Practicing convict criminology: lessons learned from British academic activism

Joanne Belknap’s recent ASC presidential address included a critique of Convict Criminology’s activism. A number of concerns were provided, although of particular importance here are, first, Belknap’s concerns regarding the absence of ‘marginalized voices’ in the Convict Criminology network. Second, the issue of defining how non-con academics function as Convict Criminology group members. This paper responds to these criticisms. Specifically, we discuss the question of ‘representation’ in BCC and our attempts to remedy this issue. We also draw attention to the academic activism that British Convict Criminology is conducting in Europe. This includes a detailed discussion of the collaborative research-activist activities that involve non-con as well as ex-con academic network members. We demonstrate how these collaborations explain the vital group membership role that non-con academics assume in the activism of Convict Criminology

The impact of family structure and disruption on intergenerational emotional exchange in Eastern Europe

Demographic trends across Europe involve a decrease in fertility and mortality rates, and an increase in divorce and stepfamily formation. Life courses and living arrangements have become less standardized and the structure of families has changed. In this article, we examine to what extent contemporary family structure and composition resulting from demographic changes affect emotional exchange between children and their parents, both from adult child to parent and from parent to child. Because the general level of well-being has been shown to be lower in Eastern Europe, thereby potentially affecting emotional exchange within families, we focus our research on Eastern Europe. We use the “conservation of resources theory” to derive hypotheses on how family structure may affect intergenerational emotional exchange. Family ties are assumed to be important resources of affection that people want to obtain and retain throughout their lives. Data from the Generations and Gender Survey (GGS) are used to test our hypotheses. In general, our data offer more support for the idea that families are resilient than for the often heard assumption that families are in decline as a consequence of the changed family structure and composition

Children of Prisoners: Their Situation and Role in Long-Term Crime Prevention

Studies suggest that maintaining family ties can help reduce the likelihood of reoffending, and that while parental imprisonment can increase a child’s likelihood to offend, positive responses to the situation can aid the children’s well-being, attitude and attainment. Drawing on findings from the recently completed EU-funded COPING Project on the mental health of children of prisoners, this chapter explores the factors that aid a child’s ability to cope with parental imprisonment and the actions that different stakeholders can take to support them. It identifies some of the mental health impacts at different stages of parental imprisonment, the roles played by non-imprisoned parents/carers and by schools, and suggests options for further clarifying the factors that help and hinder children of prisoners in the short and long term

Effects of artificial seawater on morphology and anatomy of taro (Colocasia esculenta var Antiquorum, araceae) tissues in vitro

Taro tissues were cultured in 50-500 milliosmoles (mOs) artificial seawater (ASW). Only those in 50-350 were stable and survived prolonged culture. Organogenesis of shoots, leaves and leaf-like structures was similar in all ASW concentrations, although more abnormal growth was observed at 300-350 mOs. All cultures had highly organized tissues including procambium or vascular tissue, tannin-containing idioblasts and vacuolate parenchyma cells. Differentiation of a recognizable epidermis with stomata was most pronounced in liquid culture. © 1988

Effects of artificial seawater on morphology and anatomy of taro (Colocasia esculenta var Antiquorum, araceae) tissues in vitro

Taro tissues were cultured in 50-500 milliosmoles (mOs) artificial seawater (ASW). Only those in 50-350 were stable and survived prolonged culture. Organogenesis of shoots, leaves and leaf-like structures was similar in all ASW concentrations, although more abnormal growth was observed at 300-350 mOs. All cultures had highly organized tissues including procambium or vascular tissue, tannin-containing idioblasts and vacuolate parenchyma cells. Differentiation of a recognizable epidermis with stomata was most pronounced in liquid culture. © 1988