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This paper explores associations between two demographic characteristics (i.e., sex and grade level) and the peer network features (i.e., size, density, and demographic homophily) of 144 third through eighth grade students (ages 8—15) in an urban, US elementary school with considerable diversity in race and socioeconomic status. The results offer only partial support for the two cultures theory, as sex differences in network size attenuated with increasing grade levels. The findings also highlight developmental trends, including a curvilinear effect of grade on network density and grade-level increases in cross-sex and same-race relationships. Finally, the paper includes a discussion of the importance of opportunity structures for, and the joint consideration of sex and developmental influences on, children’s peer social networks. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Of the some 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States, TASERs have been adopted by approximately 7,000 departments. Following on the call of White and Ready (2007) for more research on TASER use by police, this paper investigates the use of TASERs by a medium sized, Midwestern police agency. All TASER deployments by police officers in this Midwestern city are examined for a three-and-a-half-year time period (January 2004–August 2007). Findings indicate that the TASER was used primarily against physically resistant white male suspects with a history of police contact. The majority of the incidents took place at a private residence or apartment as opposed to a public place of business. The TASER was overwhelmingly effective and, as for officer safety, on the few occasions that an officer was injured, the injury was not related to the TASER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]