Prospective Links Between Ethnic Socialization,Ethnic and American Identity,and Well-Being Among Asian-American Adolescents

Ethnic socialization and ethnic identity have been related to positive outcomes, but little research has examined these associations longitudinally. This three-wave study prospectively linked socialization messages at Time 1, ethnic identity and American identity at Time 2, and self-esteem and depressive symptoms at Time 3 in 147 (58 % female; 25 % first-generation) Asian-American adolescents. The results indicated positive links between cultural socialization messages and ethnic and American identity, though the latter association was significant only for females. Ethnic identity was positively related to self-esteem, and mediated the positive effect of cultural socialization on self-esteem. The promotion of mistrust was positively linked to self-esteem and negatively related to ethnic identity, though this latter association was significant for foreign-born youth only. Our findings highlight the importance of elucidating prospective links in identity development, and examining gender and generational differences within them.     

Reconstructing the Sequence of Events Surrounding Body Disposition Based on Color Staining of Bone*

Abstract: Literature regarding bone color is limited to determining location of primary and secondary dispositions. This research is the first to use bone color to interpret the sequence of events surrounding body disposition. Two scenarios were compared—bones buried and then exposed on the ground surface and bones exposed then buried. Forty juvenile pig humeri with minimal tissue were used in each scenario with an additional 20 controls to determine if decomposing tissue affects bone color. Munsell Color Charts were used to record bone color of surface and 2.5 cm cross‐sections. Results reveal five main surface colors attributed to soil, sun, hemolysis, decomposition, and fungi. Fungi on buried bones suggests prior surface exposure. Cross‐sections of strictly buried bones are identical to buried then exposed bone, stressing the importance of bone surface analysis. Cross‐sectioning may help verify remains have been exposed then buried. Decomposition of excess tissue creates minimal color staining.     

The Interrelationship Between Substance Abuse and the Likelihood of Arrest,Conviction, and Re-offending in Cases of Intimate Partner Violence

The nexus between substance abuse and intimate partner violence has been studied in depth. The interrelationship between substance abuse, intimate partner violence, and the criminal justice system response and subsequent offending has not received as much attention. In this article, the authors examine the impact of substance abuse on the likelihood of an officer’s decision to make an arrest, conviction in that case, and subsequent re-offending. The authors find that while official decision-making remains unaffected by the fact that the offender has been drinking and/or using drugs, substance abuse and subsequent re-offending are inextricably interlinked. These findings highlight the need to screen domestic violence offenders for alcohol/drug abuse, and provide offenders manifesting these problems with alcohol/drug treatment in addition to batterer treatment.     

Differential effects of general versus cued invitations on children’s reports of a repeated event episode

The ability to describe individual episodes of repeated events (such as ongoing abuse) can enhance children’s testimony and assist the progression of their cases through the legal system. Open-ended prompts have been advocated as a means to assist children in accurately retrieving information about individual episodes. In the current study, two subtypes of open-ended prompts (cued and general invitations) were compared for their effects on five- to nine-year-olds’ (n?=?203) reports about individual episodes of a repeated event. Interviews occurred 1–2 weeks after the last of 4 event sessions. Cued invitations assisted children to provide specific details about individual episodes of a repeated event, while general invitations were useful to elicit more broad happenings of the episodes. The accuracy of responses to general invitations was similar for children of all ages up to one week after the event, but at a longer interview delay younger children were less accurate than older children. There were no differences in the accuracy of responses to cued invitations as a function of age or interview delay. Results suggest that interviewers tasked with eliciting accounts of individual episodes from a repeated event, such as ongoing abuse, should consider the differential efficacy of each prompt-type on children’s reports.     

Substance abuse among sexual offenders: review of research and clinical implications*

Substance abuse, and in particular alcohol abuse, has been linked to the aetiology and maintenance of violent offending generally and sexual offending specifically. The current paper reviews the literature pertaining to substance abuse among sexual offenders and highlights theoretical developments in the area. An emphasis on issues associated with the therapeutic alliance is stressed when working with high-risk clients who present with multiple needs, including alcohol abuse. The discussion concludes with some practical suggestions regarding assessment and treatment of groups of moderate- to high-risk offenders.