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Detection Of Fabrication In Photocopy Document Using Texture Features Through K-means Clustering

February 14, 2019August 15, 2017 by admin

ABSTRACT

Photocopy documents are very common in our normal life. People are permitted to carry and produce photocopied documents frequently, to avoid damages or losing the original documents. But this provision is misused for temporary benefits by fabricating fake photocopied documents. When a photocopied document is produced, it may be required to check for its originality. An attempt is made in this direction to detect such fabricated photocopied documents. This paper proposes an unsupervised system to detect fabrication in photocopied document using texture features. The work in this paper mainly focuses on detection of fabrication in photocopied documents in which some contents are manipulated by new contents above it through different ways. A detailed experimental study has been performed using a collected sample set of considerable size and a decision model is developed for classification. Testing is performed with a different set of collected testing samples resulted in an average detection rate of 89%.

Deinstitutionalization and Its Discontents:

December 20, 2018August 15, 2017 by admin

INTRODUCTION

Mental illness is real. 10 percent of children and 25 percent of adults in America struggle with serious emotional and mental disorders which cause significant daily functional impairment.

Mental illness is pervasive. 4 of the 10 leading causes of disability in the United States are mental disorders. Children, adolescents and adults from all classes, backgrounds, faiths, and walks of life suffer. Mental illness is ruinous. 31 percent of homeless adults have a combination of mental illness and addiction disorder. Adults living with serious mental illness die 25 years earlier than other Americans. Over 90 percent of those who die by suicide have a mental disorder. 24 percent of state prisoners and 21 percent of jail prisoners have mental illnesses. 70 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system have at least one mental disorder. Over 50 percent of students with a mental disorder drop out of high school...

Stranger Violence: Perspectives, Issues, and Problems

February 18, 2019August 15, 2017 by admin

I. INTRODUCTION

Stranger violence represents one of the most frightening forms of criminal victimization. Conklin' and McIntyre have argued that the fear of crime is basically a fear of strangers. It is suggested that people fear the unknown person who commits an unpredictable and violent attack on a vulnerable and innocent citizen going about routine daily activities. The perceptions that the attacker is indiscriminate in his selection of the victim and that the victim can do little to avoid attack or protect himself also elicit fear in society. The urban dweller, in particular, confronts what Silberman refers to as a "startling paradox": Life in metropolitan areas . . . involves a startling paradox: we fear strangers more than anything else, and yet we live our lives among strangers. Every time we take a walk, ride a subway or bus, shop in a supermarket or department store, enter an office building lobby or elevator,

Vulnerable Victims: Child Homicide by Parents

February 17, 2019August 15, 2017 by admin

Introduction

Vulnerable victims are those who are susceptible to becoming victims of violence because of their limited capacity to protect and remove themselves from danger. Generally speaking, criminal investigations involving vulnerable victims are protracted, sensitive and labour-intensive. The investigations can be particularly complex and challenging to carry out using conventional law enforcement powers. For cases where conventional practices have not proved effective, the Queensland Police Service (QPS) may request access to the special investigative powers of the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC), if it is considered that the use of the coercive hearings power may benefit the investigation. Historically, these types of investigations were referred to the CMC on a case-by-case basis at the request of the Commissioner of Police.

The CMC’s vulnerable victims research program was established to help the CMC to conduct coercive hearings under the new referral. Papers in the vulnerable victims research program review published literature from a range of subject...

Betrayal, Rejection, Revenge, and Forgiveness: An Interpersonal Script Approach

February 15, 2019August 14, 2017 by admin

Introduction

Throughout recorded human history, treachery and betrayal have been considered amongst the very worst offences people could commit against their kith and kin. Dante, for example, relegated traitors to the lowest and coldest regions of Hell, to be forever frozen up to their necks in a lake of ice with blizzards storming all about them, as punishment for having acted so coldly toward others. Even today, the crime of treason merits the most severe penalties, including capital punishment. However, betrayals need not involve issues of national security to be regarded as serious. From sexual infidelity to disclosing a friend’s secrets, betraying another person or group of people implies unspeakable disloyalty, a breach of trust, and a violation of what is good and proper. Moreover, all of us will suffer both minor and major betrayals throughout our lives, and most of us will, if only unwittingly, betray others (Jones & Burdette, 1994).

Pseudocyesis, Delusional Pregnancy, And Psychosis: The Birth Of A Delusion

February 19, 2019August 14, 2017 by admin

Abstract

Both pseudocyesis and delusional pregnancy are said to be rare syndromes, but are reported frequently in developing countries. A distinction has been made between the two syndromes, but the line of demarcation is blurred. The aim of this paper is to review recent cases of pseudocyesis/delusional pregnancy in order to learn more about biopsychosocial antecedents. The recent world literature (2000-2014) on this subject (women only) was reviewed, making no distinction between pseudocyesis and delusional pregnancy. Eighty case histories were found, most of them originating in developing countries. Fifty patients had been given a diagnosis of psychosis, although criteria for making the diagnosis were not always clear. The psychological antecedents included ambivalence about pregnancy, relationship issues, and loss. Very frequently, pseudocyesis/delusional pregnancy occurred when a married couple was infertile and living in a pronatalist society. The infertility was attributed to the woman, which resulted in her experiencing substantial distress and discrimination. When antipsychotic medication was used...

Super-Predators or Victims of Societal Neglect? Framing Effects in Juvenile Crime Coverage

February 18, 2019August 14, 2017 by admin

An impressive array of scholarly research demonstrates that language has a profound influence on human thought (see Carroll 1956; Seidel 1975; Sanford, 1987; Rosch 1973; Lakoff 1987). In the realm of political communication, the use of particular forms of presentation or modes of discourse (also known as "frames") -- strongly influences perceptions of public issues, events, and leaders (Iyengar 1991; Neuman, Just, and Crigler 1992; Gamson 1992; Anderson 1996). For example, the public is more likely to endorse increases in government welfare spending when the beneficiaries are said to be "poor people" rather than "people on welfare" or "black people" (Bobo and Kluegel 1993; Gilens, 1996; 1999; Gilliam, 1999; Smith 1987). Of course, the most common forum for the presentation of public issues is broadcast news. The overwhelming majority of broadcast news reports are "episodic" or event-oriented, focusing on concrete acts or live events rather than general contextual material. Television...

Aggressive Responses To Betrayal: Type Of Relationship, Victim’s Sex, And Nature Of Aggression

February 13, 2019August 14, 2017 by admin

The present investigation explored young adults’ aggressive responses to hypothetical and actual episodes of betrayal. In two studies, we tested the following hypotheses: (a) aggressive responses would be most severe in romantic relationships when compared with friendships; (b) men and women would respond similarly to betrayal; and (c) verbal aggression would be more frequently described than physical and psychological aggressive tactics. Participants endorsed greater use of verbal aggressive tactics in response to hypothetical transgressions committed in romantic relationships when compared with friendships. In response to actual transgressions, betrayals in friendships and romantic relationships elicited similar reactions. As predicted, no sex differences were found in responses to betrayals.Betrayal is one of the most devastating experiences in a romantic relationship. A betrayal is defined as an act committed by a relational partner that goes against the other partner’s expectations of the relationship and, as a result, causes pain to that individual (Jones & Burdette, 1994)...

False Belief and Emotion Understanding in Post-Institutionalized Children

February 18, 2019August 14, 2017 by admin

Abstract

Deficits in social cognition may impair the ability to negotiate social transactions and relationships and contribute to socio emotional difficulties experienced by some postinstitutionalized children. We examined false belief and emotion understanding in 40 institutional care-adopted children, 40 foster care-adopted children and 40 birth children. Both groups of adopted children were adopted internationally. Controlling for verbal ability, post-institutionalized children scored lower than birth children on a false belief task. Almost half of the post-institutionalized children performed below chance levels. The foster care group did not differ from either group on false belief understanding. The groups did not differ on emotion understanding after controlling for verbal ability. The results suggest that some post-institutionalized children are delayed in false belief understanding.Since 1995, over 130,000 children have been adopted internationally into the USA. (US Department of State, 2004). Many of these children have been reared in institutions around the world prior to adoption, and they exhibit delays in physical and...

Cold-Case Investigations An Analysis of Current Practices and Factors Associated with Successful Outcomes

February 17, 2019August 14, 2017 by admin

Introduction

With modern clearance rates (which represent the proportion of cases solved divided by the number of cases opened during a given time period) far below those in the 1960s and DNA forensic technology having improved, law enforcement agencies have shown increasing interest in attempting to solve homicides and other serious crimes that seemed intractable during initial investigation, in what are called cold-case investigations. Fueled by the popularity of television shows focusing on forensic investigation, such cold-case investigations have captured the imagination of the American public, and cold-case investigations have become increasingly commonplace in law enforcement agencies. Yet, despite the increasing number of cold-case units and the expenditure of significant resources to fund them, we know virtually nothing about the return on this investment. Does it make sense for law enforcement agencies to devote significant resources to solving cold cases, or are those resources better deployed in solving recent cases? How can agencies ..

Solicitation: Evidence-Based Model Programs for Cold Case Units

February 18, 2019August 14, 2017 by admin

Specific Information—Evidence-Based Model Programs for Cold Case Units

In the publication Cold Case Squads: Leaving No Stone Unturned, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) states that cold cases are among the most difficult and frustrating cases detectives face. These are cases that the initial investigators, for whatever reason, could not solve. To tackle this problem, many U.S. police agencies have established cold case squads. Cold case squads can be especially useful in locating and working with past and potential witnesses and reviewing physical evidence to identify suspects. Cold case squads also perform an outreach and networking role and can assist other jurisdictions with cold case investigations, as appropriate. In a special report entitled Using DNA to Solve Cold Cases, NIJ discussed the role that advances in DNA technology can play in investigating and solving cold cases. Although DNA is not the only forensic tool of value to unsolved case...

The Voiceless Victim : A Critical Analysis Of The Impact Of Enhanced Victim Participation In The Criminal Justice Process

February 13, 2019August 14, 2017 by admin

Abstract

In contrast to many European jurisdictions, the victim of an alleged crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is denied any form of meaningful participation at the trial stage of the criminal justice process. This is by reason of the unyielding structure of the Anglo-American adversarial system, which facilitates a dispute between two parties only - the prosecution, acting on behalf of the collective public interest and the defence. In recent years, however, the victims’ movement has gained momentum as advocates of victims’ rights have been engaged in an impassioned campaign to enhance the participatory rights of victims in the criminal justice process. Fervent arguments have been articulated pertaining to the value of various forms of victim input. This paper cogitates some of these arguments and critically evaluates how enhanced victim participation in the criminal justice process has the potential to undercut the integrity of the Anglo- American adversarial system; a system with objective adjudication at its core....

Managing Mentally III, Nuisance Offenders: The Consequences of Restricted Civil Commitment and Decentralized Funding

February 13, 2019August 14, 2017 by admin

High rates of mental illness among the growing, visible, urban homeless population provoke public pressure to "do something" to eliminate this "public nuisance." Conviction and jailing on misdemeanor charges provides only temporary incarceration in alneady overcrowded local jails, while, since the 1970s, restrictive commitment standards have limited the availability of civil commitment to hospitalize non-violent mentally ill people.

To encourage development of community-based mental health services and reduce the fiscal domination of state mental hospitals, some states have decentralized funding of mental health services. Under decentralization county officials make commitment decisions and distribute funds to state hospitals and community programs, on a fee-for-service basis.

Many political compromises were required to pass this decentralizing legislation in Ohio. One such compromise has the state retaining financial responsibility only for those state hospital patients committed through criminal processes. The resulting structure of financing and decision making may encourage some local officials to use criminal commitment procedures to manage nuisance offenders.

Malingering – Presentations of Malingered Psychiatric Symptoms

February 17, 2019August 14, 2017 by admin

Malingering is a forensic topic that is also relevant to most nonforensic clinicians. Almost every experienced psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist has wrestled with, or wondered about, patients who appear to be faking symptoms in order to gain something of obvious value (or avoid something obviously painful). In this column, I will focus on malingered psychiatric or neuropsychiatric symptoms, but the definitions given below apply to malingered general medical symptoms as well. It’s Not Munchausen’s or “Psychosomatic” Take out a copy of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV)1 and look at the small, but very important, differences among malingering, factitious syndromes, and somatoform syndromes (Table 1). Although these concepts are often confused, it’s easy to separate them once you understand that malingering refers to feigning or significantly exaggerating symptoms for a conscious gain or purpose, * factitious refers to feigning symptoms for a largely or wholly unconscious

Drug Policy Alliance Fact Sheet | Drug-Induced Homicide

December 20, 2018August 14, 2017 by admin

Background

Overdose death rates in the United States have more than doubled over the past decade, surpassing motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of injury-related death in the country.1 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 47,055 people – an average of 128 people a day – died from drug overdoses in 2014.2 More than 18,000 overdose deaths in 2014 involved prescription opioids, such as hydrocodone (Vicodin™) and oxycodone (OxyContin™), while an additional 10,000 fatalities were attributed to heroin.3 Synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, claimed nearly 5,550 lives.4 Policymakers are understandably alarmed at the overdose crisis with which they are now confronted. The public is calling for help and solutions. Elected officials unfamiliar with, or resistant to, harm reduction, prevention, and treatment interventions, however, are introducing punitive, counter-productive legislative measures in a misguided effort to reduce overdose fatalities. In particular, some states, including New York (AB 8616), Ohio (HB 270),..