Justification of Sentencing Decisions: Development of a Ratio-Based Measure Tested on Child Neglect Cases

Theoretically, people’s justification of a sentencing decision involves a hybrid structure comprising retribution, incapacitation, general deterrence, and rehabilitation. In this study, a new ratio-type measure was developed to assess this structure and was tested to detect changes in the weighting of justification according to the content emphasized in a particular crime. Two child neglect scenarios were presented to participants, where they read either a severe-damage scenario (where a single mother’s selfish neglect caused her son’s death) or a moderate-damage scenario (where a single mother became apathetic due to economic deprivation and caused her child’s debilitation). Participants then indicated the proportion of importance they placed on each justification in determining the defendant’s punishment, with an overall proportion of 100%, along with responding to the sentence on an 11-point scale. This study involved a two-factor analysis of variance for justification ratios, a t-test for the sentence, and a multiple regression analysis with three demographic variables, the four justifications as independent variables, and the sentence as the dependent variable. The ratio of retribution to rehabilitation was reversed depending on the scenario: in the severe-damage scenario, retribution was weighted highest at 27.0% and rehabilitation was weighted at only 19.0%. By contrast, in the moderate-damage scenario, rehabilitation had the highest weighting of about 26.2%, while retribution was weighted at 21.5%. The sentence was more severe in the severe-damage scenario. Multiple regression analysis suggested that in the severe-damage scenario, most participants failed to deviate from choosing retribution by default and decided on heavier sentences, while some who considered rehabilitation and incapacitation opted for lighter sentences. The present measure succeeded in detecting changes in the weighting of justification, which can be difficult to detect with common Likert Scales. In addition, it was found that not only retribution but utilitarian justification was considered in the sentencing decisions of serious cases.

A NEW METHOD FOR ASSESSING THE SAFETY OF SHIPS DAMAGED BY GROUNDING

The primary aim of the present study is to propose an innovative method for assessing the safety of ships which have suffered accidental or in-service damages. Only a small number of probable scenarios for accidental or in-service damage representing all possible damage scenarios are selected using a sampling technique in which the random variables affecting the damage are probabilistically characterized. A damage index for the corresponding damage scenario is defined as a function of damage characteristics such as location and extent of the damage. The residual strength performance of a ship with the corresponding damage scenario can then be calculated by analytical or numerical methods. Once this process has been carried out for each of the damage scenarios selected, a diagram relating the residual strength performance to the damage index (abbreviated as the R-D diagram) can be established. This diagram will be very useful for a first-cut assessment of a ship’s safety immediately after it has suffered structural damage. The diagram can also be used to determine acceptance criteria for a ship’s safety against accidental or in-service damage. An applied example is shown to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method in terms of developing a diagram between the ultimate longitudinal strength versus grounding damage index for four types of double-hull oil tankers – VLCC, Suezmax, Aframax, and Panamax.

Damage Identification Method Using Additional Virtual Mass Based on Damage Sparsity

Damage identification methods based on structural modal parameters are influenced by the structure form, number of measuring sensors and noise, resulting in insufficient modal data and low damage identification accuracy. The additional virtual mass method introduced in this study is based on the virtual deformation method for deriving the frequency-domain response equation of the virtual structure and identify its mode to expand the modal information of the original structure. Based on the initial condition assumption that the structural damage was sparse, the damage identification method based on sparsity with l1 and l2 norm of the damage-factor variation and the orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) method based on the l0 norm were introduced. According to the characteristics of the additional virtual mass method, an improved OMP method (IOMP) was developed to improve the localization of optimal solution determined using the OMP method and the damage substructure selection process, analyze the damage in the entire structure globally, and improve damage identification accuracy. The accuracy and robustness of each damage identification method for multi-damage scenario were analyzed and verified through simulation and experiment.

Holistic Transformative Development Amid Global Pandemic - Singapore’s Journey

COVID-19 is a global pandemic (Jaihah) that brings hardships (Haraj). This has affected all aspects of our life. The United Nations Development Programme reported that uncertainties due to this global pandemic are manifold. Under a 'High Damage’ scenario, the world could see a staggering 251 million people driven into extreme poverty by the pandemic, bringing the total number to one billion by 2030. The Singapore government had made swift and comprehensive response by forming multi-ministry task force and galvanise various organisations, at all levels, including faith-based institutions to manage and address the multiple challenges in hands. This paper highlights the 3Rs approach adopted by the government through their policies, measures, and actions on various aspects of sustainability including climate and social changes and how the rest of the stakeholders come together for greater impact, with specific focus on the response from the Muslim community.

Fragility curves for Italian URM buildings based on a hybrid method

A hybrid seismic fragility model for territorial-scale seismic vulnerability assessment of masonry buildings is developed and presented in this paper. The method combines expert-judgment and mechanical approaches to derive typological fragility curves for Italian residential masonry building stock. The first classifies Italian masonry buildings in five different typological classes as function of age of construction, structural typology, and seismic behaviour and damaging of buildings observed following the most severe earthquakes occurred in Italy. The second, based on numerical analyses results conducted on building prototypes, provides all the parameters necessary for developing fragility functions. Peak-Ground Acceleration (PGA) at Ultimate Limit State attainable by each building’s class has been chosen as an Intensity Measure to represent fragility curves: three types of curve have been developed, each referred to mean, maximum and minimum value of PGAs defined for each building class. To represent the expected damage scenario for increasing earthquake intensities, a correlation between PGAs and Mercalli-Cancani-Sieber macroseismic intensity scale has been used and the corresponding fragility curves developed. Results show that the proposed building’s classes are representative of the Italian masonry building stock and that fragility curves are effective for predicting both seismic vulnerability and expected damage scenarios for seismic-prone areas. Finally, the fragility curves have been compared with empirical curves obtained through a macroseismic approach on Italian masonry buildings available in literature, underlining the differences between the methods.

Applying Simulated Seismic Damage Scenarios in the Volcanic Region of Mount Etna (Sicily): A Case-Study From the MW 4.9, 2018 Earthquake

An application for a quick earthquake damage scenario assessment is here presented as a potential tool for planning prevention actions or managing seismic emergencies in the volcanic region of Mt. Etna (Italy). As case-study, we considered the December 26, 2018 earthquake that, with a magnitude MW 4.9, represents the largest event occurring in the area during the last 70 years. The QUEST working group (the INGV macroseismic team) carried out a detailed survey in the damage area, collecting data on the number of buildings in the different vulnerability classes and related damage, with the aim to assign intensity. The maximum intensity reached degree VIII EMS along a narrow strip extending for 5 km astride the Fiandaca fault. In this paper, we simulated the damage scenario in the most struck municipalities of the epicentral area by testing different methodological approaches proposed in the literature using the information of the ISTAT census data collected by the Italian Institute of Statistics. We evaluated the damage level of the residential buildings and we validated the results comparing with the real damage data recognized in the field. Our analysis highlighted the difficulty of applying methods calibrated for larger earthquakes in tectonic domains, to small magnitude events in volcanic zones, where some operating assumptions must be introduced. Despite this, the results confirm the potential of the simulations based on statistical damage assessment methods also in these peculiar conditions, opening the way to finalized plans of pre- and post-earthquake interventions.

Fragility Curves for Italian Urm Buildings Based on a Hybrid Method

A hybrid seismic fragility model for territorial-scale seismic vulnerability assessment of masonry buildings is developed and presented in this paper. The method combines expert-judgment and mechanical approaches to derive typological fragility curves for Italian residential masonry building stock. The first classifies Italian masonry buildings in five different typological classes as function of age of construction, structural typology, and seismic behaviour and damaging of buildings observed following the most severe earthquakes occurred in Italy. The second, based on numerical analyses results conducted on building prototypes, provides all the parameters necessary for developing fragility functions.Peak-Ground Acceleration (PGA) at Ultimate Limit State attainable by each building’s class has been chosen as an Intensity Measure (IM) to represent fragility curves: three types of curve have been developed, each referred to mean, maximum and minim value of PGAs defined for each buildings class.To represent the expected damage scenario for increasing earthquake intensities, a correlation between PGAs and Mercalli-Cancani-Sieber (MCS) macroseismic intensity scale has been used and the corresponding fragility curves developed.Results show that the proposed building’s classes are representative of the Italian masonry building stock and that fragility curves are effective for predicting both seismic vulnerability and expected damage scenarios for seismic-prone areas. Finally, the fragility curves have been compared with empirical curves obtained through a macroseismic approach on Italian masonry buildings available in literature, underlining the differences between the methods.

Rapid Damage Scenario Assessment for Earthquake Emergency Management

The rapid availability of reliable damage statistics, after the occurrence of a major earthquake, is an essential mitigation strategy to drive and support emergency intervention operations. Unfortunately, the latency in collecting and organizing actual damage information has a substantial impact on the efficiency of the initial phases of the intervention framework. To speedup preliminary management operations, a quick, although, coarse prediction of the expected damage is highly desirable. For this purpose, we have developed a system for rapid damage estimation. The system, presently implemented for the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, relies on the existing seismological monitoring infrastructure of the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), which is responsible for delivering earthquake alerts in northeastern Italy. In case of a major earthquake event, the predicted damage is automatically computed using the OpenQuake software engine by means of ad hoc structural exposure and fragility models developed for the region. Damage calculations rely on a combination of actual observed ground motion from the stations of the OGS seismological network and empirical prediction using the ShakeMaps software developed by the U.S. Geological Survey. The resulting damage scenario, aggregated at municipality level, is finally delivered to the control room of the regional civil protection in support of early intervention activities. Although, the system is presently still under active development, a number of experimental trials have confirmed the reliability and the usefulness of the proposed approach. We are confident that the current research will contribute in mitigating the impact of possible future damaging earthquakes by (1) guiding targeted postevent emergency interventions, (2) increasing the preparedness and response capacity of emergency teams and population through preparatory training activities, and (3) supporting the decision-making process during the recovery phase, hence enhancing resilience.