Research Reviews-Summer

A review of articles from spring to summer by the AFN Journal club

The Tree of Life Essay

This is an essay on the film, The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick (2011). The essay discusses the overview of the film and argues how the film portrays nature and grace as co-dependent

Editorial 1(1): January 2025

Editorial 1(1) - January 2025 With immense pride and excitement, I introduce our inaugural issue for (De)Constructing Criminology: International Perspectives. This milestone represents the culmination of collective effort, passion, and a shared vision to create a journal that advances, deconstructs, and challenges the frontiers of criminology. Our journal serves as a space where research in various forms, critical discussions, and innovative methodologies assemble. We are committed to fostering a dialogue that informs, inspires, and honours the positionality of diverse perspectives. The editorial team is proud to see this journal come to fruition. It was envisioned from a panel presentation at the virtual 2021 EuroCrim conference of the European Society of Criminology. My presentation was one of several on the subject of gendered violence. Our in-between chats sparked a realization that a journal is needed to support new scholars and scholars outside the global north and west. We wanted to create something truly international, open access, and diverse. Over the years, my colleagues in England (Dr. Helen Williams) and South Africa (Dr. Lufuno Sadiki) and I chatted and strategized the journal’s purpose, values, and positionality within criminology. We created an open-access journal that is anchored at my home institution, Mount Royal University, and with our law librarian joining us in 2022 (Madelaine Vanderwerff), its creation commenced. These scholars bring a generous blend of discerning judgment, demanding standards, unyielding professionalism, and deep commitment to launch our journal. This editorial team also reflects our field’s intellectual diversity, mirroring the intellectual pluralism the journal seeks to embody. I am deeply grateful to our authors, whose work anchors this publication, and to our reviewers, who have generously shared their expertise to ensure the quality and integrity of our journal. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to the editorial team, whose dedication and meticulous efforts have made this launch possible. To support our authors the journal adopts a rolling publication model. This being our first year, we are publishing three articles in 2025 and aim to publish more this year. Keep your submissions coming! These publications illustrate our journal\u27s commitment to deconstructing and reimagining criminology by featuring articles that challenge dominant narratives and amplify marginalised perspectives. They demonstrate the journal\u27s commitment to showcasing international scholarship and providing access to publishing for early career researchers. The articles are wide-ranging in topic and method and highlight the creativity of current criminologists. The Good Guest explores the lived experiences of women prisoners in the UK through their writings; The Pink Line critically analyses the impact of anti-homosexuality laws in Uganda; and Homicide with Post-Mortem Dismemberment examines Italian forensic case studies.  As we continue moving forward, I invite you to engage with us—whether as readers, contributors, or reviewers. Together, we can shape a publication that not only reflects the present state of knowledge in criminology (and its adjacent disciplines) but also charts a course for a path that deconstructs criminology. Thank you for joining us in this exciting new chapter. I look forward to the conversations and discoveries that lie ahead.Kindly,Dr. D. Scharie Tavcer Editor-in-Chie

TAANA Annual Conference in Phoenix, AZ: The Expanding Landscape of Nursing Law and Practice

The TAANA Annual Conference is the premiere national conference for nurse attorneys, bringing together national experts in legal practice, nursing practice, administration, and higher education to share common issues, case analysis, best practices, networking, challenges, and referrals. This conference will provide legal and health professionals an opportunity to share information regarding health law and policy in legal issues as they relate to the health care industry

The Forensic Nurse\u27s Response to Military Sexual Trauma Among LGBTQ Survivors

Military sexual trauma (MST) is prevalent among U.S. armed services members despite efforts to combat it (Castro et al., 2015; Crosbie & Sass, 2017; Moyer, 2021). Reasons for the continued perpetuation of sexual assault in the U.S. armed services are multifaceted and embedded in the military culture. Passive acceptance of sexual violence and lingering effects of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy in the U.S. military are examples of areas where crucial reforms are still needed despite concerted efforts within the military and by the U.S. Congress to address MST (Congressional Research Service, 2021). Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, asexual, intersex, and other (LGBTQAI+) individuals may experience human violence at disproportionately higher rates ranging from verbal harassment and stalking to physical assault and sexual battery (Beckman, 2018; Blosnich, 2022; Moyer; Schuyler et al., 2020). This integrative literature review explores best practices among forensic nurses (FNs) who engage in the care of sexual violence survivors, especially military personnel who identify as LGBTQAI+. Findings from a literature search through the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature and PubMed databases for peer-reviewed articles from psychology, public health, medicine, nursing, and social science are discussed to inform FNs about the most effective strategies for responding therapeutically to MST survivors in the LGBTQIA+ community. We discuss understanding reasons MST survivors might not make a report to authorities, as well as providing empathetic, trauma-informed care, and screening survivors to link them with appropriate resources so they can begin a journey of healing

The Evolution of DNA and its Impact on Sexual Assault Case Prosecution

The evolution of DNA technology has revolutionized forensic science and the identification of violent offenders. For decades, recidivist offenders terrorized communities across the globe with little chance of ever being identified. The discovery of PCR testing, STR DNA profiling, and the creation of the CODIS system have changed the forensic and law enforcement landscapes, making offender identification across state lines possible. In 2018, FGG burst onto the scene, creating a new tool in the forensic toolbox to help identify unknown DNA profiles and solve cases that would otherwise be unsolved. It has helped to take violent offenders off the street and provided justice to victims and their families across the globe. While there are still limitations to its use and ethical considerations to be considered, the use of FGG continues to be pivotal in the investigation and prosecution of violent offenders

A scan of Canadian reported cases of the criminalization of HIV/AIDS non-disclosure: 1989 to 2024.

We explored the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure in Canada to determine how the criminal justice system responded to non-disclosure in light of medical advancements related to transmission. The study included a review of literature, government reports, laws, and policies to reveal numerous prosecutions between 1989 to 2024. We performed a review of 162 reported cases to assess the types of offences and outcomes, prosecution distribution across the country, and accused and complainant characteristics. The literature points out that Canadian courts often overlook medical advancements, disproportionately criminalizing HIV non-disclosure compared to other sexually transmitted infections. Our findings confirmed that, and revealed that over time, public nuisance, sexual, and criminal negligence offences were applied. Accused were predominantly male, Caucasian, and most cases were prosecuted in Ontario and Québec, and accused and complainants were most often known to each other as casual, dating, or in long-term relationships. We argue for the reassessment of the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure, considering Directive 5.12 and Standing Committee’s Report (2019) both of which are a move in the right direction; however, charges continue post 2018, as do the stigmatizing effects of prosecution, and the need for more education and public health interventions

The good guest : Reconceptualising creative writing with women in prison as an alternative way of knowing through relational ethics as epistemic justice

Prison research is a fraught endeavour. More so when this research involves the use of “oft-maligned” creative research methods such as women’s prison writing viewed as knowledge situated in lived experience. Stories reflect the prevalent hegemonic patterns found in cultural, economic and political contexts in any given society. They compete for acceptance and dominance. In this paper, I critically reflect on prison research, and the dual challenge presented to engage with the traditions that have shaped the persistence of cultural sanctioning of certain forms of knowledge over others. This challenge pivots on critical engagement with creative and academic writing, whilst at the same time having to write within the system that is part of the tradition. It necessitates wider engagement with the ethicality of prison research, moving beyond external procedural ethical validation to consider the researcher’s ethical standpoint in working towards relational ethics and epistemic justice for women’s prison writing as alternative ways of knowing

Forensic Nursing Certification Board-FNCB

An update from the President of the Forensic Nursing Certification Board

Change in Editorial Team

The journal editorial board has some interim changes while the Editor-in-Chief (Dr. Cathy Carter-Snell) serves as President. These are summarized for members