Judicial Enforcement of Children’s Socio-Economic Rights: Possible Effects on Child Poverty in New Zealand

This paper explores the idea of judicially enforceable socio-economic rights for children in New Zealand. Child poverty is an issue that has received increasing attention in New Zealand in recent years, and judicial enforcement of socio-economic rights for children is one way in which children’s socio-economic rights might be better realised. This paper identifies New Zealand’s international obligations towards children and draws on the work of children’s rights theorists. It argues that children are a unique category of rights-holders, and that this justifies prioritisation of judicial enforcement of their socio-economic rights. It explores the different ways in which courts have approached socio-economic rights enforcement, and makes a proposal as to how this might work in New Zealand. It concludes that the effect of judicial enforcement of children’s socio-economic rights on child poverty levels in New Zealand will depend on the type of remedy the courts choose to implement

Downsizing a giant: Re-evaluating Dreadnoughtus body mass

Estimates of body mass often represent the founding assumption on which biomechanical and macroevolutionary hypotheses are based. Recently, a scaling equation was applied to a newly discovered titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur (Dreadnoughtus), yielding a 59 300 kg body mass estimate for this animal. Herein, we use a modelling approach to examine the plausibility of this mass estimate for Dreadnoughtus. We find that 59 300 kg for Dreadnoughtus is highly implausible and demonstrate that masses above 40 000 kg require high body densities and expansions of soft tissue volume outside the skeleton several times greater than found in living quadrupedal mammals. Similar results from a small sample of other archosaurs suggests that lower-end mass estimates derived from scaling equations are most plausible for Dreadnoughtus, based on existing volumetric and density data from extant animals. Although volumetric models appear to more tightly constrain dinosaur body mass, there remains a clear need to further support these models with more exhaustive data from living animals. The relative and absolute discrepancies in mass predictions between volumetric models and scaling equations also indicate a need to systematically compare predictions across a wide size and taxonomic range to better inform studies of dinosaur body size

More mentoring needed? A cross-sectional study of mentoring programs for medical students in Germany

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite increasing recognition that mentoring is essential early in medical careers, little is known about the prevalence of mentoring programs for medical students. We conducted this study to survey all medical schools in Germany regarding the prevalence of mentoring programs for medical students as well as the characteristics, goals and effectiveness of these programs.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A definition of mentoring was established and program inclusion criteria were determined based on a review of the literature. The literature defined mentoring as a steady, long-lasting relationship designed to promote the mentee's overall development. We developed a questionnaire to assess key characteristics of mentoring programs: the advocated mentoring model, the number of participating mentees and mentors, funding and staff, and characteristics of mentees and mentors (e.g., level of training). In addition, the survey characterized the mentee-mentor relationship regarding the frequency of meetings, forms of communication, incentives for mentors, the mode of matching mentors and mentees, and results of program evaluations. Furthermore, participants were asked to characterize the aims of their programs. The questionnaire consisted of 34 questions total, in multiple-choice (17), numeric (7) and free-text (10) format. This questionnaire was sent to deans and medical education faculty in Germany between June and September 2009. For numeric answers, mean, median, and standard deviation were determined. For free-text items, responses were coded into categories using qualitative free text analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We received responses from all 36 medical schools in Germany. We found that 20 out of 36 medical schools in Germany offer 22 active mentoring programs with a median of 125 and a total of 5,843 medical students (6.9 - 7.4% of all German medical students) enrolled as mentees at the time of the survey. 14 out of 22 programs (63%) have been established within the last 2 years. Six programs (27%) offer mentoring in a one-on-one setting. 18 programs (82%) feature faculty physicians as mentors. Nine programs (41%) involve students as mentors in a peer-mentoring setting. The most commonly reported goals of the mentoring programs include: establishing the mentee's professional network (13 programs, 59%), enhancement of academic performance (11 programs, 50%) and counseling students in difficulties (10 programs, 45%).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Despite a clear upsurge of mentoring programs for German medical students over recent years, the overall availability of mentoring is still limited. The mentoring models and goals of the existing programs vary considerably. Outcome data from controlled studies are needed to compare the efficiency and effectiveness of different forms of mentoring for medical students.</p

Should the use of an alternative trial process preclude referral back to the criminal justice system? Consideration of one aspect of the Law Commission's proposal for trial process reform in cases of sexual offending

In its recent Issues Paper, Alternative Pre-Trial and Trial Processes: Possible Reforms, the New Zealand Law Commission proposed to make available some form of restorative justice process as a complete alternative to the criminal justice system in certain sexual offence cases. It also proposed that where an offender participates in an alternative process in good faith and fulfils all undertakings, the case cannot be referred back to the criminal justice system. This paper considers situations where alternative trial processes should be referred back to the criminal justice system and what should happen to material disclosed during the alternative process if referral occurs.  If restorative processes are to be used as a complete alternative to the criminal justice system, there must a “public safety override” which prioritises public safety over victim autonomy. This override will be applied by restorative justice providers, who will have the ability to refer cases back to the criminal justice system. If referral does occur, the content of the restorative proceedings should be privileged, and that privilege should belong to the offender. The fact of the offender’s agreement to participate should also be privileged.</p

IndividualMuscleMomentArms

"IndividualMuscleMomentArms" for manuscript titled "A 3D musculoskeletal model of the western lowland gorilla hind limb: moment arms and torque of the hip, knee and ankle". Includes individual muscle moment arms