A decade on the court: The First Amendment jurisprudence of Justice Antonin Scalia

After a decade on the United States Supreme Court the time is ripe to examine Associate Justice Antonin Scalia's First Amendment jurisprudence, especially as it relates to freedom of expression and freedom of the press. This article analyzes Justice Scalia's opinions as a judge and justice as well as his scholarly writings. Collectively they reveal a clear pattern of a justice who follows a judicial approach grounded in originalism, textualism, majoritarianism, deference to the legislative branch, and traditionalism. While this approach sometimes produces opinions Seemingly in conflict with Justice Scalia's “conservative” image, close analysis reveals the consistent and close application of a coherent judicial philosophy.     

The composite approach: Research design in the context of war and armed conflict

Researching in contexts affected by armed conflict presents many challenges beyond those normally encountered by social scientists. Focusing on these special difficulties has, in the past, often obstructed the task of understanding the methods that are applicable to situations of armed conflict. This paper aims to suggest a means of rectification. First, it introduces some of the particular issues that relate to field research under conditions of armed conflict and, second, it suggests a possible strategic approach to mitigating these. Overall, it is argued that a creative combination of different methods and techniques, broadly termed 'the composite approach', represents the most effective way of dealing with the challenges that working in a conflict-affected situation presents.     

Notes on contributors

Despite the apparent virtues of UN sanctions in terms of legitimacy and universality, attention in recent years has focused on their questionable achievements and adverse consequences. In particular, the cost of imposing sanctions is unevenly spread, while comprehensive measures harm the civilian population in the target and spare those responsible for the offending policies. This article discusses the merits of UN sanctions in the context of the membership and practice of the Security Council and looks closely at flaws in sanctions programmes and in their administration. Experience suggests careful review of alternative means of pressure as well as reform of existing procedures.     

Development and Implementation of Trauma-Informed Programming in Youth Residential Treatment Centers Using the ARC Framework

This project describes application of an evidenced-based, trauma-informed treatment framework, Attachment, Regulation and Competency (ARC), with complexly traumatized youth in residential treatment. The processes of implementing the ARC model into clinical and milieu programming at two residential treatment programs are described. Particular attention is paid to system-level processes and strategies for embedding ARC in a sustainable manner. Pilot data demonstrated a significant relation between use of ARC and reductions in PTSD symptoms, externalizing and internalizing behaviors, and the frequency of restraints used across programs. Preliminary findings contribute to an emerging empirical basis for the ARC model and are supportive of its clinical utility as a practice in the residential context. Next steps include: a) expanding the study findings by conducting controlled efficacy research, b) examining system level variables as mediators of change, and c) describing the full operation stage of implementation of the ARC framework.     

A Woman's Life Before Serving Life: Examining the Negative Pre-Incarceration Life Events of Female Life-Sentenced Inmates

Despite the increase in the number of females incarcerated, there is a paucity of research concerning female life-sentenced inmates in the United States. Using a nationally representative data set containing the largest known sample of this population, the present research examines the pre-incarceration traumatic experiences of female life-sentenced inmates. The results indicate that these women are more likely to experience traumatic events, in particular abuse, than either male life-sentenced inmates or female inmates in general. Logistic regression analyses reveal a significant association between abuse and a life sentence in both gender-specific models.     

Screening for Substance Use Disorders as a Supplement to Caseworker Assessment Among Foster Care–Involved Families

Parental substance abuse is a major factor in families experiencing foster care placement, yet little is known about the potential of screening in determining risk or identifying subpopulations for which elevated risk occurs. One Midwestern state recently implemented screening. This research uses information gathered as part of the screen's implementation to conduct a latent class analysis. The research was extended to provide a detailed examination of differences in child and family characteristics across classes, and to compare the screen results with caseworker impressions. Three distinct typologies emerged, with the high-risk and moderate-risk designations comprising only one quarter of the cases.     

Genetic identification of the mummified fetus

During executing some activities by the police, a mummified human fetus was accidentally revealed on a scrap of paper. It came from pregnancy considerably not carried to term, lasting about 2.5 lunar months. Medical examination did not give evidence of mechanical manipulation such as abortion or disintegration. The aim of the study was the genetic identification of the mummified fetus and an answer to the question if an indicated supposed mother was the mother of the fetus. In the study a relevant factor was maternity confirmation by means of statistic calculations.     

The Upper Silesia (Poland) population and forensic usefulness of 11 autosomal STR loci

Allele frequencies, forensic parameters for the 11 STR loci in GenePrint STR Systems—Silver Stain Detection (Promega): CSF1PO, TPOX, TH01, D16S539, D7S820, D13S317, F13A01, FESFPS, VWA, F13B, LPL were determined in a sample of 529–1436 unrelated, dead and alive adults from the Upper Silesia region (Poland). Furthermore, gender identification was carried out. The values of heterozygosity (Ht), polymorphic information content (PIC), power of discrimination (PD), matching probability (PM), mean exclusion chance (MEC) and mean exclusion probability (MEP) were calculated using Dudek's computer programme (FatRec, High Technical School of Cz?stochowa, Poland). A possible divergence from HWE was determined by χ² and exact tests using Miller's computer programme (TFPGA, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, USA). Comparison of allele frequencies between the Upper Silesia population and other Polish populations was performed with Carmody's test.     

The Upper Silesia (Poland) population and forensic usefulness of 15 autosomal STR loci

Allele frequencies, forensic parameters for the 15 STR loci in the AmpFlSTR^® Identifiler Kit (Applied Biosystems), D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D19S433, VWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818 and FGA were determined in a sample of 150 unrelated dead and alive adults from the Upper Silesia region (Poland). The values of heterozygosity (Ht), polymorphic information content (PIC), power of discrimination (PD), matching probability (PM), mean exclusion chance (MEC) and mean exclusion probability (MEP) were calculated. Possible divergence from HWE was determined. Comparison of allele frequencies for examined STR loci between the Upper Silesia population and other Polish populations was carried out.