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This paper provides an international perspective on the use of medications to treat problematic sexual interests, paraphilic disorders, and sexual preoccupation in men who have committed a sexual offence. Experts from Canada, the Czech Republic (CR), Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States met in Prague, CR in May 2017 to review and compare their treatment approaches. This report is a summary of their discussions, including empirical data from CR and Russia which have not previously been published in the English language. All participants agreed that continuing international collaboration would be very useful for the development of ethical international prescribing guidelines, as well as pooling data from studies on the efficacy and utility of pharmacological and other biological treatments for people who have committed sexual offences.

Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) was initially developed in Canada as a community-based programme designed to assist in the community reintegration of individuals who are deemed at high or very high risk of sexual recidivism. This article outlines the historical foundations and frameworks of the CoSA model, and examines the recruitment and training of CoSA volunteers. It reviews the impact that CoSA has on recidivism, as well as the psycho-social implications of the model on the former offenders participating in CoSA (the 'Core Members'), volunteers, and the community at large. International implementation of CoSA is addressed by a review of project initiatives undertaken around the world. This article concludes by addressing the future directions of CoSA, both within Canada and internationally.

Individuals incarcerated in prisons across the United Kingdom and abroad are able to volunteer for a variety of peer-support roles, which are characterized by prisoner-to-prisoner helping. Some research has found that such roles can represent turning points in the lives of those who have offended and encourage movements toward desistance. This proposed redemptive influence is argued to result from the prosocial behaviors that such roles appear to elicit in their holders. The present study aims to explore the mechanics of this claimed influence. While a limited amount of research has attempted this on a general offending population, no research has done so with a sample of sexual offenders. Given the intensive treatment programs involved in such contexts, and the requirements for sexual offenders to demonstrate reduced risk, the authors believe those serving time for sexual offenses represent an important sample on which to explore the potentially redemptive properties of peer-support roles. To this end, 13 peer supporters participated in semistructured interviews. Transcripts were analyzed using a phenomenologically oriented thematic analysis. Results suggest that sexual offenders who adopt peer-support roles are able to live up to desired selves by "doing good" in prison, "giving back," and consequently resisting negative labels. These benefits have been theoretically linked with better reintegration outcomes for sexual offenders, who are publicly denigrated in the extreme and find it especially difficult to (re)integrate. Suggestions regarding the future utility of such schemes are offered.

Public reactions to internet child offending remain ambivalent in that, while there is vocal condemnation of contact child sex offending, there is less indignation about internet child abuse. This is potentially due to a lack of recognition of this type of offence as sexual offending per se. This ambiguity is reflected by internet sex offenders themselves in their verbalizations of their offending. This article presents a qualitative analysis of the accounts offered by seven individuals convicted of internet-based sexual offences involving the downloading and viewing of images of children. In particular, this article presents an analysis of the explanations of offenders for the commencement of internet activity and the progression to more illicit online materials. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using discursive methods, paying close attention to language use and function. The analysis documented the practices that internet child abusers employed in order to manage their identities, distance themselves from the label of sex offender, and/or reduce their personal agency and accountability. Implications of this analysis are discussed with reference to the current minimization of the downloading of sexually explicit images of children as a sexual crime per se by the public and offenders alike and the risk assessment and treatment of individuals convicted of these offences.

This paper reports a questionnaire survey of shoppers at four supermarket stores in the UK. Regression analyses were used to determine factors in consumer complaints with the packaging of food and drink products. Neuroticism and treatment in hospital for an accident involving packaging in the last 3 years were significant associates. Analyses on who was most likely to suffer accidents or injuries while opening food and drink packaging indicated that handedness (that is, being left handed made accidents more likely) and scoring low on a measure of personal control during decision-making were significant associates. Analyses on who suffered the most serious accidents and injuries whilst opening food and drink packaging revealed that the decision-making style of social resistance (that is, the extent to which you resist asking for help from others) was related to susceptibility to the most severe accidents. These findings imply that individual factors (including both personal characteristics and personality traits) should be taken into account when considering the openability of packaging. The results of this study indicate that manufacturers should ensure that novel packaging closures have been tested on left handers in order to discover any unique difficulties for this sub-group, that packaging opening tools specifically for left-handed people should be made available and that manufacturers of packaging should always look at a 'worst case scenario' for their packaging closures as it is evident that some people will continue to struggle with difficult packaging until either they open it or they have injured themselves.

Context: Previous studies have drawn attention to the importance of the trainee/trainer relationship in determining job satisfaction and motivation to learn., Objectives: To study the relationship between pre-registration house officers and their consultants through exploring an interpersonal exchange and the emotional context in which the exchange took place. To consider any association between the type of relationship implied and the trainee's attitude to their career., Design: Postal questionnaire covering a wide range of issues. This study focused on an open question about a significant or interesting exchange, followed by supplementary questions exploring the emotional context of the exchange., Setting: 336 hospitals throughout the United Kingdom., Subjects: A cohort of doctors were followed from the time of their application to medical school, and studied towards the end of their pre-registration year (n=2456)., Results: The response rate to the questionnaire was 58.4%. Responses were categorised as Support and supervision; Unreasonable behaviour; Consultant fallibility; Fair criticism and No exchange. Over half the responses described an interaction that made them feel positive. Trainees particularly appreciated positive feedback, clinical support, teaching, career advice, patronage, or social interaction. The importance of formal appraisal or review sessions in providing the setting for a positive exchange was confirmed. Positive interactions were associated with a positive view of medicine as a career. A minority described an interaction that was negative, involving unreasonable demands, criticism (whether perceived as fair or unfair), humiliation, or sexism. These were associated with a more negative view of medicine as a career, and of themselves as doctors.

Context: Previous studies have drawn attention to the stresses experienced by doctors in their first year., Objectives: To gain a deeper understanding of the causes of stress in newly qualified doctors, how they cope, and what interventions might make the year less traumatic., Design: Postal questionnaire. This study focused on an open question asking about a stressful incident, the coping strategy used to deal with it, stressors in general and current levels of stress using the General Health Questionnaire., Setting: 336 hospitals throughout the United Kingdom., Subjects: A cohort of doctors followed from the time of their application to medical school, studied towards the end of their pre-registration year (n=2456)., Results: The response rate to the questionnaire was 58.4%. The incidents were categorised into the major groups Responsibility (33.6%), Interpersonal (29.7%), Overwork (17.0%), Death and disease (13.0%), and Self (6.7%). GHQ revealed psychological morbidity in 31% of respondents. Stress levels were highest in those reporting an incident about Responsibility or Self, lowest in those describing Death or disease. Stressors in general and preferred coping strategies differed between the groups., Conclusion: The incidents suggested the following interventions to reduce stress: better supervision in the first few weeks in post, at night, and for medical problems on surgical wards; more attention to avoiding sleep deprivation; more time for discussion with colleagues at work; more personal time with friends and family. The choice of incident described was influenced by the personal characteristics of the respondent.