Stigma and discrimination in mentally disordered offender patients – a comparison with a non-forensic population

High levels of stigma and discrimination are reported by individuals with mental health problems. Aim: To assess self-reported levels of stigma and discrimination in forensic psychiatric patients, with psychotic illness, compared with general adult psychiatric patients with psychosis. Hypothesis: Individuals with a history of violent offending, as well as severe mental illness, report more stigma and discrimination, than non offender patients, as a result of them being perceived as dangerous and unpredictable. Method: Experiences of stigma and discrimination were compared in 32 forensic and 32 non-forensic general psychiatric patients, with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, using the Stigma and Discrimination Scale (DISC). Results: Stigma and discrimination were widely reported by all patients, particularly affecting relationships with family, intimate relationships and friendships. No significant difference emerged between the forensic and non-forensic patients, in experienced or anticipated stigma. Conclusions: We suggest that the lower level of psycho pathology, longer inpatient stays and intensive rehabilitation for forensic patients may reduce the extent to which these patients experience stigma and discrimination.     

Victims and Offenders in Two Crime Statistics Programs: A Comparison of the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) overcomes a basiclimitation of the traditional summary Uniform Crime Reporting program (UCR)by collecting victim information. Using this new victim information tocompare National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) and NIBRS results, wefind some similarities as well as some differences in the characteristics ofvictims and offenders suggested by the two programs. Similarities appear inthe proportions of men and women involved as victims and offenders forrobbery and assault. Comparisons are more difficult and the proportions lesssimilar for property offenses. Nevertheless, the results suggest that whenthe NIBRS is fully developed, it will be an important source of informationon the characteristics of both victims and offenders. Even before theredesigned program is fully implemented, one of the most important featuresof NIBRS reports will be their ability to provide local area victimizationinformation. In addition, the NIBRS will provide much more information onarrests and the characteristic of offenders than any existing program.     

Using the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to Test Estimates of Arrestee and Offender Characteristics

National-Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) information for 1993 iscompared with two other sets of homicide data to assess the acuracy ofprocedures for estimating age-, sex-, and race-specific arrest counts fromtraditional Uniform Crime Report (UCR) data. The simultaneous age, race, andsex characteristics of offenders provided in the NIBRS arrest and offender segmentsare compared with estimates of the same characteristics derived from summaryUCR arrest data. The results suggest that using UCR marginal totals toestimate arrest counts by race and sex produces reasonably accurateestimates of the number of black and nonblack male arrests for murder andother offenses. Estimates of arrests of females by race and sex are lessaccurate, probably because of the relatively small number of arrests ofwomen and girls. Estimating male arrest counts for specific age groups alsoproduces reasonably accurate estimates. The results suggest that previousresearch employing such estimates may have been misleading in the estimatesof female arrests by race but accurate in the estimates of male arrests byrace. Although the use of summary UCR-based estimates in futurecross-sectional research will become increasingly unnecessary as the NIBRSreplaces the current UCR program, time series research designs on arrest andcrime trends will continue to require estimates.     

对我国共同犯罪理论与实践的探讨

世界各国刑法对共同犯罪有着不同的规定，现代刑法理论在此认识上也不尽一致，甚至在基本概念上都难以达成统一的共识，仍然处于见仁见智的状态，共同犯罪问题成为现代刑法理论的世界难题。我国刑法对共同犯罪有着独特的规定，共同犯罪人的种类也有别于其他国家，但存在着内在的矛盾。在着力于完成近代化历史重任以及谋求与国际社会接轨的今天，如何在保证理论完备的前提下，进一步完善刑事立法，成为我国刑法面临的重大课题。     

公安机关办理未成年人案件面临的难题

未成年人的体力和智力决定了他们违法犯罪有其自身的特点,也决定了公安机关办理未成年人违法犯罪案件时面临一些区别于成年人案件的问题:查清年龄难、查明案件细节难、追缴赃款赃物难、处理难。为保障案件的顺序查处,建议公安机关采取相应对策:在讯问时,采取适合未成年人特点的方法和手段;在办理案件时,切实从维护未成年人的合法权益出发,关爱未成年人;平时多注意案后的预防工作。     

新中国未成年犯行刑制度建设的回顾与前瞻

未成年犯是罪犯构成中的一个特殊组成部分,我国对未成年犯行刑制度建设十分重视。 对未成年人实施保护是世界上许多国家通行的做法,我国也是如此。新中国成立后半个多世纪的 历程中,在未成年犯行刑制度建设上取得了一定的成绩。随着我国未成年人保护事业的迅速发展, 从建设法治国家、构建和谐社会的角度去审视我国的未成年犯行刑制度,需要在未成年犯行刑立 法、教育、回归社会等方面进行完善。     

Investigation into "normal" background DNA on adult necks: implications for DNA profiling of manual strangulation victims

Others have investigated the role that DNA profiling could play as a method for identifying the perpetrator of manual strangulation. These studies have demonstrated that it is possible to collect offender DNA from the skin surface of a victim following physical contact. It is not known whether nonself biological material is normally present on the skin surface due to adventitious transfer occurring during innocent everyday interactions. To test the hypothesis that detectable amounts of nonself DNA are normally present on the skin surface of healthy adult individuals due to the adventitious transfer of DNA occurring during normal day-to-day social interactions, we designed an experiment in three phases. Phase 1 was used to deduce which DNA collection, extraction, and amplification methods were suited to investigating this question. During phase 2, the neck surface of 24 healthy adult volunteers was swabbed. DNA was extracted using the QIAamp DNA mini kit and amplified using the SGM Plus PCR amplification kit, using 28 PCR cycles. The work carried out during phase 3 involved a simulated assault to investigate primary and secondary transfer of DNA during physical contact. It was found that 23% of neck areas swabbed during phase 2 of this investigation showed nondonor alleles in the resulting DNA profile, with 5% of areas showing six or more nondonor alleles. The results of phase 3 showed that primary, secondary, and zero transfer of victim and/or offender DNA could be observed after physical contact and that alleles from an unknown source could still be detected in this more controlled experiment. The data presented in this paper demonstrate that DNA profiles generated after swabbing the skin surface of healthy adults can include components of an unknown source, present due to adventitious transfer. These components, if present in large quantities, have the potential to interfere with DNA profile interpretation of swabs taken for the investigation of physical assault by DNA profiling.     

Predicting Sex Offender Recidivism. I. Correcting for Item Overselection and Accuracy Overestimation in Scale Development. II. Sampling Error-Induced Attenuation of Predictive Validity Over Base Rate Information

The authors demonstrate a statistical bootstrapping method for obtaining unbiased item selection and predictive validity estimates from a scale development sample, using data (N = 256) of Epperson et al. [2003 Minnesota Sex Offender Screening Tool-Revised (MnSOST-R) technical paper: Development, validation, and recommended risk level cut scores. Retrieved November 18, 2006 from Iowa State University Department of Psychology web site: http://www.psychology.iastate.edu/ approximately dle/mnsost_download.htm] from which the Minnesota Sex Offender Screening Tool-Revised (MnSOST-R) was developed. Validity (area under receiver operating characteristic curve) reported by Epperson et al. was .77 with 16 items selected. The present analysis yielded an asymptotically unbiased estimator AUC = .58. The present article also focused on the degree to which sampling error renders estimated cutting scores (appropriate to local [varying] recidivism base rates) nonoptimal, so that the long-run performance (measured by correct fraction, the total proportion of correct classifications) of these estimated cutting scores is poor, when they are applied to their parent populations (having assumed values for AUC and recidivism rate). This was investigated by Monte Carlo simulation over a range of AUC and recidivism rate values. Results indicate that, except for the AUC values higher than have ever been cross-validated, in combination with recidivism base rates severalfold higher than the literature average [Hanson and Morton-Bourgon, 2004, Predictors of sexual recidivism: An updated meta-analysis. (User report 2004-02.). Ottawa: Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada], the user of an instrument similar in performance to the MnSOST-R cannot expect to achieve correct fraction performance notably in excess of what is achievable from knowing the population recidivism rate alone. The authors discuss the legal implications of their findings for procedural and substantive due process in relation to state sexually violent person commitment statutes and the Supreme Court's Kansas v. Hendricks decision regarding the constitutionality of such statutes.     

The impact of collaborative case formulation with high risk offenders with personality disorder

This study investigated the impact of completing collaborative case formulations (CFs) on the professional relationship between Offender Managers (OMs) and high risk offenders with personality disorder (PD). It was hypothesised that collaborative CFs would result in significantly improved professional relationships, offender engagement and OM confidence. Seventy-seven OMs were randomised into control and formulation groups and randomly allocated a high risk offender with PD. OMs in the formulation group attended advanced formulation training and constructed collaborative CFs. No collaborative CFs were constructed by the control group. All participants subsequently completed a measure of relationship quality. OMs also completed a perceived benefits rating scale evaluating perceived offender engagement and OM confidence. OMs in the formulation group reported significantly higher overall relationship quality, a stronger working alliance and greater confidence. Offenders in the formulation group reported significantly higher degrees of trust in their OMs. Results indicate that completing CFs collaboratively with high risk offenders with PD may have a small, beneficial impact on the quality of OM/Offender relationships and increase OM confidence.     

Offender personality disorder pathway: the impact of case consultation and formulation with probation staff

The latest government policies for personality disordered offenders emphasise the importance of a formulation-based approach to rehabilitation and pathway planning. However, research into forensic case formulation is limited. This paper examines the impact of consultation and formulation, on probation staff working with personality disordered offenders. Staff rated their knowledge, confidence, motivation, and understanding (of offenders), and satisfaction with management plans at three stages: pre-consultation, post-consultation and after receiving a written formulation. The analyses revealed that ratings on all variables examined increased after attending a consultation meeting, with no additional increase in scores following receipt of the formulation letter. The findings provide evidence that consultation has a range of benefits for probation staff, and offer support for the current model of joint-agency working. Further research is needed to clarify the benefits of providing written formulations after consultations, and to explore what features of a formulation are most useful to probation staff.