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Electroconvulsive Therapy Part II: A Biopsychosocial Perspective

January 5, 2019 by admin

Abstract

The myths surrounding electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and the misconceptions held by the general public, clinicians, and patients have interfered with acceptance of this treatment throughout its history. Misunderstandings surrounding ECT, and its consequent stigmatization, are reviewed, including negative depictions of ECT in film, print media, and on the Internet. Clinicians involved in the delivery of ECT benefit from gaining an understanding of how ECT may be perceived by patients and other mental health professionals; they can play a vital role in educating patients and helping ensure the delivery of a successful course of ECT. Guidance is provided for clinicians on how to support patients and families through the ECT process using a model team approach. Anxiety reduction, meeting individual needs, patient and family psycho education, assessment of psychosocial supports, and discharge planning are discussed.

The first article in this two-part series addressed common misconceptions about ECT by presenting a historical perspective and discussed indications for treatment, research initiatives, technical features, and treatment side effects.

Mind Control with Electromagnetic Frequency

January 26, 2019January 5, 2019 by admin

Abstract:

One of the twenty-first century’s greatest violations of human rights is the proliferation of mind control technologies and their accompanying abuse and torture. Thousands of innocent victims across the globe have become activists for their freedom. Electromagnetic mind control technologies are weapons which use electromagnetic waves to hijack a person’s brain and nervous system and subvert an individual’s sense of control over their own thinking, behavior, emotions or decision making. This article is a brief introduction to mind control technologies, the grave situation of hidden mind control abuses and tortures, and victims, including Soleilmavis Liu, whose work is to expose mind control technologies and their torturous abuses, and to urge governments worldwide to investigate and halt these egregious violations of human rights.

Introduction

Thousands of people in groups or individually cries attention to the abuses and tortures with electromagnetic mind control technologies through internet and all other channels. The scale of the ongoing crimes is large, and hidden. People are asking for the worldwide attention and an

Groin injecting in the context of crack cocaine and homelessness: From risk boundary to acceptable risk ?

January 5, 2019 by admin

Abstract

Drawing on data from recent surveys and pilot qualitative interviews among injecting drug users (IDUs) in England, we highlight the potential 'normalisation' of the use of the femoral vein (groin) as a site of injection. We estimate that 45% (428/952) of IDUs in English cities report groin injecting in the last 4 weeks, rising to over 50% in some areas. We also note transitions towards the injection of crack cocaine among poly drug injectors in some UK locations. We estimate that 40% (381/952) of IDUs in English cities report crack injection in the last 4 weeks, rising to over 70% in some cities. Findings from pilot qualitative interviews among homeless injectors in London are suggestive of groin injecting being situated as an 'acceptable risk'. We emphasise the need for research to explore the potential interplay between unstable housing, groin injecting and crack injecting. We call for renewed emphasis within harm reduction interventions advising injectors how to maximise the health and longevity

Going into the Groin: Injection into the Femoral Vein among people who inject drugs in three urban areas of England

January 26, 2019January 5, 2019 by admin

Abstract

Background: There have been increasing concerns about injection into the femoral vein – groin injecting among people who inject drugs in a number of countries, though most studies have been small. The extent, reasons and harms associated with groin injecting are examined.
Method: Participants were recruited using respondent driven sampling (2006–2009). Weighted data was examined using bivariate analyses and logistic regression.
Results: The mean age was 32 years; 25% were women (N = 855). During the preceding 28 days, 94% had injected heroin and 13% shared needles/syringes. Overall, 53% reported ever groin injecting, with 9.8% first doing so at the same age as starting to inject. Common reasons given for groin injecting included: “Can’t get a vein elsewhere” (68%); “It is discreet” (18%); and “It is quicker” (14%). During the preceding 28 days, 41% had groin injected, for 77% this was the only body area used (for these “It is discreet” was more frequently given as a reason). In the multivariable analysis, groin...

Crack–Heroin Speedball Injection and its Implications for Vein care: Qualitative Study

January 5, 2019January 5, 2019 by admin

Abstract

We report on an exploratory qualitative study investigating drug injectors' narratives of vein damage and groin (femoral vein) injection associated with the injection of crack-heroin speedball. We undertook 44 in-depth qualitative interviews among injectors of crack-heroin speedball in Bristol and London, England, in 2006. The data suggest an emerging culture of crack-based speedball injection. Injectors' narratives link speedball injection with shifts towards groin injection articulated as an acceptable risk, and not merely as a last resort in the face of increased vein deterioration associated with speedball. Accounts of vein damage linked to speedball emphasize 'missed hits' related to the local anaesthetic action of crack, the excess use of citric in the preparation of speedball injections and 'flushing' when making a hit. We find that groin injection persists despite an awareness of health risks and medical complications. We emphasize an urgent need for reviewing harm reduction in relation to vein care in the context of shifts to crack-based speedball injection, and the use of the femoral vein,...

Risky injecting practices associated with snowballing: A qualitative study

January 5, 2019 by admin

Abstract

Crack cocaine injecting is associated with a higher prevalence of sharing behaviours, increased rates of hepatitis C infection and a higher likelihood of homelessness. The limited available evidence on snowballing (co-injecting of heroin and crack cocaine) suggests that this is associated with an increase in risky injection practices. This study sets out to explore the views and experiences of a group of drug users who 'snowball', with a view to inform the improvement of harm reduction services for such clients. This is a qualitative interview study of 18 male and female homeless drug users attending a needle exchange service in Nottingham, UK. For all those interviewed, snowballing represented a communal activity which affected peer injection practices. The individual perceptions of the terms 'sharing' and 'splitting' affected the levels of concerns when snowballs were used with others. The study highlighted the importance of knowing current vaccination and screening history of injecting partners in order to manage risk behaviour when drugs are used communally.

Home Invasion Homicide Offenders: An Analysis of Subsequent Prison Rule Violations

January 3, 2019 by admin

This study adds to the small body of research on home invasion by describing the circumstances surrounding home invasions that resulted in the death of a resident. The 2 most common types of home invasion homicides (HIHs) involved "drug ripoffs" and robberies of older adults for money and property. The study also examined subsequent rule-violating behavior of 132 HIH inmates while incarcerated. The rate of rule violations among HIH inmates was similar to a broader cohort of incarcerated homicide offenders. A logistic regression model identified variation in assaultive prison behavior based on some routine predictors (age, education, race, and prior imprisonment) and 2 associated with the crime (method of killing and age by gender of victims).

Domestic Violence and the Criminal Justice System: An Overview

January 3, 2019 by admin

Abstract

It is only recently that domestic violence has been considered a violation of the law. Although men have battered, abused and mistreated their wives or intimate partners for a long time, historically, wife or partner abuse has been viewed as a "normal" part of marriage or intimate relationships. Only towards the end of the twentieth century, in the 1970’s, has domestic violence been defined a crime, justifying intervention by the criminal justice system. This article surveys the history of domestic violence as a criminal offense, and the justice system response to woman battering incidents. It first discusses the definition of the offense including debates around the offense definition, and the prevalence and reported frequency of the behavior termed woman battering. It then reviews the legal and social changes over time that have altered the criminal justice system’s approach to domestic violence. Next it outlines the responses of the police, and the prosecution of domestic violence. The article also discusses research findings related to domestic...

Current Issues in Psychological Fitness-for-Duty Evaluations of Law Enforcement Officers:

January 26, 2019January 3, 2019 by admin

ABSTRACT

Courts throughout the United States have ruled that that the “awesome powers” entrusted to law enforcement officers, and the safety-sensitive nature of their positions, impose on their public employers a responsibility to ensure that they are fit to perform their duties. But, as with an officer’s powers, the authority of a police employer to mandate a psychological fitness-for-duty evaluation (FFDE) is not without boundaries. This chapter addresses the legal authority of a police employer to require an FFDE, the limits to that authority, and the implications of these constraints both for police employers and the psychologists who conduct these evaluations on their behalf. Written by two prominent experts in police employment law and police psychology, this chapter concerns itself with both the law and professional standards of practice. Key topics include the legal threshold for requiring an FFDE, limitations to the content of an FFDE report, and evaluator qualifications.

INTRODUCTION

A long series of statutory and case law authority dating...

Harmful Psychiatric Treatments

January 3, 2019 by admin

The psychiatric profession purports to be the sole arbiter on the subject of mental health and “diseases” of the mind. The facts, however, demonstrate otherwise:

1. PSYCHIATRIC “DISORDERS” ARE NOT MEDICAL DISEASES.

In medicine, strict criteria exist for calling a condition a disease: a predictable group of symptoms and the cause of the symptoms or an understanding of their physiology (function) must be proven and established. Chills and fever are symptoms. Malaria and typhoid are diseases. Diseases are proven to exist by objective evidence and physical tests. Yet, no mental “diseases” have ever been proven to medically exist.

2. PSYCHIATRISTS DEAL EXCLUSIVELY WITH MENTAL “DISORDERS,” NOT PROVEN DISEASES.

While mainstream physical medicine treats diseases, psychiatry can only deal with “disorders.” In the absence of a known cause or physiology, a group of symptoms seen in many different patients is called a disorder or syndrome. Harvard Medical School’s Joseph Glenmullen, M.D., says that in psychiatry, “all of its diagnoses are merely syndromes [or disorders], clusters of...

Psychological Fitness-for-Duty Evaluation Guidelines

January 26, 2019January 3, 2019 by admin

1. Purpose
1.1 The IACP Police Psychological Services Section (PPSS) developed these guidelines to educate and inform the public safety agencies that request fitness-for-duty evaluations (FFDEs) and the practice of examiners who perform them.
1.2 These guidelines are most effectively used through collaboration between examiners and public safety agencies. It is desirable that these guidelines be reviewed by both the referring agency and the examiner and that any conflicts between an agency’s or examiner’s policies or practices and these guidelines be discussed and the rationale for action contrary to the guidelines be documented before commencing the FFDE.
2. Limitations
2.1 The term guidelines‖ refers to statements that suggest or recommend specific professional behavior, endeavors, or conduct for examiners. Guidelines differ from standards in that standards are mandatory and may be accompanied by an enforcement mechanism. Guidelines are aspirational in intent. They are intended to facilitate the continued systematic development of the profession and facilitate a high level of practice by examiners. Guidelines are

Economics of Criminal Organizations: Evidence from a Drug-Selling Gang in Singapore

January 26, 2019January 3, 2019 by admin

Abstract

We use a unique and extensive dataset from a Singaporean drug-selling gang to study gang economics. The gang had a three-level hierarchy: (1) The boss was the sole person in charge of procuring drugs; (2) the assistants bought drugs from the boss, and set prices to the pushers; (3) the pushers estimated end-user demand before purchasing drugs from the assistant. We focus on the interactions between the assistants and pushers. We find that assistants were rational in learning about the pushers’ abilities. Ability reflected the total dollar value of drugs the pushers would purchase from the assistant, therefore providing an indication of future profits. Our results show that assistants strategically rewarded pushers using a non-monotonic incentive structure. Pushers subsequently responded strategically to monetary incentives.

1 Introduction

Despite the tremendous amounts of resources allocated by governments worldwide just to collect intelligence on how to combat organized crime, organized syndicates still manage to evade the law and thrive. Yet, very little academic literature has...

Mental Disturbance in the Law of Torts A Problem of Legal Lag

January 3, 2019 by admin

In an era when the frontiers of psychology are steadily retreating before the inexorable advance of science, in an age when the average man is increasingly concerned with the impact of his emotional problems, in a society whose best-selling books include such tides as Peace of Mind and How to Stop Worrying and Start Living -in such a time and in such a culture, the courts have not yet extended a full measure of protection to the interest in mental and emotional tranquillity. It is perhaps the most underprotected interest in the law of torts. If it be true that positive law is the product of the numerous conflicts of interests which characterize every society, then tort law is the product of a specific conflict, that between individual freedom of action on the one hand and individual security on the other. The degree of protection afforded to various interests logically ought to be an index of the value placed upon them by our culture....

Family Violence and Criminal Behavior

January 26, 2019January 3, 2019 by admin

Introduction

In the sociology of crime and criminality, emphasis is placed on cultural and group forces that produce actors who represent forms of deviance from the dominant value, or moral demand, system. The individual offender is not ignored; he is simply clustered with other individuals alike in attributes deemed theoretically or statistically meaningful. His "uniqueness" is retained by the improbability that on several attributes or variables he will appear identical to everyone else. Hence, the researchers resort to means, medians, modes, to probability theory, inferential statistics and mathematical models for analyzing predominant patterns and regularities of behavior. Biological and psychological factors are not ignored, but when a monodisciplinary perspective is used by sociologists, the bio-psychological is suspended, postponed or dismissed after consideration. Biological needs and psychological drives may be declared uniformly distributed and hence of no utility in explaining one form of behavior relative to another. They may be seen as differential endowments of personalities that help to assign, for example, a label of...

Agents and Employees

January 26, 2019January 3, 2019 by admin

The question of which types of employees are considered agents of their employer for purposes of sharing in tip pools has come to the forefront in a number of cases filed against Starbucks. The Starbucks litigation is an excellent reminder to employers that issues concerning the payment of wages, in particular tip pooling, may involve not only the federal labor law (i.e. Fair Labor Standards Act) but may also touch on various state labor laws.

Under federal law, employers are permitted to pool the tips of those employees “who customarily and regularly receive tips.” 29 U.S.C. §203(m). Some examples of the types of employees who “customarily and regularly receive tips” are waiters, bellhops, waitresses, busboys and bartenders. Under federal law, a valid tip pool may not include employees who do not customarily and regularly receive tips, such as dishwashers, cooks, chefs and janitors. But what about an employee, who is principally responsible for serving customers but also has some limited supervisory responsibilities,

Additional Resource: Which types of employees are considered “agents” of an employer for purposes of sharing in tip pools?

Encyclopedia of Criminological Theory

January 2, 2019 by admin

University of Cincinnati

Routine activity theory also sometimes referred to as lifestyle theory has proven to be one of the more useful theories for understanding criminal victimization and offending patterns in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This theoretical explanation, which has primarily focused on providing information regarding who is more or less likely to be a crime victim, was originally formulated by Lawrence E. Cohen and Marcus K. Felson with the 1979 publication of their seminal article “Social Change and Crime Rate Trends: A Routine Activity Approach.” In this research, Cohen and Felson examined temporal changes in U.S. crime rates from 1947 to 1974. They highlighted the dramatic increase in predatory crime over thatime period, especially that during the decade of the 1960s. At the time, most scholars attributed the rise in crime to an increase in the number of those willing to break the law a group that Cohen and Felson called “motivated offenders.” Taking an alternative approach, they suggested...