Psychopathy and Violent Crime: A Prospective Study of the Influence of Socioeconomic Status and Ethnicity

The relationship between psychopathy and violence is well-established. However, few studies have examined the extent to which this relationship is influenced by sociodemographic predictors of violent criminality. In this prospective study we examine the power of psychopathy to predict criminal violence across ethnicity and levels of socioeconomic status in 199 European American and African American U.S. county jail inmates. A Psychopathy x SES x Ethnicity interaction was identified such that among European Americans psychopathy predicted recidivism at lower levels of SES but was unrelated to recidivism at higher levels of SES. The predictive power of psychopathy was relatively stable across SES among African Americans. The implications of our results for psychopathy and violence prediction are discussed.     

Violent Victimization,Aggression, and Parent-Adolescent Relations: Quality Parenting as a Buffer for Violently Victimized Youth

Prospective associations between violent victimization, the quality of the parent-adolescent relationship, and the subsequent onset of violent aggression were examined. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), participants were divided into violent and non-violent cohorts based on whether they had committed an act of violence prior to Wave 1. Results showed that violent victimization at Wave 1 predicted the onset of violent aggression at Wave 2 for adolescents who were non-violent at baseline. Earlier violent victimization, however, had no effect on aggression trajectories for baseline violent adolescents. Parent-adolescent relations functioned as a protective buffer, such that violently victimized adolescents who reported high quality relationships with parents were less likely to be involved in violent aggression at Wave 2. Subsequent gender interaction analyses revealed that while the buffering effect was evident for males, parent-adolescent relations did not protect females from the onset of aggressive behaviors. Findings are evaluated in light of social learning and cycle of violence theories that highlight the role of violent victimization among adolescents.

暴力与屠杀:刑法上的“敌人”还是刑法上的“不人道”

法律对屠杀问题的回应,始终在两种模式之间徘徊:一种是以国家刑法为给养来源的刑法上的敌人模式,另一种是源于国际刑法的刑法上的不人道模式。后者更适合屠杀的定性标准,它暗示了在大量死难者面前,对人性的否定。建立刑法上的不人道模式需要回应三个方面的问题:第一,罪的含义;第二,归责;第三,惩罚的实质。首先,根据《国际刑事法院规约》第7条,我们至少可以认为反人道模式中被保护的人性包含着两个相辅相成的要素:每个人的特殊性,以及每个人都平等地归属于人类共同体。其次,在归责问题上,我们不能满足于只制裁处于权力链条最顶端的人,还必须考虑等级体系的所有级别。最后在惩罚实质上,我们不仅要在刑罚制裁上考虑惩罚的本质,而且还需要从修复以及协商的角度看待这一问题。文章最后指出,刑法上的不人道模式成为一个可以实现的、普世的理想,尚需国际法与国内法的合作以及各个学科之间的协力。     

暴力犯罪：一个概念的解读

暴力犯罪不仅仅是犯罪学上的概念,而且与刑法学具有密切联系,研究刑法学意义的暴力犯罪具有理论意义和实践意义.从我国〈刑法〉来看,暴力犯罪不仅涉及刑法总则犯罪论与刑罚论的联系,而且还关系到刑法分则对暴力犯罪犯罪构成的规定.目前理论学界对暴力犯罪的概念争议较大,因此,研究刑法学意义的暴力犯罪,必须厘清相关理论争议,界定＂暴力＂与暴力犯罪的概念,从概念上解读暴力犯罪,揭示暴力犯罪的刑法规范性、手段暴力性、暴力程度性和对象双重性等特性,从而划定我国〈刑法〉中暴力犯罪的概念,以此为刑法学研究暴力犯罪的相关问题提供理论起点.     

Single source DNA profile recovery from single cells isolated from skin and fabric from touch DNA mixtures in mock physical assaults

The ability to obtain DNA profiles from trace biological evidence is routinely demonstrated with so-called ‘touch DNA evidence’, which is generally perceived to be the result of DNA obtained from shed skin cells transferred from a donor's hands to an object or person during direct physical contact. Current methods for the recovery of trace DNA employ swabs or adhesive tape to sample an area of interest. While of practical utility, such ‘blind-swabbing’ approaches will necessarily co-sample cellular material from the different individuals whose cells are present on the item, even though the individuals' cells are principally located in topographically dispersed, but distinct, locations on the item. Thus the act of swabbing itself artifactually creates some of the DNA mixtures encountered in touch DNA samples. In some instances involving transient contact between an assailant and victim, the victim's DNA may be found in such significant excess as to preclude the detection and typing of the perpetrator's DNA. In order to circumvent the challenges with standard recovery and analysis methods for touch DNA evidence, we reported previously the development of a ‘smart analysis’ single cell recovery and DNA analysis method that results in enhanced genetic analysis of touch DNA evidence. Here we use the smart single cell analysis method to recover probative single source profiles from individual and agglomerated cells from various touched objects and clothing items belonging to known donors. We then use the same approach for the detection of single source male donor DNA in simulated physical contact/assault mixture samples (i.e. male ‘assailant’ grabbing the wrist, neck or clothing from the female ‘victim’, or being in transient contact with bedding from the ‘victim’). DNA profiles attributable to the male or female known donors were obtained from 31% and 35% of the single and agglomerated bio-particles (putative cells) tested. The known male donor ‘assailant’ DNA profile was identified in the cell sampling from every mixture type tested. The results of this work demonstrate the efficacy of an alternative strategy to recover single source perpetrator DNA profiles in physical contact/assault cases involving trace perpetrator/victim cellular admixtures.     

From ethnocide to ethnoviolence: Layers of native American victimization

The contemporary phenomenon of ethnoviolence - otherwise known as hate crime - has its roots deeply embedded in the historical persecution of Native Americans by representatives of 'the state and private individuals alike. Genocidal policies and practices of the past have their present counterparts in anti-activist and anti-treaty violence, as well as in isolated acts of violence against individual Native Americans. This paper traces the threads that bind together the (d)evolution from ethnocide to ethnoviolence.     

Chutzpah even before the heavenly court

This article discusses how classic and contemporary films can be used to examine justice and peacemaking themes in personal, social, and criminal justice contexts. Thematic topics include poverty, homelessness, the Holocaust, racial prejudice, prison violence, and religious intolerance. The author attempts to illustrate how transformative justice can occur through individual acts of compassion and courage in difficult circumstances.     

Nonviolence Begins With Speech: An Interview with Emily Gaarder on the Practice of Nonviolent Communication

This article focuses on the nature of nonviolent communication, specifically how to practice such in our everyday lives. Emily Gaarder discusses a theory and method developed by Marshall Rosenberg of the Center for Nonviolent Communication. She offers practical measures that enable anyone interested in nonviolence to assess whether their ways of speaking are nonviolent and how they might modify their language to interact with others peaceably.     

Physical stature and biological living standards of girls and young women in the Netherlands,born between 1815 and 1865

This is the first study in Dutch anthropometric historiography that describes and analyzes the development of the biological standard of living of girls and young women from the perspective of female adult stature. It is shown that adult stature of women, imprisoned in the second half of the nineteenth century and born between 1815 and 1865, slightly increased, approximately 1cm. From 1850 onwards stature of women born in the cities notably increased. Development of female adult stature was compared to that of male stature; both were quite similar. No circumstantial evidence was found that girls or young women were on a disadvantage with respect to nutrition and (medical) care.     

Patterns of Self-Reported Delinquency in Children with One Immigrant Parent,Two Immigrant Parents and Norwegian-Born Parents

Differences in self-reported delinquency among adolescents in Oslo, Norway, were analysed with respect to immigrant status, gender and country of origin. The survey covered 11,500 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 17 years in Oslo, Norway. Delinquent behaviours were analysed and described in terms of prevalence and frequency. The findings suggest that immigrants are under-represented in minor deviance, with no differences in serious delinquency, but over-represented in violent delinquency. Adolescents with one immigrant parent had a higher prevalence of delinquency compared to adolescents with two immigrant parents, in all categories of delinquency except for violence among males. There were substantial differences between the various immigrant groups, with the lowest prevalence of delinquency among Asians. The study has demonstrated clearly the importance of including different categories of delinquency when studying delinquency among children of immigrants, and to carry out separate analyses according to gender and parent's country of origin.