ScienceDaily: Legal Issues News

Collecting DNA for human rights: How to help while safeguarding privacy

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:50:50 EDT

DNA databases might help identify victims of crime and human trafficking, but how do we safeguard the personal privacy of innocent victims and family members? A new report identifies a number of key challenges to consider as experts develop such programs.

Advertising product results? Put images closer together

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:14:14 EDT

Consumers believe a product is more effective when images of the product and its desired outcome are placed closer together in advertisements, according to a new study.

Searching for clandestine graves with geophysical tools

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:52:52 EDT

It's very hard to convict a murderer if the victim's body can't be found. And the best way to hide a body is to bury it. Developing new tools to find those clandestine graves is the goal of a small community of researchers spread across several countries.

Agencies should use common approach to evaluate risks pesticides pose to endangered species

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:16:16 EDT

When determining the potential effects pesticides could pose to endangered or threatened species, the US Environmental Protection Agency, National Marine Fisheries Service, and Fish and Wildlife Service should use a common scientific approach, says a new report.

Researcher reveals new way to safeguard forensic dna samples against contamination

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:47:47 EDT

DNA evidence is invisible and remarkably easy to transfer, making it possible for a sample to be spilled or even planted on a piece of evidence. Scientists have now developed a solution that permanently marks DNA samples to prevent contamination. Hampikian has used nullomers, the smallest DNA sequences that are absent from nature, to create the DNA bar code.

NFL draft study says arrest record may not affect performance

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:47:47 EDT

Scientists analyzed five years of NFL draft data and discovered that the performance of NFL players who had an arrest record but no charges was better than those without an arrest and those arrested and charged performed as well as those with clean records - but they cost less.

Honor among (credit card) thieves?

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:12:12 EDT

A criminologist dug into the seamy underbelly of online credit card theft and uncovered a surprisingly sophisticated network of crooks that is unique in the cybercrime domain.

Mephedrone boosts illegal drug use

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:10:10 EDT

Experienced clubbers are more likely to add the former ‘legal high’ mephedrone to their drug repertoires rather than use it to replace popular established club drugs such as ecstasy and cocaine, according to new research.

Forensic sciences are 'fraught with error'

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:10:10 EDT

Researchers review various high-profile false convictions and provide an overview of classic psychological research on expectancy and observer effects and indicates in which ways forensic science examiners may be influenced by information such as confessions, eyewitness identification, and graphical evidence.

Engineer working to put more science behind bloodstain pattern analysis

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:39:39 EDT

Scientists are working to put more fluid dynamics behind the bloodstain pattern analysis used at crime scenes. They are developing instruments and methods to produce, study and analyze bloodstains.

College admission questions rarely identify criminal behavior

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 08:54:54 EDT

A new study shows that neither criminal background checks nor pre-admission screening questions accurately predict students likely to commit crime on college campuses.

Escalating cost of forest conservation

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 08:51:51 EDT

In the face of unprecedented deforestation and biodiversity loss, policy makers are increasingly using financial incentives to encourage conservation.

Are human genes patentable?

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 08:42:42 EDT

On April 15, the Supreme Court of the United States will hear oral argument in Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, a case that could answer the question, “Under what conditions, if any, are isolated human genes patentable?”. Experts say the layered uncertainties make this case an unusually difficult case in which to predict the outcome.

Brain scans might predict future criminal behavior

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:53:53 EDT

A portable MRI was used to assess anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) activity in 96 adult male inmates who were then followed for up to four years after their release from prison. Those who re-offended were more likely to have lower ACC activity, indicating impulsivity and anti-social behavior.

Seeing happiness in ambiguous facial expressions reduces aggressive behavior

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 08:05:05 EDT

Encouraging young people at high-risk of criminal offending and delinquency to see happiness rather than anger in facial expressions results in a decrease in their levels of anger and aggression, according to a new study.

Language used in immigration debates may be as important as the policies

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 07:55:55 EDT

The language activists and politicians use in immigration debates may be as important as the policies they are debating when it comes to long-term effects, according to the author of a new study in the April issue of the American Sociological Review.

Study explores gang activity on the internet

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:15:15 EDT

Gangs are not using the Internet to recruit new members or commit complex cybercrimes, according to a new study.

Meeting broad, varied, competing priorities in conservation

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:06:06 EDT

Solutions that meet the broad, varied, and often competing priorities of conservation are difficult to come by. New research takes a hard look at why, in an effort to find ways to resolve the issue.

Urban vegetation deters crime in Philadelphia

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:05:05 EDT

A new study of Philadelphia found that abundant vegetation, when well-maintained, can deter certain types of crime -- particularly assault and robbery. The study is the first to look at the issue across an entire urban area and offers strong evidence for urban greening as part of city planning and crime prevention strategies.

Risk of crime in gated communities

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:51:51 EDT

Gated communities are perceived to be safe havens in a world of risk and uncertainty, but new research from the United States challenges received opinion and suggests that, although opportunistic burglaries may be minimized, the risk of other crimes could be increased. The study, one of only a handful to investigate the crime statistics relating to these housing developments, reveals the unexpected reality behind the security gates.

Conservationists call for radical change to ‘war on poaching’

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:50:50 EDT

Widespread extinction of highly endangered and valued species will occur without a radical change to the way the wildlife trade is being handled across the world, according to conservation scientists.

Mitigating climate change? Guiding responsible research in geoengineering

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:10:10 EDT

Geoengineering, the use of human technologies to alter the Earth's climate system — such as injecting reflective particles into the upper atmosphere to scatter incoming sunlight back to space — has emerged as a potentially promising way to mitigate the impacts of climate change. But such efforts could present unforeseen new risks. Scientists outline how the current deadlock on governance of geoengineering research poses real threats to the sound management of climate risk. Their article advances concrete and actionable proposals for allowing further research -- but not deployment -- and for creating scientific and legal guidance, as well as addressing public concerns.

Using hansfree kit or sending texts behind the wheel is as dangerous as being twice over legal alcohol limit, study suggests

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 12:33:33 EDT

Scientists have compared the effects of mobile phone use while driving with the effects of alcohol using a simulation. Their experiment demonstrates that using a handsfree kit or sending text messages is the same as being above the legal alcohol limit.

Majority of Albertans support assisted suicide, Canadian study shows

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:07:07 EST

New research gauges public opinion about assisted suicide as part of an ongoing legal, moral and health policy discussion in Canada.

People with mental illness at highly increased risk of being murder victims, study suggests

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:04:04 EST

People with mental disorders have a highly increased risk of being victims of homicide, a large study suggests.

Conservation development has some developers thinking -- and seeing -- green

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:04:04 EST

Homes in neighborhoods that incorporate protected open space command prices 20 to 29 percent higher than those without open space, according to a new study.

Bankruptcy judges influenced by apologies

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 12:35:35 EST

Debtors who apologized were seen as more remorseful and were expected to manage their finances more carefully in the future compared to debtors who did not offer an apology, finds a new study.

No scientific basis for prohibiting same-sex marriage, key associations argue

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:22:22 EST

There is no valid scientific basis for denying same-sex couples the right to legal marriage, or to deprive them of considerable benefits of the institution, according to legal briefs filed with the U.S. Supreme Court by the American Psychological Association and other leading mental health associations.

Researchers find appointed justices outperform elected counterparts

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:10:10 EST

State supreme court justices who don't face voters are generally more effective than their elected counterparts, according to new research.

Scrap 'unwinnable' drugs war and divert funds into curbing global antibiotic misuse, experts say

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:49:49 EST

Governments around the world should stop squandering resources fighting an "unwinnable war" against illegal drugs, such as cocaine and heroin. Instead, they should use the cash to curb antibiotic misuse, which poses a far more serious threat to human health, claims a leading ethicist.

Migratory behavior of oceanic whitetip sharks revealed

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:47:47 EST

As the nations of the world prepare to vote on measures to restrict international trade in endangered sharks in early March, a team of researchers has found that one of these species -- the oceanic whitetip shark -- regularly crosses international boundaries. Efforts by individual nations to protect this declining apex predator within their own maritime borders may therefore need to be nested within broader international conservation measures.

Background checks, permanent records needed for all firearm transfers, not just gun sales by retailers, experts urge

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:36:36 EST

Gun violence in the United States can be substantially reduced if Congress expands requirements for background checks on retail gun sales to cover firearm transfers between private parties, a new report concludes.

Could a computer on the police beat prevent violence?

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:41:41 EST

As cities work to reduce violence in tight budget times, new research shows how they might be able to target their efforts and police attention on areas prone to violence – with the help of high-powered computers and loads of data on crime, alcohol availability and drug markets.

Child witness testimony less accurate after cross-examination, Australian study suggests

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:26:26 EST

New research from Australia suggests that child witness testimony is less accurate after cross-examination.

Scientific misconduct is real, but rare

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:21:21 EST

While instances of scientific misconduct in the publication of research findings is a matter of serious concern, such occurrences are extremely rare, according to new research.

Romantic delusions allow online dating scams to flourish

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:04:04 EST

As international criminal gangs increasingly target online dating and social networking sites, as a means of extorting money from unwary victims, research suggests that new strategies are needed for tackling the crime and supporting its victims.

New study examines victims and cyberstalking

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 07:54:54 EST

Victims of cyberstalking take more self-protective measures, pay higher out-of-pocket costs to combat the problem and experience greater fear over time than traditional stalking victims, said a researcher.

How a fall in duck hunting is shooting a financial hole into conservation efforts

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 07:41:41 EST

The annual duck hunting season in the United States is traditionally big business, but while bird numbers are rising faster than they have for decades, the number of hunters continues to fall. Far from being good news for ducks a new study shows how the loss of revenue from ‘duck stamps’ could result in millions of lost dollars for vital conservation work.

1990s drop in New York City crime not due to CompStat, misdemeanor arrests, analysis finds

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:36:36 EST

New York City experienced a historic decline in crime rates during the 1990s, but it was not due to the implementation of CompStat or enhanced enforcement of misdemeanor offenses, according to a new analysis.

New park protects 15,000 gorillas

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:06:06 EST

The Republic of Congo has declared a new national park that protects a core population of the 125,000 western lowland gorillas discovered by WCS in 2008.

Gun control: Focus on manufacturers, not just buyers, study shows

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:43:43 EST

As the gun control debate continues, an expert says the focus should be on those who distribute guns, not solely on those who buy them.

Poll: Youth attitudes on 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 14:52:52 EST

On the 40th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade, more young people identify as “pro-choice” rather than “pro-life,” according to a national poll of more than 4,000 high school and college students. Little fear of overturn of decision according to poll of high school and college students.

New study examines post-Roe v. Wade arrests of and forced interventions on pregnant women

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:58:58 EST

A new study looks at criminal and civil cases in which a woman's pregnancy was a deciding factor leading to deprivations of her physical liberty.

First cost-benefit analysis of DNA profiling vindicates 'CSI' fans

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 15:26:26 EST

The first rigorous analysis of the crime-fighting power of DNA profiling finds substantial evidence of its effectiveness.

Looming malpractice: Waiting for claims resolution takes up more than 10 per cent of the average medical career

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 16:22:22 EST

The average physician will spend more than ten percent of his or her career facing an open malpractice claim, according to a new U.S. study. Some specialists will spend upwards of 27 percent.

Broader background checks and denial criteria could help prevent mass shooting catastrophes, experts say

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 15:47:47 EST

A gun violence prevention expert and emergency medicine physician, believes broader criteria for background checks and denials on gun purchases can help prevent future firearm violence, including mass shooting catastrophes such as those that occurred at Sandy Hook, Aurora, Virginia Tech and Columbine.

Data on financial crime is not credible, UK research finds

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:31:31 EST

The UK Government and police efforts to tackle financial crime -- from business fraud to tax evasion -- are hampered by a lack of accurate data about the nature and extent of offending, according to new research.

Study raises concerns over online availability of alternatives to illegal drugs

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 09:43:43 EST

Recreational drug users may be putting their health at risk by ingesting products containing dangerous and often prohibited substances, purchased legally via the internet.

Unique 'anonymous delivery' law effective in decreasing rates of neonaticide in Austria, study finds

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 08:43:43 EST

Rates of reported neonaticide have more than halved following the implementation of a unique 'anonymous delivery' law in Austria, finds a new study.

Homicide spreads like infectious disease

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:35:35 EST

Homicide moves through a city in a process similar to infectious disease, according to a new study that may give police a new tool in tracking and ultimately preventing murders.

Adults with ADHD commit fewer crimes when on medication

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 09:51:51 EST

Criminal behaviour in people with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) dropped sharply during periods when they were on medication, according to a new extensive registry study.

Bond's new crime-fighting device launched: 'Bullet fingerprint' visualization technique

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 08:39:39 EST

A 'bullet fingerprint' visualization technique pioneered by a British scientist has been commercialized in the United States.

Juvenile justice reforms should incorporate science of adolescent development, report finds

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:46:46 EST

Legal responses to juvenile offending should be grounded in scientific knowledge.

Sharks: Bad creatures or bad image?

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:59:59 EST

Historically, the media have been particularly harsh to sharks, and it's affecting their survival. A new study reviewed worldwide media coverage of sharks -- and the majority isn't good.

New strategy for fingerprint visualization developed

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 08:49:49 EST

Identifying fingerprints on paper is a commonly used method in police forensic work, but unfortunately it is not easy to make those fingerprints visible. Now, scientists have developed a new approach for making such fingerprints more readily readable.

We're more passive than we predict when sexually harassed, new study shows

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:13:13 EST

Sexual harassment is devastating in and of itself for its victims, but new research shows there can be an even more insidious and troubling consequence that goes along with it.

Loser-pays-all rule in criminal cases could work for wealthy defendants

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 14:04:04 EST

Adopting a loser-pays-all rule for criminal litigation would likely be feasible only if the rule applied to defendants who are wealthy, says a study.

Footwear forensics: CSI needs to tread carefully

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 10:09:09 EDT

A new computer algorithm can analyze the footwear marks left at a crime scene according to clusters of footwear types, makes and tread patterns even if the imprint recorded by crime scene investigators is distorted or only a partial print.

Restricting high-risk individuals from owning guns saves lives, report finds

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 09:50:50 EDT

A new report examines policies and initiatives for reducing gun violence in the U.S. by reforming current gun policies. The report includes the following key findings: easy access to firearms with large-capacity magazines facilitates higher casualties in mass shootings; "right-to-carry" gun laws do not reduce violent crime; prohibiting high-risk groups from having guns-criminals, perpetrators of domestic violence, youths under age 21, substance abusers, and those with severe mental illnesses -- and closing loopholes that enable them to have guns -- are integral and politically feasible steps to reduce gun violence.

Survival of U.S. Affordable Care Act assessed in new commentaries

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 13:34:34 EDT

As the presidential candidates clash over the fate of the U.S. Affordable Care Act, a set of seven essays by leading legal experts, economists, and scholars examines the implications of the Supreme Court's decision on the ACA and makes it clear that there is no consensus about what is economically or morally just when it comes to health care coverage in this country.