Recidivism Risk Assessment for Aboriginal Males: A Brief Review of the Scientific Literature

No level of violent recidivism is acceptable to Correctional Service of Canada staff or the Canadian public. Among other tools, CSC staff use counselling, supervision, education, and treatment programs to ensure the safe community reintegration of eligible offenders. The core method of determining risk for recidivism is an actuarially-based risk assessment instrument. The general process of contemporary risk assessment is outlined in this paper revealing a number of efficient and effective measures suitable for all male offender populations. Theory and research are reviewed showing that established risk prediction factors such as age, criminal history, anti-social peers, anti-social attitudes, and substance abuse predict criminal recidivism for all offenders regardless of cultural, racial, or geographic heritage. The majority of these validated risk assessment instruments have moderate predictive power for all male offenders. Seven of these instruments are individually reviewed with regard to their use with Aboriginal groups. This paper concludes with recommendations for further research on risk assessment among cultural groups

Portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometer for coating thickness measurement

peer reviewedA handheld x-ray spectrometer has been realized and tested. The purpose of the device is to measure the thickness of coated samples in the range of 1-1500 nm in an industrial environment. Accuracy of similar to 3% has been achieved in this range with a measurement time of 1 min. Automated software has been implemented to allow utilization by a nonspecialist operator. An automated calibration procedure, based on measurements of reference samples, is used. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics

Vector Data Handling with a GIS Raster-Based

peer reviewedThe growing use of remote sensed imagery and D.E.M., for instance, in land planning and environmental studies is in favour of G.I.S. raster-based. Nevertheless, the availability and the selectivity of vector formated data force their joint processing. This communication deals with techniques allowing simultaneous handling of vector information and raster imagery, according to raster, vector, or hybrid algorithms. The vector to raster technology used by the current display devices makes the implementation of such procedures easier. Exemples of different classes of vector representation are used jointly with remote sensed images to illustrate the items under discussion

Phase Change Material Device for Spacecraft Thermal Control

On board a satellite, the experiments and subsystems have to be maintained within specified temperature limits. Phase Change Materials (PCM) offer the possibility to store thermal energy directly as latent heat of fusion. Usually, the melting PCM can easily be used in reversible, closed systems. Two advantages of a PCM device are the stability of temperature control and the absence of moving parts. The heat-storage requirement is mainly defined by the duty cycle along the orbital period. A trade-off is presented for typical missions, which takes into account the temperature range, the weight and thermal conductivity of the PCM device together with the specific design of the container. Candidates PCM for space applications are reviewed according to their main characteristics such as latent heat, phase transition temperature, conductivity, density but also corrosion potential, hysteresis and ageing. Potential weight and power gains are finally presented for selected missions

The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby

From the author of The Club, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby is Ellery Lloyd's compulsive multiple - timeline mystery – a story of love and madness, of obsession and revenge. This novel was co-written by Paul Vlitos (University of Greenwich) and Collette Lyons (writing together as Ellery Lloyd). In a prestigious starred notice, the influential US journal Kirkus Review noted that: “Lloyd’s novel interweaves the stories of three distinct time periods [1930s Paris, 1990s Cambridge, present-day Dubai] to create an elegant tapestry—and a novel of love, suspense, family secrets, Egyptology, surrealism, and corruption. […] A delightful puzzle box of a novel.” The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby was also one of ’10 noteworthy books for June’ in the Washington Post, a Crime Fiction Pick of the Month in The Sunday Times – and Heat magazine’s book of the week! The novel was published on the 20th June 2024 by Macmillan in the UK and on the 11th June by Harper Collins in the US

Lifestyle Behaviours and Plasma Vitamin C and β-Carotene Levels from the ELAN Population (Liège, Belgium)

Several factors, including fruit and vegetables intakes, have been shown to significantly influence the plasma concentrations of the two antioxidants vitamin C and β-carotene. Deficiency levels of 6 mg/L (34.2 μM) for vitamin C and of 0.22 mg/L (0.4 μM) for β-carotene have been suggested below which cardiovascular risk might be increased. The present study performed on 897 presumably healthy subjects aged 40–60 years aimed to examine how modifiable lifestyle factors may be related to vitamin C and/or β-carotene deficiency. Gender, smoking, lack of regular physical activity and of daily fruit consumption (≥2/day), and social status (in particular, unemployment) were found to be significant risk factors for vitamin C deficiency. For β-carotene deficiency, the same factors were identified except social status; moreover, overweight and OC use in women were also found to have a deleterious effect. For non exposed subjects, the probability of developing vitamin C deficiency was 4% in men and 2.4% in women. This probability increased to 66.3% for men and to 44.3% for women (and even to 50.4% under OC use), when all risk factors were present. For β-carotene deficiency, the corresponding probabilities were equal to 29.7% in men and 13.7% in women (no risk factor present), and to 86.1% for men and 69.9% (91.6% for OC use) for women (all factors present), respectively

Phase Change Material Heat Accumulator for the HEXAFLY-INT Hypersonic glider

International audienceFrom the launchers to the spacecrafts, various on-board systems have to be maintained within specified temperature limits. Phase Change Materials (PCM) offer the possibility to store thermal energy directly as latent heat of fusion. Among the advantages of a PCM device are the stability of temperature control, the absence of moving parts and a reduced mass. The HEXAFLY-INTERNATIONAL project aims to flight test an experimental vehicle above Mach 7 to verify its potential for a high aerodynamic efficiency during a free-flight. European Major Resarch Centers and Industries are collaborating on this challenge. The presented activity focus on the use of a Phase Change Material device already developed under ESA projects up to TRL 6. Two efficient heat accumulators using PCM will allow avoiding overheating of electronic units such as telemetry & telecommand receivers, transmitters and data acquisition units for the hypersonic flight. The paper presents the complete cycle of design and environmental testing for the two PCM Heat Accumulators selected for the flight. The conclusions will show the benefit of adopting a Phase Change Material Heat Accumulator

Strategies for recruitment and retention of teen mothers in a program to prevent repeat pregnancy

Background: We describe challenges to recruitment and retention of teen mothers in a study to prevent repeat teen pregnancies, and strategies used to overcome them. Methods: We documented recruitment efforts, the teens who were retained at each stage of the intervention and changes to strategies. Results: Challenges to recruitment and retention were related to lifestyles, immaturity, and competing demands, among others. Successful strategies included bus advertisements, early pairing of teens with mentors, using electronic media, convenient meeting times with a meal, providing child care, transportation vouchers and immediate incentives. Conclusions: This study highlights impediments to teen mother research recruitment and retention, and the value of emerging technologies and strong bonding relationships early in the intervention to maximize recruitment and retention