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The article discusses the significance of the legal process voir dire for trial lawyers and presents several fundamental techniques for selecting jurors to enhance the chances of success in a trial. It examines the discretion given to judges concerning jury selection. The article also discusses securing commitments from jurors to be impartial, using strikes and challenges, and developing questions for voir dire.

One of the characteristics of a professional field is having a means to certify the knowledge and competence of members of the profession. Certification programs can range from specialist-based certifications to those that are more general in scope (Mathis & Jackson, 2010). Supporters of certifications, both specialist and generalist, contend: certifications improve organizational effectiveness by having more competent and productive employees; improve the overall quality of a profession by following an established body of knowledge; help keep the professional current with the literature and trends in the field through the requirements associated with maintaining the certification over time (i.e., continuing education unit requirements); enhance professional recognition and lifelong learning among professionals in the field; and, lead to increased pay/salary and/or career advancement opportunities for professionals (Chipkin, 2010; Smith, 2013). Despite these claims made by certification supporters and advocates, little empirical research has been conducted on the specific impact of certifications within the field of park and recreation. In response to this need, the purpose of this study was to explore the possible links between a generalist certification (i.e., the CPRP certification), specialist certifications, and job self-efficacy among public park and recreation professionals. Job self-efficacy is a concept introduced in Bandura's social cognitive model (see Bandura, 1997) and is described as one's perceived performance capabilities for a specific activity. Three hundred and forty-seven public park and recreation professionals completed an online survey that was used to measure the variables of interest. Analyses identified significant differences in employees' job self-efficacy levels between CPRP professionals and non-CPRP professionals while no significant differences were found between specialist certified professionals and those without a certification. Complete results of the study are analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The number of dual-career couples, workers with eldercare responsibility, single-parent families, and working parents with young children has become increasingly common in the American workplace (Breaugh & Frye, 2008) and has led to increased work-family conflicts for the park and recreation professional. In response to these workforce changes, family-friendly employee benefits programs (FFEBP) are becoming more readily available and offered by public park and recreation agencies. Guided by these challenges, this study sought to explore the link between FFEBP and job attitudes (organizational commitment) and employee motivation (self-efficacy) among public park and recreation employees. Specifically, the effects of two FFEBP (dependent care supports and flexible work arrangements) were assessed on organizational commitment and job self-efficacy outcomes. Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1991) was selected as the theoretical framework for this study due to its relevance to a variety of human resource management functions that occur within an organization and its application within employee motivation and commitment contexts (Gibson, 2004). Four hundred and fifty-six public park and recreation professionals completed an online survey that was used to measure the variables of interest. Analyses identified significant differences in employees' job self-efficacy and organizational commitment levels between agencies with family-friendly employee benefits programs and agencies without these programs. Specifically, the findings from this study suggest agencies with dependent care supports or flexible work arrangements benefit programs have employees who are more committed to the agency and generally have higher levels of motivation (i.e., job self-efficacy) than employees working in agencies without these programs. For administrators, these results suggest the potential of FFEBP in creating a strategic advantage for agencies by recruiting and retaining higher performers within an agency and by establishing a more productive workforce. However, despite the potential value of these benefits, careful planning and internal assessment is needed prior to implementation of a FFEBP. Complete results of the study are analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-designed employee performance appraisals provide agencies with information that can guide administrative and developmental decision-making about their most important asset--their human resources. Administratively, performance appraisals serve as the formal evaluation tool used by managers when making decisions about distribution of pay increases. Developmentally, performance appraisals assist agencies in identifying issues such as employee training needs, selection, and promotional opportunities (Milkovich & Newman, 2005). Despite its importance, an agency's performance appraisal system is often viewed by employees and management as a frustrating and unfair process. These frustrations are largely attributed to performance appraisal instruments that are not job related, have confusing or unclear rating levels, and are viewed as subjective and biased by staff (Mathis & Jackson, 2006). A study was undertaken to respond to this issue by identifying the steps involved in creating a pay-for-performance system for a public park and recreation agency. This case study (1) identified a systematic procedure for creating performance appraisal instruments, (2) described the appropriate training necessary for those conducting a performance appraisal interview, (3) implemented the performance reviews using the developed instruments and the results of the appraisal training, and (4) determined how much of a merit increase is to be given for different levels of performance. Emergent themes from focus group interviews with employees identified differences between employee attitudes toward the original pay-for-performance system and the newly developed system, highlighting the value of employee participation in the development of the appraisal system. Results of the case study are analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employee turnover is an unavoidable part of most public park and recreation agencies. Agencies must become increasingly concerned with understanding the repercussions of an employee leaving an agency as they attempt to strategically assess current and future economic and human resource plans. This exploratory study considers the issue of turnover within a cost analytical framework and proposes a model for park and recreation agencies to accurately quantify their employee turnover costs. Specifically, the study incorporates Cascio's (2000) costing model of turnover to explore the costs associated with the departing employee and the placement of a new employee. Building upon Cascio's (2000) model we include variables to examine the potential drop in performance and overtime payment required as a result of turnover. Using the proposed model, an exploratory study was conducted within the public park and recreation profession. Turnover data was collected from park and recreation professionals within the state of Illinois. Findings suggest that the separation costs are about two to three times larger than replacement costs making it increasingly important for managers to control unused vacation and sick pay, losses in production and overtime paid to existing staff. Significant differences in pre-employment testing and training costs were found between recreation staff and operations/support staff. The findings and application of the costing model are discussed with suggestions made for further development of turnover cost models that can be applied in public park and recreation settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Full-thickness skin grafts follow a consistent clinical pattern of color and textural changes. Measurements with the Laser Doppler Velocimeter correlate with these observed changes, yielding reproducible temporally associated blood flow rates. Previous physiologic and histologic studies for skin grafts are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND. There are many techniques used to remove professional tattoos. Each method can be complicated by hypertrophic scarring, pigmentary changes, and/or insufficient pigment removal. OBJECTIVE. To study the results of precise, thin, tangential excisions of professional tattoos. The posttreatment migration of dermal tattoo pigment was also evaluated. METHODS. Five healthy white males had their professionally placed tattoos excised at a depth of 0.008 in (0.2 mm) using a Brown dermatome. Pre- and posttreatment biopsies were used to measure the depth of the tattoo pigment. RESULTS. At 3 months posttreatment, four patients had no significant scarring and three patients retained only scattered flecks of tattoo pigment. Each patient demonstrated migration of the deeper denim! pigment to a more superficial level. CONCLUSION. A superficial, tangential excision of a professional tattoo by a Brown dermatome is a viable, low-risk, inexpensive procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carinata (Brassicacarinata) is an oilseed crop which, because of its non‐edible oil composition and favorable fatty acid profile, is proposed as a "green" sustainable aviation fuel. It can be grown as a winter crop in the southeastern USA or as a summer annual crop in northern latitudes. No crop models exist for carinata because it is a relatively new crop. The CROPGRO model is a mechanistic crop simulation of daily crop growth and development as a function of daily weather, soil properties, crop management, and species parameters. We adapted the CROPGRO model to simulate carinata based on growth analysis data collected over two seasons at three sites: Quincy, FL, Jay, FL, and Shorter, AL. The adaptation process required literature knowledge as well as optimization against field observations. The parameterization of model sensitivities to climatic factors is presented. The adapted model gave good simulations of carinata growth dynamics compared to observed growth during different seasons and locations and in response to N fertilization. While additional testing is appropriate, the model is sufficiently ready to be used for various applications. An example application is presented for the effect of sowing date on carinata yield and maturity over long‐term weather in the Southeastern USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assesses the nature and magnitude of changes in size of routine skin excision specimens and the resulting surgical defect. Patients and methods; Results of shrinkage; Specimen depth.