Wed Aug 29, 2012 2:08pm BST
Insight - Neuroscience in court: My brain made me do it
"He was once a respected pediatrician, loved by patients and their parents for over 30 years. Now DM faces trial for pedophilia [sic], accused of making sexual advances towards little girls in his care.
Scientific experts will argue in court that his damaged brain made him do it, and his lawyers will ask for leniency.
It's the latest example of how neuroscience - the science of the brain and how it works - is taking the stand and beginning to challenge society's notions of crime and punishment.
The issue has been thrown into the spotlight by new technologies, like structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) scans and DNA analysis, that can help pinpoint the biological basis of mental disorders.
A series of recent studies has established that psychopathic rapists and murderers have distinct brain structures that show up when their heads are scanned using MRI.
And in the United States, two companies, one called No Lie MRI and another called Cephos Corp, are advertising lie-detection services using fMRI to lawyers and prosecutors."
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/08/29/us-neuroscience-crime-idUKBRE87S07020120829?rpc=401&feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNewsMolt&rpc=401
Neuroscience in court: Can we blame the brain?
http://www.tradearabia.com/news/HEAL_222522.html
Nigel
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
With Tragic Consequences For The Sufferer And For Society
June 2011
Perspectives on depression, gender and crime: Depression sometimes masked, missed and misunderstood
"This article offers both a literature review, and perspectives on the definition and nature of depressive illness, its various modes of presentation, and its significance in male, female and adolescent populations.
It provides a brief review of some of the ideas about the aetiology of depression, outlines how to recognize it and discusses its relevance to forensic populations.
Finally it suggests how early detection of depression and, consequently, more adequate access to treatment intervention, can be facilitated.
Unfortunately, the presence of depression is sometimes overlooked and therefore missed (particularly in males) sometimes with tragic consequences for the sufferer and for society."
Sarah Hodgkinson and Herschel Prins, University of Leicester
Probation Journal, June 2011, (58)2, p. 137-154
Nigel
Perspectives on depression, gender and crime: Depression sometimes masked, missed and misunderstood
"This article offers both a literature review, and perspectives on the definition and nature of depressive illness, its various modes of presentation, and its significance in male, female and adolescent populations.
It provides a brief review of some of the ideas about the aetiology of depression, outlines how to recognize it and discusses its relevance to forensic populations.
Finally it suggests how early detection of depression and, consequently, more adequate access to treatment intervention, can be facilitated.
Unfortunately, the presence of depression is sometimes overlooked and therefore missed (particularly in males) sometimes with tragic consequences for the sufferer and for society."
Sarah Hodgkinson and Herschel Prins, University of Leicester
Probation Journal, June 2011, (58)2, p. 137-154
Nigel
Should Be Grounded, Realistic And Not Be Populist Or Punitive In Nature
June 2012
Professionals’ understanding of government strategies for the management of child sexual abusers
"This article discusses contemporary professional understandings of the UK Government’s attitudes to and policies around the management of child sexual abusers.
This study is based upon empirical qualitative research with a range of professionals' working in or around the area of child sexual abuse (practitioners, academics and members of the media) (n = 28). The research used semi-structured interviews which were interpreted through qualitative (thematic) content analysis.
Results indicate that the professionals sampled believe that the government misperceives child sexual abuse, focusing on risk reduction and public protection rather than treatment and reintegration. The participants also argued that although there are currently some good policies and intra-agency relationships around child sexual abuse in the UK, these could be built upon.
The majority of the participants were against the public disclosure of sex offender information, believing that it is not a realistic approach in reducing the sexual abuse of children and therefore it should not be implemented in the UK.
These findings suggest that current and future policy on child sexual abuse should be grounded, realistic and not be populist or punitive in nature."
Kieran McCartan UWE, Bristol
Probation Journal, June 2012, (59)2, p. 124-137
Nigel
Professionals’ understanding of government strategies for the management of child sexual abusers
"This article discusses contemporary professional understandings of the UK Government’s attitudes to and policies around the management of child sexual abusers.
This study is based upon empirical qualitative research with a range of professionals' working in or around the area of child sexual abuse (practitioners, academics and members of the media) (n = 28). The research used semi-structured interviews which were interpreted through qualitative (thematic) content analysis.
Results indicate that the professionals sampled believe that the government misperceives child sexual abuse, focusing on risk reduction and public protection rather than treatment and reintegration. The participants also argued that although there are currently some good policies and intra-agency relationships around child sexual abuse in the UK, these could be built upon.
The majority of the participants were against the public disclosure of sex offender information, believing that it is not a realistic approach in reducing the sexual abuse of children and therefore it should not be implemented in the UK.
These findings suggest that current and future policy on child sexual abuse should be grounded, realistic and not be populist or punitive in nature."
Kieran McCartan UWE, Bristol
Probation Journal, June 2012, (59)2, p. 124-137
Nigel
Just How 'Progressive' Are You WIlling To Fight For?
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Progressive Sexuality
"The ever-excellent Paul Bernal at UEA responds on his blog to a call for submissions to Labour Left’s ‘Red Book II’, by Dr Éoin Clarke, with a series of recommendations for any progressive party regarding digital policy. As I tweeted earlier, I agree with his suggestions (see here).
Although a Lib Dem member (who is debating renewing his membership) rather than a Labour-backer like Bernal, I thought the idea of setting out a series of progressive socio-legal policy objectives is a useful one, and one that I've found myself thinking about this morning in the context of sexuality."
http://lawandsexuality.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/progressive-sexuality.html
My comment to Chris:
Nigel
Progressive Sexuality
"The ever-excellent Paul Bernal at UEA responds on his blog to a call for submissions to Labour Left’s ‘Red Book II’, by Dr Éoin Clarke, with a series of recommendations for any progressive party regarding digital policy. As I tweeted earlier, I agree with his suggestions (see here).
Although a Lib Dem member (who is debating renewing his membership) rather than a Labour-backer like Bernal, I thought the idea of setting out a series of progressive socio-legal policy objectives is a useful one, and one that I've found myself thinking about this morning in the context of sexuality."
http://lawandsexuality.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/progressive-sexuality.html
My comment to Chris:
"Abolish indecent image offences (particularly 'Making' (i.e. downloading) - POCA1978 and 'Possession' - CJA 1988), as being 'Sexual Offences'.*to go, in any case, in time.
Keep them as an 'OPA'/'Extreme’-type offence*, if ***one must***, although even that is not desirable or necessary.
http://criticalestoppel.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/why-owning-indecent-images-of-children.html
At least be consistent.
'Taking' only to be 'Sexual', if decided to be, by a court, as for any other 'Sexual' activity, as defined in the Act.
Dr NL Oldfield"
Nigel
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