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Isolating particular groups of individuals is nothing novel within American society, and two prevalent examples of this are the historical and current treatment of Blacks and sex offenders. To date...

Threat assessment theory and practice have evolved significantly since Columbine. The US Secret Service's guidelines for threat assessment include 11 questions that school officials should ask to identify, investigate, and manage students of concern. Yet, no research examines how school officials implement these questions. This qualitative case study examines the way that school officials used the 11 questions with a student of concern, who underwent a threat assessment and 3 months later shot and killed a classmate and himself on school grounds. The data include deposition testimony from 12 school and district officials and more than 8,000 pages of records in the case. For each of the 11 questions, the findings reveal what the threat assessment team knew and might have learned; the findings also demonstrate the importance of multiple sources of information, a multidisciplinary team, and an investigative mindset. The questions may prove difficult to answer in "loosely coupled" systems, like schools, where information is unintentionally lost due to the organization's structural hierarchy, specialization of tasks, and heavy workloads. The findings provide critical lessons learned for threat assessment, information gathering, and violence prevention in schools.

Background The ability to identify and measure behaviors that are related to weight loss and the prevention of weight regain is crucial to understanding the variability in response to obesity treatment and the development of tailored treatments. Objectives The overarching goal of the Accumulating Data to Optimally Predict obesity Treatment (ADOPT) Core Measures Project is to provide obesity researchers with guidance on a set of constructs and measures that are related to weight control and that span and integrate obesity-related behavioral, biological, environmental, and psychosocial domains. This article describes how the behavioral domain subgroup identified the initial list of high-priority constructs and measures to be included, and it describes practical considerations for assessing the following four behavioral areas: eating, activity, sleep, and self-monitoring of weight. Challenges and considerations for advancing the science related to weight loss and maintenance behaviors are also discussed. Significance Assessing a set of core behavioral measures in combination with those from other ADOPT domains is critical to improve our understanding of individual variability in response to adult obesity treatment. The selection of behavioral measures is based on the current science, although there continues to be much work needed in this field.

Objective Risk for obesity is determined by a complex mix of genetics and lifetime exposures at multiple levels, from the metabolic milieu to psychosocial and environmental influences. These phenotypic differences underlie the variability in risk for obesity and response to weight management interventions, including differences in physical activity and sedentary behavior. Methods As part of a broader effort focused on behavioral and psychological phenotyping in obesity research, the National Institutes of Health convened a multidisciplinary workshop to explore the state of the science in behavioral and psychological phenotyping in humans to explain individual differences in physical activity, both as a risk factor for obesity development and in response to activity-enhancing interventions. Results Understanding the behavioral and psychological phenotypes that contribute to differences in physical activity and sedentary behavior could allow for improved treatment matching and inform new targets for tailored, innovative, and effective weight management interventions. Conclusions This summary provides the rationale for identifying psychological and behavioral phenotypes relevant to physical activity and identifies opportunities for future research to better understand, define, measure, and validate putative phenotypic factors and characterize emerging phenotypes that are empirically associated with initiation of physical activity, response to intervention, and sustained changes in physical activity.

Scholars in Criminal Justice have argued that students should have a stand-alone course that focuses on fostering library literacy skills for Criminal Justice students in order to improve their writing, research, and presentation skills. In 2011, a required information literacy course was implemented in one Criminal Justice program to meet this need. Building on the existing literature, the current study is the first to explore student perceptions of a required information literacy course. The results offer valuable information on how to strengthen the course moving forward and can provide useful suggestions to other Criminal Justice programs thinking about instituting a library literacy course in their curriculum.

Purpose Height has been shown to influence social development, which can affect life outcomes such as involvement in delinquent behaviors. Previous studies have linked height to aggression but have not examined other delinquent behaviors. The current study examines multiple ways that height can affect violence, property offending, and alcohol use.

To date, few studies have examined the social and psychological effects of sexting behaviors. The current study examined how delinquency, social, and psychological factors were associated with sexting behavior in a sample of rural, high school students (n = 548). The results demonstrated that property delinquency, bully-victimization, alcohol, marijuana use, and bullying increased odds of sending and receiving nude photos. Gender specific models indicated that females who had participated in sexting behavior were more likely to report using alcohol and being a victim of bullying, while males were more likely to report using marijuana and being a perpetrator of bullying. Implications are discussed.

Research is inconclusive on whether adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) engage in more delinquency than adolescents without such deficits. Mixed results may result from a failure to account for the effects of co-occurring disabilities. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study examines delinquency among adolescents without disabilities to youth with LD, Attention Disorder Symptoms (ADS), and comorbid LD/ADS. Results indicate no significant differences in property offenses, or alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use; however, youth with LD reported significantly more violence than non-disabled youth. Findings illustrate the heterogeneous effects various disabilities have on delinquent behavior. Future research and policy implications will be discussed.

This chapter explores the reentry challenges women face, specifically relating to mental health issues. It also explores the history of the relationship of the mentally ill and the criminal justice system, the current state of mental illness and incarceration, and specific reentry issues relating to women who suffer from mental illness. Veysey and Bichler-Robertson estimated lifelong prevalence rates for numerous mental health disorders among inmate populations: major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and antisocial personality disorder. These serious mental illnesses are estimated to be higher among incarcerated women than men. Many service providers failed to differentiate services between men and women, leading treatment to be geared toward men's challenges and devoid of meeting women's mental health needs. Few studies have investigated differences in recidivism between those with mental illness and those without. Numerous interventions have been conducted assessing the effectiveness of different types of mental health treatment on recidivism; however, few have evaluated gender-specific reentry programming.

The goal of the current study was to assess the effects of prenatal methamphetamine (MA)/saline exposure on nicotine-induced stimulant and aversive effects in both male and female adult rats. The aversive effects of nicotine were assessed using the nicotine-induced conditioned taste aversion model (0.4 mg/kg, base), while the stimulant effects of nicotine were measured by assessing changes in spontaneous locomotor activity after subcutaneous administration of different doses of nicotine (0, 0.1 & 0.4 mg/kg, base). The aversive effects of nicotine were significantly decreased in male, but not in female rats with a history of prenatal MA exposure compared to respective saline controls. No influence of prenatal MA exposure was observed on nicotine-induced increase in locomotor activity in either male or female rats. In conclusion, males with a history of prenatal MA exposure may be more vulnerable to nicotine addiction due to a decrease in nicotine-induced aversive effects.

Researchers interested in public policy have noted that laws may have a symbolic or an instrumental function. The example of sex offender legislation is used to look for both instrumental and symbolic effects of this legislation. Although the symbolic effects of sex offender legislation have been examined by prior research, less is known about the instrumental effects of this legislation. This research examines the instrumental functions of sex offender legislation using survey data that asked about whether members of the public have checked the sex offender registry and the reasons behind their answer. The findings of this study suggest largely symbolic effects of sex offender registry legislation, and implications of this finding are discussed.

States are required to maintain an Internet‐based sex offender registry in order to comply with community notification laws. Such legislation, however, relies on citizens to proactively access information regarding sex offenders’ whereabouts in order to take precautions to protect themselves and their families. This study examines the legislative intent, in terms of the target audience for sex offender community notification laws, and whether this audience is in fact using the online community notification tools available to the public. Survey responses from a representative sample of Nebraska residents and logistic regression are used to examine who is likely to access the registry information and also who is likely to take preventative action in response. Our findings and the implications of the results on notification laws are discussed.

Objective: The aim of this study was to systematically examine ancient Roman and Greek texts to identify descriptions of schizophrenia and related disorders. Method: Material from Greek and Roman literature dating from the 5th Century BC to the beginning of the 2nd Century AD was systematically reviewed for symptoms of mental illness. DSM IV criteria were applied in order to identify material related to schizophrenia and related disorders. Results: The general public had an awareness of psychotic disorders, because the symptoms were described in works of fiction and in historical accounts of malingering. There were isolated instances of text related to psychotic symptoms in the residents of ancient Rome and Greece, but no written material describing a condition that would meet modern diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia. Conclusion: In contrast to many other psychiatric disorders that are represented in ancient Greek and Roman literature, there were no descriptions of individuals with schizophrenia in the material assessed in this review.

When a young child is reluctant to eat, it is important not to let mealtimes become a battleground. Mary Evans suggests strategies.

Apps are becoming the latest must-have in helping practitioners with observation, assessment and planning, says Mary Evans.

A Bedford-based nursery's strategy for developing children's communication skills has won it a major award.

Being able to access training at home, at work or while on the move is making online learning an increasingly popular option, says Mary Evans.

The rules on exposing children to risk outside the classroom may soon be relaxed. Mary Evans looks at how nurseries will respond

Understanding and promoting children's communication skills is a compulsory part of the new Level 3 diploma, says Mary Evans

There's a skill in sharing something you've learned with your colleagues, and it's more in demand than ever, says Mary Evans.

Children need time to think and lead. This important concept requires training, says Mary Evans.

Young children are learning empathy by caring for even younger babies. Mary Evans finds out how.

Staff training, if chosen carefully, can provide value for money in keeping and promoting the best people, says Mary Evans.

Working co-operatively takes complex skills. Mary Evans outlines the key areas of joined up working and how to overcome barriers to communication

The influences on today's childcare practice by the work of a pioneering European educator are explained by Mary Evans.

Sleep, a key indicator of health, has been linked to a variety of indicators of well-being such that people who get an adequate amount generally experience greater well-being. Further, a lack of sleep has been linked to a wide range of negative developmental outcomes, yet sleep has been largely overlooked among researchers interested in adolescent delinquency. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between hours of sleep and delinquent behavior among adolescents by using data from Wave 1 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 14,382; 50.2% female, 63.5% white). A series of negative binomial regressions showed that youth who typically sleep seven or fewer hours per night reported significantly more property delinquency than youth who sleep the recommended 8–10 h. Further, youth who reported sleeping 5 or fewer hours per night reported significantly more violent delinquency than youth who reported sleeping the recommended number of hours per night. The findings suggest that sleep is an important, and overlooked, dimension of delinquent behavior and studies that focus on adolescent health should further investigate the effects of insufficient sleep. Finally, the authors recommend that sleep and other relevant health behaviors be considered in the context of more comprehensive approaches to delinquency prevention and intervention.

A successful nursery for children with autism makes the most of their visual skills to motivate development. Mary Evans hears how.

Early years practitioners will benefit from training in using the outdoors, whether it's a familiar place to them or not, says Mary Evans

Good practice in observation, planning and assessment can always be improved, with the right training, says Mary Evans.

Support services are available for families of disabled children, but parents need to be helped to access them. Mary Evans hears how.

It's not enough to just watch and record what a child does at play. Mary Evans considers how to make observation true to its purpose.

Families who might otherwise have been trapped in a downward spiral are finding a way out with multi-agency intervention, says Mary Evans.

Training organisers and providers are beginning to offer an array of courses examining reflective practice. Mary Evans reports.

Do you really know what child-initiated learning looks like? Mary Evans identifies further training directions, in the first of a new series on improving skills to meet EYFS requirements.

How do early years settings cater for exceptionally able children? Mary Evans hears from two of them.

Mary Evans talks to one London local authority that is determined to maintain a holistic approach.

Many mothers are keen to see more males working in early years settings. Mary Evans explains how Paint Pots is leading the way.

Young women are increasingly diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. The aim of this study was to test various types of mass media and their associations with interpersonal communication about sex and HIV or AIDS among female college students, stratified by race. The study used a nonexperimental cross-sectional design and an electronic survey. The sample consisted of female college students ( N = 776) at a 4-year public university in the southeast. We found that the race of college women influenced their preferred media source for reception of information about sex and HIV/AIDS, which subsequently either motivated or was insignificant to communication with parents and/or partners.

The teaching of Women's Studies is beset with difficulties as much as rewards: in this brief article some reflections are offered on the experience of being a teacher on a Women's Studies course. It is suggested that teaching Women's Studies often differs from teaching more conventional disciplines, but that this offers a chance for academic innovation.

A report is given on one longitudinal aspect of the language acquisition of Alun, a Welsh/English bilingual child being raised in England. The father is L1 Welsh, but the mother has learned Welsh in order to speak it to her son, and the standard of her spoken Welsh is still no more than that of a good learner. In the course of the study it was noticed that the father was accommodating both the mother's and the child's linguistic errors. This report attempts to identify the areas in which accommodation is taking place and examines the possible reasons for it. The data were collected by the mother as part of a longitudinal study of her son from l‐61/2 years.