Risk Assessment and Post-Release Recidivism in a Sample of Juvenile Homicide Offenders

Given recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings regarding the constitutionality of juveniles who received mandated life sentences, questions have arisen in the field of criminology regarding how these offenders will adjust if someday released. Risk scores were calculated for 59 male juvenile homicide offenders (JHOs) based upon the eight domains in the Youth Level of Supervision/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) and used to examine recidivism among the 48 JHOs who were released. Sample subjects were charged as adults for murder and attempted murder in the 1980s, convicted, and sentenced to adult prison. Chi-square analyses were used to assess the relationship between risk score category and two measures of recidivism, which were general arrests and violent offenses. Results indicated risk scores failed to predict both general and violent recidivism. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.

UNLAWFUL DETENTION: A DISAPPOINTING JUDGMENT Alves v LOM Business Solutions (Pty) Ltd 2012 (1) SA 399 (GSJ)

In Alves v LOM Business Solutions (Pty) Ltd (2012 (1) SA 399 (GSJ); [2011] 4 All SA 490 (GSJ)) the plaintiff, who had been indicted for murder, was convicted in the High Court of attempted murder on 13 December 2005. Leave to appeal was granted immediately. The appeal was directed to the full bench of the division and was heard on 29 February 2008, more than two years later. The appeal was successful and the plaintiff’s conviction and sentence were set aside on 5 March 2008. The plaintiff claimed that the long interval of time between the granting of the leave to appeal and the hearing thereof should be attributed to the negligence of the defendants in that they failed to ensure that an appeal record was prepared within a reasonable time. He alleged that, as a result of the defendants’ breach of their duty, he was incarcerated for about 15 months longer than was reasonably necessary in the circumstances. (The first defendant was a firm responsible for preparing the transcript for his appeal hearing; the second defendant was the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, responsible for the overall administration of justice in the country.) The plaintiff claimed generaldamages for psychological pain and suffering and special damages for loss of earnings.

Basic Ethics of Religious Leaders as Social Adhesives in Society

Religious leaders influence people's lives in increasing community satisfaction and support through their contributions and presence. The expressions of behavior and humility of religious leaders inspire self-transparency, trust, and community satisfaction. The problem in Indonesia today is that many followers or people try to kill their religious leaders. They try to kill religious leaders because religious leaders do not establish trust. In addition, religious leaders do not understand how to apply the basic ethics that form the basis of people's lives. It can divide and violate between communities. This study investigates the problem of attempted murder of religious leaders and finds out the real problem. Almost all religious leaders cannot control their emotions and cannot apply basic ethics in social interactions in society. The research method used is a mixed-method using a questionnaire distributed on Google forms for three months to 247 respondents from all over Indonesia and interviewing eight respondents as a qualitative research method. The results showed that 34.3% of respondents indicated a low level of public trust in religious leaders in people's lives. Religious leaders who can control their emotions in dealing with the community and understand how to apply basic ethics are ideal religious figures. Respondents stated that religious leaders must be consistent and protect their followers; otherwise, people can backfire on religious leaders.

Characteristics of persons accused of intimate partner homicide amongst forensic psychiatric observations

Background: Intimate partner homicide (IPH) is a global public health problem. One study conducted over 66 countries found that 13.5% of all homicides and 38.6% of female homicides were committed by an intimate partner. In South Africa, there were no published studies that examine alleged perpetrators of IPH that were referred for forensic psychiatric observation.Aim: To describe the profile of accused persons referred for forensic psychiatric observation for a charge of murder or attempted murder of their intimate partners. Certain characteristics were further examined according to the psychiatric observation outcomes.Setting: The study was conducted at Sterkfontein Hospital, a forensic psychiatric hospital in Gauteng, South Africa.Methods: A retrospective record review of accused persons referred for forensic psychiatric observation for a charge of murder or attempted murder of their intimate partners was conducted. The period of the review was 19 years. The definition of intimate partners included current or former spouses and partners, same-sex partners and rejected suitors.Results: One hundred and sixty-three files, which included forensic psychiatric reports, were reviewed. The findings related to the profile of accused persons and offence characteristics indicated that: (1) history of violent behaviour is prevalent; (2) homicides mostly occur in private homes; (3) knives and firearms are most often used; (4) infidelity, separation and jealousy are common motives; (5) psychotic disorders, personality disorders and substance use disorders feature prominently. A total of 88% of the sample were found fit to stand trial and 82% were found criminally responsible. Factors significantly associated with being found fit to stand trial and criminally responsible following the forensic psychiatric observation were: male gender, having received a tertiary education, employment prior to the offence, earning a salary of more than R10 000, having no previous psychiatric or medical illness, a positive forensic history, previous intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration, indicating a motive for the homicide, having no psychiatric illness at the time of the offence which would impact fitness to stand trial and criminal responsibility.Factors significantly associated with being found not fit to stand trial and not criminally responsible following the forensic psychiatric observation were: female gender, having received a primary education, unemployment prior to the offence, having a previous psychiatric or medical illness, no forensic history, no previous IPV perpetration, not indicating a motive for the homicide, having a psychiatric illness at the time of the offence which would impact fitness to stand trial and criminal responsibility.Conclusion: The characteristics highlighted in this study can contribute to the development of risk assessment tools which can be used to identify likely perpetrators of IPH. Other interventions, for example controlling access to knives and firearms, reducing substance abuse and improving mental health services, are also important in the prevention of IPH.

Murders in the German Sex Trade: 1920 to 2017

This research report is the result of collecting and evaluating data on cases of homicides and attempted homicides in the German sex trade from 1920-2017. The findings show violence against prostituted women and the attitudes of the sex buyers who commit most of the violent acts against the women. The report discusses the media coverage of murder cases, complication of cases, and a critique of methods of criminal evaluation by the police. From 1920 to 2017, 272 victims of murder and attempted murder were identified. Liberalization of prostitution occurred in 2002. From then until 2017, there is a decrease in the number of victims who died, the number of victims of attempted murder dramatically increased. It appears that victims were more likely to survive an attempted murder. Profiles of the victims are included as well as the locations (indoors v outdoors) of the murders. The authors conclude that legalization of prostitution does not eliminate the murders or attempted murders of women in the sex trade in Germany.

«Siyasat-ul Sharia» as a Synthesis of National Customs and Sharia

The article provided new materials for the study of the main provisions of the “great YASA” which was the basis of the historical-legal sources of the Kazakh people “Righteous path of Kassym Khan”, “Zheti Zhargy” of Tauke Khan, in addition, the proposed legal framework and preconditions of interconnection with the requirements of Sharia. The study shows the changes in the history of the country’s rule and the adoption of Islam by the descendants of Genghis Khan, provides scientific links to the legal synthesis of political processes in a nomadic society. In addition, opinions on the emergence of the term “sayasat-ul sharia” in the science of sharia are studied and shown. In Kazakh society, there are examples and grounds for using “sayasat-ul sharia”. For scientific conclusions, Tauke Khan’s “Zheti jargy” was taken as a basis, the legal sections of the law and some of its norms were compared with the prescriptions of Sharia. Criminal penalties for attempted murder in the law “Zheti Zhargy” and punishment (retribution) in Sharia were taken as a basis, features and similarities were analyzed, scientific conclusions were given. Scientific hypotheses are proposed that “Zheti jargy” is the result of the synthesis of two legal cultures.

Flora Tristan in the Press

The growth of Flora Tristan’s contribution to political ideas of her day ran concurrently with the development of the press in the nineteenth century. The digital tools of the twenty-first century enabled me to broaden knowledge of her presence as a controversial figure in newspapers including some outside France. The press survey from 1838 to the present illustrates how attitudes to her changed. Antagonism was frequent during her lifetime, especially in reports in the British and Irish press about the arrest and trial of her husband André Chazal after his attempted murder of the author in September 1838. By contrast she inspired admiration from activists such as Hélène Brion who celebrated her originality in founding the universal workers’ union. While political militants, feminist and socialists alike, lamented the lack of attention paid to Flora Tristan, by the twentieth century, her story was increasingly attractive to a new generation of historians of socialism of the mid-nineteenth century sensitive of her feminist aspirations. The circumstances of Jules Puech’s first press articles of 1909–11 are thus portrayed as a contextualisation of the beginning of his authority as an author on Flora Tristan.

I Am Murdered

This chapter refers to Joel Behrend, Amelia Norman's employer in his household who testified on her attempted murder case, claiming that her actions before the attempted murder made her seem crazy. It analyses how Amelia's case brought temptation and danger to all who strolled down Broadway during the Panic of 1837, a financial depression that lingered into the first half of the 1840s. It also mentions Samuel Floyd and William Crummie, who stopped Amelia when she attacked her former lover, Henry Ballard, at the hotel entrance of the Astor House steps. The chapter discusses the cab ride when William took Amelia to the police himself, in which she revealed her murder weapon and her regret that she did not use a larger knife. It recounts the sentiment Amelia expressed when she saw Henry bleeding but alive near the Astor House bar.

THE POLITICS OF FOOD DISTRIBUTION DURING THE COVID-19 LOCK DOWN IN UGANDA.

In face of the Novel Covid-19 pandemic that has swept the world, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni issued clear rules; stay at home unless it’s an emergency, wash your hands, sanitize, report any related cases for contact tracing and testing. In his directive all passenger services were stopped including private vehicles and imposed a curfew 7 pm until 6:30 a.m., which made stay at home orders mandatory. Majority of Ugandan urban dwellers are hand-to -mouth and live off their capability to move to town centers daily a small interruption in their routine means many went hungry. The government of Uganda broadcasted measures to distribute relief food items to troubled and vulnerable population mainly in the towns since those in the country sides are able to grow food and provide for their families. This article articulates the politics in the food in Wakiso and Kampala districts in Uganda why there was bias. The study used the selected all documents related to food distribution using content analysis and results indicated that anyone found distributing food outside the national covid-19 task force will be charged with attempted murder hence stopped politicians from strategizing ahead of 2021 parliamentary, presidential and local elections which implied that Covid-19 disrupted over 134 districts in the country in line with the preparation of elections and left majority hungry.

The attempted murder of a surgeon (1882): Frank Algernon Hall of Lewes, Sussex

Frank Algernon Hall (1846 -1899) was an English surgeon who practised in Lewes, Sussex. He is remembered for an attempt on his life in 1882 by “feloniously shooting”. This premeditated act took place at the Lewes surgery where he practised and lived. No reason for the attack is documented and his assailant, Edwin Battersby, was removed to Broadmoor asylum. The author reflects on the value of historical accounts in promoting awareness of assaults on clinicians.