bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glucagon Receptor–Mediated Extracellular Signal–Regulated Kinase 1/2 Phosphorylation in Rat Mesangial Cells
Authors: Li Xiao C. , Carretero Oscar A. , Shao Yuan , Zhuo Jia L.
Published: January 2006

Glucagon, a major insulin counterregulatory hormone, binds to specific G
s
protein–coupled receptors to activate glycogenolytic and gluconeogenic pathways, causing blood glucose levels to increase. Inappropriate increases in serum glucagon play a critical role in the development of insulin resistance and target organ damage in type 2 diabetes. We tested the hypotheses that: (1) glucagon induces proliferation of rat glomerular mesangial cells through glucagon receptor–activated phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK 1/2); and (2) this phosphorylation involves activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) and phospholipase C (PLC)/[Ca
2+
]
i
signaling pathways. In rat mesangial cells, glucagon (1 nM) stimulated [
3
H]-thymidine incorporation by 96% (
P
<0.01). This proliferative effect was blocked by the specific glucagon receptor antagonist [Des-His
1
-Glu
9
] glucagon (1 μmol/L;
P
<0.01), a mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase inhibitor PD98059 (10 μmol/L;
P
<0.01), a PLC inhibitor U73122 (1 μmol/L;
P
<0.01), or a PKA inhibitor H-89 (1 μmol/L;
P
<0.01). The proliferation was associated with a 2-fold increase in p-ERK 1/2 that peaked 5 minutes after glucagon stimulation (
P
<0.01) and also was blocked by [Des-His
1
-Glu
9
] glucagon. Total ERK 1/2 was not affected by glucagon. Pretreating of mesangial cells with U73122 or H89 significantly attenuated ERK 1/2 phosphorylation induced by glucagon. We believe that these are the first data showing that glucagon activates specific receptors to induce ERK 1/2 phosphorylation and thereby increase mesangial cell proliferation and that this effect of glucagon involves both PLC/[Ca
2+
]
i
- and cAMP-dependent PKA-activated signaling cascades.
Vasorelaxing Effect of BAY 41-2272 in Rat Basilar Artery
Authors: Teixeira Cleber E. , Priviero Fernanda B.M. , Todd Joseph , Webb R. Clinton
Published: January 2006

Decreases in intrinsic NO cause cerebral vasospasms because of the dysregulation of cGMP formation by NO-mediated pathways. Because 5-cyclopropyl-2-{1-(2-fluorobenzyl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridin-3-yl}pyrimidin-4-ylamine (BAY 41-2272) is a potent soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) stimulator in an NO-independent manner, this study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the relaxant effects of BAY 41-2272 in the rat basilar artery. BAY 41-2272 (0.0001 to 1 μmol/L) induced relaxations in a concentration-dependent manner, with pEC50values of 8.13±0.03 and 7.63±0.05 in intact and denuded rings, respectively. The sGC inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4] oxadiazolo [4,3,-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) markedly displaced the curve for BAY 41-2272 to the right in intact or denuded rings (&10-fold). The NO synthesis inhibitorNG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester caused a rightward shift in the curve for BAY 41-2272 (4-fold), whereas the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor sildenafil enhanced BAY 41-2272–induced relaxations (3- to 4-fold). The Na+-K+-ATPase inhibitor ouabain caused 3-fold rightward shifts in the curves for BAY 41-2272. Ca2+-induced contractions in K+depolarized rings were significantly attenuated by BAY 41-2272 in an ODQ-insensitive manner. The NO donor glyceryl trinitrate and BAY 41-2272 caused rightward shifts in the contractile responses to serotonin. Their coincubation caused a synergistic inhibition of serotonin-induced contractions. BAY 41-2272 and glyceryl trinitrate increased cGMP levels (but not cAMP) by 10-fold and 4-fold above baseline, respectively, in an ODQ-sensitive manner. cGMP levels increased by 50-fold after coincubation. BAY 41-2272 potently relaxes the rat basilar artery in a synergistic fashion with NO. Targeting the sGC with selective activators, such as BAY 41-2272, may represent a new therapy to treat cerebrovascular disease.
Myocardial Viability Testing and the Effect of Early Intervention in Patients With Advanced Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction
Authors: Tarakji Khaldoun G. , Brunken Richard , McCarthy Patrick M. , Al-Chekakie M. Obadah , Abdel-Latif Ahmed , Pothier Claire E. , Blackstone Eugene H. , Lauer Michael S.
Published: January 2006

Background—

The clinical value of revascularization and other procedures in patients with severe systolic heart failure is unclear. It has been suggested that assessing ischemia and viability by positron emission tomography (PET) with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) imaging may identify patients for whom revascularization may lead to improved survival. We performed a propensity analysis to determine whether there might be a survival advantage from revascularization.

Methods and Results—

We analyzed the survival of 765 consecutive patients (age 64±11 years, 80% men) with advanced left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction ≤35%) and without significant valvular heart disease who underwent PET/FDG study at the Cleveland Clinic between 1997 and 2002. Early intervention was defined as any cardiac intervention (surgical or percutaneous) within the first 6 months of the PET/FDG study. In the entire cohort, 230 patients (30%) underwent early intervention (188 [25%] had open heart surgery, most commonly coronary artery bypass grafting, and 42 [5%] had percutaneous revascularization); 535 (70%) were treated medically. Using 39 demographic, clinical and PET/FDG variables, we were able to propensity-match 153 of the 230 patients with 153 patients who did not undergo early intervention. Among the propensity-matched group, there were 84 deaths during a median of 3 years follow-up. Early intervention was associated with a markedly lower risk of death (3-year mortality rate of 15% versus 35%, propensity adjusted hazard ratio 0.52, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.81,
P
=0.0004).

Conclusions—

Among systolic heart failure patients referred for PET/FDG, early intervention may be associated with improved survival irrespective of the degree of viability.
Activation of Soluble Guanylate Cyclase Reverses Experimental Pulmonary Hypertension and Vascular Remodeling
Authors: Dumitrascu Rio , Weissmann Norbert , Ghofrani Hossein Ardeschir , Dony Eva , Beuerlein Knut , Schmidt Harald , Stasch Johannes-Peter , Gnoth Mark Jean , Seeger Werner , Grimminger Friedrich , Schermuly Ralph Theo
Published: January 2006

Background—

Severe pulmonary hypertension is a disabling disease with high mortality, characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling and right heart hypertrophy. Using wild-type and homozygous endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3
−/−
) knockout mice with pulmonary hypertension induced by chronic hypoxia and rats with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension, we examined whether the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulator Bay41-2272 or the sGC activator Bay58-2667 could reverse pulmonary vascular remodeling.

Methods and Results—

Both Bay41-2272 and Bay58-2667 dose-dependently inhibited the pressor response of acute hypoxia in the isolated perfused lung system. When wild-type (NOS3
+/+
) or NOS3
−/−
mice were housed under 10% oxygen conditions for 21 or 35 days, both strains developed pulmonary hypertension, right heart hypertrophy, and pulmonary vascular remodeling, demonstrated by an increase in fully muscularized peripheral pulmonary arteries. Treatment of wild-type mice with the activator of sGC, Bay58-2667 (10 mg/kg per day), or the stimulator of sGC, Bay41-2272 (10 mg/kg per day), after full establishment of pulmonary hypertension from day 21 to day 35 significantly reduced pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular hypertrophy, and structural remodeling of the lung vasculature. In contrast, only minor efficacy of chronic sGC activator therapies was noted in NOS3
−/−
mice. In monocrotaline-injected rats with established severe pulmonary hypertension, both compounds significantly reversed hemodynamic and structural changes.

Conclusions—

Activation of sGC reverses hemodynamic and structural changes associated with monocrotaline- and chronic hypoxia-induced experimental pulmonary hypertension. This effect is partially dependent on endogenous nitric oxide generated by NOS3.
Power Positions
Authors: Hafner-Burton Emilie M. , Montgomery Alexander H.
Published: January 2006

A growing number of international relations scholars argue that intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) promote peace. Existing approach esemphasize IGO membership as an important causal attribute of individual states, much like economic development and regime type. The authors use social network analysis to show that IGO memberships also create a disparate distribution of social power, significantly shaping conflicts between states. Membership partitions states into structurally equivalent clusters and establishes hierarchies of prestige in the international system. These relative positions promote common beliefs and alter the distribution of social power, making certain policy strategies more practical or rational. The authors introduce new IGO relational data and explore the empirical merits of their approach during the period from 1885 to 1992. They demonstrate that conflict is increased by the presence of many other states in structurally equivalent clusters, while large prestige disparities and in-group favoritism decrease it.
Mediation Style and Crisis Outcomes
Authors: Beardsley Kyle C. , Quinn David M. , Biswas Bidisha , Wilkenfeld Jonathan
Published: January 2006

This study focuses on the varying effectiveness of three mediation styles—facilitation, formulation, and manipulation—on international crises. Effectiveness is assessed in terms of three outcome variables: formal agreement, post-crisis tension reduction, and contribution to crisis abatement. The authors analyze new data on the mediation process from the International Crisis Behavior project (1918-2001). Manipulation has the strongest effect on the likelihood of both reaching a formal agreement and contributing to crisis abatement. Facilitation has the greatest influence on increasing the prospects for lasting tension reduction. The authors explore how the different styles affect the strategic bargaining environment to explain these differences in impact. The findings suggest that mediators should use a balance of styles if they are to maximize their overall effectiveness.
When Too Little or Too Much Hurts: Evidence for a Curvilinear Relationship Between Task Conflict and Innovation in Teams
Authors: De Dreu Carsten K. W.
Published: January 2006

Past work leaves open whether conflict helps or hinders team innovation. Reconciling this inconsistency, Study 1 showed that work teams were more innovative when the level of task conflict was moderate instead of low or high. Study 2 showed that this curvilinear effect exists for task conflict, but not for relationship conflict, and that the effects of task conflict are mediated by collaborative problem solving. Study 2 also showed that although moderate levels of task conflict may promote team innovation, it simultaneously reduces short-term goal attainment in teams. Implications for conflict (management) theory and work on innovation are discussed.
The Impact of Anticipated Social Consequences on Recurring Disability Accommodation Requests
Authors: Baldridge David C. , Veiga John F.
Published: January 2006

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) has not achieved its potential, in part, because those it sought to help have shown a reluctance to request accommodations. Using survey data from 229 hearing-impaired employees and an expert panel, logistic regression confirmed that monetary costs and impositions on others negatively influence the likelihood of requesting recurring accommodations. Furthermore, monetary costs and impositions on others negatively influence the requester’s assessments of the social consequences of making such requests. These consequences, in turn, can also negatively influence future disability accommodation requests.
Spatializing the (Im)Proper Subject
Authors: Fusco Caroline
Published: January 2006

This article considers the interface between the (psychic and material) construction of subjectivity and the geographies of a set of physical education and recreation locker rooms. Using Julia Kristeva's (1982) Powers of Horror: An Essay in Abjection, the author examines the discursive and psychic constructions of subjectivity that take place in locker rooms. Although it is not possible to get inside people's unconscious, nevertheless, the author suggests that there is something going on in locker rooms that sustains the psychic and material construction of the subject. The author illustrates that the production of subjectivity is learned through, and depends on, a process of abjection. She suggests that paying attention to the “psychogeographies” of subjects and spaces offers a unique way in which to explore how we engage with the fragile boundaries and borders of subjectivity and the interspace(s) of the abject in sport and physical culture.
Deleuze and the Body Without Organs
Authors: Markula Pirkko
Published: January 2006

This article examines the possibilities for resistant feminine body identity through the lens of Deleuzian feminism. To do this, the author relies on Deleuze's critique of philosophical thought that constructs identity as a series of dichotomous oppositions. According to Deleuze, this process takes place within three dominant strata—organism, significance, and subjectification—that limit the creative potential of theorizing bodily identity. The author further examines Deleuze's alternative, positive approach to disreading bodily identity through such concepts as plane of consistency, assemblange, and the Body without Organs. Finally, the author aims to illustrate the usefulness of Deleuzian philosophy to researchers of sport and exercise through an application into women's fitness practices. More specifically, the author analyzes how Pilates, as a set of exercise practices, might assist in a creation of a Body without Organs.
Televised Sports, Masculinist Moral Capital, and Support for the U.S. Invasion of Iraq
Authors: Stempel Carl
Published: January 2006

Data from a survey of 1,048 Americans conducted in summer 2003 are used to demonstrate the existence of a “televised masculinist sport–militaristic nationalism complex” that contributed support for the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Involvement in televised masculinist sports is robustly correlated with support for invading Iraq, the doctrine of preventive attacks, and strong patriotic feelings for the United States. Critical feminists and figurationalists posit a linkage between war and masculinist sports that is grounded in a macho or hypermasculinity found most in combat sports such as football. Using Lakoff's study of the conservative worldviewand Lamont'swork on moral boundaries, the author develops an alternative conception of “masculinist moral capital” that better explains the gender and racial patterns of correlation between different types of televised sports and support for invading Iraq.
Teenage Prostitution and the Future of the Female Adolescent in Nigeria
Authors: Bamgbose Oluyemisi
Published: January 2006

Nigeria has a large number of adolescents living and making a living on the streets. This has been attributed to economic factors and exposure to all forms of risks. The result is the proliferation of prostitution among the adolescents with its attendant problems. This article considers the different forms of adolescent prostitutes: those in brothels, street walkers, call girls, and casual, part-time, or floating prostitutes, as well as the trafficking of adolescent girls across international borders. The causes of adolescent prostitution in Nigeria are largely economic, sociological, and socioeconomic factors. A two-dimensional approach was adopted in considering the attitude to prostitution. Coping mechanisms include endurance, self-medication, seeking medical attention, and adaptation. The effects of prostitution are psychological reactions, psychosocial damage, and the political implication, which damages the image of the nation. Approaches to combat adolescent prostitution in Nigeria include legislative steps, governmental efforts, policy making, awareness programs, and the efforts of nongovernmental organizations, community conscientization, and societal measures.
Risk-Taking Behaviour and Criminal Offending: An Investigation of Sensation Seeking and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire
Authors: Knust Sonja , Stewart Anna L.
Published: January 2006

This study investigated relationships between hostility, Zuckerman’s sensation seeking, and Eysenck and Eysenck’s personality scales within a prison population, to explore whether they could be conceptualized in terms of two socialized and unsocialized sensation seeking factors. Participants included 79 incarcerated adult male offenders (age range = 18- 62). Findings support the distinction between socialized and unsocialized sensation seeking and suggest that these factors represent more overarching personality factors. Psychoticism was a clear marker of the more broad impulsive, unsocialized sensation seeking factor, rather than representing a supertrait in its own right. This factor was also represented by lie, disinhibition, and boredom susceptibility scales. Findings relating to hostility also supported such a reformulation, as unsocialized scales did cluster together to predict the unsocialized hostility factor, whereas unsocialized scales did not. The results demonstrate the need for a theoretical reformulation of the two given theories of personality.
The Impact of Sex-Offender Community Notification on Probation/Parole in Wisconsin
Authors: Zevitz Richard G. , Farkas Mary Ann
Published: January 2006

Sex-offender community notification legislation has had far-reaching consequences for those who must work within its mandates of community protection and safety. Increased responsibilities and greater expectations placed on probation and parole agents with sex-offender caseloads are among such consequences, This study examines the impact of Wisconsin’s notification law on these agents and their adaptation to the changes in the way sex offenders are managed in the community. Results of the study indicate that although community notification may achieve important objectives in the realm of public awareness and community protection, these gains come at a high cost for corrections in terms of personnel, time, and budgetary resources. Several issues are considered for state and local policy makers, as well as for probation/parole administrators, supervisors, and agents.
The Use of Reinforcement and Punishment on Incarcerated and Probated Substance-Abusing Juvenile Offenders
Authors: Tsytsarev Sergei , Manger Jennifer , Lodrini Deborah
Published: January 2006

The primary sentencing options for juvenile offenders are incarceration and probation into community-based rehabilitation programs. Each model relies on different behavioral principles, punishment and reinforcement respectively, to achieve the goals of the juvenile justice system, which include a decrease in rates of recidivism. Self-esteem has been found to be negatively correlated to criminal and substance abuse recidivism in past research. The current study sought to determine the differential effects of imprisonment and probation on self-esteem in a sample of 50 substance-abusing juvenile offenders, sentenced to one of the aforementioned adjudication options. Participants were group administered the Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory and the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory. The results indicated that the punishment (incarcerated) group obtained significantly higher scores on a scale measuring social self-esteem than the reinforcement (probation) group. The authors discuss theories that may help explain the current findings.
Wrapped in Silence: Psychotherapists and Confidentiality in the Courtroom
Authors: Gutiérrez-Lobos Karin , Wagner Elisabeth , Schmidl-Mohl Brigitte , Schmid-Siegel Brigitte
Published: January 2006

The impact of the Austrian Psychotherapy Act, which, in contrast to legal provisions in the United States, does not provide for any exceptions to breach confidentiality, is compared with the effects of U.S. law on dealing with confidentiality. The authors investigated the impact of this law in light of three common situations in psychotherapy that may jeopardize strict confidentiality: treating potentially dangerous patients, giving testimony, and serving as a psychotherapist in prison. Under the strict provisions of the Austrian Psychotherapy Act, a breach may be excusable in the case of a highly probable danger, but Austrian psychotherapists cannot be obliged to serve as witnesses or an experts in civil or criminal cases, as American psychotherapists can. Psychotherapy in prison, where release is contingent on the success of the therapy and the divulging of information could be in the interests of the patient as well as the court and the public, requires a modified dealing with confidentiality.
Who Is More Dangerous? Comparing the Criminality of Adult Homeless and Domiciled Jail Inmates: A Research Note
Authors: DeLisi Matt
Published: January 2006

The criminality of 100 homeless and 100 domiciled jail inmates was compared. Homeless jail inmates were significantly more likely than domiciled jail inmates to be mentally ill, to be arrested for nuisance offenses, to have more extensive criminal histories, and to have prior arrests for use of weapons, drugs, and alcohol. Suggestions for processing homeless offenders are given.
Understanding the Experience of House Arrest with Electronic Monitoring: An Analysis of Quantitative and Qualitative Data
Authors: Gainey Randy R. , Payne Brian K.
Published: January 2006

In this article, the authors use both qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate the experiences of offenders on house arrest with electronic monitoring. The data suggest that offenders, for the most part, do not view house arrest with electronic monitoring as particularly problematic, and most cite positive aspects of their program in comparison to jail. However, some aspects of the sanction are seen as more punitive than others, and there is important variation in how punitive offenders view the sanction. With few exceptions, however, offenders’perceptions were not strongly correlated with social and demographic characteristics. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for criminal justice policy regarding this alternative sanction.
Locus of Control, Causal Attributions, and Self-Esteem: A Comparison between Prisoners
Authors: Blatier Catherine
Published: January 2006

In France, prisoners can be employed in building sites controlled by the penitentiary system but outside the prison. Prisoners involved in these special sentence-serving conditions were asked to fill out questionnaires testing their self-esteem, attitudes toward conformist and nonconformist behavior, attributions about their crime, and the locus of control. In this article, Weiner’s attributional theory of motivation and emotion is discussed. In addition to the three basic dimensions he proposed—locus of control, stability, and controllability—the contribution of self-esteem is examined. The answers given by these prisoners were compared with answers provided by prisoners in jail. The results may have implications for the treatment of criminal and delinquent behavior, because knowledge of prisoners’ attributions and beliefs about whether people are capable of changing their own behavior can help social workers, judges, therapists, and prison wardens achieve more successful psychological rehabilitation in prisoners.
A 30-Month Follow-Up of Court- Referred Batterers in Four Cities
Authors: Gondolf Edward W.
Published: January 2006

A follow-up of court-referred male batterers in four cites was conducted to assess the long-term outcomes of batterer programs (N = 618). About 70% of the batterers’initial and new female partners were interviewed by phone every 3 months for the first 15 months and every 7 to 8 months for the next 15 months. According to the women’s reports, 41% of the men committed a reassault during the 30-month follow-up period—an increase of only 7% over the 15-month reassault rate. Nearly two thirds of the first-time reassaults occurred in the first 6 months. About a fifth of the men repeatedly reassaulted their partners and account for most of the reported injuries. The reassault rate for men attending a program for 3 months or more is significantly less than for dropouts. The reassault rates are not significantly different across the four programs, despite differences in program length and services.
A Trauma-Focused Individual Therapy Approach for Adolescents with Conduct Disorder
Authors: Greenwald Ricky
Published: January 2006

Trauma is proposed as a key to understanding the development and persistence of conduct disorder in conjunction with other contributing factors. Trauma history is virtually universal in this population, and trauma effects can help to account for many features of the disorder including lack of empathy, impulsivity, anger, acting out, and resistance to treatment. The current standard of care fails to fully address trauma, which may partially explain the low success rate. A trauma-focused individual therapy approach is presented as one example of how this population might be more effectively treated. This approach features motivational interviewing, self-control training, and trauma resolution and integrates eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Two illustrative case examples are presented and discussed.
Weapon Ownership and the Willingness to Respond to Threats with Violence: The United States and Japan
Authors: Friday Paul C. , Dussich John P. J. , Okada Takayuki , Yamagami Akira
Published: January 2006

Using data collected in Tokyo and Mito, Japan, and in Charlotte, North Carolina, the impact of weapons on the willingness to use violence in a variety of defined scenarios was analyzed. The American sample was twice as likely as the Japanese sample to say they would use a weapon when confronted by a stranger, by a known acquaintance, or if someone illegally entered their homes. The major finding is that the stated willingness to use a weapon is significantly tied to whether one owned a weapon for personal safety and being male in both countries. Logistic regression shows the likelihood of responding to a threat by physical force to be twice as great in Japan and nearly eight times as great in Charlotte if the respondent owned a weapon. These data support the thesis of a weapons effect that influences one’s definition of the situation.
The Effects of Maltreatment and Family Structure on Minor and Serious Delinquency
Authors: Heck Cary , Walsh Anthony
Published: January 2006

This study explores the influence of maltreatment on serious violent and property delinquency as well as on minor misbehavior offenses among a sample of White male delinquents. A recent influential study concluded that this relationship has been exaggerated and found it to be nonexistent for serious offending after the effects of family structure were factored in. This article points out some of the deficiencies in that research and demonstrates that when both delinquency and maltreatment are measured comprehensively, the relationship is robust controlling for type of family structure, verbal IQ, family size, and birth order. Although it was found that the variables impact differentially according to the type of delinquency being examined, in every case, maltreatment was found to account for significant independent variance. It was also found that delinquents from homes broken by desertion were the most maltreated and the most delinquent.
Comparison of Offenders with Early- and Late-Starting Antisocial Behavior in Colombia
Authors: Klevens Joanne , Restrepo Ofelia , Roca Juanita , Martinez Adriana
Published: January 2006

A sample of 223 detained offenders in five cities in Colombia, South America, were divided according to childhood or adolescent onset of antisocial behavior and compared on type of offense, characteristics of family of origin, and personal history. No significant differences were found as to type of offense committed between these two groups, but individuals with childhood onset of antisocial behavior were more likely to report multiple problem behavior at all ages, family antecedents of delinquency and alcohol abuse, greater exposure to family life changes, psychological abuse, severe childhood punishments, and lower self-esteem and sense of coherence as compared to individuals first manifesting antisocial behavior after adolescence. These differences were independent of mother’s level of education, head of the household’s occupational level, and family size. The results add evidence from a different social and cultural context as to the heterogeneity among offenders related to the age of onset of antisocial behavior.
A Cross-National Examination of the Relationship between Gender Equality and Official Rape Rates
Authors: Austin Roy L. , Kim Young S.
Published: January 2006

Researchers often base their studies of the relationship between gender equality and rape on the claims of feminists. But feminists propose both a negative and positive relationship between these variables. This article summarizes theoretical differences between groups of feminists and uses gender equality indicators especially consistent with liberal feminists’ goals to examine the relationship in question with cross-national data. A positive relationship was found, not a negative one as the limited equality goals of liberal feminists lead one to expect. Also, similar to several previous studies, homicide and rape rates are positively associated as suggested by the subculture of violence thesis.
The Proportions of Different Types of Sex Offenders and the Degree of Difficulty in Treating Them: A Comparison of Perceptions by Clinicians in Taiwan and in Michigan
Authors: Lin Min-chieh Jay , Maxwell Sheila R. , Barclay Andrew M.
Published: January 2006

Research has shown that sex offenders are a heterogeneous group, but few studies have examined differences in types of sex offenders cross-culturally or examined the perceptions of clinicians about difficulties in treating different types of sex offenders. This study compares the perceptions of clinicians in Taiwan and in Michigan of the types of sex offenders they are serving and on the difficulties of treating these sex offenders. The Groth typology of sex offenders was used as the baseline typology. Results show significant differences in proportions of rapists and child molesters between Taiwan and Michigan, but no significant differences were found in other types. The rankings by clinicians of the degree of difficulty in treating different types of sex offenders were identical in both areas, although the clinical experiences of clinicians between these two areas were different.
Job Satisfaction of Mental Health Professionals Providing Group Therapy in State Correctional Facilities
Authors: Ferrell Sean W. , Morgan Robert D. , Winterowd Carrie L.
Published: January 2006

The primary purpose of this research was to explore the job satisfaction levels of mental health professionals providing group therapy services in state correctional institutions. Participants (162 providers from 78 adult male state correctional facilities) completed a survey examining perceptions about a range of job responsibilities. Further analysis investigated the relationship of demographic variables, administrative support variables, and security issues to satisfaction levels. Professionals appeared especially satisfied with aspects of their jobs that involved the direct provision of psychological services (i.e., facilitating group and individual psychotherapy services, providing crisis intervention services, and conducting formal assessments). They appeared relatively less satisfied with nondirect services including administrative responsibilities, report writing, case notes, and receiving individual supervision. The findings also revealed that these professionals disagreed that they receive adequate funding from administration or that rehabilitation was an overall goal of their correctional institution. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are highlighted.
The Battered Wife’s Perception of the Characteristics of Her Encounter with the Police
Authors: Shoham Efrat
Published: January 2006

According to the research literature, the relationship between battered women and the police tends to be unsatisfactory and frustrating, characterized by a mutual lack of understanding. The aim of the present study is to consider how women who seek police help in the wake of violent attacks by their husbands perceive the attitude of the policemen during their encounter at the police station. The findings indicate that most of the women lodged a complaint out of feelings of fear and humiliation, expecting to receive some manner of support and protection. However, they perceived that the police did not understand their situation, tended to be suspicious of their motives, and believed them to be seeking revenge or trying to exact some sort of profit.
The Two Faces of the Correctional Role: An Exploration of the Value of the Correctional Role Instrument
Authors: Hemmens Craig , Stohr Mary K.
Published: January 2006

Correctional scholars once portrayed correctional offenders as hacks, little interested in the welfare of the inmates they supervised. Later researchers related how this conception of the officer as hack failed to take into account and explain the human service functions in which many officers are engaged. A role instrument was developed and administered to staff at a medium-security prison to measure the extent to which today’s officers identify with the old hack or the newer human service conception of their work. Analysis of the data indicates that the instrument appears useful in measuring correctional role orientation, as the alpha is .84. In addition, examination of responses to individual items indicates that selected sociodemographic characteristics are related to perceptions of the correctional role.
Antisocial and Psychopathic Personality Disorders: Causes, Course, and Remission—A Review Article
Authors: Martens Willem H. J.
Published: January 2006

Antisocial and psychopathic personality disorders can be linked to a number of biochemical abnormalities (e.g., serotonin, monoamine oxidase, and hormone dysfunctions), genetic and environmental influences, and psychological and social manifestations. Children with conduct disorders, with or without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, have an elevated risk for antisocial or psychopathic personality disorders in adolescence and adulthood. The presence of comorbid disorders such as substance abuse and schizophrenia have a strong negative predictive value with respect to the course, the prognosis, and the outcome of antisocial and psychopathic disorders. Furthermore, there are substantial gender differences. The rates for spontaneous remission and improvement of antisocial and psychopathic personality disorders are possibly relatively high. In fact, these rates are higher for women than for men. In the fourth decade of life, most of the antisocial and psychopathic personalities are in remission.
Importation and Deprivation Explanations of Juveniles’ Adjustment to Correctional Facilities
Authors: Gover Angela R. , Mackenzie Doris Layton , Armstrong Gaylene Styve
Published: January 2006

Two theoretical explanations, importation and deprivation, are commonly used to explain inmate adjustment to the correctional environment. This study examined the relation- ship of selected importation and deprivation factors on juveniles’ anxiety levels while they were confined to institutions. Self-reported data collected from 3,986 juveniles and aggregate level data collected from interviews with administrators at 48 U.S. correctional facilities were used in a probit regression analysis. Importation and deprivation factors were found to have a significant impact on juveniles’ anxiety levels. Youth who were younger, White, or had a history of exposure to family violence experienced more anxiety. Youth confined to an institution modeled after military boot camps reported higher levels of anxiety. Juveniles who perceived their institution as having less justice and permitting less activity reported more anxiety. Consistent with prior literature, support was provided for a combined theoretical model of importation and deprivation factors for explaining juveniles’ institutional adjustment.
The Self and the Psychology of Domestic Homicide-Suicide
Authors: Starzomski Andrew , Nussbaum David
Published: January 2006

Men commit the vast majority of domestic homicide-suicides (H-Ss) wherein a person kills their intimate partner (and/or other family members) before taking their own life. Studies of men who commit H-S have looked at the act from psychopathology and evolutionary psychology viewpoints. To complement those approaches, this article presents additional views of domestic H-S. Applications of theories from social (escape from self), developmental (evolution of self and continuity of self), gender role (power and the male role), and family violence psychology (abusive personality and proximal antecedents of abuse) are outlined. These conceptualizations are offered because they pertain to instability and deconstruction of the self amidst the life changes and intimate distress that precede many cases of domestic H-S.
The Effectiveness of Rehabilitation with Persistently Violent Male Prisoners
Authors: Wang Eugene W. , Owens Ronald M. , Long Shaun A. , Diamond Pamela M. , Smith Jason L.
Published: January 2006

In 1990, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice instituted a specialty aggression treatment program called the Program for the Aggressive Mentally Ill Offender (PAMIO). It has beds for 458 violent male offenders and offers multidisciplinary medical and behavioral treatment. This study examined the effectiveness of this treatment program by comparing the annual rates of disciplinary offenses (e.g., staff assaults, inmate assaults, and good time lost) of 66 offenders prior to and following treatment. Paired t tests showed a significant decrease after PAMIO treatment in the annual rates of total disciplinaries, staff assaults, inmate assaults, and good time lost. This improvement appeared to be directly related to treatment effects.
Methadone Clients, Crime, and Substance Use
Authors: Patterson Susan , Lennings C. J. , Davey Jeremy
Published: January 2006

Self-report criminal activity in a sample of 86 methadone-maintained opioid addicts is examined. Of the participants, 52% report some criminal offending, with drug-related and property crimes accounting for the majority of the offending. One quarter of the females in the sample were involved in prostitution. Of all the demographic factors used in this study, only gender discriminated between the sample in terms of level of offending, with females reporting the highest crime rates. Heroin use and crime measures were also associated, with persistent criminality related to the continued use of heroin. An analysis of the heroin use–criminality association found that only female gender predicted both increased rates of heroin use and increased rates of criminality. Implications of this finding are discussed.
Cultural Stereotypes and the Justice System: The Canadian Case of R. v. Ewanchuk
Authors: Tang Kwong-leung
Published: January 2006

Cultural biases and stereotypes against victims of sexual assault are widespread among the judiciary in Canada. The recent Supreme Court of Canada’s ruling in the case ofR. v. Ewanchuk confirms the fear that cultural stereotyping about sexual assault is deeply embedded in the justice system. This case, in which the Supreme Court overturned the lower court’s finding of the availability of the implied-consent defense on the part of the accused, underscores the need to dispel such myths. There is another peculiar feature of this ruling. A few justices in this ruling approvingly referred to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and remarked that the Canadian government should be committed to implementing this convention in the domestic legal system. Although this reliance on international law serves to reinforce efforts at eliminating sexual and cultural myths, women’s groups must be vigilant about the lingering rape myths held by many judges in different layers of the court system.
The Stichting Ambulante Preventie ProjectenMethod: A Comparative Study of Recidivism in First Offenders in a Dutch Outpatient Setting
Authors: Ruddijs Frans , Timmerman Harrie
Published: January 2006

In this study, a comparison was made between 56 first-time sex offenders in an outpatient treatment programand 56 offenders who did not receive any treatment in an attempt to determine the difference in recidivism between the two groups. No significant difference was found between the two groups. The importance of involving first-time offenders in treatment during their first contact with the judicial system is discussed. The authors suggest the necessity for differing approaches to the offenders according to their specific problem (exhibitionists, extrafamiliar child molesters, incest offenders) and for long-term research to determine the efficacy of the different types of treatment in this offender population.
Sexual Homicides and Their Classification According to Motivation: A Report from Argentina
Authors: Folino Jorge Oscar
Published: January 2006

Perpetrators of sexual homicide act in response to various motivations, and their victims are diverse. They are not necessarily affected by psychosis. They take advantage of their victims’ vulnerability or of favourable circumstances in order to take control of the situation. The characteristics of 16 persons accused of sexual homicide in the Judiciary Department of La Plata, Argentina are described in this article. The cases presented show that homicidal sexual violence is an instrumental behaviour used to attain differing objectives and is not necessarily perpetrated for sexual purposes. It is suggested that further research is necessary to improve the existing classifications.
Classifying Child Abusers: Its Relevance to Theory and Clinical Practice
Authors: Bickley James , Beech Anthony R.
Published: January 2006

A major problem in the development of an adequate theory of the sexual offence process is the heterogeneity of offenders. This lack of a clear understanding of both why and how people sexually offend against children continues to hinder the development of effective methods of intervention for these individuals. The aim of this article is to critically review some of the approaches that have been adopted in an attempt to provide a reliable and valid classification system for child molesters and to consider the impact that such systems have had on the structuring of interventions to meet the differing needs of this client group.
Violent Sex Offenders Lack Male Social Support
Authors: Gutiérrez-Lobos Karin , Eher Reinhard , Grünhut Christine , Bankier Bettina , Schmidl-Mohl Brigitte , Frühwald Stefan , Semler Brigitte
Published: January 2006

Social networks and social support generally exert an important impact on the management of crisis and may thus influence prevention and rehabilitation strategies. The authors therefore investigated the social network and support in a group of 62 incarcerated sexual offenders. Irrespective of the underlying diagnosis, offenders were divided into a high-violent group and a low-violent group. A factor analysis resulted in five factors describing specific dimensions of social support. A significantly lower perceived social support was found in the high-violent group as compared with the low-violent offenders concerning the factors “talking about problems and feelings to someone” and “rely on someone.” This low support exclusively referred to men outside the family. Neither the number of previous convictions nor length of prior imprisonment predicted the amount of displayed violence. The authors’ results are compared with those in the pertinent literature and are discussed in light of relevant therapeutic strategies in prevention and rehabilitation.
Contextualizing Sex Offender Management Legislation and Policy: Evaluating the Problem of Latent Consequences in Community Notification Laws
Authors: Edwards William , Hensley Christopher
Published: January 2006

Sexual victimization has become one of the most publicized and researched social problems in society. However, potential linkages between the intended and unintended effects of sex offender management legislation have gone largely unaddressed in social science literature. This article addresses these linkages by applying a social-systems model to help better understand the problems of managing sex offenders. Additionally, latent consequences of current and proposed sex offender legislation, including community notification laws, are examined. It is argued that sex offenders (and the community at large) may face a considerable variety of problems not intended by such legislation. In addition, we examine the “one-dimensional monster” stereotype of a sex offender and how this ostracism may discourage offenders from reporting their behavior and seeking counseling. Finally, we provide proposals for addressing these issues with the use of the therapeutic jurisprudence model.
Legal Competency in a Case of Pedophilia: Advertising on the Internet
Authors: Fontana-Rosa Júlio César
Published: January 2006

The author discusses the importance of the Internet in disseminating advertising matter targeted to stimulate interest in pedophilia. The case of a suspect held in custody for using the Internet for this end is presented. The case is considered in light of the current literature that regards pedophilia as a pathological entity. As such, the author proposes that pedophilia should be considered a mental disorder in legal terms. Besides the pedophilic-child binomial, he discusses the exploiter who is not affected by pedophilia but takes advantage of the Internet for profit. Because of the repugnancy that pedophilia causes, social pressure to apprehend the offenders is intense and can cause witch hunting, both of the pedophile, who is a person with a psychological disorder, and of the exploiter, who may be indirectly responsible for such conduct. Societal pressure sometimes looms over forensic medical judgment, and the author suggests the possibility of justice giving in to such pressures.
Validity of the Personality Assessment Inventory for Forensic Assessments
Authors: Douglas Kevin S. , Hart Stephen D. , Kropp P. Randall
Published: January 2006

The Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) is a relatively newself-report inventory that has become popular in correctional and forensic settings. The utility of thePAI for forensic assessments was investigated in a sample of 127 adult male forensic psychiatric patients. Theoretically relevant PAI scales and subscales were used as predictors of criterion variables of violence, lifetime diagnosis of psychosis, and lifetime diagnosis of personality disorder. Moderate support for the validity of the PAI was found, in that theoretically relevant PAI (sub)scales tended to predict criterion variables, and theoretically unrelated (sub)scales tended not to. The PAI appears to be able to discriminate on major conceptual dimensions in a forensic setting. A clinical description of the sample, based on PAI scales, is also presented.