Megan R. Kopkin, Stanley L. Brodsky and David DeMatteo
The legal system’s use of risk assessment has grown exponentially over the past several decades. Empirically validated risk measures are commonly implemented in parole, bail…
Abstract
Purpose
The legal system’s use of risk assessment has grown exponentially over the past several decades. Empirically validated risk measures are commonly implemented in parole, bail, civil commitment, and presentence proceedings. Despite their growing popularity, both policy-makers and legal scholars question their moral and legal acceptability, particularly in presentence proceedings. The purpose of this paper is to assess the current role of risk assessment in sentencing through an examination of the instrument currently under construction in the state of Pennsylvania.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on the current state of the literature, this paper evaluates the current use of risk assessment in criminal sentencing and discusses its consequences, both positive and negative.
Findings
Four areas for improvement in the use of risk assessment in sentencing were identified. Recommendations for change are proposed.
Practical implications
While the use of risk assessment within the legal system has significantly increased over the past several decades, the incorporation of risk assessment in presentence proceedings is a relatively new practice. This paper provides readers with insight on the appropriateness of using risk assessment in this context and provides suggestions for reducing ethical concerns. Recommendations for increasing the validity and clinical utility of these instruments are also discussed.
Originality/value
Although the literature on the use of risk assessment in legal proceedings is dense, relatively little is written about their use in criminal sentencing. This paper introduces readers to this concept by examining a risk measure proposed for use in the state of Pennsylvania’s presentence proceedings. The authors discuss concerns and propose recommendations for the future use of risk assessment in this setting.
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The basic family unit is an important institution whose scope and function has changed greatly over the past one hundred years. The contemporary form of the family is understood…
Abstract
The basic family unit is an important institution whose scope and function has changed greatly over the past one hundred years. The contemporary form of the family is understood as “conjugal and nuclear.” This implies a greater emphasis than previously on individual roles and relationships within the private sphere of the contemporary family. Additionally, the family is understood to have lost many of its former functions, further separating itself from the external world. The separation has further stripped the family from many of the roles it once had, with traditional familial functions performed by other institutions.
Jean Herold and Frederic Messick
The various indexes published by the H.W. Wilson Company are now helping a fourth generation of library users to find articles in hundreds of periodicals and journals. One Wilson…
Abstract
The various indexes published by the H.W. Wilson Company are now helping a fourth generation of library users to find articles in hundreds of periodicals and journals. One Wilson index in particular, the Social Sciences Index (SSI), has undergone major revamping in recent years. It was originally called the International Index (1907–1965). In April, 1965 it became the Social Sciences and Humanities Index; then in April, 1974 it split to form separate indexes for each area, simultaneously expanding the scope of coverage of both parts.
Justin T. Denney, Zhe Zhang, Bridget K. Gorman and Caleb Cooley
Purpose: In the current work, we provide a portrait of heavy alcohol use, cigarette smoking, mental health, and suicide ideation by sexual orientation among a large sample of US…
Abstract
Purpose: In the current work, we provide a portrait of heavy alcohol use, cigarette smoking, mental health, and suicide ideation by sexual orientation among a large sample of US adults aged 25 years and older.
Design/methodology/approach: We produce a repository of information on sexual orientation, substance use, mental well-being, and suicide ideation for adults aged 25 years and older using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys for nine US states from 2011 to 2018. We establish baseline differences on these outcomes for gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB), relative to heterosexual, adults and then use regression techniques to adjust the estimates for important sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and relationship status variables.
Findings: Disparities by sexual orientation across substance use, mental health, and suicide ideation are concerning, some alarmingly so. Bisexuals, particularly women, face pronounced challenges across outcomes. Sexual minority men and women report significantly more poor mental health days and much higher odds of suicide ideation. To illustrate, gay men, lesbians, and bisexual men and women, relative to their heterosexual counterparts, have odds of seriously contemplating taking their own lives that are two to four times higher even after adjusting for relevant controls.
Originality/value: Existing knowledge connecting GLB identity and mental well-being has focused largely on adolescent and young adults. We provide a representative study on older adult differences across four different behavioral health outcomes by sexual orientation. The scale of the disparities we report here, and their implications for overall well-being across groups, deserves national attention and action.
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Katharine K. Baker and Michelle Oberman
This paper evaluates the modern baseline presumption of nonconsent in sexual assault (rape) cases in light of different theories of sexuality (feminism on the one hand and sex…
Abstract
This paper evaluates the modern baseline presumption of nonconsent in sexual assault (rape) cases in light of different theories of sexuality (feminism on the one hand and sex positivism/queer theory on the other) and in light of how sexuality manifests itself in the lives of contemporary young women. The authors analyze social science literature on contemporary heterosexual practices such as sexting and hook-ups, as well as contemporary media imagery, to inform a contemporary understanding of the ways in which young people perceive and experience sex. Using this evidence as a foundation, the authors reconsider the ongoing utility of a baseline presumption of nonconsent in sexual assault cases. This paper demonstrates the complex relationship between women’s sexual autonomy, the contemporary culture’s encouragement of women’s celebration of their own sexual objectification and the persistence of high rates of unwanted sex. In the end, it demonstrates why a legal presumption against consent may neither reduce the rate of nonconsensual sex, nor raise the rate of reported rapes. At the same time, it shows how the presumption itself is unlikely to generate harmful consequences: if it deters anything, it likely deters unwanted sex, whether consented to or not.
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Sex‐role attitudes in therapy are examined, focusing on the therapist's attitudes. The sexism that all therapists possess is investigated and whether this sexism influences the…
Abstract
Sex‐role attitudes in therapy are examined, focusing on the therapist's attitudes. The sexism that all therapists possess is investigated and whether this sexism influences the skills therapists use to the detriment of both male and female clients. It is likely that the therapist's experiences and ways of perceiving men and women will produce particular kinds of blocks in therapy which may vary for each therapist. A summary of the dialogue in interviews and therapy sessions for one male therapist is given.
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The purpose of this paper is to present an annotated bibliography of the new poetry volumes from the Poet's House 2008 Poetry Showcase.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present an annotated bibliography of the new poetry volumes from the Poet's House 2008 Poetry Showcase.
Design/methodology/approach
The titles were selected from the Poet's House 2008 Poetry Showcase as titles that are both challenging and accessible.
Findings
This list provides the librarian and reader with a guide to collection development in poetry.
Originality/value
This is one of the few lists of its kind showcasing contemporary poetry.
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IN the Douglas Super DC‐3 twin‐engined commercial transport, now being demonstrated throughout North and South America, may be seen an instructive example of what has come to be…
Abstract
IN the Douglas Super DC‐3 twin‐engined commercial transport, now being demonstrated throughout North and South America, may be seen an instructive example of what has come to be known in the aircraft industry as ‘bread‐and‐butter engineering’—the extension of the normal life‐span of a well‐tried design by rebuilding to modern operational and airworthiness standards. The ubiquitous DC‐3, from which the ‘super’ version is derived, has itself long been the bread‐and‐butter work‐horse of the air transport world, but its days are numbered under promulgated I.C.A.O. regulations which become operative in 1953. By rebuilding and modernizing the DC‐3 to international civil airworthiness standards, Douglas are out to show operators that the Super DC‐3 is the logical post‐war replacement in the twin‐engined short‐haul category.
Min-Kyu Choi, Peter J. Jordan and Ashlea C. Troth
The working day has always comprised frequent interruptions. Yet the frequency and intensity of these disruptions appear to be on the rise as a result of advancing technology…
Abstract
Purpose
The working day has always comprised frequent interruptions. Yet the frequency and intensity of these disruptions appear to be on the rise as a result of advancing technology, increasing interdependent work processes, and changing work environments (e.g., open-plan offices). Interestingly, there have only been a handful of studies on workplace interruptions, and the primary focus among researchers has been on the effects of interruptions on task completion. In this chapter, we argue that interruptions at work can be conceptualized as emotion-inducing events. We draw on research across different disciplines to develop a framework to show how the work-enhancing or work-hindering effects of different types of interruptions are, in part, determined by the employees' capability to manage (regulate) their emotional responses.
Approach
We initially review the literature regarding workplace interruptions. We then develop a framework for understanding the different types of interruptions experienced by individuals at work and then use this framework to develop a model linking interruptions to emotion regulation drawing on Affective Events Theory (Weiss & Cropanzano, 1996). In essence, we advance our understanding of work interruptions by considering these as events that are able to produce positive or negative affective reactions that may enhance or hinder work performance.
Originality/Value
The framework presented in this chapter increases understanding of the different types of workplace interruptions and shows how emotion regulation impacts subsequent work-related outcomes. This chapter provides valuable insights into the nature of work interruptions to identify both positive and negative aspects of work interruptions to establish two different domains of work interruptions that may improve (work-enhancing interruptions) or thwart (work-hindering interruptions) work-related outcomes. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.