An attempt to provide understandable and up-to-date information regarding intelligence testing, intelligence theories, personal competence, adaptive behavior and intellectual disability (mental retardation) as they relate to death penalty (capital punishment) issues. A particular focus will be on psychological measurement, statistical and psychometric issues.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Article: Guest post by Norm Pattis on his new book, "Juries and Justice"
Guest post by Norm Pattis on his new book, "Juries and Justice"
http://sentencing.typepad.com/sentencing_law_and_policy/2013/04/guest-post-by-norm-pattis-on-his-new-book-juries-and-justice.html
Video: Alan Alda with Owen Jones of Vanderbilt University Law School
Alan Alda with Owen Jones of Vanderbilt University Law School
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96U8I3mgXNg
Sent via Flipboard
Monday, April 1, 2013
Article: RESOURCES: "Handbook of Forensic Psychiatric Practice in Capital Cases"
RESOURCES: "Handbook of Forensic Psychiatric Practice in Capital Cases"
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/resources-handbook-forensic-psychiatric-practice-capital-cases
Sent via Flipboard
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Article: Two notable (and notably distinct) new capital punishment papers
Two notable (and notably distinct) new capital punishment papers
http://sentencing.typepad.com/sentencing_law_and_policy/2013/03/two-notable-and-notably-distinct-new-capital-punishment-papers.html
Sent via Flipboard
Friday, March 29, 2013
You might like The MindHub on Flipboard
Check out The MindHub by Kevin McGrew http://flip.it/TMcLM
The MindHub Flipboard Magazine. All you need is the free Flipboard app (iPad, iPhone, Android phones, Nook and Kindle - http://flipboard.com/) and you can stay up-to-date on Web content curated by the MindHub. You can also suck other content into this one stop app for all your news and content (USA Today; news headlines; magazines; FB; LinkedIN; Endgaget; etc.). I use it to browse everything I am interested in every day, from around the world, as I drink my AM Java. I love this FREE app.*****************************************Kevin McGrew, Phd.Educational PsychologistInstitute for Applied PsychometricsDirector IAP*****************************************
Monday, March 18, 2013
Top-Ten Recent SSRN Downloads [feedly]
Saturday, March 16, 2013
"Sentencing Policy Adjudication and Empiricism" with a focus on federal child porn sentencing [feedly]
Federal sentencing is in disarray with a raging debate pitting Congress, the United States Sentencing Commission, and the federal judiciary against each other. Ever since the Supreme Court rendered the federal guidelines as merely advisory in United States v. Booker, the rate of variances from guidelines' recommendations has increased. After the Supreme Court in Kimbrough v. United States ruled that a sentencing judge could reject the crack cocaine guideline for a policy dispute with a Commission guideline, the variance rate has risen further still. While Booker/Kimbrough permits the judiciary some discretionary authority, it is threatening to the Commission and the legitimacy of its guidelines.
The downward variance rate is at its most extreme with a very controversial crime: child pornography offending. The courts are in disagreement as to whether, as a matter of law, a sentencing judge has the authority to use a Kimbrough-type categorical rejection of the child pornography guideline. Through a comprehensive review of federal sentencing opinions, common policy objections to the child pornography guideline are identified. The guideline is viewed as not representing empirical study, being influenced by Congressional directives, recommending overly severe sentences, and resulting in both unwarranted similarities and unwarranted disparities. The issue has resulted in a circuit split. This article posits a three-way split with four circuit courts of appeal expressly approving a policy rejection to the child pornography guideline, four circuits explicitly repudiating a policy rejection, and three circuits opting for a more neutral position. A comprehensive review of case law indicates that the circuit split is related to unwarranted disparities in sentencing child pornography offenders nationwide. This assessment was then corroborated by empirical study.
The Sentencing Commission's dataset of fiscal year 2011 child pornography sentences were analyzed to explore what impacts policy rejections and the circuit split may have on actual sentences issued. Bivariate measures showed statistically significant correlations among relevant measures. The average mean sentence in pro-policy rejection circuits, for example, was significantly lower than in anti-policy rejection circuits. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed using downward variances as the dependent variable. Results showed that that several circuit differences existed after controlling for other relevant factors, and they were relatively consistent with the direction the circuit split might suggest.
The article concludes that the child pornography guideline suffers from a multitude of substantial flaws and deserves no deference. It also concludes that there are no constitutional impediments to preventing a district judge from categorically rejecting the child pornography guideline. Booker and its progeny stand for the proposition that there are no mandatory guidelines, even if a guideline is the result of Congressional directive.
Journal Alert: J Am Acad Psychiatry Law Table of Contents for 1 March 2013; Vol. 41, No. 1
JAAPL Online Table of Contents Alert
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JAAPL Online Table of Contents Alert
- A new issue of Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online is available online:
- 1 March 2013; Vol. 41, No. 1
- The below Table of Contents is available online at: http://www.jaapl.org/content/vol41/issue1/index.dtl?etoc
Editorial
- Coercion in Research: Are Prisoners the Only Vulnerable Population?
- Barbara E. McDermott
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 8-13
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/8
Biography
- Doing It All: Reflections on Debra A. Pinals, MD, 39th President of AAPL
- Thomas G. Gutheil
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 14-17
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/14
Regular Article
- Believing Doesn't Make It So: Forensic Education and the Search for Truth
- Charles L. Scott
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 18-32
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/18
- Commentary: Forensic Education and the Quest for Truth
- J. Richard Ciccone
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 33-37
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/33
- Locks, Keys, and Security of Mind: Psychodynamic Approaches to Forensic Psychiatry
- Jessica Yakeley and Gwen Adshead
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 38-45
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/38
- Commentary: Forensic Psychotherapy
- Victor A. Altshul
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 46-48
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/46
- A Longitudinal Study of Administrative Segregation
- Maureen L. O'Keefe, Kelli J. Klebe, Jeffrey Metzner, Joel Dvoskin, Jamie Fellner, and Alysha Stucker
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 49-60
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/49
- Commentary: Toward an Improved Understanding of Administrative Segregation
- Robert H. Berger, M. Paul Chaplin, and Robert L. Trestman
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 61-64
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/61
- Fathers for Change: A New Approach to Working With Fathers Who Perpetrate Intimate Partner Violence
- Carla Smith Stover
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 65-71
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/65
- Dual Agency and Ethics Conflicts in Correctional Practice: Sources and Solutions
- Ana Natasha Cervantes and Annette Hanson
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 72-78
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/72
- Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Criminal Responsibility Determinations in the Post-Iraq Era: A Review and Case Report
- Richard L. Frierson
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 79-84
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/79
Analysis and Commentary
- Competency to Stand Trial and Defendants Who Lack Insight Into Their Mental Illness
- Andrew D. Reisner, Jennifer Piel, and Miller Makey, Jr
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 85-91
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/85
- Addiction Postulates and Legal Causation, or Who's in Charge, Person or Brain?
- David L. Wallace
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 92-97
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/92
- Parental Alienation, DSM-5, and ICD-11: Response to Critics
- William Bernet and Amy J. L. Baker
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 98-104
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/98
- The Ninth Circuit's Loughner Decision Neglected Medically Appropriate Treatment
- Alan R. Felthous
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 105-113
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/105
- Limitations of Constitutional Protections in Jackson v. Indiana Pertaining to Charges With No Statute of Limitations
- Liban Rodol, Martin F. Epson, and Joseph D. Bloom
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 114-120
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/114
Legal Digest
- Mentally Ill in Police Custody: Subjective Standard Denied
- Tobias Wasser and Laurel Edwards
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 121-123
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/121
- Ready or Not? Expert Testimony in Competency Proceedings
- John Bonetti and Victoria M. Dreisbach
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 123-125
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/123
- Family Preservation Versus Child Wellbeing Under the Indian Child Welfare Act
- Rebecca Weiss, Lindsay M. S. Oberleitner, and Caroline J. Easton
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 125-127
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/125
- Sleep Terrors and the Restriction of Expert Witness Testimony
- Remy A. Sirken and Caren Teitelbaum
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 127-129
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/127
- Difficulties in Determining Competency and Appropriate Sentences for Defendants With Intellectual Impairments
- Kendell L. Coker and Madelon V. Baranoski
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 129-132
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/129
- Special Considerations and Disposition for Persons With Intellectual Disabilities in the Criminal Justice System
- Joseph Chien and Susan Parke
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 132-134
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/132
- Missouri Supreme Court Reverses Judgment on a Wrongful-Death Claim Following a Suicide
- Dor Marie Arroyo-Carrero and Charles Dike
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 134-136
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/134
- Sexually Violent Predators Have a Right to Competent Counsel
- David D. Vachon and Reena Kapoor
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 136-138
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/136
- Tort Reform Legislation: Connecticut Supreme Court Clarifies Standard for Negligence Action Against a Health Care Provider
- Olumide O. Oluwabusi and Kevin V. Trueblood
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 138-140
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/138
- Too Dangerous to Be NGRI?
- Taiye Ogundipe and Chandrika Shankar
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 140-142
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/140
Books and Media
- The Ugly Laws: Disability in Public
- William J. Phelan, IV
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 143-144
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/143
- Violence Goes to College: An Authoritative Guide to Prevention and Intervention
- Stewart S. Newman
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 144-145
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/144
- American Legal Injustice: Behind the Scenes With an Expert Witness
- Howard H. Sokolov
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 145-146
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/145
- Women in Psychiatry: Personal Perspectives
- Cheryl D. Wills
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 146-148
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/146
- The Intouchables: Who Defines Antisocial?
- Kenneth J. Weiss and Samson Gurmu
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 148-152
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/148
- Hope Springs: A New Spring in Depicting Therapists and Treatment by Hollywood?
- Mark S. Komrad
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 152-153
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/152
Letters
- Letters
- Mary Hartshorn
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 154
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/154
- Letters
- Adam Bayes and Matthew Large
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 154-155
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/154-a
- Letters
- Anneliese A. Pontius
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 155-156
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/155
- Reply
- Paul R. S. Burton, Dale E. McNiel, and Renée L. Binder
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 156-157
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/156
- Letters
- Geoffrey Neimark and Matthew Hurford
- J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2013;41 157
http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/41/1/157
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Research Byte: When Forensic Examiners Disagree: Bias, or Just Inaccuracy?
AU Mossman, D
AF Mossman, Douglas
TI When Forensic Examiners Disagree: Bias, or Just Inaccuracy?
SO PSYCHOLOGY PUBLIC POLICY AND LAW
AB Previous investigators have suggested that bias might account for the
disparate rates at which examiners conclude that defendants are
competent to stand trial (CST). This article describes three computer
studies of how biases and imperfect accuracy might affect rates of
disagreement. Study 1 assumed that examiners could discriminate between
competent and incompetent accurately (effect size = 1.81, receiver
operating characteristic area = 0.90) and used computer simulation of
20,000 pairs of CST evaluations to determine how different judgment
thresholds (e. g., thresholds exemplifying biases toward opinions that
defendants were competent or incompetent) would elevate disagreement
rates above those expected through chance error alone. Studies 2 and 3
evaluated the assumptions of Study 1 using previously published data to
make inferences about examiner accuracy and threshold locations.
Imperfect accuracy alone would often explain much between-examiner
disagreement, even if examiners approached evaluations with distinct
biases. Results from Studies 2 and 3 suggested that assumptions used in
Study 1 were reasonable. Many instances of between-examiner disagreement
might be attributable to imperfect accuracy that expresses itself in
random errors, rather than to examiner biases that imply different
thresholds for judging defendants' competence.
PD FEB
PY 2013
VL 19
IS 1
BP 40
EP 55
ER
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Texas Tribune - Bill Would Limit Execution of Intellectually Disabled
> March 6, 2013 | Texas Tribune
>
> Bill Would Limit Execution of Intellectually Disabled
> by Brandi Grissom
>
> Before Texas executed Marvin Wilson last year for the 1992 murder of Jerry Robert Williams in Beaumont, his case generated headlines, reminding the nation of a rather unique corner of death penalty law here.
>
> The standards used to determine whether a Texan convicted of murder is mentally fit to be executed are based in part on the fictional character Lennie from John Steinbeck's classic novel Of Mice and Men, a fact that enraged the author's son.
>
> "I find the whole premise to be insulting, outrageous, ridiculous and profoundly tragic," Thomas Steinbeck said, calling for a halt to Wilson's execution. "I am certain that if my father, John Steinbeck, were here, he would be deeply angry and ashamed to see his work used in this way."
>
> State Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, said Wilson's execution and other cases left him feeling embarrassed for his home state. "It's junk science. Its not a credible way of making a decision," he said.
>
> So Ellis filed Senate Bill 750, which would establish new — and, he argues, more scientific — standards to determine when a convicted Texan is too intellectually disabled to face the death penalty. The bill revives a decade-old fight with prosecutors, who argue that the current standards are adequate and that Ellis' proposal would make it too easy for defendants to make a case that they are mentally retarded and exempt from the death penalty.
>
> "Sen. Ellis' proposal creates two or three additional bites at the apple for a defendant to show he is mentally retarded, and it skews the process," said Shannon Edmonds, spokesman for the Texas District and County Attorneys Association.
>
> In 2001, Texas lawmakers approved a bill by then-state Rep. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, now a state senator, that would have implemented new requirements for courts to have independent experts evaluate defendants to determine whether they were mentally retarded. Gov. Rick Perry vetoed the bill. In a proclamation with his veto, he argued that existing safeguards were effective in preventing the execution of the mentally disabled.
>
> The U.S. Supreme Court in 2002 ruled in Atkins v. Virginia that states could not execute the mentally disabled because it violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. But it allowed states to develop their own criteria for mental disabilities.
>
> Texas lawmakers, though, were unable to agree on criteria. Prosecutors wanted a standard in which jurors would decide during the penalty phase of a capital murder trial whether a defendant was too intellectually disabled to face execution, allowing them to consider the person's past crimes in the decision-making. Defense lawyers supported creating a process that allowed a judge to evaluate the defendant's mental fitness.
>
> "A legislative fix is always preferable to a judicial fix when the parties can come together and agree on a solution," Edmonds said. "The problem is that prosecutors and anti-death penalty advocates have never been able to agree on how to address this legislatively."
>
> In 2004, when Jose Garcia Briseño's case came before the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the nine judges were without legislative guidance and developed their own standards. Lawyers for Briseño, who is still on death row, argued that he was mentally retarded and should not face execution for the 1991 murder of a Dimmit County sheriff's deputy. The court rejected those arguments and in the process developed the so-called Briseño factors that are used now to determine whether Texas defendants are eligible for the death penalty.
>
> The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals invoked, in part, an evaluation of Lennie from Steinbeck's book, writing that "most Texas citizens would agree that Steinbeck's Lennie should, by virtue of his lack of reasoning ability and adaptive skills, be exempt from execution. But does a consensus of Texas citizens agree that all persons who might legitimately qualify for assistance under the social services definition of mental retardation be exempt from an otherwise constitutional penalty?"
>
> The court's three-part definition requires the convicted inmate to have below average intellectual function, to lack adaptive behavior skills and to have had those problems prior to age 18.
>
> Lawyers for at least 90 Texas death row inmates have brought so-called Atkins claims before the courts, arguing that their clients' limited cognitive functioning exempted them from execution. Of those, 14 have been deemed mentally retarded and their sentences commuted to life in prison.
>
> Prosecutors stopped asking legislators to approve standards after the court adopted the Briseño standards, Edmonds said, because they wearied of the fight with defense lawyers and because they were mostly satisfied with court's solution.
>
> "I think Texas can continue under the current standard and remain in compliance with Supreme Court case law," Edmonds said.
>
> But defense lawyers say that Texas still puts mentally retarded defendants to death, flouting the Supreme Court's prohibition. They argue that Ellis' bill is a critical step to ensure that the courts rely on scientific evaluations of mental capacity and that the state doesn't violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
>
> "Reliance on the Briseño factors is frankly something that has made the state the butt of much scientific criticism," said Kathryn Kase, director of the Texas Defender Service, which represents death row inmates.
>
> Ellis' bill would use the definition developed by the American Association on Intellectual Developmental Disabilities to determine whether a defendant is eligible for the death penalty. A key part of the standard set out in the proposal is that the defendant must have an IQ of 75 or below to be exempt from execution. Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, New Mexico, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Washington use similar standards, but require an IQ of 70 or below for exemption.
>
> "The most appropriate thing for state statute is to be parallel to existing definitions that are existing professionally within the field," said Ed Polloway, dean of graduate studies at Virginia's Lynchburg College and a member of the AAIDD's death penalty task force. The task force is developing a guide for states to use to evaluate defendants for intellectual disabilities.
>
> "Our attempt is to stay as close to the science as possible," Polloway said.
>
> The AAIDD's definition of intellectual disability, he said, is used to determine state and federal aid for programs like Medicaid and special education placement in schools. The existing Texas death penalty standard, Polloway said, would allow for the execution of individuals who are considered intellectually disabled for the purposes of government programs.
>
> Ellis said basing decisions about who is fit for execution on established scientific research would save Texas money it would otherwise spend fighting inmates' appeals.
>
> "It will protect the rule of law and the integrity of our judicial system," he said.
>
>
>
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Friday, March 1, 2013
Research Byte: When Forensic Examiners Disagree: Bias, or Just Inaccuracy?
Author(s): Mossman, Douglas
Source: PSYCHOLOGY PUBLIC POLICY AND LAW, 19 (1): 40-55 FEB 2013
IDS#: 085VS. ISSN: 1076-8971
Article: Revising the ICD Definition of Intellectual Disability: Implications and Recommendations
Revising the ICD Definition of Intellectual Disability: Implications and Recommendations
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/187978546
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
STUDIES: Six-Part Series Explores Mental Illness and the Death Penalty in Texas
The Texas Tribune recently published a six-part series examining the plight of mentally ill defendants in the Texas criminal justice system. The series focused particularly on death penalty cases, including that of Andre Thomas, a man with a long history of mental illness. He pulled his own eye out in 2004, and later explained that he did it because he kept seeing his wife, whom he killed along with his children just days before. Thomas is among thousands of mentally ill inmates in the Texas system, which has seen years of budget cuts resulting in the reduction of programs. According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, more than 20% of the 290 inmates on Texas death row are diagnosed with some type of mental illness. One former Texas death row inmate, Anthony Graves, recently told a U.S. Congressional committee that he lived under the "worst conditions imaginable" when he was on death row, which is a form of solitary confinement. He said the cells were filthy and the food contained rodent waste. Inmates with mental illness frequently deteriorated while on death row; some inmates set themselves on fire or smeared feces on their faces. Graves was later cleared of all charges and freed from death row, but said he still has not recovered from the experience. An average of 8,500 Texas prison inmates considered dangerous or troublesome are housed in administrative segregation, another form of solitary confinement, typically for 3 years. Most have no access to rehabilitative programs.
Not all mentally ill murder defendants end up like Andre Thomas. Deanna Laney, a white housewife from Smith County, Texas, stoned her children in 2003, killing two of them and leaving her 14-month-old son permanently maimed. She said God told her to kill the children. She was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was transferred to a state mental hospital. She was released in 2012, but remains under court supervision.
(B. Grissom, "Andre Thomas: Struggling to Maintain Sanity in Prison" and "Andre Thomas: Questions of Competence," Texas Tribune, February 26, 2013, and earlier.) See Mental Illness and Arbitrariness.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Atkins Court Decision: 11th circuit stay of execution order for Warren Hill (GA, 2013)
Journal Alert - LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR
> Journal Name: LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR (ISSN: 0147-7307)
> Issue: Vol. 36 No. 5, 2012
>
>
> Title:
> "That Never Happened": Adults' Discernment of Children's True and False Memory Reports
>
> Authors:
> Block, SD; Shestowsky, D; Segovia, DA; Goodman, GS; Schaaf, JM;
> Alexander, KW
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (5):365-374; OCT 2012
>
> Abstract:
> Adults' evaluations of children's reports can determine whether legal
> proceedings are undertaken and whether they ultimately lead to justice.
> The current study involved 92 undergraduates and 35 laypersons who
> viewed and evaluated videotaped interviews of 3- and 5-year-olds
> providing true or false memory reports. The children's reports fell into
> the following categories based on a 2 (event type: true vs. false) x 2
> (child report: assent vs. denial) factorial design: accurate reports,
> false reports, accurate denials, and false denials. Results revealed
> that adults were generally better able to correctly judge accurate
> reports, accurate denials, and false reports compared with false
> denials: For false denials, adults were, on average, "confident" that
> the event had not occurred, even though the event had in fact been
> experienced. Participant age predicted performance. These findings
> underscore the greater difficulty adults have in evaluating young
> children's false denials compared with other types of reports.
> Implications for law-related situations in which adults are called upon
> to evaluate children's statements are discussed.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 375-389 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314274300002
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> A Victim-Centered Approach to Justice? Victim Satisfaction Effects on Third-Party Punishments
>
> Authors:
> Gromet, DM; Okimoto, TG; Wenzel, M; Darley, JM
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (5):375-389; OCT 2012
>
> Abstract:
> Three studies investigated whether victims' satisfaction with a
> restorative justice process influenced third-party assignments of
> punishment. Participants evaluated criminal offenses and victims'
> reactions to an initial restorative justice conference, and were later
> asked to indicate their support for additional punishment of the
> offender. Across the three studies, we found that victim satisfaction
> (relative to dissatisfaction) attenuates people's desire to seek
> offender punishment, regardless of offense severity (Study 2) or
> conflicting reports from a third-party observer (Study 3). This
> relationship was explained by the informational value of victim
> satisfaction: Participants inferred that victims felt closure and that
> offenders experienced value reform, both of which elevated participants'
> satisfaction with the restorative justice outcome. The informational
> value communicated by victim satisfaction, and its criminal justice
> implications, are discussed.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 390-393 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314274300003
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> The Constant Multiplier Assumption Misestimates Long-Term Sex Offender Recidivism Rates
>
> Authors:
> Wollert, R; Cramer, E
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (5):390-393; OCT 2012
>
> Abstract:
> Many clinical psychologists have claimed that long-term sexual
> recidivism rates are a fixed multiple of short-term rates and have
> estimated that the true value of this constant falls somewhere between
> 1.5 and 3.0. They have also proposed that it is "mathematically sound"
> for evaluators to estimate the long-term rate for any actuarial score in
> sexually violent predator civil commitment cases by multiplying its
> short-term rate by this constant. The present paper questions the
> "constant multiplier assumption" and summarizes disconfirming data
> collected by its proponents and others showing that the fixed ratios for
> groups with low short-term rates are actually greater than the ratios
> for groups with high short-term rates. These results rule out the use of
> the constant multiplier assumption by risk evaluators. It is concerning
> that this assumption has not been previously tested. The authors call on
> the developers of risk assessment systems to collect and report data
> that clearly validate the assumptions that underpin their actuarial
> tables before they are disseminated or administered. The American
> Psychological Association ethical standards also require forensic
> evaluators to acknowledge the limitations of their risk assessments when
> they testify, a practice that is invaluable to the trier of fact.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 394-403 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314274300004
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> Assessing Nonchoosers' Eyewitness Identification Accuracy From Photographic Showups by Using Confidence and Response Times
>
> Authors:
> Sauerland, M; Sagana, A; Sporer, SL
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (5):394-403; OCT 2012
>
> Abstract:
> While recent research has shown that the accuracy of positive
> identification decisions can be assessed via confidence and decision
> times, gauging lineup rejections has been less successful. The current
> study focused on 2 different aspects which are inherent in lineup
> rejections. First, we hypothesized that decision times and confidence
> ratings should be postdictive of identification rejections if they refer
> to a single lineup member only. Second, we hypothesized that dividing
> nonchoosers according to the reasons they provided for their decisions
> can serve as a useful postdictor for nonchoosers' accuracy. To test
> these assumptions, we used (1) 1-person lineups (showups) in order to
> obtain confidence and response time measures referring to a single
> lineup member, and (2) asked nonchoosers about their reasons for making
> a rejection. Three hundred and eighty-four participants were asked to
> identify 2 different persons after watching 1 of 2 stimulus films. The
> results supported our hypotheses. Nonchoosers' postdecision confidence
> ratings were well-calibrated. Likewise, we successfully established
> optimum time and confidence boundaries for nonchoosers. Finally,
> combinations of postdictors increased the number of accurate
> classifications compared with individual postdictors.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 404-412 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314274300005
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> Psychopathy and Crime: Testing the Incremental Validity of PCL-R-Measured Psychopathy as a Predictor of General and Violent Recidivism
>
> Authors:
> Walters, GD
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (5):404-412; OCT 2012
>
> Abstract:
> It has been argued that psychopathy plays a vital role in the criminal
> justice system. To test this assumption, the incremental validity of the
> psychopathy construct was examined in 198 male Canadian prison inmates
> serving time for nonsexual offenses and 122 male U. S. inmates
> undergoing forensic evaluations. When these two samples-which had been
> used previously to test the incremental validity of the four Psychopathy
> Checklist-Revised (PCL-R: Hare, 2003) facet scores (Walters, Wilson, &
> Glover, 2011)-were treated as a single group, second-order confirmatory
> factor analysis and item response theory principles indicated that a
> three-factor hierarchical model of the PCL-R facets (interpersonal,
> affective, lifestyle) fit the data better than a four-factor
> hierarchical model (interpersonal, affective, lifestyle, antisocial).
> When the two samples were examined separately, a composite of the first
> three PCL-R facets (interpersonal, affective, lifestyle) failed to
> predict general and violent recidivism above and beyond the
> contributions of age and criminal history. These results bring into
> question the utility of the psychopathy construct, as measured by Facets
> 1, 2, and 3 of the PCL-R, to predict important criminal justice outcomes
> like recidivism. Additional research using alternative measures of
> psychopathy and a wider array of outcome measures is required to
> determine the extent to which the psychopathy construct contributes to
> our understanding of criminal behavior.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 413-422 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314274300006
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> The Predictive Validity of Criminogenic Needs for Male and Female Offenders: Comparing the Relative Impact of Needs in Predicting Recidivism
>
> Authors:
> van der Knaap, LM; Alberda, DL; Oosterveld, P; Born, MP
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (5):413-422; OCT 2012
>
> Abstract:
> Most instruments used to assess offenders' risk of recidivism were
> developed and validated on male samples. Use of these instruments with
> female offenders is, however, common practice. This use with female
> offenders implies the assumption that the risk of recidivism can be
> predicted on the basis of the same risk factors for women as for men.
> Yet, this implied gender-neutrality of offender risk instruments has
> been the topic of much debate. This study compared criminogenic needs in
> male and female offenders and their relevance in predicting recidivism.
> A large sample of male and female offenders (N = 16,239) charged with a
> range of index offenses was studied. Results mainly support the gender
> neutrality of existing offender risk and needs assessment. However,
> results do suggest that some criminogenic needs may indeed have a
> different impact on recidivism for men and women. Problems with
> accommodation, education and work, and relationships with friends were
> more strongly correlated to general recidivism in men than in women. For
> women, difficulties with emotional well-being had a stronger correlation
> with recidivism than for men. In addition, relative to all other
> criminogenic needs, problems with emotional well-being were more
> important for women than for men in predicting general as well as
> violent recidivism. However, because the bivariate correlation for
> female offenders between emotional difficulties and recidivism is weak
> (as it is for male offenders), the question remains whether the relative
> importance of emotional difficulties in predicting recidivism in women
> actually has clinical relevance.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 423-438 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314274300007
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> Prediction of Adolescent Sexual Reoffending: A Meta-Analysis of the J-SOAP-II, ERASOR, J-SORRAT-II, and Static-99
>
> Authors:
> Viljoen, JL; Mordell, S; Beneteau, JL
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (5):423-438; OCT 2012
>
> Abstract:
> Several risk assessment tools, including the Juvenile Sex Offender
> Assessment Protocol-II (Prentky & Righthand, 2003), the Estimate of Risk
> of Adolescent Sexual Offense Recidivism (Worling & Curwen, 2001), the
> Juvenile Sexual Offense Recidivism Risk Assessment Tool-II (Epperson,
> Ralston, Fowers, DeWitt, & Gore, 2006), and the Static-99 (Hanson &
> Thornton, 1999), have been used to assess reoffense risk among
> adolescents who have committed sexual offenses. Given that research on
> these tools has yielded somewhat mixed results, we empirically
> synthesized 33 published and unpublished studies involving 6,196 male
> adolescents who had committed a sexual offense. We conducted two
> separate meta-analyses, first with correlations and then with areas
> under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs). Total scores
> on each of the tools significantly predicted sexual reoffending, with
> aggregated correlations ranging from .12 to .20 and aggregated AUC
> scores ranging from .64 to .67. However, in many cases heterogeneity
> across studies was moderate to high. There were no significant
> differences between tools, and although the Static-99 was developed for
> adults, it achieved similar results as the adolescent tools. Results are
> compared to other meta-analyses of risk tools used in the area of
> violence risk assessment and in other fields.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 439-447 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314274300008
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> The Information Gained From Witnesses' Responses to an Initial "Blank" Lineup
>
> Authors:
> Palmer, MA; Brewer, N; Weber, N
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (5):439-447; OCT 2012
>
> Abstract:
> Wells ("The psychology of lineup identifications," Journal of Applied
> Social Psychology, 1984, 14, 89-103) proposed that a blank lineup (an
> initial lineup of known-to-be-innocent foils) can be used to screen
> eyewitnesses; witnesses who chose from a blank lineup (initial choosers)
> were more likely to make an error on a second lineup that contained a
> suspect than were witnesses who rejected a blank lineup (initial
> nonchoosers). Recent technological advances (e. g.,
> computer-administered lineups) may overcome many of the practical
> difficulties cited as a barrier to the use of blank lineups. Our
> research extended knowledge about the blank lineup procedure by
> investigating the underlying causes of the difference in identification
> performance between initial choosers and initial nonchoosers. Studies 1a
> and 1b (total, N = 303) demonstrated that initial choosers were more
> likely to reject a second lineup than initial nonchoosers and witnesses
> who did not view a blank lineup, implying that cognitive biases (e. g.,
> confirmation bias and commitment effects) influenced initial choosers'
> identification decisions. In Study 2 (N = 200), responses on a
> forced-choice identification test provided evidence that initial
> choosers have, on average, poorer memories for the culprit than do
> initial nonchoosers. We also investigated the usefulness of blank
> lineups for interpreting identification evidence. Diagnosticity ratios
> suggested that suspect identifications made by initial nonchoosers (cf.
> initial choosers) should have a greater impact on estimates of the
> likely guilt of the suspect. Furthermore, for initial nonchoosers,
> higher confidence in blank lineup rejections was associated with higher
> diagnosticity for subsequent suspect identifications. These results have
> implications for policy to guide the collection and interpretation of
> identification evidence.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 448-457 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314274300009
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> "How Did You Feel?": Increasing Child Sexual Abuse Witnesses' Production of Evaluative Information
>
> Authors:
> Lyon, TD; Scurich, N; Choi, K; Handmaker, S; Blank, R
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (5):448-457; OCT 2012
>
> Abstract:
> In child sexual abuse cases, the victim's testimony is essential,
> because the victim and the perpetrator tend to be the only eyewitnesses
> to the crime. A potentially important component of an abuse report is
> the child's subjective reactions to the abuse. Attorneys may ask
> suggestive questions or avoid questioning children about their
> reactions, assuming that children, given their immaturity and
> reluctance, are incapable of articulation. We hypothesized that How
> questions referencing reactions to abuse (e. g., "how did you feel")
> would increase the productivity of children's descriptions of abuse
> reactions. Two studies compared the extent to which children provided
> evaluative content, defined as descriptions of emotional, cognitive, and
> physical reactions, in response to different question-types, including
> How questions, Wh-questions, Option-posing questions (yes-no or
> forced-choice), and Suggestive questions. The first study examined
> children's testimony (ages 5-18) in 80 felony child sexual abuse cases.
> How questions were more productive yet the least prevalent, and
> Option-posing and Suggestive questions were less productive but the most
> common. The second study examined interview transcripts of 61 children
> (ages 6-12) suspected of being abused, in which children were
> systematically asked How questions regarding their reactions to abuse,
> thus controlling for the possibility that in the first study, attorneys
> selectively asked How questions of more articulate children. Again, How
> questions were most productive in eliciting evaluative content. The
> results suggest that interviewers and attorneys interested in eliciting
> evaluative reactions should ask children "how did you feel?" rather than
> more direct or suggestive questions.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 458-467 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314274300010
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> "Ordinary Men" or "Evil Monsters"?: An Action Systems Model of Genocidal Actions and Characteristics of Perpetrators
>
> Authors:
> Hollows, K; Fritzon, K
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (5):458-467; OCT 2012
>
> Abstract:
> This study aimed to address the limitations of the existing genocide
> literature with the development of an empirically based classification
> system. Using Shye's (1985) action systems model, it was hypothesized
> that four types of perpetrators would exist and would be distinguishable
> by differences in the sources and target of individual criminal actions.
> Court transcripts from 80 perpetrators sentenced by the international
> courts were subject to content analysis and revealed 39 offense action
> variables, 17 perpetrator characteristic variables, and 6 perpetrator
> motive variables. A smallest space analysis using the Jaccard
> coefficient of association was conducted on the offense variables. The
> results supported the proposed framework, producing four distinct types
> of genocidal perpetrators. Correlational analyses were then conducted to
> examine the relationships between each of the perpetrator types and the
> remaining variables. The results of those correlations provided further
> support for the proposed framework. The implications of these findings
> are discussed.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 469-477 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314275300001
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> Cry Me a River: Identifying the Behavioral Consequences of Extremely High-Stakes Interpersonal Deception
>
> Authors:
> ten Brinke, L; Porter, S
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (6):469-477; DEC 2012
>
> Abstract:
> Deception evolved as a fundamental aspect of human social interaction.
> Numerous studies have examined behavioral cues to deception, but most
> have involved inconsequential lies and unmotivated liars in a laboratory
> context. We conducted the most comprehensive study to date of the
> behavioral consequences of extremely high-stakes, real-life
> deception-relative to comparable real-life sincere displays-via 3
> communication channels: speech, body language, and emotional facial
> expressions. Televised footage of a large international sample of
> individuals (N = 78) emotionally pleading to the public for the return
> of a missing relative was meticulously coded frame-by-frame (30 frames/s
> for a total of 74,731 frames). About half of the pleaders eventually
> were convicted of killing the missing person on the basis of
> overwhelming evidence. Failed attempts to simulate sadness and leakage
> of happiness revealed deceptive pleaders' covert emotions. Liars used
> fewer words but more tentative words than truth-tellers, likely relating
> to increased cognitive load and psychological distancing. Further, each
> of these cues explained unique variance in predicting pleader sincerity.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 477-477 (Correction)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314275300002
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> Failure-to-Register Laws and Public Safety: An Examination of Risk Factors and Sex Offense Recidivism (vol 36, pg 555, 2012)
>
> Authors:
> Levenson, JS; Sandler, JC; Freeman, NJ
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (6):477-477; DEC 2012
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 478-487 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314275300003
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> Retrieval Does Not Always Enhance Suggestibility: Testing Can Improve Witness Identification Performance
>
> Authors:
> LaPaglia, JA; Chan, JCK
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (6):478-487; DEC 2012
>
> Abstract:
> Verbally recalling the appearance of a perpetrator and the details of an
> event can sometimes hinder later eyewitness memory performance. In two
> experiments, we investigated the effects of verbally recalling a face on
> people's ability to resist subsequent misinformation about that face.
> Participants watched a video of a theft and then completed either a
> recall test or a distractor activity. After a delay, some participants
> heard a piece of misinformation. Memory was assessed with a recall test
> in Experiment 1 and with a target-present lineup in Experiment 2. In
> both experiments, initial testing reduced eyewitness suggestibility for
> the face.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 488-495 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314275300004
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> Cross-Race (but Not Same-Race) Face Identification Is Impaired by Presenting Faces in a Group Rather Than Individually
>
> Authors:
> Pezdek, K; O'Brien, M; Wasson, C
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (6):488-495; DEC 2012
>
> Abstract:
> This study extends the research on cross-race identification by
> examining how group presentation of faces influences the cross-race
> effect (CRE) and confirming systematic qualitative differences between
> the cognitive processes involved in memory for same-and cross-race
> faces. White individuals viewed 16 target faces (8 White, 8 Black)
> presented individually or each in a 3-face group. The conditions that
> impaired cross-race but not same-race face recognition memory were (a)
> group compared to individual presentation of target faces (Experiment
> 1), and (b) presentation of target faces in homogeneous (foil faces
> matched the race of the target face) rather than heterogeneous groups
> (foil faces did not match the race of the target face; Experiment 2).
> These findings are interpreted within the context of social-cognitive
> processes that operate on same-and cross-race faces, specifically, the
> dual-process account of the CRE. Together, results of these two
> experiments suggest that the CRE is moderated by viewing conditions that
> are likely to vary in real world eyewitness memory and identification
> situations.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 496-505 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314275300005
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> Firm, Fair, and Caring Officer-Offender Relationships Protect Against Supervision Failure
>
> Authors:
> Kennealy, PJ; Skeem, JL; Manchak, SM; Louden, JE
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (6):496-505; DEC 2012
>
> Abstract:
> A growing body of research suggests that high quality dual role
> relationships between community corrections officers and offenders
> reduce risk of recidivism. This study assesses whether this finding
> generalizes from offenders with mental illness to their relatively
> healthy counterparts. More importantly, this study tests the possibility
> that this finding is spurious, reflecting the influence of pre-existing
> offender characteristics more than a promising principle of practice. In
> this study of 109 parolees without mental illness, the authors found
> that (a) firm, fair, and caring relationships protect against rearrest,
> and (b) do so even after accounting for offenders' pre-existing
> personality traits and risk for recidivism. These findings are
> consistent with the theoretical notion that good dual role relationships
> are an essential element of core correctional practice, even (or
> particularly) for difficult or high risk offenders.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 506-512 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314275300006
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> Substance Abuse and Criminal Thinking: Testing the Countervailing, Mediation, and Specificity Hypotheses
>
> Authors:
> Walters, GD
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (6):506-512; DEC 2012
>
> Abstract:
> The purpose of this study was to determine (a) which of 2 dimensions of
> criminal thinking (proactive and/or reactive) correlates with prior
> substance abuse; (b) whether criminal thinking mediates the relationship
> between prior substance abuse and recidivism; (c) if a direct
> relationship exists between specific drugs of abuse and specific
> criminal thinking styles. First, the reconstructed Proactive (P(rc)) and
> Reactive (R(rc)) Criminal Thinking scores from the Psychological
> Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS; Walters, 1995) were
> correlated with a dichotomous measure of prior substance abuse and a
> continuous measure of the number of substances abused in a sample of
> 2877 male federal prisoners (age: M = 34.96, SD = 9.89, range = 18-84;
> race: 63.6% Black, 17.3% White, 17.6% Hispanic, 1.4% other). The results
> indicated that only the R(rc) score correlated significantly with prior
> substance abuse when the effect of the alternative measure (P(rc) in the
> case of R(rc) and R(rc) in the case of the P(rc)) was controlled through
> partial correlations. Second, reactive criminal thinking was found to
> mediate the relationship between a history of prior substance abuse and
> subsequent recidivism in a subsample of 1101 inmates who were released
> from prison during a 1- to 76-month follow-up. Third, both specific
> (alcohol with cutoff; marijuana with cognitive indolence) and global
> (heroin, cocaine, and amphetamine with cutoff, cognitive indolence, and
> discontinuity) drug-criminal thinking correlations were obtained. These
> results suggest that reactive criminal thinking plays a potentially
> important role in the drug-crime relationship.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 513-526 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314275300007
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> Impact of Disguise on Identification Decisions and Confidence With Simultaneous and Sequential Lineups
>
> Authors:
> Mansour, JK; Beaudry, JL; Bertrand, MI; Kalmet, N; Melsom, EI; Lindsay,
> RCL
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (6):513-526; DEC 2012
>
> Abstract:
> Prior research indicates that disguise negatively affects lineup
> identifications, but the mechanisms by which disguise works have not
> been explored, and different disguises have not been compared. In two
> experiments (Ns = 87 and 91) we manipulated degree of coverage by two
> different types of disguise: a stocking mask or sunglasses and toque
> (i.e., knitted hat). Participants viewed mock-crime videos followed by
> simultaneous or sequential lineups. Disguise and lineup type did not
> interact. In support of the view that disguise prevents encoding,
> identification accuracy generally decreased with degree of disguise. For
> the stocking disguise, however, full and 2/3 coverage led to
> approximately the same rate of correct identifications-which suggests
> that disrupting encoding of specific features may be as detrimental as
> disrupting a whole face. Accuracy was most affected by sunglasses and we
> discuss the role metacognitions may have played. Lineup selections
> decreased more slowly than accuracy as coverage by disguise increased,
> indicating witnesses are insensitive to the effect of encoding
> conditions on accuracy. We also explored the impact of disguise and
> lineup type on witnesses' confidence in their lineup decisions, though
> the results were not straightforward.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 527-537 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314275300008
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> When Experts Disagreed, Who Was Correct? A Comparison of PCL-R Scores From Independent Raters and Opposing Forensic Experts
>
> Authors:
> Rufino, KA; Boccaccini, MT; Hawes, SW; Murrie, DC
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (6):527-537; DEC 2012
>
> Abstract:
> Researchers recently found that Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R;
> Hare, 2003) scores reported by state experts were much higher than those
> reported by defense experts in sexually violent predator cases pursued
> for civil commitment (Murrie, Boccaccini, Johnson, & Janke, 2008), which
> raised the question of which scores were more accurate. In this study,
> two independent raters rescored the PCL-R from file review for 44
> offenders from that sample who had opposing evaluator scores (allegiance
> cases) and 44 who had state expert, but not defense expert, scores
> (comparison cases). The independent raters agreed with one another in
> their scoring of the allegiance and comparison cases (Intraclass
> Correlation Coefficient [ICC] ICC(A,1) = .95), but they disagreed with
> both state (ICC(A,1) = .29) and defense (ICC(A,1) = .14) experts in the
> allegiance cases. Agreement was stronger between state experts and
> independent raters for the comparison cases (ICC(A,1) = .63), but the
> independent raters assigned significantly higher PCL-R scores than
> experts for both the allegiance and comparison cases. These findings
> suggest that offenders who were selected for rescoring by the defense
> may have been more difficult to score. Findings also raise questions
> about the extent to which PCL-R scores based on correctional file review
> only are comparable to those based on file and interview.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 538-547 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314275300009
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> The Effect of Attorneys' Work With Trauma-Exposed Clients on PTSD Symptoms, Depression, and Functional Impairment: A Cross-Lagged Longitudinal Study
>
> Authors:
> Levin, A; Besser, A; Albert, L; Smith, D; Neria, Y
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (6):538-547; DEC 2012
>
> Abstract:
> To date, few studies have examined mental health consequences among
> attorneys exposed to clients' traumatic experiences. A longitudinal,
> 2-wave, cross-lagged study was used in a cohort of attorneys (N = 107)
> from the Wisconsin State Public Defender's Office. We assessed changes
> in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and functional
> impairment over a 10-month period and tested the effects of intensity of
> contact with trauma-exposed clients on symptom levels over time.
> Attorneys demonstrated strong and significant symptom stability over
> time in PTSD, depression, functional impairment, and levels of exposure.
> Analyses involving cross-lagged panel correlation structural equation
> modeling path models revealed that attorneys' levels of exposure to
> trauma-exposed clients had significant positive effects, over time, on
> PTSD, depression, and functional impairment. Gender, age, years on the
> job, and office size did not predict any of the outcomes. Level of
> exposure to trauma-exposed clients predicted reduction of weekly working
> hours over time, but there was no reciprocal relationship between PTSD,
> depression, and functional impairment and level of exposure over time.
> These findings underscore the central role of exposure to trauma-exposed
> clients in predicting mental health outcomes and emphasize the need to
> support attorneys by managing the intensity of exposure as well as
> addressing emerging symptoms.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 548-554 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314275300010
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> Innumeracy and Unpacking: Bridging the Nomothetic/Idiographic Divide in Violence Risk Assessment
>
> Authors:
> Scurich, N; Monahan, J; John, RS
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (6):548-554; DEC 2012
>
> Abstract:
> Structured methods to assess violence risk have proliferated in recent
> years, but such methods are not uncontroversial. A "core controversy"
> concerns the extent to which an actuarial risk estimate derived at the
> group level should-morally, logically, or mathematically-apply to any
> particular individual within the group. This study examines the related
> psychological question: When do people apply group-level risk estimates
> to the individual case? We manipulated whether an actuarial risk
> estimate is "unpacked;" that is, whether the risk factors on which the
> estimate is based are articulated. Our findings indicate that the degree
> of unpacking (e. g., listing six vs. three risk factors) increased the
> likelihood that jury-eligible citizens will apply an actuarial risk
> estimate in their decision to civilly commit a particular respondent.
> Unpacking also increased the perceived relevance of the group-level risk
> estimate to the individual case. We then split the sample based on
> self-reported numeracy, defined as " ability with or knowledge of
> numbers." Numeracy moderates the unpacking effect in that unpacking only
> made a difference for the innumerate participants. The psychological
> approach we take to the question of group-to-individual inference is not
> limited to violence-risk assessment, and may apply to many other areas
> of law in which group-to-individual inferences are frequently, if
> controversially, made.
>
> ========================================================================
>
>
> *Pages: 555-565 (Article)
> *View Full Record: http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=CCC&DestLinkType=FullRecord;KeyUT=CCC:000314275300011
> *Order Full Text [ ]
>
> Title:
> Failure-to-Register Laws and Public Safety: An Examination of Risk Factors and Sex Offense Recidivism
>
> Authors:
> Levenson, JS; Sandler, JC; Freeman, NJ
>
> Source:
> *LAW AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR*, 36 (6):555-565; DEC 2012
>
> Abstract:
> The goals of this study were to describe the characteristics of a sample
> of sex offenders charged with failure to register (FTR) in New York
> State, compare the FTR and non-FTR groups on relevant risk factors,
> identify risk factors associated with failing to register, and
> investigate the relationship between registration noncompliance and both
> general and sexual rearrest. FTR offenders were found to be younger,
> more likely to be a minority race, and have more extensive and varied
> prior criminal histories as well as a record of supervision violations.
> Results also indicated that FTR was more strongly correlated with
> nonsexual recidivism (r = .44) than sexual recidivism (r = .09). FTR
> contributed to the likelihood of sexual recidivism for rapists of adult
> victims, but not for sex offenders with child victims, and occurred in
> combination with a history of prior sexual crimes and versatility in
> criminal offending.
>
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Article: Georgia Death Penalty Under Renewed Scrutiny After 11th-Hour Stay
Georgia Death Penalty Under Renewed Scrutiny After 11th-Hour Stay
http://www.npr.org/2013/02/20/172516106/georgia-death-penalty-under-renewed-scrutiny-after-11th-hour-stay
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