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The article focuses on several lawsuits including United States v. Kovall, Commonwealth v. Unitt, and Teague v. People on bail forfeiture. Topics include crime victim cannot appeal a restitution issued as part of offender's sentence; no authority to trial judge to forfeit bail posted on an offenders' behalf and applied toward the restitution; and recovery of extraordinary direct public investigative cost as restitution for expense of a victim's Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner examination.

The article focuses on the cruel, unusual punishment including life imprisonment imposed to capital murderer with intellectual disabilities. Topics include serial killing of five women and confessing the same by the murderer causing the rejection of his claim that to automatically assess life without parole against him, violation of the Eighth Amendment as applied to persons with intellectual disabilities and statement of court on capital murderer with intellectual disabilities.

The article focuses on the debate on the Sexual Offences Bill of the Scottish government. Kenny MacAskill, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, welcomes the parliamentary Justice Committee's support for the retention of the age of consent at 16, which the Scottish government considered to be essential. He also praised the committee for its agreement to submit children below the age of consent who engaged in sexual activity under the children's hearing system.

The article discusses how intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) poses risk factor for homicide. Topics discussed include qualitative study of women's sexual violence in intimate relationships, forms of IPSV including forced sexual activity and intimate partner sexual assault, cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression due to sexual assault, and women experiencing threats of homicide in context of IPSV.

The article discusses several court cases which deal with sexual assault in the U.S. These include the Supreme Court of Wyoming's case Vaught v. State, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit's case Henderson v. Glanz, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit's case Esquivel-Quintana v. Lynch.

In 2014, U.S. teen births accounted for 6.3% of all births and 13.9% of all nonmarital births. The birth rate for U.S. teenagers (ages 15 through 19) increased in 2006 and 2007 after a steady decline since 1991. However, in each of 2008 through 2014, the teen birth rate dropped below the 2006 teen birth rate, reversing the two-year upward trend. Although the birth rate for U.S. teens has dropped in 22 of the past 24 years, it remains higher than the teen birth rate of most industrialized nations. Preventing teen pregnancy is generally considered a priority among policymakers and the public because of its high economic, social, and health costs for teen parents and their families. The Adolescent Family Life (AFL) program, created in 1981 (Title XX of the Public Health Service Act), was the first federal program to focus on pregnancy among adolescents. It was created to support demonstration projects that provide comprehensive and innovative health, education, and social services to pregnant and parenting adolescents, their infants, male partners, and their families. From 1998 to 2009, federal teen pregnancy prevention efforts in the AFL program and in general relied heavily on using abstinence-only education as their primary tool. The appropriation for the AFL program was $16.7 million in FY2010 and $12.4 million for FY2011. The AFL program has not received any funding since FY2011. P.L. 111-117 (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010) included a new discretionary Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) program, funded at $110 million for FY2010, which provides grants and contracts, on a competitive basis, to public and private entities to fund "medically accurate and age appropriate" programs that reduce teen pregnancy. Since FY2010, funding for the TPP program has fluctuated from a high of $109 million in FY2011 to a low of $98.4 million in FY2013 (post-sequester). P.L. 113-76 (the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014) provided $101 million for the TPP program (and $8.5 million for program evaluation) for FY2014. P.L. 113-235 (the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015) funded the TPP program at $101 million for FY2015 (plus $6.8 million for program evaluation). Pursuant to P.L. 114-53 (the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2016; enacted September 30, 2015), the TPP is funded for FY2016 at the FY2015 rate of $101 million (plus $6.8 million for program evaluation) minus an across-the-board rescission of 0.2108%, through December 11, 2015, or enactment of applicable appropriations legislation. Pursuant to P.L. 114-113 (the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016; enacted December 18, 2015), the TPP is funded for FY2016 at $101 million (plus $6.8 million for program evaluation). P.L. 111-148 (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act-ACA) established a new state formula grant program and appropriated $375 million, at $75 million per year for five years (FY2010-FY2014), to enable states to operate a new Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP), which is a broad approach to teen pregnancy prevention that educates adolescents on both abstinence and contraception to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. PREP also provides youth with information on several adulthood preparation subjects (e.g., healthy relationships, adolescent development, financial literacy, parent-child communication, educational and career success, and healthy life skills). P.L. 113-93 (the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014), which was enacted on April 1, 2014, extended PREP ($75 million per year) through FY2015 (i.e., September 30, 2015). P.L. 114-10 (the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015) extended PREP ($75 million per year) through FY2017 (i.e., September 30, 2017). The Title V Abstinence Education Block Grant to states was authorized under P.L. 104-193 (the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996). The Title V Abstinence Education program is a formula grant program, specifically for abstinence-only education, funded by mandatory spending. The program's funding expired on June 30, 2009, but P.L. 111-148 reauthorized the program and restored funding at the previous annual level of $50 million for each of FY2010-FY2014. P.L. 113-93 extended the Title V Abstinence Education block grant ($50 million per year) through FY2015. P.L. 114-10 increased the Title V Abstinence Education block grant to $75 million per year for FY2016 and FY2017. Several appropriation laws included an additional $5 million for competitive grants for abstinence-only education for each of FY2012, FY2013, FY2014, and FY2015 (P.L. 112-74, P.L. 113-6, P.L. 113-76, and P.L. 113-164/P.L. 113-235). P.L. 114-113 (the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016; enacted December 18, 2015) included funding of $10 million for competitive grants which exclusively implement education in sexual risk avoidance (defined as refraining from nonmarital sexual activity) for FY2016. This report briefly examines some of the data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics on teenage childbearing, offers potential reasons for high teen pregnancy and birth rates, and provides basic information on federal programs whose purpose is primarily to delay sexual activity among teenagers and to reduce teen pregnancy. The Appendix provides a funding history of the teen pregnancy prevention programs discussed in this report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents several court cases on sex offenders. Topics discussed include "Commonwealth v. Thompson" related ineffective assistance of counsel; "State in Interest of C.K." related to the imposition of lifetime sex offender registration requirements for juvenile offenders violates due proces; and "Gundy v. United States" concerning to the U.S. Supreme Court accepts review of the retroactive application.

The article discusses the court cases U.S. v. Jackson, State v. Brignac, and State v. Brooks. It reports how a warrantless search of a sex offender Richard Jackson in a supervised release facility was constitutional and search of a probationer's residence by unassigned probation officers violated probationer Kayla Brignac's right to privacy.

The United States continues to have one of the highest teen birth rates in the developed world, and adolescent rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are also high. These factors highlight the need to identify effective evidence-based programs to improve adolescent reproductive health. This brief synthesizes findings from 118 experimental evaluations of 100 program models. These were evaluations measuring reproductive health of youth and adolescents to determine how frequently these programs work to improve behavioral sexual outcomes such as sexual initiation and activity, number of sexual partners, anal/oral sex, sex under the influence of drugs/alcohol, condom and contraceptive use, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and pregnancies or births. These programs used a range of program approaches and served a variety of populations in many different settings. [Additional support was provided by the JPB Foundation.]

The article focuses on a lawsuit wherein an offender Timothy Courtney was found guilty for possession of child pornography; and mentions a risk assessment instrument (RAl) under the Sex Offender Registration Act placed him in the risk Level 2 classification also warranting an upward departure.

Fraternities and sororities, prominent on college campuses for nearly two centuries, are under intense scrutiny because of misdeeds -- largely by fraternity members -- ranging from binge drinking and racism to deadly hazing injuries and sexual assault. Since 2005, more than 60 people have died in fraternity-related incidents, according to Bloomberg News, and this fall 37 New York City fraternity members were charged in the death of a pledge, including five who face murder charges. Supporters of Greek organizations argue that only a small number of members commit serious violations. Moreover, they say fraternities and sororities -- now at a record 750,000 members -- provide invaluable leadership training, networking opportunities and emotional and academic support. Still, a national association representing 73 fraternities has commissioned task forces to address Greek hazing, sexual assault and alcohol use. And some critics want to go further. They are recommending that Greek organizations go coed, hoping that women would have a civilizing effect on behavior, or are pushing for an outright ban on fraternities and sororities -- ideas that Greek groups strongly resist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses Section 1591 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code, which criminalizes several activities related to the creation or operation of a commercial sex trafficking enterprise that uses children or deceived or coerced adults. Topics covered include proscriptions against profiting from such enterprises or obstructing investigations, possible imprisonment terms and fines, and the section's coverage of sex trafficking activities that affect interstate or foreign commerce.

A report published by the Congressional Research Service regarding sex trafficking under U.S. federal criminal law is presented. Topics discussed include laws such as the Mann Act and the 2015 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act that outlaw sex trafficking activities involving travel in interstate or foreign commerce, fines that may be imposed on offenders, and possible imprisonment terms. Also mentioned are the legal consequences of sexual abuse of a child.

The article discusses court cases related to domestic violence as of July 2015. Among the court cases discussed include Boykai v. Young which is concerned on the petition for a Protection From Abuse (PFA) order filed by Geraldine Boykai against her husband Ted Young, Nevarez v. Tonna which focuses on the restraining order filed by Angela Nevarez against her former former relationship Cameron Tonna, and Stephens v. Rose which is concerned on the case of Shellie Rae Rose and Jeffrey Stephens.

The article focuses on U.S. federal strategies aimed at reducing teen pregnancy in the U.S. Topics include the 1996 welfare reform law which spearheaded the abstinence-only approach to reduce non-marital pregnancies, the Adolescent Family Life (AFL) program created in 1981, and evidence-based programs such as U.S. President Barack Obama's Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (TPPI) and the Personal Respnsibility Education Program (PREP).

The article presents statistics and programs regarding teenage pregnancy prevention in the U.S. These include statistics on trends in U.S. teen births between 2006 through 2013 showing how it has remained higher than those in other industrialized nations, the Adolescent Family Life (AFL) federal program created in 1981 that focuses on adolescent pregnancy, and the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The article offers several sexual assault trials news briefs as of January/ February 2015. Topics discussed include remand of Denial of Protection Order to the petitioner J.O. due to error in ruling of the judge, convict Gabriel Isiah Garcia to be found guilty of continuously molesting a child for five years leading to her 16 years sentence in prison and ruling by an Alabama court concerning the U.S. Supreme Court's sexual misconduct statute stating it to be unconstitutional.

Charges of rape and other sexual assaults on college and university campuses -- and how school officials investigate and adjudicate them -- are receiving unprecedented attention. Young women who believe their schools mishandled their cases have formed advocacy groups, and they and others have filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Education, which is investigating 86 colleges and universities. The White House created a special task force on campus sexual assault, and Congress passed legislation last year mandating training for school personnel and ongoing education for students on the issue. But as momentum builds to hold schools more accountable, civil libertarians say the pressure is leading schools to violate the rights of accused students. Meanwhile, the standard of evidence schools use when deciding sexual assault cases is under debate, along with whether schools' adoption of so-called affirmative consent for sexual encounters is too intrusive, and whether schools should turn over all investigations to police. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers the author's insights on girls' courts and girls in court. Topics discussed by the author include the specialized Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST) Court called RESTORE located at the specialized court Crossroads in San Antonio, California, the establishment of the GIRL Court to address unique needs and concerns of girls without particular type, and the development of a multidisciplinary team by the Houston court system to address trauma and needs of clients.

The article discusses the U.S. Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) of 2003, and various ways in which the existing rules help to level the playing field for prisoners. Topics include prison rape in staff-inmate power dynamics context, regulations which prevent the misuse of power, and prison rape in inmate-inmate power dynamics context. It mentions survivors protections and those who are at risk of victimization.

The protracted legal fight over broadcast indecency is continuing after the Supreme Court wiped out penalties against three TV networks but left the constitutionality of the Federal Communications Commission's policy unresolved. Now, the FCC faces pressures from broadcasters and free-speech advocates on one side and anti-indecency groups on the other over how to deal with a backlog of 1.5 million pending complaints about sex and vulgarity on radio and television. Federal law prohibits obscenity, indecency or profanity on broadcast channels, though not on cable or satellite systems. The FCC tightened its policy in recent years to prohibit even a "fleeting" use of the F- or S-word and began imposing costly penalties against stations in indecency cases. Broadcasters say the policy limits their ability to compete with cable systems, but anti-indecency groups say over-the-air television should be kept as family-friendly as possible. Many legal experts say, however, that the proliferation of other media may lead the courts eventually to strike down the law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses several courts cases dealing with the civil commitment, equal protection and lifetime supervision of sex offenders in the U.S. It finds that the evidence of a refusal of an offender to participate in a sex offender treatment program cannot be used on a civil commitment proceeding. It argues that to register as a sex offender deprives individuals of equal protection of the law. Also, a lifetime post-release supervision sentence is not considered cruel.

Precise terminology is paramount in sexuality education. Most sexuality research focuses on the dichotomous concepts of sexual intercourse and virginity, yet there are many expressions of sexuality classified as neither. The purpose of this literature review is to identify and examine the various terms and definitions describing sexuality expressions that exclude penetration (SEEPs). After searching 11 EBSCOhost databases and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 25 peer-reviewed articles were selected for review. Fourteen included oral sex as a potential SEEP, and six sources included anal sex as a potential SEEP. Implications and recommendations for sexuality educators are addressed. (Contains 1 table.)

The article discusses a court case about sexual predation on a mental health unit in the U.S. It is inferred that 19-year-old Russell Bishop was allegedly sexually assaulted by inmate Charlie Floyd. Laura Hogan, a limited license psychologist at Correctional Medical Services Inc. (CMS), advised Bishop that he could prosecute Floyd for inappropriate sexual behavior.

After dropping steeply for a decade-and-a-half, America's teen birth rate began edging upwards in the past few years. Analysts aren't sure whether the trend will last and say there are numerous causes. A significant factor, however, is a drop-off in contraceptive use that began in the early 2000s, as better HIV/AIDS treatments diminished fear of the disease. In 2009, the Obama administration ended the Bush administration policy of federally funding only sex-education programs with abstinence until marriage as the primary focus. Instead, most funding will now go to programs that have been demonstrated in large, randomized trials to be effective for pregnancy prevention. Critics say the plan will unfairly eliminate funding for abstinence programs, which they contend have not been adequately evaluated by researchers and are the only ones that consistently teach the value of committed relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents debates that commenced in the Scottish Parliament in February 2009. The Budget Bill was ratified 123 votes against two and all stages of the debate transpired in one day. Debates on the Early Years Framework, investment in Northern Highlands schools and Local Government Finance Act 1992 (Scotland) Order 2009 were introduced. Oral questions on the legal age limit for alcohol purchase, education and lifelong learning, and child protection and student visas are also included.

The article presents a court case in which the Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed the ruling of a district court granting the motion for summary judgment by the defendants. In the case Graham v. Sheriff of Logan County, a female prisoner filed a case alleging that a sexual act between her and two prison officers that she allegedly consented was a cruel and unusual punishment against her. The three-judge panel saw overwhelming evidence of consent in the case.

The article discusses the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit case Rivera v. Bonner on sexual abuse insulated by qualified immunity. In this case the court upheld summary judgment on all charges against all jail staff. The detainee was sexually assaulted by Manuel Fierros, a jail officer, wherein she sued for damages claiming jail officials were deliberately indifferent in hiring Fierros and they were constitutionally inadequate in their training and supervision of employees.

Two prominent television events placed increased attention on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the broadcast indecency statute that it enforces. The airing of an expletive by Bono during the 2003 Golden Globe Awards, as well as the "wardrobe malfunction" that occurred during the 2004 Super Bowl half-time show, gave broadcast indecency prominence in the 108th and 109th Congresses, and resulted in the enactment of P.L.109-235 (2006), which increased the penalties for broadcast indecency by tenfold. Federal law makes it a crime to utter "any obscene, indecent, or profane language by means of radio communication" (18 U.S.C. § 1464). Violators of this statute are subject to fines and imprisonment of up to two years, and the FCC may enforce this provision by forfeiture or revocation of a broadcaster's license. The FCC has found that, for material to be "indecent," it "must describe or depict sexual or excretory organs or activities," and "must be patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards for the broadcast medium." The federal government's authority to regulate material that is "indecent" but not obscene was upheld by the Supreme Court in Federal Communications Commission v. Pacifica Foundation, which found that prohibiting such material during certain times of the day does not violate the First Amendment. In 1992, Congress enacted P.L. 102-356 (47 U.S.C. § 303 note), section 16(a) of which, as interpreted by the courts, requires the FCC to prohibit "indecent" material on broadcast radio and broadcast television from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Under P.L. 109-235, "indecent" broadcasts are now subject to a fine of up to "$325,000 for each violation or each day of continuing violation, except that the amount assessed for any continuing violation shall not exceed a total of $3,000,000 for any single act or failure to act." Fines may be levied against broadcast stations, but not against broadcast networks. The FCC appears to have the statutory authority to fine performers as well (up to $32,500 per incident), but has taken the position that "[c]ompliance with federal broadcast decency restrictions is the responsibility of the station that chooses to air the programming, not the performers." The federal restriction on "indecent" material applies only to broadcast media, and this stems from the fact that there are a limited number of broadcast frequencies available and that the Supreme Court, therefore, allows the government to regulate broadcast media more than other media. This report discusses the legal evolution of the FCC's indecency regulations, and provides an overview of how the current regulations have been applied. The final section of the report considers whether prohibiting the broadcast of "indecent" words regardless of context would violate the First Amendment. This question arises because the Supreme Court in Pacifica left open the question whether broadcasting an occasional expletive, as in the Bono case, would justify a sanction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The founders of the feminist movement some 40 years ago envisioned a glorious new era of equality for working women. But today more than half of employed parents can't take time off to care for sick children, and day care costs more than tuition at a state university. To be sure, women have made tremendous strides: Most mothers are in the work force today, and women account for half the managerial jobs and half the law-school graduates. But women still lag behind male counterparts in many ways, including wages. Many U.S. jobs are not "mother friendly," leading some women to opt off of the career treadmill and forcing out blue-collar workers. Some sociologists are asking whether feminism has failed, particularly in its inability to transform domestic life, where women still do the bulk of household chores. Indeed, some disparage women for returning to a 1950s mind-set -- when "a woman's place was in the home." But some young feminists assert that child rearing should be respected work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supposedly accidental "wardrobe malfunction" that exposed Janet Jackson's right breast during the Super Bowl halftime show shouldn't have surprised anyone. Radio shock jocks like Howard Stern and Bubba the Love Sponge have been pushing the decency envelope for years, and TV has been following suit, raising new complaints about its increasingly risqué -- some say indecent -- content. Defenders of the media say the First Amendment gives them wide latitude to broadcast sexually provocative material, which simply reflects changing contemporary mores. But critics of today's radio and television content say sexually oriented broadcasting can harm society, especially children. With polls showing that Americans want something done about broadcast content, legislation is now pending in Congress to increase indecency fines dramatically. There is even talk of regulating the cable TV industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Athletic teams, fraternities and high school groups often initiate new members by hazing them — making them perform embarrassing or degrading stunts. But sometimes hazing switches from silliness to cruelty, criminality or even deadly violence. Last May, five suburban Chicago high school girls were treated at a local hospital for injuries received during a videotaped hazing incident that turned into a melee. In August, varsity football players at a New York high school sodomized junior varsity players with broomsticks, golf balls and pine cones. And dozens of freshmen pledges have died over the years during dangerous fraternity hazings, which are illegal in most states. Experts say more should be done to stamp out hazing, but supporters say the ancient practice builds character and camaraderie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many critics say Hollywood's movie-rating system doesn't adequately warn parents about the amount of sex and violence in films. Moreover, the Federal Trade Commission says the system sometimes fails because some theaters don't enforce the age restrictions, allowing unaccompanied minors to watch restricted movies. Critics also fault the system for "ratings creep," which lets behavior or language that once warranted an R or NC-17 rating slip into the lucrative PG-13 category. But Hollywood executives say the system enables parents to make informed decisions about their kids' movie choices while protecting filmmakers' First Amendment artistic freedom. Meanwhile, with the 2004 elections drawing closer, some politicians are once again attacking Hollywood for undermining "traditional family values." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the protection and security level of inmates in prison who are prone to abuse and assaults in prisons with reference to the case Makdessi v. Fields. It mentions that a panel reversed court decision of dismissal of cellmate who had assaulted his inmate. Topics include Farmer v. Brennan case that had defined mental state of indifference and the defendant approach to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The article offers information on demand by sexually assaulted victims and their advocates on auditing of untested sexual assault kits (SAKS) as of January 2015.

For seven consecutive semesters, questionnaires were administered to the students enrolled in Illinois Central College's human sexuality course to determine their sexual experience, practices, and orientation. The surveys also sought to assess the students' attitudes toward homosexuality, pornography, masturbation, extramarital relations, abortion, premarital sex, birth control, and the importance of sexual compatibility in marriage. The study's findings, which were based on the responses of the 205 course enrollees, were admittedly not generalizable to the total student population. The study revealed that: (1) about 5% of the males and females felt sexual attraction to persons of the same sex; (2) 75% of the males and 84% of the females had engaged in oral sex; (3) 42% of the married men and 32% of the married women had had extramarital relations; (4) 20% more females than males used a method of birth control; (5) oral contraceptives were the most popular form of birth control; and (6) 27% of the females had been pregnant while unmarried and 30% of the males had partners who had been pregnant while unmarried. The survey also revealed that men were more conservative than women with regard to homosexuality, the effects of pornography, masturbation, and abortion, while women were more conservative about the availability of pornography and extramarital relations. (JP)

Up to nine times as many teenagers give birth in the United States as in other industrialized countries. Moreover, more American youths under age 15 are becoming sexually active. Although overall U.S. teen birthrates are declining, out-of-wedlock births are skyrocketing in the United States and throughout the industrialized world. To reverse these trends, Congress and the states are spending $837.5 million over the next five years to encourage teenagers and unmarried adults to abstain from sexual intercourse, without teaching them about contraception or disease prevention. But critics say that withholding such information leaves youths "defenseless." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]