The assessment of motivation for behaviour change among sex offenders against children: an investigation of the utility of the Stages of Change Questionnaire

A better understanding of motivation for behaviour change among sex offenders against children would improve treatment programmes designed to modify sexual offending behaviour. However, investigation of this issue is limited by lack of theoretically and empirically sound measures of motivation for behaviour change among sex offenders. This paper reports on two studies that were conducted to investigate the psychometric properties (validity, reliability, and social desirability) of the Stages of Change Questionnaire, adapted to measure motivation for behaviour change among sex offenders against children. In Study 1, the psychometric properties of the questionnaire were assessed for sex offenders against children (n=36) who were on a treatment waiting list. In Study 2, the psychometric properties of the questionnaire were assessed for sex offenders against children (n=47) at pre-treatment, mid-treatment, and post-treatment. Both studies supported the validity and reliability of the adapted Stages of Change Questionnaire, and the influence of social desirability upon responding was less than expected. The results of this investigation supported the potential utility of the Stages of Change Questionnaire as a measure of motivation for behaviour change for sex offenders against children.

The need for a higher custody threshold for indigenous offenders in Victoria

Over-representation of indigenous persons in the criminal justice system has changed little since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) - claim by the Victorian Department of Justice that a key recommendation of RCIADIC had been implemented, namely that imprisonment should be a sentence of last resort for indigenous offenders - how to ensure that imprisonment is a sanction of last resort when indigenous prisoners present for sentence.

Speaking of gender: teachers' metaphorical constructs of male and female students

This article explores the images and metaphors that teachers use when speaking of their relations with students and examines how these images work to call into play particular constructs of gender relations. Of specific interest is the way teachers use binaries of open/closed, in control/out of control and maturity/immaturity to make sense of feminine and masculine conduct respectively. It is argued that such binary differentiations work not only as descriptors of `truths' concerning student-teacher relations, but also as means of constituting and normalizing particular forms of gender  relations. Implications of such metaphorical constructions for gender reform within schools are considered.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are nevertheless dead: the hypothetical adolescence of Prince Hamlet and the contested remorselessness of young offenders

A young man stabs a defenceless elderly man to death, and remarks “I’ll lug the guts into the neighbour room.” Martha Grace Duncan has argued that such apparent remorselessness and other forensic features must be interpreted differently in children and young people as compared to adult defendants, because of developmental effects. Professor Duncan discusses a range of fictional as well as real examples in pressing her claim, and also appeals to psychiatric, psychological and psychoanalytic expertise. In order to examine the general validity of her argument, it is hypothesised here that a Duncanian adolescence defense has been presented for Prince Hamlet who, miraculously revived, now stands his trial for murder. It is argued that the “adolescence defense” is unsound in principle and that children and youth (whether or not as superannuated as the Prince of Denmark) should be treated in the same forensic manner as adults. If we respect children and youth, we must respect their autonomy however uncomfortable for us this may be: “So young, my lord, and true.”

Growth of highly versus moderately trained competitive female artistic gymnasts

Purpose: To investigate whether growth was adversely affected in 137 young competitive female artistic gymnasts involved in different training volumes.

Methods: This was a 2-yr prospective cohort study in which height, sitting height, leg length, weight, skinfolds, and pubertal status were measured in competitive advanced (20–27 h·wk-1) and intermediate (7.5–22 h·wk-1) training level female gymnasts every 6–12 months. Biological parameters of the adolescent growth curve were estimated using the Preece–Baines growth model. Growth rates were estimated for both groups from the mixed-longitudinal data.

Results: Estimated ages at peak height velocity (PHV) (13–13.5 yr) and mean PHV (6.2–6.4 cm·yr-1) for the advanced- and intermediate-level gymnasts suggest that these gymnasts were later maturing and experienced a blunting of the growth spurt relative to reference values for U.S. youth. Comparison of growth velocities by pubertal status revealed that height velocity was lower in the advanced- versus the intermediate-level peripubertal gymnasts, which was due to a significant reduction in sitting height velocity (2.3 vs 3.1 cm·yr-1, P. < 0.05). No marked acceleration in height or sitting height velocity was detected in the advanced-level gymnasts from pre- to peripuberty. Inspection of individual growth rates revealed that over 35% of the pre- and peripubertal gymnasts experienced growth faltering (height velocity less than 4.5 cm·yr-1) during follow-up.

Conclusion: Advanced–and intermediate–training level competitive female gymnasts tend to exhibit an adolescent growth spurt that is similar in timing and tempo to short, normal, slowly maturing girls, but the high frequency of growth faltering suggests that training may alter the tempo of growth and maturation in some, but not all, female gymnasts.

Just deserts in post-colonial society : problems in the punishment of indigenous offenders.

Revised version of a paper presented to the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Conference, Sydney, 2-3 October 2003 - disproportionate number of indigenous persons in the criminal justice system - the concept of 'just deserts' in regard to indigenous punishment - legislative reforms are needed to empower the judiciary in the sentencing process - must take account of the historical fact of dispossession - destructive effects on indigenous communities.

Linkages: Mabo and the sentencing of indigenous offenders

The ground breaking decision by the High Court of Australia in Mabo v Queensland (No 2) overturned the principle of terra nullis as a legal fiction. It paved the way for a reconsideration of property law. Mabo arguably has significance beyond native title and property law to other areas of the law. This article examines the 'linkage' between the decision in Mabo and the criminal law and, in particular, the punishment of indigenous persons, it addresses the following question: Can a significantly distant temporal and physical act of dispossession as was recognized in Mabo have any relevance to contemporary questions of the punishment of indigenous persons?

The utility of the trans-theoretical model of behavior change in the treatment of sex offenders

This paper discusses the use of the Trans-theoretical Model of Behavior Change in the treatment of sex offenders. Constructs within this theory are the Stages of Change, Processes of Change and Decisional Balance. The first section of this paper provides a brief description of these constructs. The second section provides a brief review of research related to these constructs and discusses the implications of this research in relation to the treatment of sex offenders. The third section of this paper provides a practical description of the use of the constructs of the Trans-theoretical Model of Behaviour Change in the treatment of sex offenders. Although the validity of this model among sex offenders requires further investigation, the Trans-theoretical Model of Behavior Change appears to have considerable utility as an overarching theoretical model to conceptualize and facilitate behavior change among sex offenders.

Sex offenders in a risk society : setting limits on freedom

The commendable intention to protect children from risk must be weighed against loss of personal freedom when imposing extended supervision orders under the Serious Sex Offenders Monitoring Act.

Not the same : a comparison of female and male clients seeking treatment from problem gambling counselling services

Previous studies of problem gamblers portray this group as being almost exclusively male. However, this study demonstrates that females comprised 46% of the population (n = 1,520) of persons who sought assistance due to concerns about their gambling from the publicly-funded BreakEven counselling services in the state of Victoria, Australia, in one 12-month period. This suggests that the model of service delivery which is community based counselling on a non-residential basis may be better able to attract female clients than treatment centres where males predominate such as veterans centres. A comparative analysis of the social and demographic characteristics of female and male gamblers within the study population was undertaken. As with previous studies, we have found significant differences between males and females who have sought help for problems associated with their gambling. Gender differences revealed in this study include females being far more likely to use electronic gaming machines (91.1% vs. 61.4%), older (39.6 years vs. 36.1 years), more likely to be born in Australia (79.4% vs. 74.7%), to be married (42.8% vs. 30.2%), living with family (78.9% vs. 61.5%) and to have dependent children (48.4% vs. 35.7%), than males who present at these services. Female gamblers (A$7,342) reported average gambling debts of less than half of that owed by males (A$19,091). These gender differences have implications for the development and conduct of problem gambling counselling services as it cannot be assumed that models of service which have demonstrated effectiveness with males will be similarly effective with females.

The Chinese state enterprise sector: labour market reform and the impact on male-female wage structure

The paper examines the wage structure in the Chinese state enterprise sector between 1981 and 1987. This period is of particular interest given the introduction of major labour market reforms in China during the early 1980s. In essence the reforms represented a movement away from administratively determined prices towards a market–oriented system combined with a relatively flexible system of labour allocation. The Juhn, Murphy and Pierce (1991) decomposition is employed to shed light on the role of changing labour market institutions over the period.

Are unilateral and bilateral patellar tendinopathy distinguished by differences in anthropometry, body composition, or muscle strength in elite female basketball players?

Background: Overuse injury to the patellar tendon (patellar tendinopathy) is a major reason for interrupted training and competition for elite athletes. In both sexes, the prevalence of unilateral and bilateral tendinopathy has been shown to differ. It has been proposed that bilateral pathology may have a different aetiology from unilateral pathology. Investigation of risk factors that may be unique to unilateral and bilateral patellar tendinopathy in female athletes may reveal insights into the aetiology of this condition.
Objectives: To examine whether anthropometry, body composition, or muscle strength distinguished elite female basketball players with unilateral or bilateral patellar tendinopathy.
Methods: Body composition, anthropometry, and muscle strength were compared in elite female basketball players with unilateral (n = 8), bilateral (n = 7), or no (n = 24) patellar tendinopathy. Body composition was analysed using a dual energy x ray absorptiometer. Anthropometric measures were assessed using standard techniques. Knee extensor strength was measured at 180°/s using an isokinetic dynamometer. z scores were calculated for the unilateral and bilateral groups (using the no tendinopathy group as controls). z scores were tested against zero.
Results: The tibia length to stature ratio was approximately 1.3 (1.3) SDs above zero in both the affected and non-affected legs in the unilateral group (p<0.05). The waist to hip ratio was 0.66 (0.78) SD above zero in the unilateral group (p<0.05). In the unilateral group, leg lean to total lean ratio was 0.42 (0.55) SD above zero (p<0.07), the trunk lean to total lean ratio was 0.63 (0.68) SD below zero (p<0.05), and leg fat relative to total fat was 0.47 (0.65) SD below zero (p<0.09). In the unilateral group, the leg with pathology was 0.78 (1.03) SD weaker during eccentric contractions (p<0.07).
Conclusions: Unilateral patellar tendinopathy has identifiable risk factors whereas bilateral patellar tendinopathy may not. This suggests that the aetiology of these conditions may be different. However, interpretation must respect the limitation of small subject numbers.

Additive effect of interferential therapyover pelvic floor exercise alone in the treatment of female urinary stress and urge incontinence: A randomized controlled trial

This pilot study attempted to examine the additional efficacy of interferential therapy in reducing the symptoms of urinary stress and urge incontinence. Twenty-four subjects were randomly allocated to the experimental group, which received interferential therapy plus pelvic floor exercises, or the control group, which received pelvic floor exercises only. Treatment was given three times a week for 4 weeks. Subjects were given urinary diaries to record urinary symptoms (including frequency of passing urine and number of times woken by desire to pass urine) for 5 days prior to and after treatment. Perineometer readings, pad weighing test and start/stop test were also performed in a physiotherapy clinic before and at completion of treatment regimes. Significant improvements were observed in all the outcome variables in the experimental group, but in only the perineometer readings in controls. When the changes from pre- to post-treatment were compared between the two groups, four of the dependent variables did not reach statistical significance. Power analysis indicated that the sample size for each group needed to be 70 for all results to be statistically significant. This study shows that interferential therapy plus pelvic floor exercise appears to be a more effective treatment modality than pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise alone for incontinence, but a larger trial with longer followup is needed before definitive conclusions can be reached.