Reviewing domestic homicide – international practice and perspectives

James Rowlands, a researcher and domestic violence worker from Brighton, travelled to Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA to study ways of improving responses to domestic homicide. He will use his findings to inform how these deaths are reviewed in the UK

A Review of Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) for Sustainable Manufacturing and Improvement in Electrostatic Chuck Manufacture and Operation

Failure modes and effect analysis (FMEA) is widely used in industry to quantify, mitigate, and eliminate risk for products and processes. It has the potential to be an important technique in supporting sustainable manufacturing by reducing the risks associated with transitioning to more sustainable processes. Whilst traditional FMEA does quantify risk by calculating a risk priority number (RPN), there are limitations to the usefulness of this due to the lack of objectiveness inherent in the method. In this paper improvements to the traditional FMEA approach are reviewed and their appropriateness in the specific case of the manufacture of electrostatic chucks (ESC) is considered.</p

Real time data streaming from smart phones

AbstractThere are many aspects of the athlete's performance that can and need to be measured to improve performance or to fine-tune skills. This can be done visually by a coach or by using sensors attached to the athlete. This paper discusses the common sensor data capture methods and the main requirements for a data capturing system with special attention paid to the requirements for a real time data capturing system. An implementation of a real time data capture system consisting of an iPhone and a laptop is presented. The system was tested on a runner performing a slow jog. The acceleration signatures for the running was streamed from the iPhone to the laptop and displayed in real time thus validating the system

Exploring the effects of trunk acceleration on saddle position and the drag coefficient

Triathletes often use a time trial bicycle with an increased seat tube angle combined with aerodynamic handlebars that allow for a decreased upper body and trunk to improve aerodynamics. In this respect, the adjustment of the seat tube and saddle is an important feature of fitting bicycle to triathlete to positively impact performance. Limited published evidence concerning trunk acceleration, saddle position and aerodynamics by way of the drag coefficient (Cd) in triathlon cycling makes comparisons difficult. Therefore, an overground varied cycle cadence in a previously validated saddle position was conducted to detect differences in trunk acceleration magnitude whilst a multivariable linear regression was used to estimate Cd based on saddle position, trunk acceleration and cadence. Data was collected by a trunk-mounted triaxial accelerometer to estimate kinematic determinants of triathlete cycling performance in conjunction with trunk acceleration magnitude and cadence that contribute to Cd. Seven participants completed a 1 x 5 km overground cycling trial at varied cadence on a characteristic triathlon circuit. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate that cycling at higher cadences increased trunk acceleration magnitude with a projected Cd of 0.277. Longitudinal trunk acceleration represented 39% of the outcome variable explained by the model. To illustrate the practical relevance of the statistical models, mean total trunk acceleration and cadence were applied to predict Cd. Higher magnitudes of total trunk acceleration combined with cycling at a cadence of 95-100 rev/min¹ resulted in greater Cd (0.283)

Naming practices in domestic homicide reviews in England and Wales

In England and Wales, domestic homicide reviews (DHRs) seek to build a picture of the circumstances preceding a domestic abuse-related death, identify any learning and make recommendations for change. Drawing on data from document analysis of 60 DHR reports, this article explores how a victim’s real name is routinely taken out of use when a DHR report is published and, to disguise their identity, is usually replaced with a pseudonym or some other nomenclature like initials/letters. I report on the name forms used in place of a victim’s real name and the limited explication of both how (pseudo)names were chosen and the role of the family. By exploring how names are used, I argue for a recognition of the assumptions and complexity at the heart of DHRs concerning the place of the victim, family and state, and identify implications for practice, policy and research

Interviewee Transcript Review as a tool to improve data quality and participant confidence in sensitive research

Interviewee Transcript Review (ITR), a form of Respondent Validation, is a way to share and check interview transcripts with research participants. To date, the literature has considered how these practices affect data quality, focused on the ability of a participant to correct, add or remove data. Less considered is the extent to which ITR might enable sensitive research. Reporting on research examining the experiences and perspectives of different stakeholders involved in Domestic Homicide Reviews, 40 participants who took part in semi-structured interviews were offered the opportunity to review their transcripts. This paper contributes to the understanding of the use of ITR, demonstrating how it can be used to increase participant confidence to provide assurance about, and indeed active involvement in, the steps being taken to preserve their anonymity

A Sports Technology Needs Assessment for Performance Monitoring in Swimming

AbstractIn recent years, technology has played an increasing role in many sports, including swimming. Far beyond the stopwatch and hand marked events, detailed biomechanical attributes can be measured using technology such as instrumented blocks, wire tethers and underwater/dolly cameras. With the advent of micro-technology, there has been an increasing trend toward the use of wearable sensors such as heart rate monitors, cadence aids and – more recently – activity monitors. The micro-electromechanical system (MEMS)-based inertial sensor class of activity monitor is of particular interest to the CWMA (Centre for Wireless Monitoring and Applications) at Griffith University. Due to the intensely competitive nature of professional sport, the difference between winning and not winning can be as little as a few hundredths of a second. An improvement to any single physiological or psychological parameter could potentially give one athlete a ‘winning edge’ over his or her competitors. This paper provides a context-driven needs assessment to illustrate the use of technology in various situational contexts related to swimming. The end goal is to improve training outcomes by allowing the strategies and requirements of stakeholders to be targeted

The ethics of victim voice in Domestic Homicide Reviews

Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) are publicly available and provide an anonymised account of intimate partner or family homicides in England and Wales, largely by describing the circumstances before a victim’s death. They aim to reduce the likelihood of future homicides by identifying, learning and using this to improve prevention and intervention strategies. Epistemologically, DHRs are infused with ethical tensions. In practice, while statutory guidance sets out how to undertake DHRs, there is no shared ethical code of conduct to assist practitioners in conceptualising or navigating ethical debates and dilemmas. Researchers face similar challenges. As published documents, DHRs are open access and have largely been analysed in aggregate as secondary data. However, their accessibility has led to a lack of critical attention to matters of consent, anonymity or privacy or the discursive practices in their production. To date then, ethical issues have been little considered in DHRs. Utilising a researcher and practitioner perspective, this paper considers ethical issues, in particular those that concern victim subjectivity. This can be described in DHRs as ‘victim voice’ and is often taken for granted. Conceptual and practical implications are discussed, including considerations for both practitioners and researchers that might more fully foreground victim voice

Constructing fatality review: a policy analysis of the emergence of domestic homicide reviews in England and Wales

In England and Wales, Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) examine domestic abuse-related deaths to identify lessons to be learned. However, their emergence as a policy initiative has been little considered. To address this gap, a thematic discourse analysis of policy documents to 2011 was undertaken, examining the justification for, and conceptualization of, DHRs before their implementation. It is argued that DHRs were constructed as a taken-for-granted good, through which multi-agency partners would generate learning while the (gendered) subject was silenced. Attending to aspirations, contradictions, and tensions in the emergence of DHRs has implications for their understanding and operationalization in the present