Community Influence on Adolescent Obesity: Race/Ethnic Differences

Using a sample of 20,000 adolescents (Add Health data), this study examined the influences of community poverty and race/ethnicity on adolescent obesity. Multilevel analyses revealed strong evidence for the unique influences of community poverty and race/ethnicity on adolescent obesity net of family characteristics. The prevalence of obesity is significantly higher in poor communities than in affluent communities; and it is higher among African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans than among Whites. The interaction between race/ethnicity and community poverty indicates that race/ethnicity moderates the influence of community poverty on the prevalence of obesity. Although the prevalence of obesity is higher among minorities than among Whites, the influence of community poverty is stronger for Whites than for minorities, suggesting that unlike Whites, most minority groups may not accrue benefits of structural community advantages. The state of being overweight as the outcome variable provided essentially the same findings. The practical implications are discussed.     

Youth suicide in New Mexico: a 26-year retrospective review

Although suicidal behavior in children and adolescents is a major public health problem, large-scale research on suicide in this population is uncommon. In this study, we reviewed autopsy and field reports for all pediatric suicide cases referred to the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator from 1979 to 2005. The age-adjusted suicide rate was 4.8 per 100,000. Psychologic stressors and parasuicidal behavior were identified in some cases. Seventy-six percent of suicides occurred in the victim's home or yard, and 25% left a suicide note. In 26% of cases, alcohol or other drugs were detected in postmortem. Gunshot wound was the most common method overall (58%), followed by hanging (30%). Although the age-adjusted suicide rate is higher in New Mexico than nationally, the trends in the population are similar. With a solid understanding of the circumstances, it may be possible to predict, and hopefully prevent, future cases of child and adolescent death.     

角色冲突与青少年犯罪

青少年在社会角色培养和形成过程中 ,社会、家庭、学校三方面的积极影响作用缺一不可 ,任何一个环节出现问题 ,都有可能导致角色冲突 ,影响青少年的健康成长 ,甚至导致青少年犯罪心理的产生     

口供何以中心——“罪从供定”传统及其文化解读

从制度到实践,口供在古代刑事司法中的作用被强调到无以复加的程度:赃证仅仅是获取和推核口供的辅助手段,孤供可以定罪,而无供情况下则通常只能办成悬案或疑案。相应的,作为取供中的合法暴行,最不可妄加的拷掠成了断狱中最不能离开的审讯手段。而有限的可知论、伦理秩序和狱无淹滞的价值诉求、反逻辑的自由心证及非对抗的刑事司法等则为口供主义提供了坚实的文化支撑。     

反腐败视野中贪污受贿犯罪定罪量刑模式的问题与出路--基于《刑法修正案（九）》的分析

以数额作为对贪污受贿犯罪定罪量刑的主要标准，虽然直观明了，但过于僵化。《刑法修正案（九）》废除了这一标准，采用“数额与情节择一”的模式，将有利于解决罪刑失衡难题。以往的数额量刑标准难以跟上经济发展的社会现状，若继续采用这一标准势必要不断修改《刑法》，不利于保证《刑法》条文的稳定性，而采用弹性标准则可以克服此矛盾。在贪污受贿案件中，数额的因素只能作为计算罪量的一项参数指标，而情节的因素则理应通过贪污受贿犯罪的情节规定加以明确适用。同时，数额与情节在定罪量刑中的考量比重还需进一步明确。     

青少年活动阵地建设发展战略研究

青少年活动阵地是青少年文化建设的重要载体,是开展青少年工作的重要依托,也是现代化进程中实现社区文化教育功能的重要手段.针对我国现阶段青少年活动阵地建设面临的突出问题,对青少年活动阵地建设进行宏观的战略构想,应当包括全新的理念,准确的职能定位,科学的管理机制,配套的扶持政策,专业化的工作队伍等方面.     

法的合法性问题研究

法的合法性问题是很重要的 ,西方许多思想家都对此作了论述。一种法律要被人们遵守 ,首先必须被信仰 ,而法律信仰的本质是对它的合法性 ,即正当性和权威性的确信。这种确信是以人们对法律的合法性评价为基础的。合法性评价应从实质和形式两个方面进行 ,二者各有其评价标准。     

Dimensions of interparental conflict and adolescent functioning

While research has repeatedly demonstrated that interparental conflict is related to poorer child/adolescent functioning in the areas of internalizing and externalizing problems, as well as prosocial and cognitive competence, the particular relevant dimensions of the conflict have yet to be studied. The present study examined the contributions of three different dimensions of conflict to these difficulties in adolescent functioning. Forty-eight mother-father-adolescent triads participated by completing questionnaires regarding the following dimensions of their interparental conflict: frequency, method of handling, and outcome. Assessment of adolescent functioning was obtained independently through teacher-completed measures of internalizing and externalizing problems and prosocial and cognitive functioning. The results of correlational analyses indicated that father-completed measures, particularly the use of verbal and physical aggression to handle conflict, were related to all four measures of adolescent functioning. In contrast, mother-completed measures were not related. Multiple regression analyses were also conducted. For all four measures, either father physical or father verbal aggression entered first and accounted for 17 to 48% of the variance across the four dependent measures. No other indices of conflict individually accounted for a significant portion of the variance beyond that accounted for by father's verbal or physical aggression. Possible explanations for the relationship between father's method of handling of conflict and adolescent functioning are discussed.     

MENTAL HEALTH AND JUVENILE ARRESTS: CRIMINALITY,CRIMINALIZATION, OR COMPASSION?*

Juveniles in secure confinement allegedly suffer from more mental health problems than their peers. This may reflect background and behavioral characteristics commonly found in clients of both mental health and juvenile justice systems. Another explanation is that mental disorders increase the risk of arrest. These interpretations were tested on a sample of Pittsburgh boys (n = 736). Findings indicate that arrested youth exhibit more attention deficit hyperactivity (ADH) problems, oppositional defiant (OD) problems, and nondelinquent externalizing symptoms prior to their first arrests compared to their never‐arrested peers. However, arrested and nonarrested youth score similarly on prior affective and anxiety problems and internalizing symptoms. Net of delinquency, substance use, and other selection factors, internalizing problems lower the risk of subsequent arrest, whereas OD problems and nondelinquent externalizing symptoms increase it. ADH problems have no effect on arrest net of delinquency and substance use. These findings lend only partial support to the criminalization hypothesis. Whereas some mental health symptoms increase the risk of arrest, others elicit more cautious or compassionate official responses.     

Unearthing the realities of rape: Utilising Victorian newspaper reportage to fill in the contextual gaps

This article examines the realities of rape and sexual offences and their treatment through the legal process by use of media reportage, Victorian and modern; using this to contextualise and so to challenge the official record. The starting point is an identification of what constitutes ‹best’ evidence for an exploration of rape and sexual offences – evidence that permits better insights into the impact of such offences on the individuals involved, as well as into the factors governing the ability of the criminal justice process to promote the conviction rate in rape cases. By using a comparative historical perspective, and using media presentations (especially newspaper reportage) this article shows the enduring nature of stereotypes which govern the decisions reached by legal personnel and by jurors – stereotypes which have, since the Victorian period, remained profoundly gendered in ways that are unhelpful to the ‹victims’.