Evaluation of Internal Standards for the Analysis of Ignitable Liquids in Fire Debris

Abstract:  An evaluation of eight compounds for use as an internal standard in fire debris analysis was conducted. Tests were conducted on tetrachloroethylene, chlorobenzene, n-octylbenzene, 3-phenyltolune, and deuterated compounds toluene-d8, styrene-d8, naphthalene-d8, and diphenyl-d10 to measure the extraction efficiency of each compound in the presence of an interfering volatile compound (carbon disulfide). Other tests were conducted to evaluate whether or not the presence of an ignitable liquid or pyrolysis/combustion products from fire debris would interfere with the identification of these compounds when used as an internal standard. The results showed that while any of the eight compounds could be used as an internal standard in fire debris analysis, the more volatile compounds (toluene-d8, tetrachloroethylene, chlorobenzene, and styrene-d8) showed better extraction efficiencies at room temperature than when heated to 60°C. Each of the less volatile compounds (naphthalene-d8, diphenyl-d10, n-octylbenzene, and 3-phenyltolune) performed well during extraction at 60°C, while naphthalene-d8 showed better extraction efficiency in the presence of competing volatiles when extracted at room temperature.     

“I GOT YOUR BACK”: AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROTECTIVE FUNCTION OF GANG MEMBERSHIP IN ADOLESCENCE*

The threat of victimization has been regarded as a central feature in both the development and the continuation of youth gangs. Although many studies find the need for protection to be a common reason youth join gangs, recent literature suggests that gang members are at an increased risk of victimization. Given this seeming contradiction between expectations and reality, the current article examines the “objective” and “subjective” dimensions of gang member victimization using panel data collected from youth between the ages of 10 and 16 years. Findings reveal that gang members report higher levels of actual victimization and perceptions of victimization risk than non‐gang‐involved youth. Gang membership is associated with reduced levels of fear, however. Overall, although gangs may not be functional in terms of actual victimization, they seem to decrease anxiety associated with the threat of future victimization.     

Examining the Role of Static and Dynamic Risk Factors in the Prediction of Inpatient Violence: Variable- and Person-Focused Analyses

Although the construct of psychopathy is related to community violence and recidivism in various populations, empirical evidence suggests that its association with institutional aggression is weak at best. The current study examined, via both variable-level and group-level analyses, the relationship between standard violence risk instruments, which included a measure of psychopathy, and institutional violence. Additionally, the incremental validity of dynamic risk factors also was examined. The results suggest that PCL-R was only weakly related to institutional aggression and only then when the behavioral (Factor 2) aspects of the construct were examined. The clinical and risk management scales on the HCR-20, impulsivity, anger, and psychiatric symptoms all were useful in identifying patients at risk for exhibiting institutional aggression. These data suggest that factors other than psychopathy, including dynamic risk factors, may be most useful in identifying forensic patients at higher risk for exhibiting aggression.     

风险与法律:食品安全责任的分配如何可能

在现代社会,科技发展引起的食品安全风险日益增多。如何防范风险,确保食品安全,维护消费者健康,构成世界各国政府与公众关注的焦点;随之,法律结构也有了改变。由于风险所带来的不可预知性和不确定性,导致了因果关系链在经验世界中断裂,借助"肇事者原则"来确定过失与肇事者,并据此分配责任以补偿受害者,在举证上也就变得日益艰难。然而,人类要存续,法律要实现预期功能,仍需假定风险是可把握的、可控制的外在客观对象,并添加"预防原则"以重新分配食品安全责任,达到分散风险目的。为此,除了要构建食品安全主体的责任伦理外,还需实现从单纯惩罚机制向责任保险模式的转变。     

风险社会之刑法应对

风险社会为理解和把握现代刑法提供了全新的观察视角,也为反思传统刑法提供了重要的理论工具。为了应对风险,有必要制定风险刑法。风险刑法在观念、功能和归责等方面与传统刑法有显著不同,对传统刑法基本原则构成挑战,并对传统刑法价值体系进行裂解,隐含有巨大风险。在风险社会,可以采用传统刑法与风险刑法并存的方式,以弥补传统刑法在功能上的不足和责任追究上的漏洞,两者互相支持,共同达成维护社会秩序和安全的目标。     

评山中敬一的客观归属论

山中敬一是日本刑法学界研究客观归属论的代表者。他以传统理论的局限性和现代社会的需要为切入点,展开以危险制造和危险实现为基本要素的客观归属论。山中的客观归属理论不足有三:一是前提性分析不充分,忽漏了对作为意识问题的主体及参加到归属过程中的参与者的分析;二是缺乏对现代社会风险的深刻洞见,没有超越传统因果关系论的局限;三是客观归属类型的预设目标不明确,过于复杂从而难以把握,而且存在漏洞。     

论农村集体土地所有权的缺省主体

《物权法》明确了村内农民集体、村农民集体、乡(镇)农民集体的农村集体土地所有权主体地位。由于近半数农村集体土地没有进行权利登记,应当在土地登记簿推定规则之外,确认农村集体土地所有权的缺省主体,在无法证明农村集体土地归属场合,推定其为农村集体土地所有权主体。在可供选择的制度资源中,村农民集体最适宜被依法确认为农村集体土地所有权的缺省主体。     

法律视野下高校内部权力的制衡与互动

具有中国特色的高校权力结构模式——以党的领导为核心的政治权力、以校长负责为核心的行政权力、以教授治学为核心的学术权力之间是相互联系、相互影响、相互协调的,应在相互联系中互相补充、在相互影响中不断完善、在相互协调中促进发展,从而推进高等学校领导体制与运行机制的法治化和现代化进程,保证我国高等教育事业持续、健康、协调发展。     

国际货物买卖若干问题分析

本文主要论述国际货物买卖过程中 ,货物所有权、风险是如何从卖方转给买方的 ;以及买方对货物的接受。其中主要侧重于在上述法律关系中 ,买卖双方权利义务的划分 ,将通过对不同国家的合同法及货物买卖法的对比 ,力求清晰地区分这些在国际货物买卖中易被混淆的法律关系。     

Invariance of Measures of Prevention Program Effectiveness: A Replication

Recent literature has suggested that measures of risk and protective factorsfor delinquency and substance use are not equally reliable or valid acrossgender and ethnic groups and has recommended differentiated programming andculturally specific evaluation methods. Three data sets containing up tofive ethnic groups were used to determine the degree to which risk andprotective factors are equally reliable and valid predictors of drug use anddelinquency across gender and ethnic groups. Congeneric measurement modelsand structural equation models were evaluated to determine if the factorstructures for these measures and their covariances with measures of druguse and delinquency were equivalent across gender and ethnic groups. Half ofthe risk and protective factors included in this analysis were found to beequally reliable across gender and ethnic groups. When controlling forreliability differences, all of the risk and protective factors were foundto predict both drug use and delinquncy for all gender and ethnic groups. Interms of the magnitude of these associations, no substantive differenceswere found in the validity of risk and protective factors for drug use anddelinquency. Differences in the validity of risk and protective factors weremore prevalent for delinquency than for drug use. However, all differenceswere substantively trivial. We conclude that measures of prevention programeffectiveness are invariant across gender and ethnic groups.