The belated autopsy and identification of an eighteenth century naval hero--the saga of John Paul Jones

John Paul Jones, the "Father of the American Navy," is known for the battletime assertion that he had "not yet begun to fight." His central role in a triumph of scientific forensic identification more than a century after his death is less known. John Paul Jones died in 1792 and was buried in Paris, France. The location of his grave was lost over time and a search for his corpse began in 1899. Remains matching his physical characteristics and circumstance of burial were discovered in 1905 and returned to the United States for a hero's burial. Some questioned the identification at the time and the major source of identifying information has since been shown to contain false information. The published forensic literature fails to address existing critiques of the identification. We provide a substantive analysis and conclude that the available evidence supports the identification of the unknown remains as those of John Paul Jones.     

Embattled authoritarians: continuity and collapse in Central and Southwest Asia

ABSTRACT

Why are some authoritarian leaders able to stave off violent challengers to their rule while others falter? This article analyzes several case studies involving a series of nondemocratic governments and violent non-state actors waging war and posits that different combinations of variables lead to dissimilar outcomes (ranging from “civil war/insurgency”, “regime implosion” or “foreign-based overthrow”, “negotiated peace”, to “strategic advance and retreat”). Accordingly, “embattled authoritarians” require a high level of “political-military aid” over time from a supportive foreign power to effectively combat “violent non-state challengers”. However, it is difficult for such governments to completely escape from “embattled” status, particularly if a supportive foreign power does not exert influence to set parameters for peace between the warring parties and the level of international interference (i.e. political-military aid abetting violent non-state challengers courtesy of other foreign powers) does not recede over time. This article concludes with a forecast on Afghanistan and Tajikistan’s respective futures and discusses how the onset of political instability within the former may serve to destabilize the political situation in the latter.     

Sources of injustice among individuals with persistent pain following musculoskeletal injury

Evidence supports the negative impact of perceived injustice on recovery following injury. However, little is known about sources that contribute to injustice perceptions in this context. Therefore, this study systematically investigated sources of injustice following painful musculoskeletal injury. Following completion of the Injustice Experiences Questionnaire (IEQ) and measures of pain, depression, and disability, participants completed a semi-structured interview to discuss reasons underlying their IEQ responses. On average, the sample was experiencing moderate levels of pain, depression, and disability, and clinically meaningful levels of perceived injustice. Participants frequently identified employers/colleagues, other drivers, insurers, healthcare providers, family, significant others, friends, and society as sources of injustice. Common reasons for identifying these sources included their contribution to the injury, inadequate assessment or treatment of pain, and punitive responses toward participants’ pain expression. Sex- and injury-related differences emerged in the identification of injustice sources. Potential strategies for preventing perceived injustice following painful injury are discussed.     

Perceived Injustice is Associated with Heightened Pain Behavior and Disability in Individuals with Whiplash Injuries

The present study examined the relationship between perceived injustice associated with whiplash injury and displays of pain behavior. Individuals (N?=?85) with whiplash injuries were filmed while performing a simulated occupational lifting task. They were also asked to complete measures of pain, perceived injustice, catastrophic thinking, depression, and functional disability. Consistent with previous research, high levels of perceived injustice were associated with more intense pain, higher levels of catastrophic thinking, depression, and disability. Analyses revealed that individuals with high levels of perceived injustice displayed more protective pain behaviors than individuals with low levels of perceived injustice, regardless of the level of physical demand of the task. The relation between perceived injustice and protective pain behavior remained significant even when controlling for pain severity, catastrophic thinking, and depression. There was no significant association between perceived injustice and displays of communicative pain behavior. The results of this study suggest that the relation between perceived injustice and pain behavior might underlie the high prevalence of occupational disability in individuals who have sustained whiplash injuries. Implications for intervention are addressed.     

Factors related to willingness to help survivors of intimate partner violence

Although researchers have found that survivors of intimate partner violence seek support from a multitude of sources, ranging from professionals to informal support networks, little is known about the extent to which community members reach out to help survivors. This study explored the type of support provided to survivors and various factors that relate to individuals' willingness to help. Survivors were more likely to be helped by women, younger individuals, those who strongly endorsed criminal justice interventions for perpetrators, and those who perceived intimate partner violence as a frequently occurring issue in their communities. Two additional factors were found to relate to an individual's likelihood of assisting others, including witnessing intimate partner violence as a child and prior victimization. Further research is needed in this area to explore helper, survivor, and contextual characteristics that may affect one's likelihood to offer assistance to survivors.     

The resource utilization of women who use violence in intimate relationships

Studies have found high rates of help seeking among domestic violence victims. However, little research has investigated the help-seeking patterns of women who use violence (many of whom are also abused). Understanding the resources utilized by women who are violent toward their partners may aid in designing interventions that will reduce the women's violence, as well as reduce the victimization they may be experiencing. This study examines the resource utilization of 108 women who used violence against a male partner (94% of whom also experienced victimization). Findings revealed that (a) almost all of the women utilized community resources in an attempt to manage the violence in their relationships; (b) victimization was related to resource utilization via self-defense motives, avoidance coping, and posttraumatic stress symptoms; and (c) greater resource utilization was related to lower levels of women's violence against their partners. Findings suggest that community resources may help prevent women's violence.