sedation, euphoria, and impairment of motor coordination. This article demonstrates kava impairment through four cases of self‐reported kava use supported with Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) evaluations of each subject. Subject's urines screened negative for common drugs of abuse by immunoassay analysis. Urine from cases 3 and 4 were analyzed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, which yielded the presence of kavalactones. Subjects exhibited poor driving behavior and signs of intoxication. Indicators of impairment from multiple drug categories, central nervous system (CNS) depressants, CNS stimulants, and cannabis were observed, which may be consistent with the presence of multiple kavalactones and their diverse array of mechanisms of action. The consumption of kava can hinder one's ability to operate a vehicle safely.