Wanted and Unwanted Sexual Experiences and Family Dysfunction During Adolescence

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between family dysfunction and wanted, unwanted, and illegal sexual experiences that occurred during childhood and adolescence. Three hundred fifty-three subjects from a sexual abuse clinic, a family practice clinic, and a family planning clinic anonymously completed a survey on childhood sexual experiences and physical violence, family substance abuse, violence toward others, and family quality. Overall, 50% had had unwanted (USE) and wanted sexual experiences (WSE) before they turned 18. Subjects in the sexual abuse clinic had the highest percentage (90%) of unwanted or illegal sexual experiences, followed by the family planning subjects (40%) and the family practice subjects (30%). Both USE and WSE were related to family dysfunction scores, even when they were controlled for demographic influences. Family dysfunction scores were highest for those who reported USE and legal WSE and were lowest for those who reported no USE or WSE.     

Understanding rib fracture patterns: incomplete and buckle fractures

Reconstructing traumatic thoracic events, especially when soft tissues are absent, requires an advanced understanding of ribcage fracture patterns. The morphology and orientation of ribs complicate the fracture pattern, as a single blow often causes multiple fractures at various locations. Furthermore, fracture types observed in ribs are not explained easily by current bone biomechanic literature. Using evidential skeletal material archived at the Regional Forensic Center, Memphis, the ribs of 43 blunt force trauma cases were analyzed. A total of 195 incomplete fractures and 63 buckle fractures were noted. Incomplete fractures, previously thought to be common in children but rare in adults, were found among individuals ranging in age from 21-76 years. A buckle fracture, failure resulting from compressive instability, has been undefined previously in bone trauma literature but was repeatedly observed in this sample. This study elucidates recognizable rib fracture patterns while emphasizing gross bone examination for force and mechanical factors.     

Eyewitness Accuracy Rates in Police Showup and Lineup Presentations: A Meta-Analytic Comparison

Meta-analysis is used to compare identification accuracy rates in showups and lineups. Eight papers were located, providing 12 tests of the hypothesis and including 3013 participants. Results indicate that showups generate lower choosing rates than lineups. In target present conditions, showups and lineups yield approximately equal hit rates, and in target absent conditions, showups produce a significantly higher level of correct rejections. False identification rates are approximately equal in showups and lineups when lineup foil choices are excluded from analysis. Dangerous false identifications are more numerous for showups when an innocent suspect resembles the perpetrator. Function of lineup foils, assessment strategies for false identifications, and the potential impact of biases in lineup practice are suggested as additional considerations in evaluation of showup versus lineup efficacy.