THE ROLE OF NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT IN YOUTH CO‐OFFENDING

Despite co‐offending being a core criminological fact, locating suitable peers has many challenges. Chief among these, given the risky nature of co‐offending, is finding trustworthy accomplices. We propose that neighborhoods serve as youths’ most ready source of accomplices, and as such, their composition affects the likelihood of identifying suitable co‐offenders. In particular, youth are more likely to co‐offend in contexts with more peers of their race/ethnicity, less disadvantage, and greater residential stability—all of which promote trust among neighbors. We test our hypotheses using multilevel models applied to census data and official court records for 7,484 delinquent youth in a large metropolitan area. The results offer support for our hypotheses and provide greater insight into how individual and contextual factors combine to affect co‐offending behavior. An implication of these findings is that many of the same neighborhood characteristics that reduce crime lead to a greater proportion of co‐offending.     

侵犯注册商标专用权犯罪中几个关键问题研究

现有的调整和规制假冒注册商标和销售注册商标的商品等犯罪的法律条文及司法解释在实践中被暴露存在诸多问题,如证据标准问题、犯罪既遂与未遂问题、罪数形态不明等问题,不仅无法满足打击和预防新形势下侵犯注册商标犯罪的客观需要,而且给公安司法机关带来法律适用上的困惑,同时也与尊重和保障人权相违背。必须结合我国法治现状及刑事法律规定,综合打击犯罪和保障人权价值功能的要求,对相关规定予以修改、完善。     

Resolution of African versus non-African origin using a likelihood based method and 11 Y-chromosomal STRs

We propose a simple method for estimation of genetic origin, based on ratios between allelic frequencies of 11 widely applied Y-chromosomal STRs. Using this strategy on 488 men of known ethnicity, it correctly discerned Africans from non-Africans in 89% of the cases.     

DNATyper^TM15基因座的研究与选择

目的为研发复合扩增荧光检测试剂盒,对现有的STR基因座进行分析研究并优选新的高鉴别力基因座。方法收集汉族、锡泊族、畲族、壮族、藏族等5个民族群体血样共1200份,提取DNA,应用复合扩增方法检测1200名5个民族群体无关个体的24个基因座的等位基因分布。结果TPOX和TH01基因座的等位基因在5个民族群体中分布不平衡;D2S1338、D6S1043和Penta E等3个STR基因座在5个民族群体中均具有高度遗传多态性,等位基因频率分布均匀,在各群体间无显著差异,而且等位基因传递遵循孟德尔遗传规律。结论确定出DNATyperTM15试剂盒中的14个适合中国人群体遗传学特征和法医学应用的STR基因座。     

Are repeatedly victimized households different?

Much recent victimization research has concentrated on predicting who will be victimized, with relatively little concern for the number of events suffered. This study turns to the latter issue by focusing attention on the prediction of repeat victimization. A statistical methodology is employed which allows for the explicit recognition that an initial victimization must occur prior to any repeat event. When applied to property crime information from the 1984 British Crime Survey, we find little evidence that repeat victims have distinctive characteristics compared with single victims. Nevertheless, households with characteristics which protect from victimization, in the sense of giving rise to a low initial risk, have this protection reduced for a subsequent event. Moreover, comparing two households with different risk characteristics, their repeat victimization probabilities are more similar than were those for the initial occurrence.     

UNPACKING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ADOLESCENT EMPLOYMENT AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR: A MATCHED SAMPLES COMPARISON*

A large body of research has consistently found that intensive employment during the school year is associated with heightened antisocial behavior. These findings have been influential in prompting policy recommendations to establish stricter limits on the number of hours that students can work during the school year. We reexamine the linkage between first‐time work at age 16 during the school year and problem behaviors. Our analysis uses group‐based trajectory modeling to stratify youths based on their developmental history of crime and substance abuse. This stratification serves to control for preexisting differences between workers and nonworkers and permits us to examine whether the effect of work on problem behaviors depends on the developmental history of those behaviors. Contrary to most prior research we find no overall effect of working on either criminal behavior or substance abuse. However, we do find some indication that work may have a salutary effect on these behaviors for some individuals who had followed trajectories of heightened criminal activity or substance abuse prior to their working for the first time.     

Evaluation of Direct PCR Amplification Using Various Swabs and Washing Reagents

DNA profiles were generated via direct amplification from blood and saliva samples deposited on various types of swab substrates. Each of the six non-FTA substrates used in this research was punched with a Harris 1.2 mm puncher. After 0.1 μL of blood or 0.5 μL saliva, samples were deposited on each of these punches, samples were pretreated with one of four buffers and washing reagents. Amplification was performed using direct and nondirect autosomal and Y-STR kits. Autosomal and Y-STR profiles were successfully generated from most of these substrates when pretreated with buffer or washing reagents. Concordant profiles were obtained within and between the six substrates, the six amplification kits, and all four reagents. The direct amplification of substrates which do not contain lysing agent would be beneficial to the forensic community as the procedure can be used on evidence samples commonly found at crime scenes.     

A Comparison of DNA Extraction Using AutoMate Express™ and EZ1 Advanced XL from Liquid Blood,Bloodstains, and Semen Stains

In this study, DNA was extracted using an AutoMate Express? and an EZ1 Advanced XL from liquid blood, fresh and aged bloodstains, and fresh and aged semen stains. Extracted DNA was quantified by real‐time PCR using the D17Z1 locus. Short tandem repeat typing was performed using an AmpF?STR^® Identifiler kit. The yields of DNA obtained by the AutoMate Express? were higher from fresh bloodstains and fresh semen stains, almost the same from aged bloodstains and aged semen stains, but slightly lower from liquid blood compared with those obtained by the EZ1 Advanced XL. The addition of dithiothreitol or the use of PrepFiler? lysis buffer improved the EZ1 Advanced XL results from fresh bloodstains, but not for liquid blood and aged bloodstains. Our results demonstrated that the PrepFiler? lysis buffer is the main contributor to the higher DNA yields of the AutoM ate Express? for fresh bloodstains.     

Arsonists Suffering From Schizophrenia—A Description in Comparison with Other Offenders with a Similar Diagnosis

This study aims to describe the small and distinct subgroup of arsonists diagnosed with schizophrenia, their motives, personal, and crime scene characteristics. While prior research identified significant differences to other criminals, firesetters in general, or mentally disordered offenders, there are no comparisons with other offender patients with schizophrenia so far. In a forensic institution in Switzerland, a group of 30 arsonists with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) was compared to 340 other offender patients with SSD using retrograde file analysis and multiple adapted Fisher´s exact tests. While symptoms of SSD were most defining of both groups, arsonists with SSD were more often single, unemployed, prescribed psychiatric medication at index offense, had a smaller variety of criminal motives, and acted out of anger or revenge in the context of a relationship. In conclusion, symptoms of SSD may be more defining and useful in guiding clinical practice than aspects specific to arsonists.     

D19S400基因座在中国3个汉族群体与日本人中的遗传多态性研究

为了解中国广州、吉林、成都三个地区汉族和日本人群体D19540O基因座基因频率分布，并获得中国三个汉族群体和日本群体D19M00基因座的群体遗传数据，比较它们之间的遗传学差异，探究在法医学应用中的意义。应用PCR扩增技术，聚丙烯酸胺凝胶垂直板电泳对D19S400基因座分型。在四个群体469个个体中共检出11个等位基因，45种基因型，基因型频率分布均符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡。各群体的观察杂合度为0.75～0.84，非父排除概率为0.6057～0.6582，个人识别机率为0．9301～0．9480。四个群体之间基因频率分布无显著性差异（P＞0．05）。结果表明，D19S400基因座在群体遗传学研究和法医学个人识别中有较高应用价值。