Forensic Evaluation of Deaf Individuals: Challenges and Strategies

ABSTRACT

Forensic evaluation of deaf individuals presents unique challenges due to many examinees’ fund of information deficits, potential for language deprivation, and examiners’ frequent lack of creativity regarding communication methods. This article describes challenges most frequently encountered in competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility evaluations and offers strategies for overcoming them. The value of employing multiple communication methods, especially the use of illustrations, is emphasized. Suggestions also are offered regarding preparing evaluation reports and effectively communicating “key deaf fundamentals” to legal personnel. Encouragement is offered for qualified, sign-fluent professionals to engage in forensic work.     

英美文学素养与高校理科生创新思维培养

以广西桂林高校理工科大学生为样本,对英美文学对学生创新思维培养的实证分析表明:理工科大学生英美文学水平总体不高,创新思维能力呈中等水平;选(必)修英美文学课程不仅能提高学生英美文学素养,也促进了学生创新思维能力的发展;学生英美文学水平与创新思维能力呈中度正相关。因此,理工科院校应倡导学生重视自身英美文学素养的提高,并积极开设英美文学选(必)修课程,努力推进专业学科与人文学科的有机结合,以培养具有全面素质的优秀人才。     

Involvement in the Juvenile Justice System for African American Adolescents: Examining Associations with Behavioral Health Problems

While researchers have found that African American youth experience higher levels of juvenile justice involvement at every system level (arrest, sentencing, and incarceration) relative to their other ethnic counterparts, few studies have explored how juvenile justice involvement and number of contacts might be correlated with this broad range of problems. A convenience sample of 638 African American adolescents living in predominantly low-income, urban communities participated in a survey related to juvenile justice involvement. Major findings using logistic regression models indicated that adolescents who reported juvenile justice system involvement versus no involvement were 2.3 times as likely to report mental health problems, substance abuse, and delinquent or youth offending behaviors. Additional findings documented that the higher the number of juvenile justice system contacts, the higher the rates of delinquent behaviors, alcohol and marijuana use, sex while high on drugs, and commercial sex. These findings suggest that identifying and targeting youth who have multiple juvenile justice system contacts, especially those in low-resourced communities for early intervention services, may be beneficial. Future research should examine whether peer network norms might mediate the relationships between juvenile justice involvement and youth problem behaviors.     

马汉和他的“海权论”

阿尔弗雷德·塞耶·马汉在其代表作《海权对历史的影响，1660—1783}中，奠定了“海权论”的基础：1．海权在一个民族和国家的形成过程中扮演了极其重要的角色；2．海权体系由各机构、设施、商船和海军舰队所组成；3．在国家各种力量中，海军是最重要的力量；4．海军的战略目标是在一场决战中打垮敌方舰队，夺取“制海权”；5．海军是美国争霸世界的基础。     

School context and American Indian substance use

The present study extends prior research exploring the role of school contextual factors in predicting individual adolescent substance use by examining how a school’s racial composition is associated with American Indian adolescent tobacco and marijuana use. Using a subsample of 523 American Indian students from the restricted use Add Health data, we consider both individual and school contextual factors across 99 schools. Our results suggest that a school’s racial composition is associated with individual tobacco and marijuana use among American Indian youth, but in different ways depending upon the substance. Our findings illustrate the importance of extending research on the correlates of substance use for racial and ethnic minorities beyond studies examining African-Americans and/or Hispanics.     

‘You Get More Respect,’ Reasons for Sex Among African American High School Youth: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT

African American adolescents continue to be disproportionately impacted by HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unanticipated pregnancies. In-depth, face-to-face interviews among a convenience sample of 32 African American adolescents (16 male and 16 female) were used to explore the reasons why some adolescents decided to engage in sex while others chose to delay sexual debut. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis. Among the overall sample, psychological motivations, external pressure, physical pleasure seeking, and relationship-related motivations were the major themes cited for engaging in sex by participants and their friends. External support, motivation to avoid negative consequences, not feeling ready or lacking interest in sex, and having negative views about sex were among the major reasons for delaying sex. Several of the emergent themes showed gender differences. Suggestions for future research include the need for sexual education, and STI/HIV prevention programs that are gender sensitive and flexible enough to accommodate multiple factors related to sexual debut.     

Predicting Future Commitment to Care for Frail Parents Among Employed Caregivers

A study of 133 full time employees with parent care responsibilities investigated various factors that could reduce this group's future caregiving commitment to aging parents. Study factors included: caregiver attributes, level of caregiving involvement, job stress, tensions between the caregiver and the dependent parent, caregiver's level of physical and mental strain, and limited support from family and friends. The relationship between the caregiver and the parent was the best predictor of sustained commitment to caregiving. One aspect of the employees' work experience made a small, but important contribution to respondents' future care plans. Those employees who frequently adjusted their work schedule and routine to accommodate parent care demands were less likely to sustain their caregiving commitment. Reasons for these findings are explored and implications for social policy and clinical practice are discussed.     

美国大学的学生成长服务及启示

以在美国大学培训考察获得的材料为基础，对美国大学全程化、全员化的学生成才服务进行了多角度分析，针对我国高校在学生成才服务方面存在的问题，提出从实现育人根本任务与具体的工作目标相统一，坚持“以学生为中心”的教育理念与服务学生成才措施相统一，强调学术自由与道德自律相统一，实现个性独立与自我负责相统一，力求社会规范与学校要求相统一等方面构建我国高校学生成才服务体系。     

Single Parent Families:

The purpose of this single parent families bookshelf is to provide potential users with a sampling of recent books that deal with various aspects of single parenting. Books are focused on the time period of 1980 to 1993. Resources include primarily North American and Canadian entries. The titles are presented in the fol- lowing categories: children and one-parent families, cross-cultural references, divorced single parents, ethnicity and single parent fami- lies, frameworks for examining single parent families, never-married biological teen mother headed families, practical guides to single parent family living, single fathers with custody following separa- tion and divorce, and special issues of journals focused on single parent families.     

Brushed aside: African American women’s narratives of hair bias in school

ABSTRACT

For African American women, hair is a key site of identity formation and self-esteem that has been largely ignored by education researchers. Fifty-six African American women shared memories of negative hair experiences in school as a means to magnify the implicit injuries of racial and gender marginalization in educational environments. Memories consisted of hair shaming and suffering the consequences of hair damage, by way of classmate or teacher. Embarrassment and anxiety were the most frequently reported emotional reaction, resulting in participants’ discomfort in school and in their interpersonal relationships. Findings from this study suggest that hair bias represents a source of trauma and identity negotiation within school contexts. Critical Black feminist theories were used to frame the method and interpretation of participants’ reflective narratives. The insights provided through the narrative sample fuel recommendations regarding anti-bias teaching and school policy reform.