Evolving Federal Policies and Their Implications for Greenbook Interventions

This article addresses the influence of the Greenbook on federal policy in the past 20 years and traces the history of federal policy responses to the co‐occurrence of domestic violence and child maltreatment. While there has been some success in getting the domestic violence and child abuse fields to embrace equally the needs of adult and child survivors of domestic violence, federal legislation has progressed slowly, reflecting that ambivalence. Strengthening cross‐system policy advocacy and increasing evidence that addressing domestic violence improves outcomes for children are identified as ongoing needs.     

The Greenbook and the Overrepresentation of African American,Hispanic, and Native American Families in the Child Welfare System

Effective Intervention in Domestic Violence & Child Maltreatment Cases: Guidelines for Policy and Practice (the Greenbook) provided a valuable framework for child welfare agencies, domestic violence agencies, and the courts to work together to address the co‐occurrence in families of child maltreatment and domestic violence. It did not specifically address the overrepresentation of families of color in the child welfare system or the disparity of outcomes for these families. Yet the Greenbook’s approach to systems change can be used as a foundation to implement strategies to reduce overrepresentation and to improve safety, permanency, and stability for children and families.     

Assessing for bruises on the soul: identifying and evidencing childhood emotional abuse

The term ‘emotional abuse’ is acknowledged by law in the Children Act 1989 and refers to the wider social concept of harm that occurs in the psychosocial domain. Emotional abuse is a contested notion and a form of harm that statutory child protection social workers find difficult to recognise and gather evidence of. Early preventative intervention approaches, which occur outside the legal system, are the preferred course of action in work with emotional abuse. However, child protection social workers may use their statutory powers and duties to implement interventions when cases are deemed to require attention within legal frameworks.Professionals routinely fear legal work in cases of emotional abuse, feeling inadequately equipped to engage effectively with the law. This article draws on rich research data, gathered for an Economic and Social Research Council funded doctoral project. The data offers an original perspective on the interaction between social work and law, adding to existing literature on the frictions that exists. Using psychosocial methods, the research explores social worker experiences of identifying and evidencing emotional abuse, with particular attention to the application of ‘attachment theory’. The article shines a light on some practice complexities of identifying and evidencing emotional abuse.     

How pedophilic men think about adult-child sex: effects of child gender and physical maturity

To date, very little research has tackled whether pedophilic men’s attitude towards adult–child sex depends on characteristics of the adult or the child involved in such acts. This study examines the effect of the child’s gender (male vs. female) and physical maturity (pre-pubescent vs. early pubescent) on the moral evaluation of apparently noncoercive adult–child sex in a 2?×?2 factorial online vignette experiment. One hundred eighty-three English-speaking pedophilic men rated their agreement with moral arguments on the Immoral Sex Scale, as well as whether they believed this behavior to be typical for a child. The results revealed considerable inter-individual differences, with about one third showing restrictive moral attitudes. Contrary to our expectations, gender and physical maturity neither affected the perceived morality of the sexual act, nor beliefs about the representativeness of the child’s behavior. However, when controlling for confounds, pedophilic men believed that boys were more likely to willingly engage in adult–child sex. Furthermore, participants with stronger liberal attitudes were found to be more likely to defend the sexual act, as were participants with a preferential interest in pre-pubescents. There was no link between attitudes towards adult–child sex and sexual offending, replicating the non-associations reported in previous community surveys.     

Raising the future leaders: an analysis of child and family welfare policy in Ghana

This paper examines the scope and potential impact of current child-focused policies in in Ghana as a West Africa example. The paper assesses the thrust of Ghana’s child protection policy in terms of its sound theoretical basis, congruence with the Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC) as well as the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) and promise of socio-economic empowerment for families with children. The analysis of Ghana’s policy efforts highlights what is currently happening and what needs to happen for child welfare in West Africa.     

司法体制改革背景下司法警院警察体育教学研究 ——以广东司法警官职业学院为例

新时期司法体制改革背景下,狱内最低伤害武力控制理念的提出及技能运用,对司法警院警察体育教学的改革提出了新要求。对司法警院警察体育教学的改革措施等进行探讨分析,旨在为进一步提高我国司法警院警察体育教学水平,提升学警们的防卫控制技术水平以及增强监狱警察处理突发事件的能力和警察的法制意识、安全意识、责任意识等提供参考。     

Teens and Spice: A Review of Adolescent Fatalities Associated with Synthetic Cannabinoid Use

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are commonly abused by adolescents with reported past year (2013) use in high school students between 3 and 10%. Standard adolescent postmortem toxicology does not include routine SC analysis, and thus, the true burden of fatalities related to SCs is unknown. A retrospective case review of two cases included scene investigation, interviews, autopsy, and toxicology. SCs were confirmed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC?MS/MS). Review of the eight adolescent SC‐associated fatalities in the literature revealed five of eight cases had no other discernible cause of death on autopsy. Compounds detected included PB‐22 (1.1 ng/mL), JWH‐210 (12 ng/mL), XLR‐11 (1.3 ng/mL), JWH‐122, AB‐CHMINACA (8.2 ng/mL), UR‐144 (12.3 ng/mL), and JWH‐022 (3 ng/mL). With synthetic drug use on the rise, forensic experts should have a high index of suspicion for the possibility of SC intoxication in adolescent fatalities with no other discernible cause of death.     

Quantifying Macrophages and Hemosiderin in Pediatric Dura Mater,

Determining the age of a subdural hematoma at autopsy is of great interest for medicolegal purposes. The appearance of pigment‐laden macrophages is often referenced as evidence that the subdural hematoma is 3–4 days old. However, understanding the significance of macrophages and hemosiderin requires understanding the histology of infant dura. Samples of grossly unremarkable dura taken from 17 pediatric autopsies were identified and histologically confirmed to lack subdural neomembrane. CD68 immunostaining and Prussian blue staining was performed. The CD68‐positive cells per high‐power field were quantified, and the presence of iron‐containing cells was recorded. CD68‐positive cells were present in all cases, even in the dural border layer. Iron‐containing cells were identified in 59% of cases, and in the dural border layer in 29%. Therefore, CD68‐positive and iron‐containing cells can be present in pediatric dura without neomembrane or macroscopic subdural hemorrhage, and this requires consideration when estimating the age of a subdural hematoma.     

Life Before “I Killed the Man That Raped Me”: Pre-Prison Life Experiences of Incarcerated Women With Life Sentences and Subsequent Treatment Needs

The number of incarcerated women serving a life sentence is growing. This subpopulation rarely receives programming in prison or even inclusion in intervention studies’ samples. According to importation theory, characteristics of prisoners’ pre-prison experiences guide the types of interventions provided to prisoners. This study examined the importation factors for a sample of women serving life sentences and used thematic analysis to understand these factors. The primary theme was the dominance of trauma in women’s pre-prison lives with four connected sub-themes that highlight treatment needs pre-and during prison. One implication of this study is improving prison policies to include this subpopulation in treatment opportunities.     

Fifty Years After the 1967 Crime Commission Report

In the 50 years since the U.S. President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice under President Johnson issued its report, feminist activism and both feminist and mainstream research have resulted in defining domestic violence (DV) as a social problem. This awareness of the seriousness and expansiveness of DV has spurred the development of unprecedented programs and policies. Although DV policing changes have been significant, so too have been the development of and changes in safehouses, no‐drop court policies, domestic violence courts, community‐coordinated responses, and batterer intervention programs. In this article, we review the nonpolice responses to DV cases and outcomes and provide recommendations. First, research and policies need to more regularly be aimed at addressing victims’ safety and their diverse needs and experiences. Second, assessments should include addressing the processing of these cases through the impact of responses by individual community and criminal legal system actors (e.g., victim advocates, police, prosecutors, and judges) to victims and offenders.