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Fact Sheet on Private Military Firms

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1. Private Military Firms (PMFs) are private businesses who recruit and train individuals, known as private military security contractors, in the techniques of arms and armaments, both for foreign wars and domestic policing. Such a company trains its contractors to use a wide range of weapons from pistols to rocket launchers. They also teach techniques of attack, capture, and interrogation. These companies maintain databases of contractors that can be assembled at a moment's notice, like a small army. For example Blackwater Worldwide boasts their database is 21,000.contractors. These contractors are then deployed on assignments for governments and for corporations.
2. Between 1994 and 2002 US-based Private Military Security Companies received more than 3,000 contracts worth over $300 billion from the U.S. Department of Defense.
3. Currently over 800,000 contractors have security clearances at 11,000 government facilities.
4. Blackwater's Federal Contracts from 2001 through 2006 totaled over $1 billion.
5. Blackwater charges the U.S. government $1,222 per day for services of a private military contractor. This is equivalent to $445,000 per year, over six times more than the cost of an equivalent U.S. soldier.

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Recognising Faces Across Continents: The Effect of Within-Race Variations on the Own-Race bias in Face Recognition

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Previous studies have shown that people recognize faces of their own race more accurately than they recognize faces of other races, a finding that has become known as the cross-race effect, or the own-race bias (Malpass & Kravitz, 1969; see Meissner & Brigham, 2001, for a meta analytic review). A number of theoretical explanations for this effect have been proposed (see Sporer, 2001, for a review). One of the most widely accepted explanations for this effect is that poorer recognition of other-race faces may be rooted in the observer’s perceptual learning and the amount of contact that he or she has had with people of other races. An alternative explanation, proposed by Levin (1996) and MacLin and Malpass (2001), suggests that racial categorization occurs automatically and early in the perceptual encounter with faces of another race, taking attention away from individuating characteristics of the face. An own-race recognition bias typically manifests as a disordinal (full crossover) interaction between race of observer and race of face, so that...

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“Force, Fraud And Fear” Said To Be Accompanying The Recent Upsurge In Use Of Electroshock (E.C.T.)

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SUMMARY

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is utilized worldwide for various severe and treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders. Research studies have shown that ECT is the most effective and rapid treatment available for elderly patients with depression, bipolar disorder and psychosis. For patients who suffer from intractable catatonia and neuroleptic malignant syndrome, ECT can be life saving. For elderly patients who cannot tolerate or respond poorly to medications and who are at a high risk for drug-induced toxicity or toxic drug interactions, ECT is the safest treatment option. Organic causes are frequently associated with late-life onset of neuropsychiatric conditions, such as parkinsonism, dementia and stroke. ECT has proven to be efficacious even when these conditions are present. During the next decade, research studies should focus on the use of ECT as a synergistic therapy, to enhance other biological and psychological treatments, and prevent symptom relapse and recurrence.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a biological treatment procedure involving a brief application of electric stimulus to produce a generalized seizure. ECT is utilize...

Additional Resource: Current electroconvulsive therapy practice and research in the geriatric population

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Mugshot Group Size Affects Eyewitness Mugshot Selections

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When eyewitnesses examine a set of mugshots, the photos can be presented either individually or in groups. The present experiment investigated whether the selection of mugshots is influenced by group size. Participants watched a video of a mock theft, then viewed 180 mugshots either 3, 6, or 12 photos at a time. Selection of the target’s mugshot was not significantly affected by mugshot group size, but participants who viewed three mugshots at a time selected more fillers. In addition, group size had only a small effect on the amount of time taken to inspect mugshots, and participants exhibited a strong tendency to select no more than one mugshot from any single group. The practical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed. Witnesses to crimes are often asked to examine mugshots in an attempt to identify potential suspects. Dozens of studies have looked at a variety of factors involved in mugshot procedures, such as methods for filtering mugshots prior to viewing...

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Examining The Cross-Race Effect Using Racially Ambiguous Faces

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Abstract

The cross-race effect occurs when other-race faces are more difficult to recognize than same-race faces. This well-known phenomenon poses a problem when eyewitnesses to a crime are required to identify persons of another race. This problem was addressed via a face recognition test using racially ambiguous faces. Fifteen Hispanic (UTEP) students participated in a standard face recognition task. During the encoding phase they were presented with 24 racially ambiguous composite faces (12 "Hispanic" and 12 "black"). During the recognition phase they were presented with 24 "old" and 24 "new" composite faces and asked to identify which faces they had previously seen. Results showed a cross- race effect: participants were more accurate at recognizing same-race faces than other-race faces. These findings suggest that the cross-race effect can be attributed to a perceptual categorization of race...

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Face Recognition Across Viewpoint

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Abstract

In two experiments we examined the ability of human observers to recognize faces from novel viewpoints. Previous work has indicated that there are marked declines in recognition performance when observers learn a particular view of a face and are asked to recognize the face from a novel viewpoint. We replicate these ndings and extend them in several ways. First, we replicate the well-known 3/4 view advantage for recognition and extend it to show that this advantage is stronger than would be expected simply due to the 3/4 view being the center of the learned views. In the second experiment, we found little evidence for advantageous transfer to a symmetric view of the other side of the face, in all cases, observers were much better at recognizing a face from the side learned. Third, we extended past results to explore the consistency of face recognizability for individual faces across di erent views and view transfer conditions. We found only a modest relationship between the...

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The Accuracy Of Eyewitness Identifications

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THE ACCURACY OF EYEWITNESS IDENTIFICATIONS

Archival Studies Show that Mistaken Identification is the Primary Cause of Erroneous Convictions. Several legal scholars, beginning with Borchard (1932), have studied the causes of mistaken identification in over 1,000 criminal cases (see also Brandon & Davies, 1973; Frank & Frank, 1957; Huff, 1987; Huff, Rattner & Sagarin, 1986). Huff (1987) readily concludes, on the basis of studying the 500 cases of erroneous conviction that he identified, that the single leading cause of mistaken conviction was erroneous eyewitness identification of the defendants. He states that eyewitness error was involved in nearly 60% of the cases he studied. Rattner’s (1988) analysis of 205 cases of wrongful conviction demonstrated that over 50% were attributable to mistaken identifications (also see Borchard, 1932). In a more recent study, the figure is as high as 79%. (Brandon Garrett, Judging Innocence, Columbia Law Review). This rate is all the more remarkable given that some commentators estimate that eyewitness identifications are prominent in only 5% of trials (Loh, 1981)...

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Prohibited Persons Notice Form and Power of Attorney for Firearms Relinquishment

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Effective January 1, 2002, Senate Bill 950 (Chapter 944, Statutes of 2001) establishes a provision to provide a person legally prohibited from owning/possessing firearms with a notification form. The intent of the notification form is to ensure that persons who become firearms prohibited are promptly notified to immediately transfer or dispose of any illegally owned/possessed firearms. Failure of prohibited persons to divest themselves of any and all firearms could result in criminal sanctions.

Pursuant to Penal Code (PC) Sections 12021(a)(b) and (c) persons are deemed firearms prohibited if they are within any one of the categories as follows:

• Convicted of a felony;
• Addicted to the use of narcotics;
• Certified by a juvenile court for prosecution as an adult in an adult court pursuant to Section 707 of the Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC);
• Convicted of a misdemeanor enumerated in PC Sections 12001.6 and 12021(c)(1)
• Admitted to a mental health facility pursuant to 8100, and 8103 WIC; OR:

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Face Matching Under Time Pressure and Task Demands

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Abstract

Understanding how people recognize and match faces is important in many real-world situations, including policing, military, security and retail environments. We investigate the effects of time pressure and additional task demands on face matching performance. In a 2x2 factorial design—varying whether there was high or low time pressure, and whether or not an ad- ditional task had to be completed—participants were asked to judge whether each of a series of face image pairs were of the same person. Large individual differences were observed. Recall was higher than precision, and performance worsened under high time pressure with the additional task. Learning effects within conditions were observed, and response times were generally independent of the decisions made. Some implications of these findings for applied environments are discussed.

Introduction

Face matching is the process of verfiying the equivalence of two or more people on the basis of their fa- cial characteristics. It involves visually perceiving a face, and...

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Using Quantitative and Qualitative Models to Forecast Instability

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Introduction

There is a strong tendency in both government and private enterprise to seek out the “best” method of doing a task and then rely on that method. In manufacturing or policy design, this approach makes agreat deal of sense why use a mix of best and second best methods if one approach has been demonstrated to be clearly superior? In forecasting violent conflict, the traditional method has been to rely on expert analysis of individual countries or regions, drawing on the knowledge of policy professionals and academics who have worked on the country or region in question for a substantial period of time. Such qualitative analysis generally rests on the expert’s subjective analysis of a mix of sources, including news reportage and other media sources, other open-source data, and embassy and intelligence reports. Recently, however, a number of quantitative models, based on objective analysis of open-source data, have been offered to analysts as a supplement to their traditional analysis. Notable examples are the...

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Trimipramine

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Description

Tricyclic antidepressants act to change the balance of naturally occurring chemicals in the brain that regulate the transmission of nerve impulses between cells. Trimipramine acts primarily to increase the concentration of norepinephrine and serotonin (both chemicals that stimulate nerve cells) and, to a lesser extent, to block the action of another brain chemical, acetylcholine. Trimipramine shares most of the properties of other tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline , amoxapine , clomipramine , desipramine , imipramine , nortriptyline , and protriptyline . Studies comparing trimipramine with these other drugs have shown that trimipramine is no more or less effective than other antidepressants of its type. Its choice for treatment is as much a function of physician preference as any other factor. antidepressants, appear slowly. Maximum benefit is often not evident for at least two weeks after starting the drug. People taking trimipramine should be aware of this and continue taking the drug as directed even if they do not see immediate improvement.

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Trifluoperazine

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USES:
This medication is used to treat certain mental/mood disorders (such as schizophrenia, psychotic disorders). Trifluoperazine helps you to think more clearly, feel less nervous, and take part in everyday life. It can reduce aggressive behavior and the desire to hurt yourself/others. It may also help to decrease hallucinations (hearing/seeing things that are not there). Trifluoperazine is a psychiatric medication that belongs to the class of drugs called phenothiazine antipsychotics. It works by helping to restore the balance of certain natural substances in the brain.

This medication has also been used for the short-term treatment of anxiety. However, there are safer drugs to treat anxiety that should be used first before trifluoperazine.

HOW TO USE:
Take this medication by mouth with or without food, usually once or twice daily or as directed by your doctor.

Dosage is based on your medical condition, age, and response to treatment. In children, the dosage is also based on weight. To reduce your risk of

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Lithium Carbonate

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Lithium Carbonate is an antimanic agent used to treat Manic-Depressive Disorder (Bipolar Disorder). This medication may also be used to prevent cluster headaches. It may also be used to treat other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Lithium smoothes out the highs (manic) and lows (depression) in bipolar patients by restoring the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain. It is sometimes referred to as a mood stabilizer.

Using this medication continuously may help to reduce the frequency of manic episodes. It also may decrease manic episode symptoms, including anxiousness, aggressive or hostile behaviors, feelings that others wish to harm you, exaggerated feelings of well-being, irritability, or rapid/loud speech.

This information is for educational purposes only. Not every known side effect, adverse effect, or drug interaction is in this database. If you have questions about your medicines, talk to your health care provider.

How to Take It
Follow the directions for using this medicine provided by your doctor. Take this medicine with food. Drinking extra fluids

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Haloperidol

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Haldol is the brand name for haloperidol, an anti-psychotic medicine used to treat mental and mood disorders, including schizophrenia and acute psychosis.

It is often used in emergency room psychiatric situations. It helps reduce aggression, negative thoughts, and the desire to harm someone or oneself.

It can also help to reduce hallucinations, as well as to treat uncontrolled outbursts related to Tourette's disorder, and it can be used for short periods of time for people who have acute agitation.

In children, Haldol may be used for severe behavior problems including hyperactivity or aggression.

Haloperidol was developed by a Belgian company in 1958, and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1967. McNeil Laboratories marketed the drug under the brand name Haldol. The tablet forms are now available only generically.

Haldol Warnings
Haldol may make you dizzy, so do not drive or operate machinery until you know how it affects you. Do not drink alcohol and use Haldol.

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Carbamazepine

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Tegretol suspension in combination with liquid chlorpromazine or thioridazine results in precipitate formation, and, in the case of chlorpromazine, there has been a report of a patient passing an orange rubbery precipitate in the stool following coadministration of the two drugs (see PRECAUTIONS: DRUG INTERACTIONS). Because the extent to which this occurs with other liquid medications is not known, Tegretol suspension should not be administered simultaneously with other liquid medications or diluents.

Monitoring of blood levels has increased the efficacy and safety of anticonvulsants (see PRECAUTIONS, Laboratory Tests). Dosage should be adjusted to the needs of the individual patient. A low initial daily dosage with a gradual increase is advised. As soon as adequate control is achieved, the dosage may be reduced very gradually to the minimum effective level. Medication should be taken with meals.

Since a given dose of Tegretol suspension will produce higher peak levels than the same dose given as the tablet, it is recommended to

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Buspirone

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Uses
This medication is used to treat anxiety. It may help you think more clearly, relax, worry less, and take part in everyday life. It may also help you to feel less jittery and irritable, and may control symptoms such as trouble sleeping, sweating, and pounding heartbeat. Buspirone is a medication for anxiety (anxiolytic) that works by affecting certain natural substances in the brain (neurotransmitters).

How to use Buspirone HCL
Take this medication by mouth, usually 2 or 3 times a day or as directed by your doctor. You may take this medication with or without food, but it is important to choose one way and always take it the same way so that the amount of drug absorbed will always be the same.

Buspirone may come in a tablet that can be split to get the correct dose for you. Follow the manufacturer's Patient Instruction Sheet or ask your pharmacist how to split the tablet to get your dose.

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