Towards equalisation of the impact of the penal fine : why the wealth of the offender was taken into account

Important changes in the legal regulation of the fine culminated in the implementation of the day‐fine system in many European countries during the twentieth century. These changes resulted from various late nineteenth century rationalities that considered the fine a justifiable punishment. Therefore, they supported extending its application by making it affordable for people on low incomes, which meant imprisonment for fine default could mostly be avoided without undermining the end of punishment. In this paper I investigate the historical development of the penal fine as well as the changing forms of this penalty in Western European criminal systems from the end of the eighteenth century until the late nineteenth century.

Antisocial personality disorder and therapeutic justice court programs

It has become commonplace for courts to supervise an offender as part of the sentencing process. Many of them have Anti Social Personality Disorder (ASPD). The focus of this article is how the work of specialist and/or problem solving courts can be informed by the insights of the psychology profession into the best practice in the treatment and management of people with ASPD. It is a legitimate purpose of legal work to consider and improve the well-being of the participants in the legal process. Programs designed specifically to deal with those with ASPD could be incorporated into existing Drug Courts, or implemented separately by courts to aid with reforming offenders with ASPD and in managing the re-entry of offenders into the community as part of their sentence. For the success of this initiative on the part of the court, ASPD will need to be specifically diagnosed and treated. Close co-operation between courts and psychologists is required to improve the effectiveness of court programs to treat people with ASPD and to evaluate their success.

Understanding victim behaviour through offender behaviour typologies

Criminology has long sought to define and understand criminal motivations. There has, however, been less attention paid to the motivations involved in “everyday” thought and behaviour that may place someone in harm’s way. This doesn’t mean that victims are somehow motivated to become victims, but they may behave in such a way that victimisation happens as a matter of course. In the parlance of victimity, victim behaviour has often been referred to as either “victim facilitated” or “victim precipitated”. However, while some use these terms to explain the role of victim behaviour in relation to harm or loss, they actually do little to further our knowledge about the cognitive and behavioural milieu in which victimisation occurs. For example, a victim of homicide may precipitate the attack by violently confronting a partner (in retaliation for real or imagined wrongs). Another victim may facilitate domestic violence by not leaving their partner for financial reasons (“cannot afford to go out on my own”). Far from blaming the victim, understanding the motivational nature of victim behaviour can be accomplished by juxtaposing motivations for offender behaviour. This presentation applies offender motivations to victim behaviours, and presents anecdotal and research support for this approach.

Emerging water treatment technologies for decentralised systems : an overview of selected systems suited for application in towns and settlements in remote and very remote regions of Australia and vulnerable and lagging rural regions in Sri Lanka

The primary purpose of this paper is to overview a selection of advanced water treatment technology systems that are suited for application in towns and settlements in remote and very remote regions of Australia and vulnerable and lagging rural regions in Sri Lanka. This recognises that sanitation and water treatment are inextricably linked and both are needed to reduce risks to environment and population health from contaminated water sources. For both Australia and Sri Lanka only a small fraction of the settlements in rural and remote regions are connected to water treatment facilities and town water supplies. In Australia’s remote/very remote regions raw water is drawn from underground sources and rainwater capture. Most settlements in rural Sri Lanka rely on rivers, reservoirs, wells, springs or carted water. Furthermore, Sri Lanka has more than 25,000 hand pumped tube wells which saved the communities during recent droughts. Decentralised water supply systems offer the opportunity to provide safe drinking water to these remote/very remote and rural regions where centralised systems are not feasible due to socio-cultural, economic, political, technological reasons. These systems reduce health risks from contaminated water supplies. In remote areas centralized systems fail due to low population density and less affordability. Globally, a new generation of advanced water treatment technologies are positioned to make a major impact on the provision of safe potable water in remote/very remote regions in Australia and rural regions in Sri Lanka. Some of these systems were developed for higher income countries. However, with careful selection and further research they can be tailored to match local socio-economic conditions and technical capacity. As such, they can equally be used to provide decentralised water supply in communities in developed and developing countries such as Australia and Sri Lanka.

Engaging sex: Promoting the statutory interpretation experience in legal education

Given the ever increasing importance of legislation to the resolution of legal disputes, there is a concomitant need for law students to be well trained in the anatomy, identification, interpretation and application of laws made by or under parliament. This article discusses a blended learning project called Indigo’s Folly, implemented at the Queensland University of Technology Law School in 2014. Indigo’s Folly was created to increase law student competency with respect to statutory interpretation. Just as importantly, it was designed to make the teaching of statutory interpretation more interesting – to “bring the sexy” to the student statutory interpretation experience. Quantitative and qualitative empirical data will be presented as evidence to show that statutory interpretation can be taught in a way that law students find engaging.

When sex doesn't sell: Using sexualized images of women reduces support for ethical campaigns

Images of scantily clad women are used by advertisers to make products more attractive to men. This ‘‘sex sells’’ approach is increasingly employed to promote ethical causes, most prominently by the animal-rights organization PETA. Yet sexualized images can dehumanize women, leaving an unresolved paradox – is it effective to advertise an ethical cause using unethical means? In Study 1, a sample of Australian male undergraduates (N = 82) viewed PETA advertisements containing either sexualized or non-sexualized images of women. Intentions to support the ethical organization were reduced for those exposed to the sexualized advertising, and this was explained by their dehumanization of the sexualized women, and not by increased arousal. Study 2 used a mixed-gender community sample from the United States (N = 280), replicating this finding and extending it by showing that behaviors helpful to the ethical cause diminished after viewing the sexualized advertisements, which was again mediated by the dehumanization of the women depicted. Alternative explanations relating to the reduced credibility of the sexualized women and their objectification were not supported. When promoting ethical causes, organizations may benefit from using advertising strategies that do not dehumanize women.

The role of non-thermal plasma technique in {NOx} treatment: A review

Non-thermal plasma (NTP) has been introduced over the past several years as a promising method for nitrogen oxide (NOx) removal. The intent, when using NTP, is to selectively transfer input electrical energy to the electrons, and to not expend this in heating the entire gas stream, which generates free radicals through collisions, and promotes the desired chemical changes in the exhaust gases. The generated active species react with the pollutant molecules and decompose them. This paper reviews and summarizes relevant literature regarding various aspects of the application of {NTP} technology on {NOx} removal from exhaust gases. A comprehensive description of available scientific literature on {NOx} removal using {NTP} technology is presented, including various types of NTP, e.g. dielectric barrier discharge, corona discharge and electron beam. Furthermore, the combination of {NTP} with catalyst and adsorbent for better {NOx} removal efficiency is presented in detail. The removal of {NOx} from both simulated gases and real diesel engines is also considered in this review paper. As {NTP} is a new technique and is not yet commercialized, there is a need for more studies to be performed in this field.

Deliverable 2: Literature review on effectiveness of alcohol treatment and determining rehabilitation. Report to Austroads (SS1755)

Austroads called for responses to a tender to investigate options for rehabilitation in alcohol interlock programs. Following successful application by the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q), a program of work was developed. The project has four objectives: 1. Develop a matrix outlining existing policies in national and international jurisdictions with respect to treatment and rehabilitation programs and criteria for eligibility for interlock removal; 2. Critically review the available literature with a focus on evaluation outcomes regarding the effectiveness of treatment and rehabilitation programs; 3. Analyse and assess the strengths and weaknesses of the programs/approaches identified, and; 4. Outline options with an evidence base for consideration by licensing authorities.

Strengths and weaknesses analysis of alcohol treatment programs. Report to Austroads (SS1755)

Austroads called for responses to a tender to investigate options for rehabilitation in alcohol interlock programs. Following successful application by the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS‐Q), a program of work was developed. The project has four objectives: 1. Develop a matrix outlining existing policies in national and international jurisdictions with respect to treatment and rehabilitation programs and criteria for eligibility for interlock removal; 2. Critically review the available literature with a focus on evaluation outcomes regarding the effectiveness of treatment and rehabilitation programs; 3. Analyse and assess the strengths and weaknesses of the programs/approaches identified; and, 4. Outline options with an evidence base for consideration by licensing authorities...

Transcutaneous bone-anchoring prosthesis with knee replacement: A novel treatment for amputees

Over the last two decades, Transcutaneous Bone-Anchored Prosthesis (TCBAP) has proven to be an effective alternative for prosthetic attachment for amputees, particularly for individuals unable to wear a socket. However, the load transmitted through a typical TCBAP to the residual tibia and knee joint can be unbearable for transtibial amputees with knee arthritis. The aims of this study are (A) to describe the surgical procedure combining TKR with TCBAP for the first time; and (B) to present preliminary data on potential risks and benefits with assessment of clinical and functional outcomes at follow up.

Strength properties of composite clay balls containing additives from industry wastes as new filter media in water treatment

Pebble matrix filtration (PMF) is a water treatment technology that can remove suspended solids in highly turbid surface water during heavy storms. PMF typically uses sand and natural pebbles as filter media. Hand-made clay pebbles (balls) can be used as alternatives to natural pebbles in PMF treatment plants, where natural pebbles are not readily available. Since the high turbidity is a seasonal problem that occurs during heavy rains, the use of newly developed composite clay balls instead of pure clay balls have the advantage of removing other pollutants such as natural organic matter (NOM) during other times. Only the strength properties of composite clay balls are described here as the pollutant removal is beyond the scope of this paper. These new composite clay balls must be able to withstand dead and live loads under dry and saturated conditions in a filter assembly. Absence of a standard ball preparation process and expected strength properties of composite clay balls were the main reasons behind the present study. Five different raw materials from industry wastes: Red Mud (RM), Water Treatment Alum Sludge (S), Shredded Paper (SP), Saw Dust (SD), and Sugar Mulch (SM) were added to common clay brick mix (BM) in different proportions. In an effort to minimize costs, in this study clay balls were fired to 1100 0C at a local brick factory together with their bricks. A comprehensive experimental program was performed to evaluate crushing strength of composite hand-made clay balls, using uniaxial compression test to establish the best material combination on the basis of strength properties for designing sustainable filter media for water treatment plants. Performance at both construction and operating stages were considered by analyzing both strength properties under fully dry conditions and strength degradation after saturation in a water bath. The BM-75% as the main component produced optimum combination in terms of workability and strength. With the material combination of BM-75% and additives-25%, the use of Red Mud and water treatment sludge as additives produced the highest and lowest strength of composite clay balls, with a failure load of 5.4 kN and 1.4 kN respectively. However, this lower value of 1.4 kN is much higher than the effective load on each clay ball of 0.04 kN in a typical filter assembly (safety factor of 35), therefore, can still be used as a suitable filter material for enhanced pollutant removal.

The prevention, detection and management of cancer treatment-induced cardiotoxicity: a meta-review

Background The benefits associated with some cancer treatments do not come without risk. A serious side effect of some common cancer treatments is cardiotoxicity. Increased recognition of the public health implications of cancer treatment-induced cardiotoxicity has resulted in a proliferation of systematic reviews in this field to guide practice. Quality appraisal of these reviews is likely to limit the influence of biased conclusions from systematic reviews that have used poor methodology related to clinical decision-making. The aim of this meta-review is to appraise and synthesise evidence from only high quality systematic reviews focused on the prevention, detection or management of cancer treatment-induced cardiotoxicity. Methods Using Cochrane methodology, we searched databases, citations and hand-searched bibliographies. Two reviewers independently appraised reviews and extracted findings. A total of 18 high quality systematic reviews were subsequently analysed, 67 % (n = 12) of these comprised meta-analyses. Results One systematic review concluded that there is insufficient evidence regarding the utility of cardiac biomarkers for the detection of cardiotoxicity. The following strategies might reduce the risk of cardiotoxicity: 1) The concomitant administration of dexrazoxane with anthracylines; 2) The avoidance of anthracyclines where possible; 3) The continuous administration of anthracyclines (>6 h) rather than bolus dosing; and 4) The administration of anthracycline derivatives such as epirubicin or liposomal-encapsulated doxorubicin instead of doxorubicin. In terms of management, one review focused on medical interventions for treating anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity during or after treatment of childhood cancer. Neither intervention (enalapril and phosphocreatine) was associated with statistically significant improvement in ejection fraction or mortality. Conclusion This review highlights the lack of high level evidence to guide clinical decision-making with respect to the detection and management of cancer treatment-associated cardiotoxicity. There is more evidence with respect to the prevention of this adverse effect of cancer treatment. This evidence, however, only applies to anthracycline-based chemotherapy in a predominantly adult population. There is no high-level evidence to guide clinical decision-making regarding the prevention, detection or management of radiation-induced cardiotoxicity.

Characterizing self-reported sleep disturbance after mild traumatic brain injury

Sleep disturbance after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is commonly reported as debilitating and persistent. However, the nature of this disturbance is poorly understood. This study sought to characterize sleep after mTBI compared with a control group. A cross-sectional matched case control design was used. Thirty-three persons with recent mTBI (1–6 months ago) and 33 age, sex, and ethnicity matched controls completed established questionnaires of sleep quality, quantity, timing, and sleep-related daytime impairment. The mTBI participants were compared with an independent sample of close-matched controls (CMCs; n=33) to allow partial internal replication. Compared with controls, persons with mTBI reported significantly greater sleep disturbance, more severe insomnia symptoms, a longer duration of wake after sleep onset, and greater sleep-related impairment (all medium to large effects, Cohen's d>0.5). No differences were found in sleep quantity, timing, sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, or daytime sleepiness. All findings except a measure of sleep timing (i.e., sleep midpoint) were replicated for CMCs. These results indicate a difference in the magnitude and nature of perceived sleep disturbance after mTBI compared with controls, where persons with mTBI report poorer sleep quality and greater sleep-related impairment. Sleep quantity and timing did not differ between the groups. These preliminary findings should guide the provision of clearer advice to patients about the aspects of their sleep that may change after mTBI and could inform treatment selection.

Prostitution Ideology and Trafficking Policy: The Impact of Political Approaches to Domestic Sex Work on Human Trafficking Policy in Australia and the United States

Debates over the legitimacy and legality of prostitution have characterised human trafficking discourse for the last two decades. This article identifies the extent to which competing perspectives concerning the legitimacy of prostitution have influenced anti-trafficking policy in Australia and the United States, and argues that each nation-state’s approach to domestic sex work has influenced trafficking legislation. The legal status of prostitution in each country, and feminist influences on prostitution law reform, have had a significant impact on the nature of the legislation adopted.

Efficiency or technology adoption: A case study in waste-treatment technology

Improvements in the effectiveness and efficiency of supply-side waste management are necessary in many countries. In Japan, municipalities with limited budgets have delayed the introduction of new waste-management technologies. Thus, the central government has used subsidies to encourage municipalities to adopt certain new technologies to improve waste-management efficiency. In this study, we measure the efficiency of waste management and explore how technology is related to technical efficiency. We find that municipalities are likely to adopt less-efficient technologies and that the central government's policies are likely to promote inefficient technology adoption by local governments.