Factors Related to Prosecution of Child Sexual Abuse Cases

ABSTRACT

This study explored how various factors regarding the victim, offender, abuse situation, and case evidence were related to prosecution decisions in child sexual abuse cases. Data were collected from records of 200 closed child sexual abuse cases served at a southwestern United States agency during 1989–1990. Results indicated that cases involving recently reported abuse and offenders who were charged with abusing multiple child victims were significantly more likely to be prosecuted than cases involving less recently reported abuse and offenders charged with abusing only one victim, respectively. In terms of the victim-offender relationship, prosecution was most likely for cases with offenders who were strangers, next most likely for acquaintances and step and extended family members, and least likely for biological nuclear family members. Also, cases with medical evidence of abuse were more likely to be prosecuted than cases without medical evidence only when serious abuse was involved. In addition, prosecution was significantly less likely for cases with younger victims than for cases with older victims. Seriousness of abuse, the presence of medical evidence, and recency of abuse did not account for this victim age-prosecution status relationship. Furthermore, no cases involving possible custody disputes were prosecuted. Implications are discussed concerning the need for focused and integrated efforts in responding to allegations of child sexual abuse.     

Promises to keep. An evaluator's perspective on employee assistance programs.

This paper presents a critical review of the rapidly expanding literature concerning employee assistance programs (EAPs). Several essential features of EAPs are identified and the assumptions underlying these components are examined. The latter section of this report offers some tentative suggestions for correcting this situation so that the EAP movement will no longer suffer from the lack of a firm database upon which to build more coherent and defensible theories and programs.     

Evaluation readiness: improved evaluation planning using a data inventory framework

Factors intrinsic to many programs, such as ambiguously stated objectives, inadequately defined performance measures, and incomplete or unreliable databases, often conspire to limit the evaluability of these programs. Current evaluation planning approaches are somewhat constrained in their ability to overcome these obstacles and to achieve full preparedness for evaluation. In this paper, the concept of evaluation readiness is introduced as a complement to other evaluation planning approaches, most notably that of evaluability assessment. The basic products of evaluation readiness--the formal program definition and the data inventory framework--are described, along with a guide for assuring more timely and appropriate evaluation response capability to support the decision making needs of program managers. The utility of evaluation readiness for program planning, as well as for effective management, is also discussed.     

试论科学发展观对唯物史观的继承和发展

科学发展观是唯物史观关于发展的世界观和方法论的集中体现,继承了唯物史观关于发展是特指事物的前进的、上升的、由低级向高级形态的辩证运动;人类社会从本质上讲是实践的、历史的,同时也是唯物的、辩证的;人类社会的发展是一个有客观规律所决定的自然历史过程;人的发展与人类社会形态的更替、演进是一个相互关联的统一历史过程等基本思想。同时,文章还从体现时代性,符合规律性,符合人性发展要求以及富于创新性几方面论述了科学发展观是与时俱进的理论。     

补余、合作与制衡：文化基金会与政府关系——以欧洲文化基金会为中心

欧洲文化基金会作为一个独立的非政府组织,与欧洲政府部门既相互依存,又相互制约,存在着复杂的关系。这种关系总体上可以归为补余、合作和制衡三种,其中合作是欧洲文化基金会与政府关系的主流。欧洲文化基金会与政府通过项目实现合作,政府对项目进行资助,而由欧洲文化基金会实施。而欧洲文化基金会比政府更能满足欧洲差异化文化需求,并能对政府的文化职能进行有效补充。同时欧洲文化基金会借助于对欧洲文化政策的影响,在政府与社会之间建立了良性互动的渠道,实现了对政府的制衡。根据欧洲文化基金会与政府关系的分析,本文还提出了与中国文化基金会发展相关的两个命题。     

浅谈高等学校申报国家自然科学基金项目的管理

在明确国家自然科学基金项目申报的重要性,注重积累和及时更新知识储备的基础上,明确资助范围,强化选题和论证的创新意识,规范填报和加强基金申报的组织管理是提高高等学校申请国家自然科学基金的获准率的关键。     

向大本大源处探讨——湖湘文化精神与五四时期湖南报刊互动关系解读之一

探讨“大本大源”是湖湘文化的传统,“原道”是湖湘文化最基本的精神,原道、卫道乃至殉道成为湖湘文化规约下湖南士人人生基本的行为主导方式。毛泽东、蔡和森等灿若星河的一大批“五四”时期湖南有志青年最终找到了马克思主义,并与中国革命实际结合起来,与他们在湖南的文化氛围里形成的“原道”精神密切相关。在“五四”时期短短的6年时间里,湖南社会经历了反袁、驱汤、驱傅、驱张,湖南自治运动,以及留法勤工俭学运动、反日爱国运动、新文化运动等等,这些运动形成了湖南人一个探讨“大本大源”的“原道”过程,形成了一个历史的链条。而“五四”时期的湖南报刊,则成为这一历史转换、文化转型的不可或缺的“媒介”,成为这一代人才渡河之舟桥,冶炼之熔炉,砺剑之硎石。     

合法性视角下的欧盟东扩

合法性是西方政治学理论特别是有关国家和民主理论的核心概念之一,经常被应用于现代政治秩序分析。经过半个多世纪的发展,欧盟已形成独特的政治和法律体系,合法性理论适用于欧盟研究。欧盟东扩是欧洲一体化进程中的重大事件,它满足了欧盟和中东欧国家双方的利益诉求,是一个双赢的过程,具备合法性的价值基础、规则基础和有效性基础。     

An Emerging New Risk Analysis Science: Foundations and Implications

To solve real‐life problems—such as those related to technology, health, security, or climate change—and make suitable decisions, risk is nearly always a main issue. Different types of sciences are often supporting the work, for example, statistics, natural sciences, and social sciences. Risk analysis approaches and methods are also commonly used, but risk analysis is not broadly accepted as a science in itself. A key problem is the lack of explanatory power and large uncertainties when assessing risk. This article presents an emerging new risk analysis science based on novel ideas and theories on risk analysis developed in recent years by the risk analysis community. It builds on a fundamental change in thinking, from the search for accurate predictions and risk estimates, to knowledge generation related to concepts, theories, frameworks, approaches, principles, methods, and models to understand, assess, characterize, communicate, and (in a broad sense) manage risk. Examples are used to illustrate the importance of this distinct/separate risk analysis science for solving risk problems, supporting science in general and other disciplines in particular.