Parole release decisions revisited: An analysis of parole release decisions for violent inmates in a southeastern state

In an attempt to discover the major predictors of parole decision-making in one southeastern state, this study examined the cases of 762 inmates under the supervision of the Alabama Department of Corrections who were eligible for parole from June 1, 1993 through May 31, 1994. Of the 762 eligible inmates, only 138 (18 percent) were granted parole. Using parole disposition (granted or denied) as the dependent variable, this study investigated the offense, offender, and general parole variables and their impact on parole decisions. Logistic regression findings indicated that the strongest predictors of parole release decisions were the length of the original sentence assessed for the offense, the total number of felonies for which the inmate was serving time, and the warden and senior officers' recommendations. These variables, which were also significant at the bivariate level of analysis, explained approximately 47 percent of the variation in the dependent variable. A major concern of the study was the generalizability of the findings.     

The Costs and Benefits of Transferring Technology Infrastructures Underlying Complex Standards: The Case of IPv6

Industry stakeholders and Internet experts generally agree that networks using Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), an Internet communications standard which is being promoted strongly by many parties, would be technically superior to today’s networks, which are largely based on IPv4. The improvements designed for IPv6 could provide numerous benefits to Internet users, network administrators, and applications developers; among these potential benefits are cost reductions due to improved security and increased efficiency, improvements to existing products and services, and innovations leading to new products and services. However, there is wide disagreement about the characteristics and timing of benefits associated with IPv6, and the costs associated with the transition could be substantial. In this paper, we will discuss the likely costs of a transition to IPv6 for the major stakeholders and the potential benefits. Subsequently, we will introduce the cost impact of an accelerated adoption case and discuss potential ways in which the government could become involved in the process. This paper is based on a broader study funded by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). We wish to thank Greg Tassey, Fred Lee, Tim Sloan, B. Keith Fulton, John Streck, and Baran Erkel for comments and suggestions on earlier versions of this paper.     

Assessment of home-based behavior modification programs for autistic children: reliability and validity of the behavioral summarized evaluation

Since the publication of Lovaas' (1987) impressive findings, there has been a proliferation of home-based behavior modification programs for autistic children. Parents and other paraprofessionals often play key roles in the implementation and monitoring of these programs. The Behavioral Summarized Evaluation (BSE) was developed for professionals and paraprofessionals to use in assessing the severity of autistic symptoms over the course of treatment. This paper examined the psychometric properties of the BSE (inter-item consistency, factorial composition, convergent validity, and sensitivity to parents' perceptions of symptom change over time) when used by parents of autistic youngsters undergoing home-based intervention. Recommendations for future research are presented.     

Microbial metagenome profiling using amplicon length heterogeneity-polymerase chain reaction proves more effective than elemental analysis in discriminating soil specimens

The combination of soil's ubiquity and its intrinsic abiotic and biotic information can contribute greatly to the forensic field. Although there are physical and chemical characterization methods of soil comparison for forensic purposes, these require a level of expertise not always encountered in crime laboratories. We hypothesized that soil microbial community profiling could be used to discriminate between soil types by providing biological fingerprints that confer uniqueness. Three of the six Miami-Dade soil types were randomly selected and sampled. We compared the microbial metagenome profiles generated using amplicon length heterogeneity-polymerase chain reaction analysis of the 16S rRNA genes with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy analysis of 13 elements (Al, B, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, Si, and Zn) that are commonly encountered in soils. Bray-Curtis similarity index and analysis of similarity were performed on all data to establish differences within sites, among sites, and across two seasons. These data matrices were used to group samples that shared similar community patterns using nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis. We concluded that while chemical characterization could provide some differentiation between soils, microbial metagenome profiling was better able to discriminate between the soil types and had a high degree of reproducibility, therefore proving to be a potential tool for forensic soil comparisons.     

The detection of group-specific component from urine samples

The detection of group-specific component (Gc) from serum and bloodstains has been widely used in the forensic laboratory. A recent increase in substituted or adulterated urine samples in various drug screening programs has necessitated methods to determine the donor. This paper discusses the detection of Gc from urine samples. The samples were concentrated and applied to ultrathin polyacrylamide gel and focused for 150 min. This method separates the samples into the three common phenotypes found in all human populations. A nitrocellulose membrane blotting technique was used to detect the Gc bands. Serum and urine samples were collected from each individual and were typed for Gc. Urine samples tested after 6 months of storage (4 degrees C) were still readable. This method provides the forensic laboratory with an additional test from a body fluid which, until recently, provided little information.     

Can ministries of health support primary health care? Some suggestions for structural reorganization and planning

Patrick Vaughan is Reader in health care epidemiology, Gill Walt is Lecturer in health policy and Anne Mills is Lecturer in health economics, at the Evaluation and Planning Centre for Health Care, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Gower Street, London WC1, United Kingdom. A previous version of this paper was prepared for the Commonwealth Secretariat, London, for the Conference of Commonwealth Health Ministers held in Ottawa, Canada, in October 1983.