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A Case for Conceptualising Science Literacy for Lawyers
Get PDFForensic science is routinely used in the service of the United States criminal justice system. In such cases, lawyers, judges and jurors each have distinct competencies. Trial judges must determine the admissibility of expert evidence and deliver jury instructions; lawyers must select, present, and challenge the evidence; and jurors must determine the weight of the evidence. As they discharge these competencies, each agent must often engage with the often unfamiliar methods introduced and discussed by a forensic science expert. These activities represent an intersection between law and science – two culturally divergent disciplines — where it is recognised science literacy — “the disposition and knowledge needed to engage with science” — for legal professionals and jurors is important to serving justice. There are limitations, however, in current provision for supporting legal professionals to develop their science literacy, which is foundational to optimising the carrying out of juror competencies. Despite this, the criminal justice system is organised in such a way as to routinely defer to the decision-making competencies of lawyers, judges, and jurors. Through a content analysis of case law referencing the National Academy of Sciences’ (NAS) forensic science report portfolio in criminal proceedings — which is positioned as a case study — this paper demonstrates how this systemic practice — driven by the legal system’s fidelity to factors associated with the legal process vision — should motivate stakeholders to prioritise delivery of a meaningful science literacy provision for lawyers. Part I broadly outlines the roles of lawyers, judges and jurors in criminal legal proceedings involving forensic science evidence, explaining this interaction as an intersection of law and science. Part II describes our research design, including the rationale for selecting case law referencing the NAS’ forensic science report portfolio as a case study. Part III presents our findings in three thematic areas: (1) deference to lawyers’ strategic decisions, particularly in the context of cross-examination; (2) deference to the gatekeeping function of trial judges and the role of precedent; and (3) deference to the jury’s fact-finding role. It concludes that these findings, coupled with the reality that an institutional overhaul is unlikely, should focus minds on supporting — as a priority— lawyers to develop their science literacy, and that conceptualising 'science literacy’ for lawyers is a necessary step in moving towards that goal
An exploratory study of the effects of the pH of synthetic urine on skin integrity in healthy participants.
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) develops from prolonged exposure of skin to urine and/or stool and represents a common complication in older adults, reducing the quality of life. Increased pH is an important etiologic factor of IAD; however, the relationship between urinary pH and skin barrier disruption remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to examine the effects of synthetic urine (s-urine) at various pHs on transepidermal water loss (TEWL), stratum corneum hydration (SCH), and skin surface pH. METHODS: S-urine solutions (pH 5.0-9.0) were applied to the volar forearms of 15 healthy participants for 2 h, with another site serving as the untreated control. Measurements of TEWL, SCH, and skin surface pH were obtained at baseline (BL) and after each challenge. Skin buffering capacity was also examined in 5 volunteers by recording skin pH at BL, after 2 h exposure and every 5 min for 40 min. RESULTS: TEWL and SCH were increased following exposure to s-urine compared to BL values. Although there was a tendency for pH to increase after exposure, further investigation showed that changes are only temporal as pH value is restored to BL within 5 mins. There were no significant differences between solutions. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that urine disrupts healthy skin integrity; however, its effects are not pH dependent. Transient changes were observed on the acid mantle of the skin due to its innate buffering capacity. Future studies need to examine the effects of urine combined with bacteria responsible for pH elevation in patients with urinary incontinence.</p
A Mentoring Project Early Years Educator.
No full textAmanda Norman discusses a mentoring project she introduced to students studying on a university-based childhood studies course. The aim was to promote and develop a community of learning and practice. Collating their narratives, she investigated how the student university experience could be enhanced within a peer mentoring relationship
Decision-making in the physical education curriculum: an analysis of the student voice in English secondary state-schools
No full textDebates surrounding youth participation in governance have permeated a range of fields in the last two decades. This commentary is predominately situated in education and civic participation domains, with sporting domains remaining largely under researched. Indeed, this research becomes sparser when considered in school physical education and sport. In this paper, we consider the position of the student within decision-making processes in the physical education curriculum in English secondary state-schools. The paper reports on survey data from 288 English secondary state-schools exploring students’ involvement in decision-making related to the PE curriculum. Findings show considerable numbers of the schools reported no contribution from students to the physical education curriculum (n=54), and processes that were in place were problematic. Drawing on the legal framework of The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, we argue that the lack of student voice in the physical education curriculum presents a contemporary policy concern within the English education system that requires further investigation
Striking in the City, Making Love in the Fields::Unsnarling the Wild Pedagogies of Earth Activism
No full textNew forms of environmental activism are proliferating as the immediate impacts of global anthropogenic climate change are felt. This article considers the ways in which we might understand these actions as ritual, and examines the liminal possibilities of subjective transformation through such climate activism. It takes the theoretical position of Red Biocentrism (communism/common-ism without anthropocentrism)
The Pandemic’s Promising Lessons for the Future of Green Public Banking:Policy Insights for the UK Infrastructure Bank
No full textThis policy brief looks at lessons for the future of green public banking with policy insights for the UK Infrastructure Bank following the COVID-19 pandemic
