Violent crime and substance abuse: a medico-legal comparison between deceased users of anabolic androgenic steroids and abusers of illicit drugs

Several case reports and survey studies have indicated that abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) often leads to increased aggressiveness and feelings of hostility that may occasionally trigger violent behaviour. Other observations indicate that many users of AAS also abuse alcohol and/or various illegal substances. Since substance abuse is a well-known risk factor for violent behaviour, it could be that violence committed by AAS users might, at least in many cases, actually be caused by abuse of other drugs. In order to examine this possibility further here, the criminal histories (in terms of incidences of convictions) of deceased users of AAS with (AASpos-subst.pos) and without (AASpos-subst.neg) signs of abuse of other illegal substances were compared to the corresponding histories of deceased users of illicit substances testing negatively for AAS (subst.pos-AASneg) at the time of autopsy. The risk of being convicted for a crime against property was significantly higher in the subst.pos-AASneg group than in either the AASpos-subst.neg or AASpos-subst.pos groups (RR=0.048 versus 0.408). At the same time, the risk of being convicted for a crime of violence was at least as high for the two AAS-positive groups as for the AAS-negative group. Furthermore, when compared with the first 3 years after the first criminal conviction, a pronounced increase in the proportion of incidence of violent crimes and a marked reduction in the proportion of incidence of crime against property was observed during the 3-year period immediately preceding death only among the AASpos-subst.neg subjects. In conclusion, the incidence of violent crime among users of AAS without signs of other drug abuse was comparable to the corresponding incidences for drug addicts without AAS use. This observation suggests that the violent criminality observed among AAS users is not confounded in any systematic fashion by abuse of other drugs. The findings also indicate that use of AAS in certain predisposed individuals might cause a high rate of violent crimes, especially if the use of AAS is combined with the use of other illegal substances.     

程序和实质：鉴定结论发挥证明作用的双重保障——以物证鉴定为例

鉴定是鉴定结论的基础。意欲鉴定结论发挥应有的证明作用,除了对鉴定活动施以必要的程序规范外,还必需对鉴定的实质运作加以干预——即对鉴定佐以质量控制。但是,我国目前有关鉴定制度的改革及完善,忽略了鉴定的质量控制及鉴定方法的标准化问题。此外,本文还分析了现行诉讼制度下,鉴定结论的质证得以落实并最终发挥证明作用的三大要素:鉴定结论的质证主体要素、质证的程序性保障及质证的内容选择。     

斯宾诺莎哲学的历史意义——再读《伦理学》

斯宾诺莎从“自因”出发 ,对于“上帝 -神”“存在”命题之“证明”作出小结 ,他的“实体”“自因”说深入人心 ,有很大的影响 ;然而斯宾诺莎哲学的意义还在于 ,他从这个前提出发 ,“推出”整个的世界 ,把感性情感世界包容在他的表面很枯燥的“几何式”逻辑推理之中 ,使人们日常经验世界具有了一种意义。这一条“自上而下”的思想路线 ,奠定了德国古典唯心主义哲学的基础。在这条路线指引下 ,并开创了“现象学 -显现学”的道路 ,其重要性是不可动摇的。     

Oral fluid testing for driving under the influence of drugs: history, recent progress and remaining challenges

In recent years the demand for drug testing in oral fluid in cases of driving under the influence has been increasing. The main advantages of saliva/oral fluid are the possibility for non-medical personnel to collect it without embarrassment and a better correlation between presence of drugs in oral fluid and impairment. Several surveys have been performed since the 1980s using saliva, and researchers encountered problems related to insufficient sample volume and insufficient sensitivity of the analytical methods. Steady progress has been shown in sample collection, knowledge of toxicokinetics in oral fluid, reliability of on-site and laboratory-based immunoassays and confirmation methods. In a few countries, legislation was passed that allows the use of saliva as a matrix for screening or confirmation.Despite this progress, some more work needs to be done, principally in the areas of the sensitivity and reliability of on-site screening devices, particularly for cannabis and benzodiazepines, knowledge about passive contamination and more generalised proficiency testing before oral fluid testing for DUID will have the reliability needed to be used forensically.     

广松涉论从经典物理学到现代物理学的自然观及其认识论意义

广松涉认为,无论经典物理学还是现代物理学,它们在认识论上都存在某种程度的物象化误视。经典物理学给人们提供的是一种实体主义的思维方式;而现代物理学,尤其是相对论和量子力学的测不准原理,给人们提供了一种“关系主义”的思维方式。广松涉力图以“关系主义”的认知图景来重新描绘人的生活世界和认识世界,但他错误地把一切客观的关系归结为单纯的认知关系,并没有真正历史唯物主义地说明这种“认知关系”的历史起源和现实基础。     

论循环型社会目标下的日本地区经济的绿色化

随着全球经济环境问题的发展 ,绿色化已成为世界各国经济发展的方向。日本从本国国情出发提出的建设循环型社会是其实现可持续发展的行动纲领 ,而地区经济的绿色化发展则是实现这一纲领的基础和保证。由于日本各地的产业基础和自然状况的差异 ,其地区经济的绿色化发展也存在着各自的特点 ,并表现为不同的类型。日本地区经济绿色化发展的动力在于市场驱动下的企业经营绿色化、日益成熟的绿色消费者群体和具有日本特色的产、学、官、民合作体制。     

Juvenile Offenders’ Alcohol and Marijuana Trajectories: Risk and Protective Factor Effects in the Context of Time in a Supervised Facility

The current study modeled trajectories of substance use from ages 15 to 20 among 1,095 male serious juvenile offenders (M age = 16.54; 42% African-American, 34% Latino, 20% European-American, and 4% other ethnic/racial backgrounds) and prospectively predicted trajectories from risk and protective factors before and after controlling for time spent in a supervised setting. Results indicated that supervised time suppressed age-related growth in substance use. Trajectories of offenders with no supervised time and low levels of supervised time increased in substance use across age, whereas offenders with high levels of supervised time showed no growth. Almost all risk and protective factors had effects on initial substance use but only adolescent history of substance use, impulse control, and psychosocial maturity had an effect on change in substance use over time. Findings highlight the importance of formal sanctions and interventions superimposed on normal developmental processes in understanding trajectories of substance use among serious juvenile offenders.

Teachers as Builders of Respectful School Climates: Implications for Adolescent Drug Use Norms and Depressive Symptoms in High School

Positive school climates have been found to have favorable effects on adolescent health risk behaviors and mental health outcomes. However, the mechanisms by which teacher behavior may promote such effects in high schools have not been extensively studied. Based on social control theory and a social developmental-contextual model, it was predicted that by respecting students’ points of view and decision making capabilities, teachers can help build respectful school climates that encourage healthy norms of behavior. Structural equation modeling with a nationally representative sample of 476 youth ages 14–18 supported the model. Adolescents who reported higher teacher support and regard for student perspectives in their high schools were more likely to see their schools as having respectful climates and healthy norms of drug use which was associated with lower levels of personal drug use. Students in such schools also reported greater social belonging and fewer symptoms of depression.

A Qualitative Examination of the Self-Medicating Hypothesis Among Female Juvenile Offenders

Substance misuse among criminally delinquent youth has typically been described as a concurrent part of their participation in risky and delinquent behavior. Using Khantzian’s self-medication hypothesis, this article presents an alternative view by presenting qualitative data which suggests that substance misuse for female juvenile offenders may serve as self-medication for mental health problems stemming from early trauma, often at the hands of their families. Based on the narratives of 30 female juvenile offenders, this article examines the lived experiences of girls with childhood trauma and substance misuse, followed by arrest and incarceration. The paper concludes with recommendations for juvenile justice and child welfare practitioners.