Reliability of professional judgments in forensic child sexual abuse evaluations: unsettled or unsettling science?

In the absence of photographic or DNA evidence, a credible eyewitness, or perpetrator confession, forensic evaluators in cases of alleged child sexual abuse must rely on psychosocial or "soft" evidence, often requiring substantial professional judgment for case determination. This article offers a three-part rebuttal to Herman's (2009 ) argument that forensic decisions based on psychosocial evidence are fundamentally unreliable and that this conclusion represents settled science. The article also discusses the potentially adverse consequences of Herman's proposed reforms to forensic practice on child protection and prosecution efforts.     

PREDICTION OF THE FINITE POPULATION DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION UNDER GAUSSIAN SUPERPOPULATION MODELS

This article considers optimal prediction of the finite population distribution function under Gaussian superpopulation models, which allows auxiliary prior information to be incorporated into the estimation process. Large sample approximations for the variance of the optimal predictors are derived in some special important cases. A small scale Monte Carlo study illustrates comparisons between the optimal predictor and some others which are proposed in the literature. The conclusion is that the optimal predictor can be considerably more efficient in situations where the normal superpopulation model is adequate.     

Properties of systems with two exchangeable Pareto components

The life lengths of the units in a system can be modelled by a bivariate distribution. In this paper, we suppose that the joint distribution of the units is a symmetric bivariate Pareto (Lomax) distribution. For this model, we obtain basic reliability properties for series and parallel systems. J. M. Ruiz Partially Supported by Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologia under grant BFM2003-02947 and Fundacion Seneca under grant 00698/PI/04.     

Intercultural educational alternatives based on sustainability from Mexico: beyond school and cultural belonging

Abstract

This article proposes the articulation of intercultural education and sustainability, linking the recognition of cultural diversity to socio-environmental concerns. This implies transcending formal education and classrooms; moving towards educational modalities that could impact people of different ages, and levels of scholastic achievement, with different needs and demands. We suggest that education is a key to transform structural conditions that have perpetuated inequality, and then to the self-empowerment of indigenous peoples, but that previous models, political basis and forms have not been pertinent, nor do they respond entirely to explicit demands of indigenous peoples. Intercultural education should go beyond simply adding cultural elements to the curriculum. Learning and sharing about ways to connect knowledges and know-how from cultural, social, economic and political distant sources, and ways to visualise and propose autochthonous relevant methods to transform their regions and make these visions of social justice real, are amongst the elements that we consider central to intercultural education. In order to demonstrate this, we analyse an experience of non-formal, collaborative, intercultural education with fisherwomen and youths, making up a learning community and emphasising a dialogue of knowledge for the conservation of their territory.     

Implementation and evaluation of an HIV/STD intervention in Peru

This paper presents the lessons learned through a process evaluation (PE) after 1 year of implementation of a 2-year community intervention in Lima, Peru. The intervention consisted of training and motivating community popular opinion leaders (CPOLs) for three marginal population segments to disseminate prevention messages among their peers. PE data included: observations, qualitative interviews with CPOLS, conversations and messages delivered by CPOLs, training facilitators' perceptions about implementation, and a survey of CPOLs. The PE helped to document and enhance the intervention. CPOLs were motivated to talk to their peers. CPOLs perceived that their participation had an effect on their own risk behaviors and saw their role as beneficial to their community. The PE was helpful in examining training delivery and the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention in order to assess the elements related to program success necessary to replicate the CPOL model.     

Over the Colombian Rainbow

This poststructural narrative research intends to contribute a better understanding of some lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) people's meanings, interactions, and reflections through the analysis of Colombian government's master narratives and LGBT advocates’ counter-narratives. A better understanding between the Colombian government and LGBT activists is needed in order to build bridges that allow the parties to construct pathways to new stories that legitimize them and will support solutions to their conflicts. The author argues that LGBT counter-narratives are repairing the damaged identities of LGBT in Colombia, even though they have not become master narratives.     

Linear calibration in functional regression models

This paper discusses calibration in functional regression models. Classical and inverse type estimators are considered. First order approximation to the bias and to the mean squared error (MSE) of the estimators are considered. Numerical comparisons seem to indicate that the classical estimator obtained via maximum likelihood estimation performs better than the other estimators considered.