In the wake of a negligent release law suit

Several staff members at a state psychiatric hospital were found negligent in a jury trial for having released a psychiatric patient who subsequently killed a member of the plaintiff's family. This study explored the impact of the law suit on the hospital staff members as individuals and on the functioning of the institution. Self-report measures revealed that both named defendants and nondefendant staff experienced symptoms of emotional disturbance associated with the litigation. Self-report measures suggest that the law suit was not instructive in any meaningful way regarding improved procedures for subsequent release decision making. Archival data indicate that the staff did release significantly fewer patients during the trial and follow-up period than prior to the litigation. Results are discussed in the context of Wexler's concept of therapeutic jurisprudence.This study was supported by a grant from the Research Grants Committee of the University of Alabama. The results are the opinions of the authors and do not reflect the opinions of the Research Grants Committee or the University of Alabama. We are indebted to Saleem Shah for his suggestions regarding methodology and particularly the need to investigate positive and instructive aspects of law suits.     

Trends and Developments in Budgeting and Financial Management in Large Cities of the United States

Revenue constraints, demands for increased services, and rapidly increasing utilization of data processing have led large municipalities to effect significant changes in their budgeting/financial management processes and procedures. Based upon results from a survey of all cities in the United States with a population of 100,000 or greater, the author discusses the impact of such changes.     

Speculators: Culture,economy and the legitimation of deviance

This article is a continuation and development of the author's thesis regarding deviant activity in the financial markets of the City of London. The thesis proposes that deviant activity in financial institutions has become legitimated in the sense of the failure of external regulatory controls to enforce order against the internally generated subcultural codes of practice which have developed consequent upon the forces of economic imperative (the ideology of excellence in the enterprise culture) and globalisation (the technological revolution). The thesis originally dealt with the period between 1984–1989 which was one characterised as “Casino Capitalism”. The current development of the thesis examines its continued relevance and proposes number of additional supporting elements and examples in its deployment as a critique of deviant financial activity.     

International tutelage and domestic political will: Building a new civilian police force in El Salvador

Under peace accords signed in January of 1992, a new civilian police force replaced the military as the sole agency responsible for providing internal security in El Salvador. This new institution has the potential to substantially transform the relationship of citizen and state, to improve both human rights and public safety, and, eventually, to reduce tensions in civil-military relations. Despite extensive international participation in and verification of this project, however, implementation proved difficult. Political polarization and lack of political will on the part of the government initially undercut the civilian character of the project, while the international community proved unable or unwilling to provide sufficient material assistance. Significant improvements took place under a new presidential administration, which had greater will to implement the project as designed. William Stanley is assistant professor of political science at the University of New Mexico, where he teaches international and Latin American politics. His research focuses on how domestic and international political forces interact with the institutional characteristics of military and police agencies to affect the frequency of human rights violations. His bookElite Politics, State Violence, and Civil War in El Salvador is forthcoming from Temple University Press. He has published various articles on human rights, migration and refugee affairs, and on the role of the United Nations in post-conflict peace consolidation in Central America.     

TV tip-over morbidity and mortality in children

Twenty-eight non-fatal cases of TV related injuries were noted in San Diego in the 2 years prior to September 2008. We reviewed the scene, witness reports, past history, and autopsy findings from three fatal cases and distinguished them from abusive head trauma. The recent literature was also reviewed. Our fatal cases resulted from TVs falling on small children and causing severe head injury. The literature review showed increasing injuries and deaths relating to TV tip-over, TV stands and dressers. Most of the fatalities were head injuries in small children. The reporting methods may not be complete or accurate. Some authors in the literature review suggested preventive measures so as to decrease these injuries. Forensic scientists should become familiar with these injuries and measures so that they may communicate effectively with their communities.