Veterans and violence: an exploration of pre-enlistment, military and post-service life

Despite growing criminological interest in the many ex-service personnel mired within the UK's criminal justice system, there remains a paucity of qualitative research studies examining the (violent) veteran offender. In response, this paper mobilises the voices of veterans to explore the key life events that can shape their offending behaviour. Countering reductionist explanations of violent crime committed by ex-service personnel, we contend that veterans' violence may be rooted within personal biographies and psyches, conditioned by military experiences and represent the psychosocial consequences of the socio-economic transformations of advanced capitalism

Military Veteran-offenders: Making sense of developments in the debate to inform service delivery

In a 2008 report by the National Association for Probation Officers it was estimated that in excess of 20,000 ex-service personnel were serving a sentence in either prison or the community. Since this report, we have witnessed a steady growth in research, literature and knowledge exchange seeking to make sense of veterans' offending. This paper provides a brief overview of the key development of this debate since the recognition of the 'problem' of ex-military personnel in prison. Our discussion problematizes focussing solely on offending by suggesting that the quality of transition is in fact contingent on a more complex interplay of social, cultural and economic participation-linked factors. We propose that by considering the complexities of transition, veterans' offending is more appropriately positioned amongst wider structural challenges faced on return to civilian society. This approach informs the limited recent empirical work in this area, which has been slow to filter into mainstream criminal justice practice. It is our contention that veterans' contact with the criminal justice system needs to be understood within the broader explanatory frameworks of diversity and social inclusion. This paper makes specific recommendations, based on new developments in the veteran-offender debate, to inform service delivery to this cohort in the criminal justice system

Evaluation of Toxicity Analysis for Foundry Sand Specifications

Byproducts from many industries have the potential to be used as construction materials, but some means is required to determine if the material is environmentally benign. Foundry sands are produced in many states and can be useful as in transportation projects. However, INDOT currently requires the use of the MICROTOX test to assess the potential toxicity of the sands, and this requirement is viewed as an unnecessary impediment by the producers of foundry sands and is a requirement not encountered in other states. Therefore, the goal of this project was to review current requirements for testing of recycled materials, determine the availability of MICROTOX testing, and to make recommendations concerning the continued use of MICROTOX as an assessment tool. Strictly from viewpoint of environmental protection, the inclusion of Microtox makes sense. The test has the sensitivity to detect potentially toxic agents in recycled sand that might escape chemical analysis. The test, therefore, provides a layer of assurance that otherwise would be absent. From the perspective of the foundry industry, the Microtox test is an unneeded hurdle that could potentially block the beneficial use of spent foundry sand. Cost is one consideration, but the lack of local analytical facilities for the Microtox is particularly troublesome. Our recommendation is that the Microtox test be retained by INDOT, but we suggest the following: a) Minimize the number of samples of foundry sand that must be tested possibly by reducing the frequency of sampling and testing. b) A consistent, readily available laboratory needs to be established to ensure rapid turn around of analyses and reduced costs. Currently, the demand is low and some dedicated equipment is needed to perform the test. One of the potential outcomes of this project discussed during the negotiations for this project was a possible follow-up project in which we would investigate the modifications to the bioassay. This might include exploring alternatives to Microtox or simplifications of the Microtox test. We remain open to this possibility, but from the scientific point of view, such a follow-up may not be necessary. Of all the bioassays we reviewed, Microtox seemed to be the most widely used (though not for foundry sands), and we found no evidence that other bioassays were being offered routinely at commercial labs

Assessing the potential impact of environmental land management schemes on emergent infection disease risks

Financial incentives are provided by governments to encourage the plantation of new woodland to increase habitat, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and other economic benefits for landowners. Whilst these are largely positive effects, it is worth considering that greater biodiversity and presence of wildlife species in proximity to agricultural holdings may pose a risk of disease transmission between wildlife and livestock. Wildlife transmission and the provision of a reservoir for infectious disease is particularly important in the transmission dynamics of bovine tuberculosis. In this paper we develop an economic model for changing land use due to forestry subsidies. We use this asses the impact on wild deer populations in the newly created woodland areas and the emergent infectious disease risk arising from the proximity of new and existing wild deer populations and existing cattle holdings. We consider an area in the South-West of Scotland, having existing woodland, deer populations, and extensive and diverse cattle farm holdings. In this area we find that, with a varying level of subsidy and plausible new woodland creation, the contact risk between areas of wild deer and cattle increases between 26% and 35% over the contact risk present with zero subsidy. This model provides a foundation for extending to larger regions and for examining potential risk mitigation strategies, for example the targeting of subsidy in low risk areas or provisioning for buffer zones between woodland and agricultural holdings

COVID-19 Prevalence and Trends Among Pregnant and Postpartum Individuals in Maine by Rurality and Pregnancy Conditions

Our study is the first to estimate prevalence of COVID-19 among pregnant and postpartum individuals for Maine, using data that captures both commercial and public insurance and examines differences by rurality, a known modifier of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. individuals.https://knowledgeconnection.mainehealth.org/lambrew-retreat-2023/1007/thumbnail.jp

Indigenous health program evaluation design and methods in Australia: a systematic review of the evidence

OBJECTIVE: Indigenous Australians experience a disproportionately higher burden of disease compared to non-Indigenous Australians. High-quality evaluation of Indigenous health programs is required to inform health and health services improvement. We aimed to quantify methodological and other characteristics of Australian Indigenous health program evaluations published in the peer-reviewed literature. METHODS: Systematic review of peer-reviewed literature (November 2009-2014) on Indigenous health program evaluation. RESULTS: We identified 118 papers describing evaluations of 109 interventions; 72.0% were university/research institution-led. 82.2% of evaluations included a quantitative component; 49.2% utilised quantitative data only and 33.1% used both quantitative and qualitative data. The most common design was a before/after comparison (30.5%, n=36/118). 7.6% of studies (n=9/118) used an experimental design: six individual-level and three cluster-randomised controlled trials. 56.8% (67/118) reported on service delivery/process outcomes (versus health or health risk factor outcomes) only. CONCLUSIONS: Given the number of Indigenous health programs that are implemented, few evaluations overall are published in the peer-reviewed literature and, of these, few use optimal methodologies such as mixed methods and experimental design. Implications for public health: Multiple strategies are required to increase high-quality, accessible evaluation in Indigenous health, including supporting stronger research-policy-practice partnerships and capacity building for evaluation by health services and government.This research received support from the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute, Australian National University