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Review and examination of the current literature on reference interview evaluation explores the degree to which such evaluative practices are both desirable and achievable. It is concluded that, if both quantitative and qualitative techniques are appropriately used, accurate mechanisms of evaluation are possible and desirable. (17 references) (LRW)

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cardiorespiratory response and energy expenditure during the practice of Tai Chi Easy (TCE). TCE has been proposed as a low-intensity alternative to traditional physical activity.Design: Oxygen cost data were collected from 10 healthy adult women (mean age of 47.9 ± 12.8 years) at rest and during a 30-min session of TCE using an automated metabolic cart and heart rate (HR) telemetry. The Borg rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale was utilized to measure subjective intensity of the TCE movements.Results: The mean oxygen consumption (VO(2)) for the movements ranged from 4.3 ml kg(-1)min(-1) to 5.5 ml kg(-1)min(-1) with an overall mean of 5.0 ml kg(-1)min(-1). The mean HR for all activity was 67.0 beats per minute and the mean energy expenditure (EE) was 1.6 Kcal min(-1).Conclusions: Cardiorespiratory and EE responses to TCE indicate that this a low intensity exercise appropriate for individuals requiring activity prescriptions of approximately 2 metabolic equivalents (METs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volume crime offences such as domestic burglary are commonly assessed for forensic opportunities by the first attending officer present at the scene. Conversely, less serious volume crime offences such as thefts from motor vehicles are very frequent and are routinely assessed for forensic opportunities by the victim talking to the police over the telephone. It is not clear whether this difference in attendance policy leads to differences in the types and quantity of forensic material recovered. The current study explored whether there was a benefit to evidence recovery for attended as opposed to non-attended assessments. Five hundred thefts from motor vehicles offences recorded by Northamptonshire Police (UK) between 14 January 2010 and 28 February 2011 were analysed; 250 were attended forensic assessments and 250 were non-attended assessments. Significant differences were found between the two scenarios, with attended assessments more likely to yield DNA, property and trace substance material. Conversely, fingerprints were more likely to be recovered at non-attended assessments. Despite the fruitful findings of the current study, future research would benefit from establishing the methods used by the first attending officer and forensic investigator when assessing and gathering evidence. Similarly, it is unclear whether these differences in forensic material are reflected in the identification of an offender and subsequently in the solving of the crime. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In order to investigate the role of pre-trial attitudes about forensic science in juror decision-making, a previous study demonstrated the predictive validity of the Forensic Evidence Evaluation Bias Scale (FEEBS), using a murder trial scenario, which featured ambiguous prosecution DNA evidence. The current study validates the FEEBS using two new crime types and the conditions include a manipulation of the presence of DNA evidence in the trial scenario. The FEEBS successfully predicted mock jurors' perceptions of the probative value of DNA evidence for both robbery and sexual assault trials. The two subscales of the FEEBS were demonstrated to have different predictive ability depending on the presence or absence of DNA evidence. A confirmatory factor analytic technique was used to validate the underlying two-factor structure of the FEEBS, as previously proposed. These results are discussed with reference to theCSI Effectliterature, and the potential for improvement to less empirically supportedvoir direquestioning techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study aims to identify quantitatively the level of increased stress in civilian crime scene investigators (CSIs) whilst they were performing a variety of tasks as part of their normal duties. Mean above-average resting heart rate was used as the quantitative measure of physiological changes, recorded once a second for 12 CSIs during a working shift of 8 hours over a period of 7 days. Each CSI maintained an activity log of their work which enabled the physiological readings to be aligned to tasks undertaken. As well as physical stress, results show that CSIs undergo psychosocial stress during the examination of routine crime scenes such as domestic burglary and vehicle examination. Increased levels of stress diminished between scene visits. Reasons for increased stress reactivity at routine crime scenes are considered and opportunities for further work discussed. This study demonstrates quantitatively the stress undergone by civilian CSIs and questions the effect this might have on the effective recovery of forensic material from the crime scene as well as the welfare of the CSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the mandatory introduction in 1998 of electronic immobilisers in all new vehicles, car crime has evolved so that criminals resort to stealing vehicle keys during domestic burglaries in order to steal the vehicle subsequently. This new offence is referred to as 'car key burglary'. Building upon previous research (Shaw, Smith, & Bond, 2010), car key burglary data provided by Northamptonshire Police from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2009 was analysed to identify the crime-scene characteristics that can differentiate a car key burglary from a regular domestic burglary. Significant differences were found between car key burglaries and regular domestic burglaries pertaining to the security of the property and the types of items stolen, with secure premises and items likely to be left in a vehicle overnight (such as satellite navigation systems, in-car DVD players and mobile telephones) being more indicative of car key burglary. The implications of these findings are considered and the limitations discussed in terms of the current methods of recording police data. Suggestions as to how police data recording might be amended to facilitate a better understanding of car key burglary are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the mandatory introduction in 1998 of electronic immobilisers in all vehicles, new cars are impossible to start without their keys. Some offenders have thus resorted to stealing car keys during domestic burglaries in order to steal the car—a relatively new phenomenon referred to as ‘car key burglaries’. With these crimes becoming an increasing problem in the UK, it is imperative that they are recorded accurately in order to identify the true scope of this problem and tackle it effectively. As yet, no universal definition of a car key burglary exists according to which all police constabularies can work, leading to inconsistencies in the recording of these types of crimes. Car key burglary data recorded by Northamptonshire Police was examined and analysed, and significant differences were found between car key and regular domestic burglaries. These differences pertained to the time of day at which the offence occurred, the neighbourhood in which the offence occurred and the search of the property by the offender. The implications of these findings are discussed, as well as limitations of the study, and possible directions for future research that may allow the police to record a domestic burglary more accurately as a car key burglary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the purine nucleoside analogue, clofarabine, in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Six patients with DLBCL (n = 5) or MCL (n = 1) and a median age of 68 years were treated with 40 mg/m2 clofarabine IV over 2 h for 5 days, repeated every 28 days, for 1-2 cycles. The overall response rate was 50% (complete response = 1, complete response unconfirmed = 1, partial response = 1). Median progression-free survival was 3.5 months (range 1.5-10 months) and the median overall survival was 7.8 months (range 3-31 months). Grade 3-4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia was universal, with a median of 34 (range 19-55) and 77 (range 0-275) days required for neutrophil and platelet recovery. Grade 3 non-hematologic toxicities included transaminitis, febrile neutropenia, non-neutropenic infections and orthostatic hypotension. Further accrual to the study was terminated due to prolonged Grade 3-4 myelosuppression and orthostatic hypotension in five of six patients. Clofarabine exhibits evidence of single agent activity in relapsed or refractory DLBCL. However, further study with novel administration schedules that maintain this efficacy and limit toxicity is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]