The Sexual Violence Risk-20: factor structure and psychometric properties

Although the Sexual Violence Risk-20 (SVR-20) is widely used, its psychometric properties have only been investigated in a limited number of studies. This study explored the factor structure of the SVR-20 and examined its psychometric properties. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the fit of the original three-domain model of the SVR-20. The CFA showed that the original structure was not satisfactory. Exploratory principal components analysis (PCA) was conducted in search of a more optimal factor structure. Psychometric properties (i.e., internal consistency, predictive value, and convergent validity) of both the original domains and alternative factors were investigated. The PCA and subsequent CFAs pointed in the direction of an alternative, more optimal three-factor solution. The three alternative factors were labeled as Antisociality, Sexual deviance, and Problematic thinking and produced better internal consistency coefficients than the original domains. However, the validity of the SVR-20 was modest and no evidence was found indicating that the alternative factors were better in this regard as compared to the original domains. Despite the overall superiority of actuarial measures in predicting recidivism, the structured professional judgment of the SVR-20 proved to be more predictive of sexual, violent, and general recidivism than its actuarial scoring method.     

The relation between interviewers’ personal characteristics and investigative interview performance in a child sexual abuse context

Despite important progress in knowledge about interview ‘best practice’ with child victims, few studies had yet evaluated the impact of interviewers’ personal characteristics on adherence to these ‘best practice’. This study was designed to determine whether interviewers’ personal characteristics are associated with adherence to a structured interview protocol (National Institute of Child and Human Development), the use of open-ended questions and the amount of details provided in children’s responses during investigative interviews with alleged victims of child sexual abuse. 114 interviews were scored from 13 police investigators after they followed a one-week training program. Results showed that experience, emotional intelligence, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and Neuroticism were related with adherence to the protocol and ratio of open-ended questions. Cognitive abilities were related to the amount of details obtained from the child. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare relative contribution of each variable. These findings raise questions about how investigative interviewers are selected and trained.     

Death related to aortic coarctation in a young female during sexual intercourse

Coarctation of the aorta (CA) is diagnosed mainly in pediatric patients, and therapy is conservative if asymptomatic, but surgical treatment is required if advanced arterial hypertension is present. Moderate to severe forms contraindicate any type of physical activity requiring cardiac effort. Here, we describe the first documented death of an apparently healthy 35-year-old woman because of cardiac tamponade by rupture of an aortic aneurysm, possibly related to congenital CA, prolonged use of oxymetazoline hydrochloride, and physical and/or emotional stress during sexual activity. Our patient was asymptomatic for classical CA symptoms. The patient's breathing difficulties likely in hindsight were due not so much to nasal congestion, but rather to an ineffective oxygenation of the blood from the abnormal heart. In an attempt to treat the "nasal disease," the patient ingested chronic and excessive doses of decongestants, aggravating her fatal disease. The danger of inhaling large doses of nasal decongestants without an appropriate medical indication is highlighted here.     

Y-haplotype screening of local patrilineages followed by autosomal STR typing can detect likely perpetrators in some populations

The male-specific, human Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) are very useful in forensic analysis and human evolution studies. The authors report two sexual crime cases in which the perpetrators were successfully traced using Y-haplotype screening of local patrilineages followed by autosomal STR typing. First, several main local patrilineages from local cases were investigated using Y-STR haplotyping, aimed to find the pedigrees whose haplotypes were identical or similar to those of the crime scene samples. Then, several key suspects were defined from the screened pedigrees, and autosomal STR typing was performed to identify the perpetrator of the crime. The application of Y-haplotype screening of local patrilineages followed by autosomal STR typing in these two cases demonstrates its usefulness for solving sexually related crimes in certain populations.     

Distorting Vicarious Liability

The note considers the decision of the Court of Appeal in Maga v The Trustees of the Birmingham Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church and analyses the application of the status based risk approach to vicarious liability in that case. It considers its application outside of the area of clerical sexual abuse, and also the role in vicarious liability of job conferred status which materially increases the risk of the commission of a tort, or helps to facilitate a tort.     

嫖宿幼女罪再思考——一种国际公约的视角

嫖宿幼女罪自其设立之时就在学者中间存有争议,近年来发生的几起影响较大的嫖宿幼女案,更将争论推向社会各界。在这些争论中,更多的意见是废除嫖宿幼女罪,将嫖宿幼女并人奸淫幼女,以强奸罪论处。从国际公约的视角来看,嫖宿幼女罪的罪名确属不当,然而,将嫖宿幼女合并于奸淫幼女的意见也值得商确,事实上也难以实现。综合考虑各种因素,建议废除嫖宿幼女罪,将嫖宿幼女当作强迫幼女卖淫,以强迫卖淫罪论处。     

Violent Victimization,Aggression, and Parent-Adolescent Relations: Quality Parenting as a Buffer for Violently Victimized Youth

Prospective associations between violent victimization, the quality of the parent-adolescent relationship, and the subsequent onset of violent aggression were examined. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), participants were divided into violent and non-violent cohorts based on whether they had committed an act of violence prior to Wave 1. Results showed that violent victimization at Wave 1 predicted the onset of violent aggression at Wave 2 for adolescents who were non-violent at baseline. Earlier violent victimization, however, had no effect on aggression trajectories for baseline violent adolescents. Parent-adolescent relations functioned as a protective buffer, such that violently victimized adolescents who reported high quality relationships with parents were less likely to be involved in violent aggression at Wave 2. Subsequent gender interaction analyses revealed that while the buffering effect was evident for males, parent-adolescent relations did not protect females from the onset of aggressive behaviors. Findings are evaluated in light of social learning and cycle of violence theories that highlight the role of violent victimization among adolescents.

Y-STRs in forensic medicine: DNA analysis in semen samples of azoospermic individuals

ABSTRACT: The incidence of rape has increased, especially in metropolitan areas, such as the city of São Paulo. In Brazil, studies about it have shown that the majority of this type of crime is committed by the relatives and persons close to the victim. This has made the crime more difficult to be denounced, as only 10% of the cases are reported to competent police authorities. Usually, cytological exams are carried out in sex crime investigations. The difficulty in showing the presence of spermatozoa is frequent, but it does not exclude the presence of male DNA. The absence of spermatozoa in material collected from rape victims can be due to several factors, including the fact that the agressor suffers from azoospermia. This condition can be the result of a successful vasectomy. As the majority of DNA in the ejaculation sample is from spermatozoa, there is much less DNA to be analyzed. This study presents the application of Y‐STRs (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, and DYS393) in DNA analysis of sperm samples from 105 vasectomized men. The study demonstrated a great variation in DNA concentration. DNA extraction and amplification was possible in all sperm samples even in the absence of spermatozoa. The same profile was observed, for each individual, from DNA extracted from blood, pre‐ and postvasectomy semen samples. The use of markers specific for Y chromosome in sex crime cases, especially in the absence of spermatozoa, is very important, mainly because in most situations there is a small quantity of the agressor's DNA in the medium and a large quantity of the victim's DNA.     

Association for Methodology and Documentation in Psychiatry Profiles Predict Later Risk for Criminal Behavior and Violent Crimes in Former Inpatients with Affective Disorder*

Abstract: Few studies have investigated criminal and violent behavior in patients with affective disorders. We reviewed the national crime register for records of criminal offenses committed by 1561 patients with affective disorders and studied the predictive value of certain psychopathological symptoms assessed with the Association for Methodology and Documentation in Psychiatry (AMDP) system concerning future criminal behavior. Sixty‐five (4.2%) patients had been convicted in the 7–12 years after discharge (307 cases). Patients with the AMDP syndrome mania had a significantly higher risk for later criminal behavior. The combination with the hostility syndrome further increased the risk. These findings are in line with previous data indicating a higher risk for later criminal behavior in patients with a manic/bipolar disorder compared to depressive disorder. As previously demonstrated in another sample of schizophrenic patients, the AMDP syndromes mania (and hostility) is associated with a higher risk of later criminal behavior.