Identification through X-ray fluorescence analysis of dental restorative resin materials: a comprehensive study of noncremated, cremated, and processed-cremated individuals

Tooth-colored restorative materials are increasingly being placed in the practice of modern dentistry, replacing traditional materials such as amalgam. Many restorative resins have distinct elemental compositions that allow identification of brand. Not only are resins classifiable by elemental content, but they also survive extreme conditions such as cremation. This is of significance to the forensic odontologist because resin uniqueness adds another level of certainty in victim identification, especially when traditional means are exhausted. In this three-part study, unique combinations of resins were placed in six human cadavers (total 70 restorations). Simulated ante-mortem dental records were created. In a blind experiment, a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) unit was used to locate and identify the resin brands placed in the dentition. The technique was successful in location and brand identification of 53 of the restorations, which was sufficient to enable positive victim identification among the study group. This part of the experiment demonstrated the utility of portable XRF in detection and analysis of restorative materials for victim identification in field or morgue settings. Identification of individuals after cremation is a more difficult task, as the dentition is altered by shrinkage and fragmentation, and may not be comparable with a dental chart. Identification of processed cremains is a much greater challenge, as comminution obliterates all structural relationships. Under both circumstances, it is the nonbiological artifacts that aid in identification. Restorative resin fillings can survive these conditions, and can still be named by brand utilizing elemental analysis. In a continuation of the study, the cadavers were cremated in a cremation retort under standard mortuary conditions. XRF was again used to analyze retrieved resins and to identify the individuals based on restorative materials known to exist from dental records. The cremains were then processed and the analysis was repeated to determine whether restorative resins could be found under this extreme condition. Under both circumstances, sufficient surviving resin material was found to distinguish positively each individual in the study group. This study showed the utility of XRF as an analytical tool for forensic odontology and also the significance of the role of restorative resins in victim identification, even after cremation.     

和谐司法的人文解读

现代人文精神与社会主义和谐司法具有内在的契合性。在社会主义和谐司法的语境下,人文精神的内涵包括司法保障民生、司法疏导民意、司法维护民权以及司法化解民怨四个方面。当前和谐司法的使命就是要体现人文精神,建立和健全利益表达、司法救助、权益保障和纠纷解决四大机制。     

检察机关适用刑事和解调研报告

刑事和解是近年来我国各地检察机关努力探索的一种新的刑事案件处理方式。虽然目前尚缺乏有关刑事和解的统一法律规定,但检察机关适用刑事和解的实践表明,各地在刑事和解的适用范围、条件、程序等方面都存在着共通性和相似性,从而为立法上确立刑事和解制度奠定了基础。但同时,各地检察机关在刑事和解适用的证据条件、调解主体的担任、辩护人及诉讼代理人对刑事和解的参与等方面仍存在不同认识,需要从理论上进一步加以研究解决。     

Changing institutional culture in the wake of clerical abuse – the essentials of restorative and legal regulation

The Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse completed its final report in December 2017 after five years of hearings. The Royal Commission was the culmination of pressure from a series of public inquiries about institutional sexual abuse and sustained advocacy from victims and survivor support groups. The Commission made recommendations designed to change institutional leadership, governance and culture. The challenge is to have that change embedded in institutional culture. This paper considers how this might be done in a specific institution, the Catholic Church given that more than two-thirds of reported abuse in faith-based institutions occurred within its ranks. Regulatory theory suggests effective regulation must be responsive to past institutional behaviour. In the case of the Church, the task is profound given its strong self-protective culture which has long shielded abusers. The form of regulation must provide a balance where criminal sanctions loom large in the background while redress processes proceed in the foreground to repair both the harm suffered by survivors and renew Church culture.     

“Too much changing has happened to go back”: professional development,paradigm shifts and poetry

Restorative justice (RJ) holds significant potential as a means for nurturing relational school cultures and addressing harm within those contexts. However, educators participating in professional development (pd), often articulate a commitment to RJ in principle but tend to continue practicing a pedagogy that focuses on controlling student (mis) behavior apart from its relational context. Considering the strong philosophical perspective of humanity on which RJ is grounded, this phenomenological case study examines the impact of pd that explicitly (a) engages with core beliefs and values of RJ and (b) invites participants to examine their personal philosophical stance. Employing theory-guided analysis and poetic inquiry to examine participants’ reflections nine months following their experience, results indicate that commitment and practice are better aligned. A significant change in perspectives emerges self; others; current practice; and group engagement. A list of recommended components for professional development concludes the article.     

The Evolution of Balanced and Restorative Justice

Maloney, Armstrong, and Romig presented a portrait of “Joey,” who was the exemplar of what was wrong with the juvenile justice system, in 1988 when they published The Balanced Approach in this Journal. In response, they reimagined a juvenile justice system predicated on balancing three fundamental goals—protection of community, accountability to victims, and development of competencies to prepare juvenile court‐involved youth for productive roles in their communities. The authors examine the evolution of balanced and restorative justice and re‐imagine how Joey's life may have been different at critical junctures of his juvenile court involvement.     

Evaluation of a restorative justice-based,community-based program for people who have offended sexually: participant impact

Community Justice Initiatives, Kitchener, Canada, offers a Restorative Justice program called Revive to people impacted by sexual harm, including men who have offended sexually. This volunteer-led program treats participants with compassion while holding them accountable for sexual harm perpetrated. Program goals include reducing isolation, promoting self-awareness, and fostering healing. Based on restorative justice principles, positive community reintegration and reduction of further sexual offending are the ultimate goals of the program.

We evaluated information from a questionnaire administered at intake, after the 7-week phase, and again after participation in the peer-support group. Participants responded quantitatively about the impact of Revive on six sexual offense-related outcomes statements (e.g., gaining understanding of their triggers, understanding why they sexually offended). They also indicated the impact of Revive on psychosocial dimensions such as stigma perception and social support. Qualitative questions further elucidated the experience of Revive participation. Findings suggest that Revive has an impact on self-understanding of why they sexually offended, victim empathy, as well as stress reduction and increased self-esteem. We conclude that the restorative justice framework is a very hopeful, positive one and that the Revive program is effective at enacting restorative justice-based principles.     

律师阅卷难的法理分析及其立法建议

本文针对律师阅卷难的问题对全案移送制度及垄断证据的检察特权进行了法理分析;并在此基础上提出了全案移送检察院法院的“双轨制”,并对保障律师司法建议权提出了自己的看法。     

公正司法与构建社会主义和谐社会

实现社会公平正义是构建社会主义和谐社会的重要目标,司法公正是社会公平正义的底线,公正司法作为司法公正的实现途径,是构建和谐社会的基础性保障。文章通过分析我国当前不公正司法的表现、成因及其对构建社会主义和谐社会的危害,提出促进公正司法的对策和建议。     

联合国刑事司法准则视野下的我国少年司法程序

在《公民权利与政治权利国际公约》以及联合国其他关于少年司法的有关文件中,针对少年犯罪的司法程序有着许多方面的具体规定。以此视野关照中国的少年司法实践, 我国在少年法庭,少年犯的羁押、量型、非刑罚措施,以及少年犯案底和改造方面仍存在一定的问题。如何参照国刑事司法准则,完善我国少年司法程序,以更有效地预防少年犯罪,更地地改造失足少年,是我国批准和实施公约以健全法治所急需思考的问题。