Sexual abuse is a crime which rarely has witnesses and, therefore, proving such offences is largely based on the testimony of the victims involved when no physical evidence is available to unequivocally document it. As a result, the testimony of the victim in such cases is the only basis on which a judge should make his decisions. Studies carried out on the testimony of children have shown the difficulties which arise when the minor is both victim and witness. Research studies conducted on child abuse recall, once again, the need for reflection on the manner in which the hearing of children’s accounts should be carried out in light of their suggestibility. Questions which are suggestive in nature act to affirm more than what they ask and may lead the witness to confirm the elements of the question put forth. If the witness is a child, it is possible for an adult to insert information into the youngster’s memory, thus incorporating it into his recollection of events, or substituting the original memory with it.The aim of this study is to verify the memory capacity in school age children (ages 6 to 9 years) through involvement in play activities carried out in a classroom setting, followed by individual interviews focusing on their views of what had transpired. Several factors which are able to influence the ability to remember were analyzed: age; role performed during the play activity; whether the participants played an active role, or merely observed; and the influence of troubling factors, such as confusion or stress.The results show the complex interactions among the multiple factors investigated in this study. They highlight the importance of examining all elements which may potentially come into play when interviewing a child and to understanding his or her suitability to give testimony. The data which have emerged from our analysis confirm the assumption that children may be reliable witnesses only if they are heard utilizing correct methodology based on the use of questions which are non-suggestive, and as non-leading as possible, so as to allow the child to recount the events in a manner as free and spontaneous as possible.

The current use of Internet is determining changes as in what we do, as in our way of thinking, by changing the image that everyone has about himself, others and about the relationship with the world. In particular, the sex and sexuality of the twenty-first century appear amoung the aspects of human existence that are undergoing radical changes on the Network. In recent times, cybersex is developing more and more, degenerating sometimes into real computer mediated crimes. An example is the case of an housewife of 46 years old, involved in the process of marital separation, with a socio-cultural medium-low level, which is submitted to the attention of the Court for the involvement of underage children in her computer mediated erotic activities. This case shows the possibility that the experience of maximum control resulting from the use of the network, (which is characterized by accessibility, affordability, alteration of the identity, integrity, dissociation, interactivity, secrecy and normalization) will be transformed into a progressive and total loss of control of experiences produced by the use of computer, determining the commission of "real" illegal acts. This is one of the typical psychological paradoxes of the relationship between the mind and the advanced Information Technology.

This pilot study is the starting point of a potentially broad research project aimed at identifying new strategies for assessing malingering during forensic evaluations. Participants: The forensic group was comprised of 67 males who were seeking some sort of certification (e.g. adoption, child custody, driver’s license, issuance of gun permits, etc.); the non-forensic group was comprised of 62 healthy male volunteers. Method: Each participant was administered the MMPI-2. Statistical analyses were conducted on obtained scores of 48 MMPI-2 scales. In the first step, parametric statistics were adopted to identify the best combination of MMPI-2 scales that differentiated the two groups of participants. In the second step, frequency-based, non-parametric methods were used for diagnos tic purposes. Results: a model that utilized the best three predictors (“7-Pt”, “L”, and “1-Hs”) was developed and used to calculate the ForensicEvaluation Dissimulation Index (FEDI), which features satisfactory diagnostic accuracy (0.9), sensitivity (0.82), specificity (0.81), and likelihood ratio indices (LR+=4.32; LR-=0.22).

Parricide is a rare case of murder having a strong emotional impact on public opinion, especially when it is heinous and perpetrated by minors. Based on the analysis of the judicial files archived at the Minor Penal Institute "N. Fornelli" of Bari, the authors will report three impressive cases perpetrated by minors, by focusing on their emotional features. Differences between the crimes of parricide committed by adults and minors will be highlighted, by analyzing the peculiar relations between the problems underlying parricide and the role played by abuses and maltreatments experienced by minors perpetrating such crime. In particular, attention will be paid to the emotional processes aroused in minor parricide offenders.

Background: L’abuso degli anziani è un problema diffuso ma sottostimato. L’entità di tale problema non è del tutto nota sia per la mancanza di segnalazioni e/o denunce sia per la difficoltà di individuare precocemente gli indicatori di un buso. Esistono molte forme di abuso sugli anziani, tra cui quelle di natura psicologica, economica, sessuale, fisica, sociale, istituzionale, ma l’abuso include anche l’incuria e l’abbandono. È chiaro, quindi, che il maltrattamento può concretizzarsi non solo con una condotta attiva, ma anche con un atteggiamento omissivo attraverso il silenzio, la sottovalutazione o l’omessa segnalazione. Saper individuare i segni caratteristici di un maltrattamento dell’anziano rappresenta un dovere da parte di ogni operatore sanitario, cruciale per l’adozione di idonee misure di difesa a tutela della vittima e di contrasto all’autore del reato. Obiettivo: Verificare il grado di percezione del fenomeno da parte degli operatori sanitari, e se essi stessi siano in grado di identificare tempestivamente i segni precoci di abuso ed adottare le azioni necessarie per la segnalazione. Materiali e metodi: Dal 1 al 30 aprile 2015, a tutti gli operatori (Medici, Medici in formazione specialistica, Infermieri, OSS e Portantini) delle Unità Operative di Medicina Interna e di Geriatria dell’Ospedale Cardarelli di Campobasso (Molise) e del Policlinico dell’Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro” (Puglia) è stato sottoposto un questionario formulato sulla scorta di altri già debitamente utilizzati e validati in altre realtà internazionali, che va ad esplorare: 1. la conoscenza da parte degli operatori del fenomeno, 2. la loro capacità di riconoscere gli eventuali segni di abuso, 3. la prevalenza del fenomeno (nel senso se abbiano mai avuto esperienza di abuso sugli anziani) 4. la conoscenza degli stessi operatori riguardo le azioni da adottare nel momento in cui si trovino di fronte ad un abuso. Risultati: La raccolta dei dati ha permesso di ottenere un totale di 98 questionari compilati su 142 somministrati (69.0%). La maggioranza dei questionari è stata compilata da soggetti di sesso femminile (75.5%), di età compresa tra 41 e 50 anni (27.6%) e con qualifica di infermiere (46.9%). La Tabella 1 descrive i dati preliminari ottenuti e la divisione per Unità Operative e per qualifica dei compilatori. La tabella 2 mostra la distribuzione per sesso e classi di età dei compilatori in base alla sede ed all’Unità Operativa di appartenenzaConclusioni: Da questi dati preliminari si evince come l’interesse per l’abuso sugli anziani, sebbene presente, non rappresenti per tutti gli operatori sanitari una priorità né un problema sentito, probabilmente in relazione alla scarsa conoscenza del fenomeno, ma soprattutto degli indicatori di abuso e delle procedure da attuare nel qual caso si venga a conoscenza di tale fenomeno. Quindi emerge forte l’esigenza di una formazione continua ed aggiornata sugli indicatori di abuso al fine di una loro più precisa individuazione nonché sulle procedure di segnalazione obbligatori alle Direzioni Sanitarie ed all’Autorità Giudiziaria.

La questione dei JuvenileSexual Offenders (JSO) è divenuta oggetto di una maggiore attenzione e controllo istituzionale negli ultimi anni, venendosi spesso ad intrecciare con campagne di grande allarme sociale. Nella complessità di una tematica che intreccia competenze multidisciplinari e responsabilità giudiziarie, modalità di informazione da parte dei mezzi di comunicazione di massa e percezione più o meno carica di emotività da parte dell'opinione pubblica, è necessario fornire una comprensione del fenomeno JSO dal punto di vista degli aspetti descrittivi di carattere clinico e delle motivazioni strettamente psicologiche che sottendono il comportamento abusante. I minori abusanti sono soggetti spesso segnati profondamente da vicende traumatiche, le cui risorse personali per negoziare particolari stati interni ed interazioni interpersonali sono inadeguate. L'agito sessuale può rappresentare il segnale della difficoltà dell'adolescente di far fronte ai cambiamenti specifici della fase adolescenziale, caratterizzata dalla ricerca di un'identità ancora rudimentale nella sua organizzazione e dove la violenza sessuale può rappresentare una dimostrazione di forza, una specie di "rito di iniziazione" che legittima il passaggio dall'adolescenza all'età adulta. La ricerca condotta ed in fase di elaborazione è stata orientata alla valutazione degli adolescenti autori di reati sessuali ed articolata in tre settori di indagine scientifica con la finalità di studiare il fenomeno dal punto di vista psicosociale e psicopatologico, della comprensione degli antecedenti storici e della particolare dinamica del reato, anche in relazione agli assetti culturali e antropologici in cui sono maturati e dell'analisi dei fattori di rischio maggiormente coinvolti nell'innesco dell'aggressione sessuale. La studio si è svolto in collaborazione con gli Uffici del Servizio Sociale della Giustizia Minorile del Ministero Giustizia. Studi in letteratura hanno evidenziato una eterogeneità nella presenza di psicopatologia, tratti di personalità e funzionamento sociale nei minori Sex Offenders. Scopo dello studio è stato trovare la relazione tra tratti di personalità, cure parentali e stile di coping in minori Sex Offenders. Il campione è formato da 93 minori divisi in tre sottogruppi: Sex Offenders (N=31), Autori di Altro Reato (N=31) e Controllo (N=31). L’assesment ha previsto la somministrazione di una Scheda Raccolta Dati ad hoc, ed i seguenti strumenti psicodiagnostici: MMPI-2 o MMPI-A, PBI e CISS, Scala per la frustrazione ed aggressività di Caprare e coll.

After attending this presentation, attendees will appreciate the importance and under-valuation of workplace violence in the health care setting. This presentation will impact the forensic science community by demonstrating that violence occurring in a health care workplace environment is a serious, but unevaluated, problem that needs to be adequately addressed. Recommendations on how to confront this problem are suggested. “Workplace violence” is defined by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as “violent acts (including physical assaults and threats of assaults) directed toward persons at work or on duty.” Over the past years, the scientific community and the media have given significant attention to this phenomenon. It is estimated that about one-quarter of such violence takes place in the health care sector. Several studies are available in the literature that primarily concern aggression toward nurses, particularly emergency room nurses. This appears to be the most at-risk health care category. However, the exact extent of this phenomenon is difficult to define, given the tendency to not report these incidents. Often they are considered to be “part of the job” and “inevitable.” Violence against health care workers is present all over the world, in developing countries as well as industrialized ones. In one study that examined several countries (Brazil, Bulgaria, Lebanon, Portugal, South Africa, Thailand, and Australia), it was revealed that more than 50% of workers experienced at least one episode of physical or psychological violence in the 12 months preceding the survey. Psychological violence is much more prevalent than physical violence, particularly “verbal abuse.” The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) reports that 15% of European health care workers experienced aggression over the course of 2010. In one American study involving 3,465 emergency room nurses, results showed that in the three years prior to the investigation, approximately 25% of the analyzed sample were victims of physical aggression more than 20 times, and almost 20% were the victims of 200 incidents of verbal abuse. In Italy, there are still very few studies concerning violence directed at health care workers. Only in the last few years has there been more attention paid to this issue: in one investigation performed every two years in a local Italian health unit between 2005 and 2011, 9% of the 1,411 study participants affirmed that they had been the victims of stalking. Moreover, estimates regarding the frequency of physical aggression over a one-year period vary between 3% and more than 7%. It is even more difficult to evaluate the frequency of non-physical aggression that, according to several studies, is reported to involve between 38% and 90% of hospital workers. For this reason, it is essential to monitor the issue of aggression, even through the use of incident-reporting forms. Not only violence perpetrated by patients but violence between workers must also be monitored using a standardized “reporting system” because such aggression represents a considerable source of work-related stress for hospital employees. Objectives: Examine the problem of aggression and harassment in the context of community health according to the professional category and workplace. The goal is to identify the subjects and the work environments that are most at risk and to formulate prevention and coping strategies to address the problem (e.g., best practice, mitigation action, and listening centers). Method: From one of the biggest hospitals in southern Italy, 107 workers (doctors, psychologists, nurses, auxiliary social workers, and social assistants) were recruited and 88 workers who have the same professional qualifications were recruited from local social-health care service centers. Instruments: After having obtained consent from

La “violenza sul posto di lavoro” è definita dal National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) come “atti violenti, incluse aggressioni fisiche e minacce di aggressione, dirette verso soggetti sul lavoro o in servizio” (NIOSH 2002). Negli ultimi anni, la comunità scientifica e i mezzi di informazione hanno posto l’attenzione su tale fenomeno. Si stima che circa un quarto delle suddette violenze riguardino il settore sanitario. Diversi studi soprattutto riguardo le aggressioni verso gli infermieri sono reperibili in letteratura, con particolare riferimento agli infermieri di Pronto Soccorso, che appaiono tra le categorie sanitarie più a rischio. Le esatte dimensioni del fenomeno però sono difficili da definire, data la tendenza a non riportare gli incidenti, spesso considerati come “parte del lavoro” e “inevitabili”. Il fenomeno delle violenze nei confronti degli operatori sanitari risulta ben presente in tutto il mondo, interessando sia i paesi in via di sviluppo che quelli industrializzati, e in uno studio che ha interessato trasversalmente diversi Stati (Brasile, Bulgaria, Libano, Portogallo, Sud Africa, Thailandia,Australia), è emerso che più del 50% dei lavoratori ha avuto esperienza di almeno un episodio di violenza fisica o psicologica nei 12 mesi precedenti il sondaggio La violenza psicologica, risulta ampiamente più diffusa della violenza fisica, in particolare nella forma di “verbal abuse” L’EU-OSHA afferma che il 15% dei lavoratori europei impiegati nel settore sanitario ha subito delle aggressioni nel corso del 2010. In un lavoro statunitense coinvolgente 3465 infermieri dei dipartimenti di emergenza è emerso che, nei 3 anni precedenti lo studio, circa il 25% del campione analizzato è stato vittima di aggressioni fisiche più di 20 volte, e quasi il 20% è stato vittima di abusi verbali più di 200 volte. In Italia gli studi riguardanti il fenomeno delle violenze nei confronti del personale sanitario sono ancora pochi, solo negli ultimi anni si sta focalizzando l’attenzione su questi temi: in una indagine effettuata in una unità sanitaria locale italiana tra il 2005 e il 2011 con cadenza biennale, su 1411 lavoratori aderenti all’indagine, il 9% afferma di aver subito una aggressione fisica nei 12 mesi precedenti, il 19% molestie di vario tipo, e il 3% circa dei lavoratori negli ultimi due bienni esaminati afferma di aver subito stalking. Inoltre le stime sulla frequenza delle aggressioni fisiche in un anno variano tra il 3% ed oltre il 70%, e ancora più difficile è valutare la frequenza delle aggressioni non fisiche, che nei diversi studi riguardano tra il 38% ed il 90% dei lavoratori. Per questo è fondamentale monitorare il fenomeno delle aggressioni, grazie anche a schede di incident reporting dedicate. A questo proposito, anche la violenza tra operatori, non solo quella perpetrata dai pazienti andrebbe regolarmente tracciata tramite un “reporting system” standardizzato, in quanto rappresenta una notevole fonte di stress sul lavoro per gli operatori degli ospedali. Obiettivo dello studio: Valutare il rischio da aggressioni e molestie nel contesto sociosanitario in base alle categorie professionali ed agli ambienti di lavoro. Lo studio ha lo scopo di individuare i soggetti e gli ambienti di lavoro più a rischio ed elaborare strategie di prevenzione e di fronteggiamento (buone prassi, azioni di mitigazione, centri di ascolto) del rischio. Materiali e metodi: Sono stati reclutati n. 107 operatori di uno dei più grandi ospedali del Sud di Italia, (medici, psicologi, infermieri, ausiliari socio-sanitari, assistenti sociali) e n. 88 operatori con le stesse qualifiche professionali che lavorano in servizi territoriali socio-sanitari. Dopo aver acquisito il consenso di tutti gli operatori, è stato loro somministrato un questionario semistrutturato al fine di raccogliere sia

“Autoerotic asphyxia” typically involves an individual hanging or ligature, resulting in self-induced oxygen deprivation brought about by neck compression during sexual activity. Little about the so-called “atypical forms” of autoerotic asphyxia, which also involve compression of the chest or abdomen, has been published in forensic literature. When death results from such practices, they are usually deemed accidental, however, suicide or homicide must also be considered. The authors present a single case of accidental fatal asphyxia by the simultaneous compression of the neck, chest, and abdomen using a chair-bed. The victim was known to have had masochistic tendencies. In order to confirm the hypothesis of accidental death, the results of crime scene investigations, and autopsy findings, including histological and toxicological analysis, are summarized here.

The goal of this presentation is to describe a case of sexual abuse realized by an institutionalized patient toward a young visitor. This presentation will impact the forensic community and/or humanity by focusing on elderly sexual offenders, in order to better understand the mechanisms and factors that lead to elder sexual offenses in both family and formal care settings. Background. More commonly, older people are the victims of sexual abuse but they can be also the perpetrators. The phenomenon is complex, consisting of institutional mistreatment toward all residents or individual neglect toward a single patient. The reasons older adults commit sexual offenses, in particular against children, are still an unsolved problem in order to understand the motivations and distinguish between senile or pedophile. Such offenses can occur in the family as well as within the hospital, nursing home facility, or a residential care home for elderly. This case report describes an episode of sexual offense by an elderly institutionalized patient toward a young visitor. Case Report. A 70-year old man in a residential care home was accused of sexual abusing a 6-year old girl who was with her mother to see the grandmother. In the late afternoon, the grandmother reported to staff members that the male resident had come to her room and, promised the child some candy, and had then taken her with him to his room. Once back in her grandmother's room, the girl disclosed that the man had lowered her underwear and touched her private parts. The elderly suffered of Parkinson's disease since several years, first treated with dopamine agonists, then, for the appearance of long-term treatment syndrome and gambling, with atypical neuroleptics. By interview the child was able to mimic the abuse perpetrated, by using a doll, and by psychodiagnostic tests performed she was found to be reliable in reporting the sexual abuse. On genital examination, no injuries were observed except for some hyperemia. The analysis of the micro-traces on her underwear gave negative results for the presence of seminal fluid but it was able to detect a DNA profile consistent with that of the old-man. The man was found guilty and sentenced to 5 years in prison. A civil action was also brought against the staff of the nursing home for inadequate supervision of the resident. Discussion. The elderly are often unrecognized victims of sexual abuse but also at risk of perpetrating abuse on vulnerable targets like children or frail elderly co-residents because of many factors associated with aging. Mental illness and cognitive disturbances (related to dementia, other neurological or iatrogenic factors), as well as a range of problems in addition to physiological or pathological sex behaviors (ie, pedophilia) are just some of the several age-related factors that can lead to such offending. Recently evidence has been found linking antiparkinson therapy and disorders in the impulsive-compulsive spectrum among which gambling and hypersexuality as well as dopamine dysregulation syndrome. A distinguishing characteristic of elderly sex offenders is that the illegal activity will usually take place in a private place, such as the home of either the offender or the victim, or in a hospital or residential care home. Because of the aging of our population, elderly sexual offenders are becoming an increasing concern to clinicians and criminal justice agencies. Conclusions. It is important to have a fuller understanding of the factors leading to elder mistreatment and sexual offenses in both family and formal care settings. Caregivers have responsibilities to ensure the safety of dependent elders and to protect them from elder abuse and also to ensure they do not pose a risk to those they are living with and any visitors they may have. Moreover it is necessary to better understand the motivations and psychological factors relating to elderly sex offenders, to prevent these offenses, and

‘‘Autoerotic asphyxia’’ typically involves an individual hanging or ligature, resulting in self-induced oxygen deprivation brought about by neck compression during sexual activity. Little about the so-called ‘‘atypical forms’’ of autoerotic asphyxia, which also involve compression of the chest or abdomen, has been published in forensic literature. When death results from such practices, they are usually deemed accidental, however, suicide or homicide must also be considered. The authors present a single case of accidental fatal asphyxia by the simultaneous compression of the neck, chest, and abdomen using a chair-bed. The victim was known to have had masochistic tendencies. In order to confirm the hypothesis of accidental death, the results of crime scene investigations, and autopsy findings, including histological and toxicological analysis, are summarized here.

The Authors herein propose some guidelines, for investigators, to be followed during the first intervention on a crime scene, not only from a strictly criminalist point of view, but also from a psychological and criminological point of view. Pointed out and analysed is the behaviour the investigative police officer must use, so as not to contaminate the methodological reading of the situation that has occurred. This is why so-called potential evidence can only be determined through valid research of the crime scene; this depends on the training, preparation and investigative know-how of the staff. Know-how must always be evaluated, since the human factor bears significant weight on the entire organisation of the investigation, particularly if one considers that crimes differ from each other and there are always issues that may deviate from the rules and cannot be resolved through prefixed patterns. Hence, only investigative know-how allows the case to be correctly confronted, since it offers investigators the certainty that the results shall be achieved, if time, effort and commitment are scrupulously applied to the research. One must not trust to improvisation and research may not be concluded, until all of the investigative possibilities have been examined.This article emphasises the importance of emotional control, since reactions that arise from viewing the origin of the violence may influence the investigators to the point of altering their judgement and resulting in confusion. Therefore it is necessary that all emotional influences be kept under control, if the research is to be objective and meaningful.

In light of the recent Autonomous Boroughs and Regions Conference and thirty years on from its passing as Law 833/78, we were brought once again to dwell on the themes of Compulsory Health Checks and Compulsory Health Treatment. In accordance to Law 833, decreed in 1978, CHT’s for patients with mental illnesses considered as being serious, acquired the ability to be able to treat patients under the rights for the protection of health for the individual. In view of the delicacy and complexities found in applying CHT and the margin for ‘interpretation’ regarding its procedures, throughout the years a very diverse and varied image comes forth of its application in accordance to standards, even within different branches in the same territory. And as a result of these differences new recommendations were laid out during the recent ABR conference. Here, in due respect to the recent and innovative discussions about necessary improvements to the procedures adopted in CHT and CHC, we will set forth our own thoughts on the subject highlighting especially the increased attention given to the protection of the fundamental rights of the individual, be they minors or persons with psychiatric disorders subject to protection. Despite these new guidelines, the everyday practical problems in providing the service remain largely ignored whether or not we are dealing with emergency services or, as is even more the case, where patient consent is unavailable even on a long term basis.

The Law 833 of 1978 on the subject of psychiatric emergency treatments in absence of consensus has contributed to grant mental patients equal guaranties and equal constitutional rights which, until that moment, they had been denied. This standpoint includes TSO in favor of mental patients. Ordered by the constitutional laws which guarantee a person’s inviolable rights, TSO finds itself positioned between individual freedom and the freedom of treatment on the one hand, and the right to safeguard health on the other hand. The procedure of TSO is noticeable in its various phases so as to provide for the various levels of safeguarding a person who is temporarily deprived of the capacity to express valid consensus. On the other side it also has a certain amount of flexibility in its application, which guarantees adaptability of the norm in various contexts and various incidental situations. Nevertheless, the complexity of the law on TSO, as well as the interpretation margins of the procedure have contributed to the creation of an application frame which is not free of criticism. In this context, the recommendations of the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces have particular importance. These recommendations deserve careful analysis, both for the presence of elements of novelty (in the very particular cases of TSO for children under 18 and TSO for decisionally impaired subjects) and for the reminder of the full application of “non-hospitalized TSO”. The latter was provided for in Law 833/78 but has never been adequately and completely adopted because it has never been explained in its concrete applicability. Therefore, bearing in mind the already known responsibility of a psychiatrist in an emergency case, and with renewed interest in new medical performance a psychiatrist of public service has to guarantee, we are preparing to give our contribution on the subject of professional obligations at a historical moment in which known trials seem to assign the responsibility for the “dangerousness” of a mental patient to the psychiatrist.

Background The case presented here took place in the deep south of Italy where, even today in some areas, people continue to hold on to beliefs in magic and superstition. Such ways of thinking have deep roots and hold important cultural significance in this part of the country. What makes this case so unusual and interesting however, is the way in which the perpetrator went about sexually abusing his daughter: • Seeking the help of sorcerers. • Sadistic practices such as injecting sperm into the victim, as well as providing her with food and drink laced with sperm. • Psychological violence. • Isolation of the victim. Method We examined the features of the violence perpetrated. An unusual web of ritualistic, mythical, subcultural, and “magical” elements were involved that went far beyond those normally associated with cases of sexual abuse. Another atypical characteristic of this case was the duration of the sexual relations between the father and daughter: 4 years. Results In cases of incest, the adult transforms a child’s dreams of seducing the parent into a nightmare in which the child is actually able to realize his or her goal. The parent should remain impassive in such situations. Whereas the child may only fantasize about sexual or incestuous behavior, adults must understand the difference between infantile phantasms by deciphering the meaning of these fantasies and not permitting them to be acted upon. Conclusions Unlike a “classic” rape, where the victim feels a sense of separateness from the rapist, the victim of sexual abuse within the family environment finds him or herself in a highly complicated relationship with the perpetrator. Even when these victims have feelings of hate toward the relative, they are unable to experience conflicting tensions and ambiguous emotions: This is particularly damaging to a child as we can see from this case.

The case presented here took place in the deep south of Italy where, even today in some areas, people continue to hold on to beliefs in magic and superstition. Such ways of thinking have deep roots and hold important cultural significance in this part of the country. What makes this case so unusual and interesting however, is the way in which the perpetrator went about sexually abusing his daughter: • Seeking the help of sorcerers. • Sadistic practices such as injecting sperm into the victim, as well as providing her with food and drink laced with sperm. • Psychological violence. • Isolation of the victim.

Introduction: Either a father or mother may commit Filicide. According to the data in the literature, mothers most often carry out neonaticides and infanticides. Fathers, on the other hand more often kill their children when they are older. In one study of 3,459 cases of filicide, based on data obtained from the FBI, 95% of mothers who committed these crimes did so during the first week of the newborn’s life, whereas fathers who kill their children do so when they are between the ages of 13 and 14 years old, and even more so when they are between the ages of 16 and 18 years old (Kunz e Bahr, 1996). Filicide is a crime that may be perpetrated by either parent, or both for that matter, on their child who is between the ages of 0 and 18 years. Although it is not often described in the literature, there are data that show that even “fathers” kill their children: “The male version of the Medea Complex”: where the fathers take the lives of their own children as a retaliatory measure against the mother. Frequently, the father does by use a sharp weapon, a firearm, or by strangulation with his bare hands. Some of the elements that might fuel such behavior may include a sense of revenge or omnipotence; a highly attached and/or ill-defined relationship with his child; the inability to respect him or her as a person; or simply thinking about him or her as a “weapon” against his partner. At times, such acts are followed by suicide, indicating the following: the importance placed on the ties to the victim; their symbiotic relationship; the inability to see the child as an individual, but rather as an extension of his own persona, projecting his own experiences and emotions. In the eyes of the perpetrator, murdering one’s own child can represent an act of love toward one’s offspring in an attempt to eliminate all current and future suffering caused by difficulties between the parents. Method: This case concerns a child who died at the hands of his 26 year-old father who, in turn, unsuccessfully attempted suicide. The autopsy ascribed the child’s death to asphyxiation and hemorrhage. The child had been hanged from a door by a cord that was tied around his neck. Cuts to the musculature of the left side of the neck and left jugular vein, from top to bottom, were identified. Because cardiovascular activity was still present in the child, his father placed him on a bed and cut the victim’s left wrist from left to right. Following this, in an attempt to end his own life, the perpetrator proceeded to cut his own wrists, tried to set himself on fire, and swallowed caustic substances. Court ordered forensic psychiatric evaluations were subsequently requested. No significant evidence emerged which indicated the presence of psychopathology or mental illness at the time of the crime. Blood and urine analysis showed no traces of narcotics or prescription drugs such as barbiturates or benzodiazepine. The perpetrator was found to be completely culpable. Investigations revealed that the crime might have been an act of revenge against his partner, a 21 year-old woman, as a way to punish her for the problems regarding their relationship. Their son was the product of an unexpected pregnancy that occurred after the couple had been together for only one month. As a result, the young couple did not have the chance to get to know each other very well before setting off on a life together. Due to his immaturity, he was unable to accept his partner and his son. In addition, there were strong feelings of jealousy. All of these factors led the couple into a state of crisis. Conclusions: This story concerns a relationship rife with distortions, misunderstandings, and resentment; a dominant woman with a highly individualistic nature, along with the perpetrator’s sexual dysfunction (premature ejaculation and sporadic erectile dysfunction), which was often pointed out by the woman to friends, relatives, and to

I percorsi riabilitativi in carcere includono un numero crescente di attività orientate ad una carcerazione più attiva e partecipata da parte dei detenuti, ai fini di una maggiore efficacia dei trattamenti proposti ma anche di una migliore applicazione della legge sulla rieducazione. Nel corso degli anni in Italia sono stati progressivamente attivati laboratori e progetti presso Istituti Penitenziari maschili, femminili e minorili e le tecniche di mediazione artistica sono ampiamente utilizzate nella realizzazione di queste attività. La scelta di questi approcci è attribuita principalmente alla maggiore facilità con cui è possibile esprimere emozioni e vissuti attraverso un prodotto artistico piuttosto che attraverso il canale comunicativo verbale. Il termine mediazione artistica, per molti aspetti assimilabile all’arte terapia, racchiude due concetti fondamentali: la “mediazione”, che sottende l’operazione del mediare ossia frapporre qualcosa tra due parti, in questo caso tra dimensione psichica interna e ambiente relazionale esterno; “artistico” implica invece un’espressione creativa che usa gli strumenti dell’arte ma senza necessariamente produrre “opere d’arte”. Infatti, nel lavoro con mediatori artistici o di arteterapia l’obiettivo principale non è il prodotto finale ma il processo psicologico e affettivo che porta alla realizzazione dello stesso. In questo percorso autobiografico e narrativo, le persone coinvolte utilizzano le loro risorse creative personali per esprimere parti di sé e della propria storia di vita per poi essere aiutate a riflettere e confrontarsi con ciò che emerge. È importante considerare che molto spesso, durante il periodo detentivo, si osserva un progressivo appiattimento dei processi creativi e immaginativi delle persone, molto concentrate sul momento dell’auspicabile scarcerazione ma meno orientate a costruire un proprio progetto di vita e a riflettere in modo costruttivo su di sé. In questo sfondo gli strumenti artistici offrono al detenuto la possibilità di ripercorrere ed elaborare le proprie esperienze, prima e durante la carcerazione, ai fini di attivare una possibile rivisitazione di alcuni aspetti personali. Tra i vari mediatori artistici l’utilizzo del video è ormai riconosciuto in diverse aree della riabilitazione e della rieducazione come parte integrante delle terapie espressive e delle artiterapie. L’integrazione con le tecniche teatrali ne aumenta ulteriormente i campi di applicazione grazie al lavoro che il detenuto svolge per comprendere e far vivere un personaggio, attraverso il confronto personale e con il gruppo di lavoro. Le metodologie applicative del video, come ad esempio la video confrontazione o il video partecipativo, sono orientate a facilitare la consapevolezza personale a vari livelli. Attraverso tali interventi si cercano di raggiungere obiettivi quali: riduzione del rischio di emarginazione, offrire uno spazio di rielaborazione personale ed interpersonale, promuovere comportamenti relazionali positivi attraverso il lavoro in gruppo, favorire il contatto emotivo, sostenere le parti sane della personalità, offrire stimoli per contrastare la deprivazione culturale. Nella presentazione verranno esposti casistica e progetti di riabilitazione che usano la mediazione artistica e l’uso dei video realizzati negli Istituti Penitenziari della Regione Puglia.

The Human Figure Drawing Test (HFDT) is widely used in clinical and forensic settings. The inappropriate use of this instrument is widespread. This article highlights the expressive and communicative value of children’s drawings in child abuse investigations. The drawings of 3 groups of children (11 certified as abused; 11 suspected of being abused, and 11 certified as non-abused) were examined in order to determine the appropriateness of their use in suspected cases of child abuse. The results of our study appear to be divergent. As of the writing of this article, there is no methodologically correct way in which to utilize this instrument that would reveal specific “graphic indicators of abuse” using the drawings of abused, or presumably abused children.

CHILD ABUSE VICTIMS: THE UTILITY AND LIMITATIONS OF THE HUMAN FIGURE DRAWING TEST IN LEGAL MEDICAL CIRCLES Ignazio Grattagliano The Human Figure Drawing Test is a widely used instrument in both clinical and forensic settings. However, when used in the evaluation of minors in civil and penal cases, its methodological “weak points” are exposed. The inappropriate use of this instrument, with regard to its potential explicative capacity, is not a rare occurrence. In fact, when following proper legal medical and forensic psychiatric methodology, one needs to be aware that it is incorrect to make a diagnosis of abuse based solely on the results of administered psychodiagnostic instruments, particularly when employing graphic evaluations, such as The Human Figure Drawing Test, which do not in themselves permit the identification of abuse. This 220 221 Poster abstracts Poster abstracts article highlights the expressive and communicative value that the drawings may possess in child abuse investigations, whether they are of a sexual, physical, or psychological nature, or if they involve neglect. It is well to remember that, especially in the field of legal medicine; one always needs to keep in mind that no automatism exists between the coupling of a single response on the test, and its psychological significance. Test responses in no way constitute any significant juridically usable evidence. Furthermore, the various hypotheses formulated in the psychodynamic and psychometric sections of the test assume their own reliable dynamic-structural and clinical-nosographic classification only when properly integrated from an individual clinical context: A test may only furnish hypotheses. It neither provides certainty nor any detailed diagnoses, especially when related to complex and multi-faceted events such as episodes of presumed abuse.

Fatal starvation is a rare cause of death in industrialised countries. In such cases, investigation of death is never an easy task for forensic pathologists who need to couple autopsy findings with full investigation of the crime scene and family record to establish if death results from deliberate neglect, maltreatment and withholding of food. The present article describes two cases of death caused by child neglect. The first case involved a 16-month-old female who died from starvation with dehydration as a contributing factor. In the second case a 7-year-old girl died from ultimate aspiration of stomach contents that had been vomited during the child's last meal because of the fecal concretions blocking the intestinal passage. In both cases macroscopic and histological findings revealed severe chronic malnutrition; crime scene investigations confirmed stories of child maltreatment and neglect. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Aim. To investigate the influence of various factors on the ability of primary school children (aged 6-9 years) to refer an event that occurred during their life. Materials and Methods. The factors analyzed were: the time since the event occurred; the role the child had in the event; the type of questions asked to elicit the account. Results. The results of this research indicate that 52.4% of 6-yearold children are able to describe the main elements of the event if they are allowed to give a free account. Asking direct questions does not improve the quality of the narrative. By contrast, in 9-year-old children the quantity of data collected is improved if direct questions are asked. A role as a participant in the event improves the quality of the child’s evidence but only in the group of children aged 9, whereas in younger children the difference is not significant. At the age of 9, the child’s resistance to leading questions is already quite good (40.7%), whereas children of 6 are much more suggestible. Conclusions. The Authors conclude this work by making some reflections on the possible use of these findings in Law Courts, and on the need for a highly specific training of experts involved in the task of collecting evidence from young children.

The use of internet is modifying our way of acting, and also our way of thinking, involving a change in one’s image, the image of the others and our relationships. However, internet is a new instrument of communication but also a tool to commit crimes. As a matter of fact crimes committed on the internet may be considered as one of the main typical psychological paradox of the relation between the mind and the advanced information technologies: the possibility that the experience of a complete control of one’s life promoted by the use of the internet (for it is characterized by accessibility, cheapness, the possibility of alter one’s identity, wholeness, interactivity and standardisation), can evolve in a progressive and complete loss of control on the virtual experience, leading to commit a real crime. The potentialities of these new mode of communication are well known, as well as the even greater number of risks for young subjects who have a not jet structured, and still in growing, personality. Cyberbulling is an example of these concrete risks. The term indicates bulling facts and troubles made through e-mails, chats, blogs, mobiles and web sites. involves minors whose identity are forming. Current study analyses distinctive characteristics of cyberbulling, compared it with traditional bullying, and highlighting similarities and differences between these.

The goal of this presentation is to describe the correlation between Early Childhood Caries (ECC) and the phenomenon of child neglect. This presentation will impact the forensic science community by underlining the importance in order to sensitize oral health physicians to this problem and prevent child maltreatment. Introduction: Dental caries is an infectious, contagious, and multifactorial disease that was recently identified as the single most common chronic childhood disease. Increasingly dental caries in infants or ECC, if persistently left untreated, is recognized as part of the phenomenon of child neglect, in particular dental neglect, since dental caries, periodontal diseases, and other oral conditions, if left untreated, can lead to pain, infection, and loss of function, thus reducing an infants’ quality of life. Moreover, the effects of EEC can be long term, increasing risk for dental problems later in life, and interfering with basic social functioning, as well as optimal growth and development. This kind of child maltreatment, resulting in failure to seek or obtain appropriate dental care, often results from many risk factors that usually interact, such as: parental ignorance or depression, intimate partner violence, lack of finances, family isolation, child’s disability, and lack of perceived value of oral health. Some researches reported a relationship between abuse and oral care among samples of children who underwent maltreatment and other studies highlighted that income seems to influence infants’ medical and dental care access and quality. The goal of this work is to describe the correlation between ECC and the phenomenon of child neglect, analyzing causes, consequences and manifestations, in order to inform and sensitize oral health physicians to the problem of dental neglect and prevent this kind of child maltreatment. Materials and Methods: A random sample of 63 parents/guardians afferent to three pediatric services in Bari was delivered a self-report questionnaire. Over half of the sample (37 subjects) were males and 26 were females. Their mean age was 4.9 years. The questionnaire recorded socioeconomic, demographic, and dental service-use data about their family and children. Information about general health, diet, and oral hygiene habits were also collected. Each questionnaire was completed by a clinical dental examination carried out on each child of the family. For the description of the dental conditions we followed Wyne nomenclature for ECC. Results: The analysis of data collected showed: of examined children, 63% had EEC; 48% were coded type I, 13% type II, and 2% type III. Among infants fed with baby bottles (36.5%), 78% were affected by type I EEC and 22% by type II ECC, while children not fed with baby-bottles had lower percentage of ECC (30% type I and 7.5% type II), as 60% of infants were ECC free. Concerning plaque debris, this sample revealed that 51% had poor debris and 49% medium or large debris. With reference to plaque, it is important to assess possible coexistences of plaque debris and EEC. Infants’ oral hygiene habits were analyzed, which showed results that among subjects who never used toothbrush 2 showed type I and type II EEC. Of children who reported to brush their teeth once a day, 68% were affected by type I and type II ECC, becoming 46% among infants who reported to brush their teeth twice a day, while 70% of subjects that stated to brush their teeth three times a day were suffering from type I EEC. The last factor analyzed was socioeconomic status, considering first father/mother employment/unemployment and secondly the category of job (mean income), and EEC type. Among the analyzed sample, 50% of infants unaffected by EEC belonged to low income families, while the remaining 50% could be divided into: 37.5% of children belonging to medium income families and 12.5%

Background. Elderly abuse is still an hidden problem, often underestimated. It is much more common than the data available suggest. Unfortunately it is expected to grow with the progressive increase of elderly population in the future. Aim. To examine the available literature in the last five years to define the state of art on this phenomenon, with particular regard to the nursing role in the elderly abuse, focusing on the possible types of mistreatment, the motivations and preventive interventions. Method. Articles published in the last 5 years regarding the mistreatment of the elderly were selected, by using scientifically recognized databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Knowledge. Several keywords were used for the query among which "elderly abuse" and "elderly abuse in nursing home". Moreover, to better understand the entity of the phenomenon, we also searched the corresponding keywords for child abuse. Results. Considering the Scopus database, only 78 out of 1342 published articles in the last 5 years are dealing with the abuse of elderly in relation to the nursing, representing a very small part (5.81%) of the considered sample. Comparing the number of articles, the ratio child/elderly was equal to 1/0.04, underlying the poor interest of the research on this phenomenon. Moreover, it was observed that the elderly abuse in nursing home is still underreported in both original articles and reviews. Conclusions. Despite the aging of population, the elderly abuse and neglect still remains a hidden problem, overlooked and underestimated also in literature.

The phenomenon of elderly sexual offenders is poorly catalogued, and especially complex. In institutions elderly people are often unrecognized victims of sexual abuse but also at great risk for doing abuse towards vulnerable victims like children. The lack of attention to an elder’s basic needs can endanger or impair not only their health or safety but also of other people living close together. In this letter for the first time we describe an episode of sexual abuse realized by an institutionalized patient toward a young visitor. This specific risk factor in Residential Care Home for Elderly may lead to a variety of negative behavioral outcomes, including the perpetration of child sexual offending. As elderly population will increase tremendously in the next years, it is necessary to better understand the motivations and psychological factors relating to elderly sex offenders, to prevent these offenses and to define standards for surveillance of resident potentially perpetrator.

After attending this presentation, attendees will more fully appreciate the importance of knowing how to recognize the various signs of elder abuse and the need to take the necessary steps both in prevention and in response. This presentation will impact the forensic science community by demonstrating that elder abuse comes in many forms, some obvious and others not so obvious. New ways to address this phenomenon must be formulated and put into practice. Background: Elder abuse is a widespread but underestimated problem. The full extent of this difficult situation is not known due to a lack of reports and/or complaints, as well as the difficulty in identifying the early warning signs of abuse. Many forms of elder abuse exist and are psychological, economic, sexual, physical, social, and institutional in nature; however, abuse also includes neglect and abandonment. It is clear that maltreatment may arise not only through active behavior, but also through omissive behavior such as silence, underestimation, and failure to report. Knowing how to identify the characteristic signs of elder abuse is the duty of every healthcare worker and is crucial in the adoption of suitable defense measures to protect the victim as well as in dealing with the offender.1,2 Objective: To establish the level of awareness of this issue by healthcare workers and to understand if they are able to promptly identify the early signs of abuse and take the necessary actions to report them. Materials and Methods: From April 1 - 30, 2015, all employees (i.e., physicians, specializing physicians in training, nurses, office support staff, social-healthcare workers, and orderlies) from the Internal Medicine Operating Unit and the Geriatrics Department at Cardelli Hospital in Campobasso (Molise) and from the Policlinico of the University of Bari “Aldo Moro” (Puglia) answered a questionnaire that was formulated by utilizing the provisions of other duly used and validated questionnaires from other international situations that are used to explore: (1) employees’ awareness of the phenomenon; (2) employees’ ability to recognize possible signs of abuse; (3) the prevalence of the phenomenon; and, (4) employees’ awareness regarding the proper actions to take when they encounter a case of abuse. Results: Data collection resulted in a total of 98 questionnaires administered to 142 respondents (69.0%). The majority of questionnaires were completed by females (75.5%) between the ages of 41 and 50 years of age (26.7%) and by qualified nurses (46.9%). Table 1 describes the preliminary data obtained and is broken down by unit and title of those who filled out the questionnaire. Table 2 shows distribution by sex and the age range of compilers according to the operating unit to which they belong. Table 1 BARI (Puglia) CAMPOBASSO (Molise) Internal Medicine Geriatrics Internal Medicine Geriatrics Title Enrolled Collected Enrolled Collected Enrolled Collected Enrolled Collected Physician 7 4 7 1 9 4 4 3 Physician in training 15 11 15 14 0 0 0 0 Nurses 12 11 12 10 20 16 15 9 OSS 4 3 4 1 3 1 3 1 Orderlies 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 1 Aides 2 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 Total 42 32 42 30 34 22 24 14 Table 2 BARI (Puglia) CAMPOBASSO (Molise) Total Internal Medicine Geriatrics Internal Medicine Geriatrics Sex (M/F) 10/22 6/24 5/17 3/11 98 Age 21-30 10 10 4 0 24 31-40 8 5 6 2 21 41-50 7 8 4 8 27 >50 7 4 8 4 23 No response 0 3 0 0 3 877 *Presenting Author Conclusions: These preliminary data show that interest in elder abuse, even when present, is neither a priority for all healthcare workers nor is it perceived as a problem by them. This is probably due to a lack of knowledge about the phenomenon, indicators of abuse, and the procedures to follow when one becomes aware of such an issue. As a result, a great need has been identified for ongoing and updated training regarding more precise indicators of abuse and the p

La metacognizione è generalmente definita come la capacità di monitorare e riflettere attivamente sulle proprie performance e abilità (Flavell, 1979; Dunlosky e Metcalfe, 2009). Semerari e colleghi (2005, 2007) sostengono che la metacognizione è costituita da un set eterogeneo di sottofunzioni, relativamente indipendenti l'una dall'altra, che distinguono in monitoraggio, differenziazione, integrazione e decentramento. Evidenze empiriche mostrano che alcuni disturbi di personalità sono caratterizzati da deficit in specifiche sottofunzioni metacognitive (Dimaggio e Semerari, 2003; Dimaggio e coll., 2007; Semerari e coll., 2003). Lo scopo del presente lavoro è verificare la presenza di specifici deficit metacognitivi e analizzare l’esibizione di emozioni morali nel Disturbo Antisociale di Personalità e nella Psicopatia. Entrambi questi disturbi sono caratterizzati dal fallimento nel conformarsi alle norme sociali e dall’incapacità di creare e gestire legami affettivi autentici. Ulteriormente, la Psicopatia è caratterizzata da un deficit affettivo/interpersonale che include una superficialità affettiva, senso grandioso del sé, menzogna patologica, assenza di senso di colpa, rimorso e empatia, insensibilità e incapacità ad accettare la responsabilità delle proprie azioni (Hare, 1991). Il campione è costituito da un gruppo d’individui con diagnosi di Disturbo Antisociale appaiato per età, genere e livello di istruzione a individui che non soddisfano i criteri per questa diagnosi. Gli strumenti utilizzati sono Psychopathy Checklist – Revised (Hare, 1991), IVaM (Semerari e coll., in revisione), SCID II (First e coll., 1997) e FACS (,,,). Verranno discusse le possibili implicazioni dei risultati in termini di protocollo d’intervento terapeutico.

Objectives In forensic-psychiatric evaluations on a minor presumed victim of sexual abuse, one may come across “false positives” and “false negatives”. The aim of this study was to examine the phenomenon of false sexual abuse as revenge by one ex-partner against the other, and to offer recommendations about how to avoid this risk. Materials and Methods. The authors examined 75 technical consultations and expert testimonials in which intrafamilial sexual abuse of a minor was reported. Results. Twenty two (30%) were found to be baseless and result of conflict, revenge of one partner upon the other. Of these 22, 5 involved men who accused their ex-wives and/or live-in partners. The remaining 17 cases involved charges by women against their ex- husbands, and/or live-in partners. Conclusions. Charges of abuse represent not only an instrument of protection of one’s own children, but also a weapon of revenge against an ex-partner, putting these minors into the role of victims.

When carrying out forensic-psychiatric evaluations on a minor who is the presumed victim of sexual abuse, one may come across both “false positives” and “false negatives”. These may be the result of honest mistakes, or are intentionally false, and the result of manipulation and exploitation. False accusations may come about under certain conditions such as in particularly bitter cases of separation and divorce where one of the parents files charges against the other, and is well aware of the untruthfulness of them. In other cases, the adult reports sexual abuse that did not in fact take place, but believes in good faith that it has. Such a parent’s motives are protective in nature. Investigations carried out using inappropriate techniques may result in erroneous conclusions, thus confirming abuse that had, in fact, never taken place. The aim of this study is to examine the phenomenon of false accusations of sexual abuse as a form of revenge by one ex-partner against another, and to offer recommendations as to how to avoid falling into these traps. The authors examined Seventy-five technical consultations and expert testimonials, requested by judicial authorities, and carried out between 2003 and 2009 at the Department of Criminology of the University of Bari (Italy). These cases regarded marital unrest where intrafamilial sexual abuse of a minor was reported. Twenty-two (30%) of these reports were found to be baseless and merely a result of conflict, as well as a strategic maneuver employed by one of the partners as an act of revenge upon the other. Of these 22 baseless charges, five involved men who accused their ex-wives and/or live-in partners. The remaining 17 cases involved charges by women against their ex- husbands, and/or live-in partners. This echoes what is reported in the literature. Mothers (alienating parents) often level “Virtual accusations of abuse” against fathers (alienated parents). When, on the other hand, it is the father who is the instigator or the alienating parent, the accusations are usually aimed at the new partner of the ex-wife or ex-girlfriend. Nowadays, technical consultants who work with separated and conflicted families are increasingly involved in court cases that follow a characteristic pattern: one parent is accused of sexual abuse or serious maltreatment. This causes harm to the youngster and the accused parent is subsequently turned out, losing all contact with the child. It is important to bear in mind how Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) is a form of violence perpetrated on minors. A parent who alienates the other commits a form of abuse that Gardner defines as “emotional”, and may result in the permanent alienation of one loving parent, as well as psychiatric disorders. The estranged parent who forces his or her child into a situation of continual denigration and denial of the other parent can irreversibly damage fundamental psychological bonds. When parents become estranged, a serious deficit in parental care is always a risk and should seriously be considered by the courts when they make decisions regarding child custody. Charges of abuse represent not only an instrument of protection of one’s own children, but also a weapon of revenge against an ex-partner, paradoxically putting these minors into the role of victims.

After attending this presentation, attendees will better understand and appreciate the importance of the impact of incarceration on the father-child relationship and the need to create programs to address this dilemma. This presentation will impact the forensic science community by increasing awareness of the importance of both the incarcerated father and his child/children when creating a rehabilitation plan. When a father is incarcerated, his role as parent becomes “at risk” as being in detention undermines some of the fundamental aspects associated with being a parent. Going to prison alters the reciprocal nature of parent-child interactions. A father in prison cannot fully carry out his role as parent because, under such conditions, he is not able to impart a sense of attachment, trust, and security that is fundamental to the child’s development. In addition, stereotypes and prejudices may contribute to painting a picture of the incarcerated father as one who is unable to be a good parent. This could result in a life of failure and feelings of inadequacy with regard to being a father and parent. Furthermore, the absence of adequate role models, the very difficult initial adjustment period to prison life, the lack of cognitive, communicative, and relational abilities, together with the restrictive context of the prison, all make it difficult to develop and maintain adequate father-child ties that are so vital to a child’s development. Simply put, prison conditions alter both the parent-child relationship and how the subject perceives himself as a father and parent.1-3 Thus, there can be no doubt as to the importance of corrective interventions that address such negative dynamics and to the importance of support initiatives for prisoners and their families where specified locations and times for meetings between father and child can take place. These environments must be appropriate for developing and maintaining relational continuity, as well as for establishing and promoting a sense of parental responsibility in the incarcerated parent.4-6 The objectives of the study are to: (1) establish the father’s perception of his role as a parent, (2) establish the attachment styles of incarcerated fathers; and, (3) explore the relationship between the self-perceived parental role and the attachment patterns of the study subjects. Method: The directors of penitentiary administrations from two Italian regions were involved in this study. One hundred fifty male inmates were enrolled, each of whom was asked to give informed consent. Every participant was administered an articulated medical history questionnaire, in addition to two parental competence evaluation instruments. Instruments: Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) and Self-Perception of Parental Role Questionnaire (SPPR).7 Final Considerations: The capacity of minors to establish multiple, deep attachments with people, even those who are not part of the immediate family circle, is well known. This is especially true when such figures demonstrate availability and readiness to respond to a child’s signals. As a result, a child’s social network takes on great importance as the child develops, particularly for children whose parents are in prison. This is linked to the correlation between successful prison re-education strategies and the ability to maintain a good relationship between the detained, his children, and his family. Reference(s): 1. Dallaire J.D. Incarcerated Mother and Father: a Comparison of Risks for Children and Families. Family Relation Blackwell Publishing, .440-453, 2007. United States. 2. Parke R.D., Clarke-Stewart K.A. Effects of Parental Incarceration on Young Children. From Prison to Home. The effects of Incarceration and Reentry on Children, Families and Communities. The Urban Institute. 2002. California. 3. Murray J., Farringhton D. Parental imprisonment. Long-lasting effect

Historically, there has been an assumption that women do not commonly perpetrate acts of sexual abuse against children (Wakefiled & Underwager, 1991). Recent interest in women offenders has brought attention to the issue, and challenges the perceptions regarding women who abuse children. The growing interest in the topic of female-perpetrated incidents of sexual victimization has produced some empirical research on the subject. A brief search of the current literature also yields a few published case studies, consisting primarily of reports on personality characteristics and developmental information from female perpetrators. Although this “provides a necessary starting point in understanding female sexual abuse perpetrators” (Wakefield & Underwager, 1991, p. 56), the findings from these data should be seen as preliminary, and may not describe the full range of women involved in the perpetration of sexual abuse (Grayston & De Luca, 1999). Women who sexually abuse minors are rare and case histories are scarce; even less is known about sexually abusive mothers. Current data suggests that females are responsible for only a small percentage of sexual offenses against children in the general population, and men remain the most common perpetrators of child sexual abuse. Unlike male offenders, however, females can often disguise sexual offending by performing normal daily activities associated with childcare (i.e. affection, bathing, and dressing). Their behavior may appear to be nothing more than excessively protective mothering. Moreover, mothers may also commit more overt and highly eroticized, seductive behaviors, even going so far as to bestow the role of "lover" upon the child. Due to the low number of cases in which women sexually abuse minors, more in-depth studies on this subject are needed. The clinical files of five women who are currently serving time in Italian prisons for the sexual abuse of minors are presented here. The cases involved varying degrees of participation in the abuse by the mothers, and ranged from active sexual engagement to allowing others to abuse their children. Records of the abuse cases and other records were utilized. In three cases women revealed an antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), while in two cases a borderline personality disorder (BPD) was diagnosed according with DSM-IV criteria. While existing studies of female child sex offenders provided a range of insight and knowledge regarding women who sexually abuse, the current literature does not adequately represent the full spectrum of female-perpetrated child victimization (Grayston & De Luca, 1999). Considerably more well documented empirical research is required to guide law enforcement and clinical professionals in their understanding of female sex offenders. In recent years, several preliminary typologies of female sex offenders have begun to emerge in an effort to more clearly specify characteristics, dynamics, and offense patterns of female sexual perpetrators. However, the current review has shown that most female sex offenders fall into several suggested typology models. Therefore, the existing typologies used to describe these women may need to be insufficient. It is recommended that more comprehensive exploration of this offender population continue in order to more appropriately understand and classify female child sex offenders.

permettono all’individuo di identificare gli stati mentali, ragionare sugli stessi, e ascriverli a se e agli altri. Questo insieme di abilità sono indipendenti l’una dall’altra e si distinguono in: monitoraggio, differenziazione, integrazione e decentramento. Evidenze empiriche (Abu-Akel e Shamay-Tsoory, 2011; Choi-Kain e Gunderson, 2008; Semerari e coll., 2007) confermano che possono essere distinte diverse componenti semi-indipendenti della metacognizione: abilità di pensare e attribuire stati Cognitivi versus Affettivi, e abilità riferite a Sé versus ad Altri. Inoltre, è emerso che alcuni disturbi di personalità sono caratterizzati da deficit in specifiche sottofunzioni metacognitive (Dimaggio e Semerari, 2003). Difficoltà nell’attribuire e ragionare sugli stati mentali possono interferire con l’abilità di intrattenere normali interazioni sociali (Bruneet al, 2007), di regolare le emozioni (Weiss e coll., 2006) e ad empatizzare con gli altri (Blair, 2005). Lo scopo del presente lavoro è verificare la presenza di specifici deficit metacognitivi nel Disturbo Antisociale di Personalità e nella Psicopatia, e di approfondire la relazione tra metacognizione e comportamento aggressivo. Questi disturbi sono caratterizzati dall’incapacità di creare e gestire legami affettivi autentici e dall’elevata propensione al comportamento criminale, specie quello premeditato e violento nel caso della Psicopatia (Hare e Neumann, 2008). Ulteriormente, la Psicopatia è caratterizzata da un deficit affettivo/interpersonale che include una superficialità affettiva, senso grandioso del sé, menzogna patologica, assenza di senso di colpa, rimorso e empatia, insensibilità e incapacità ad accettare la responsabilità delle proprie azioni (Hare, 1991). Gli studi che approfondiscono la metacognizione in soggetti affetti da questi disturbi sono scarsi, così come quelli che hanno approfondito la relazione tra specifici deficit di mentalizzazione e i comportamenti aggressivi nelle forme premeditate versus reattive (Abu-Akeland e Abushua’leh, 2004; Bo, Abu- Akel, Kongerslev, Helt Haahr e Bateman, 2014; Dolan e Fullam, 2004; Levinson e Fonagy, 2004; Majorek e colleghi, 2009; Taubner, White, Zimmermann, Fonagy e Nolte, 2013). Il campione è costituito da un gruppo d’individui che soddisfano i criteri per la diagnosi di Disturbo Antisociale appaiato per età, genere e livello di istruzione a individui che non soddisfano i criteri per questa diagnosi. Gli strumenti utilizzati sono Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (Hare, 1991) e Metacognition Assessment Interview (Semerari e coll., 2012), e Impulsive-Premeditated Aggression Scale (Stanford e coll., 2003). I dati sono in fase di raccolta. Verranno discusse le possibili implicazioni dei risultati in termini di protocollo d’intervento.

ABUSI E VIOLENZE SUGLI ANZIANI: COSA NE PENSANO GLI OPERATORI? PRIMI RISULTATI DI UNA INDAGINE Corbi G1, Grattagliano I2, Scarabaggio L1, Catanesi R2, Sabbà C3, Fiore G3, Ferrara N4, Campobasso CP1 1 Dip. di Medicina e Scienze della Salute “V. Tiberio” , Università degli Studi del Molise 2 Sezione di Psichiatria Forense (DIMIMP), Università degli studi di Bari Aldo Moro 3 Dip. Interdisciplinare di Medicina, Università degli studi di Bari Aldo Moro 4 Dip. di Scienze Mediche e Traslazionali, Università “Federico II” di Napoli Background. L’abuso degli anziani è un problema diffuso ma sottostimato. L'entità di tale problema non è del tutto nota sia per la mancanza di segnalazioni e/o denunce sia per la difficoltà di individuare precocemente gli indicatori di un buso. Esistono molte forme di abuso sugli anziani, tra cui quelle di natura psicologica, economica, sessuale, fisica, sociale, istituzionale, ma l’abuso include anche l’incuria e l’abbandono. È chiaro, quindi, che il maltrattamento può concretizzarsi non solo con una condotta attiva, ma anche con un atteggiamento omissivo attraverso il silenzio, la sottovalutazione o l’omessa segnalazione. Saper individuare i segni caratteristici di un maltrattamento dell’anziano rappresenta un dovere da parte di ogni operatore sanitario, cruciale per l’adozione di idonee misure di difesa a tutela della vittima e di contrasto all’autore del reato. Obiettivo. Verificare il grado di percezione del fenomeno da parte degli operatori sanitari, e se essi stessi siano in grado di identificare tempestivamente i segni precoci di abuso ed adottare le azioni necessarie per la segnalazione. Materiali e metodi: Dal 1 al 30 aprile 2015, a tutti gli operatori (Medici, Medici in formazione specialistica, Infermieri, OSS e Portantini) delle Unità Operative di Medicina Interna e di Geriatria dell’Ospedale Cardarelli di Campobasso (Molise) e del Policlinico dell’Università degli Studi di Bari “Aldo Moro” (Puglia) è stato sottoposto un questionario formulato sulla scorta di altri già debitamente utilizzati e validati in altre realtà internazionali, che va ad esplorare: 1. la conoscenza da parte degli operatori del fenomeno, 2. la loro capacità di riconoscere gli eventuali segni di abuso, 3. la prevalenza del fenomeno (nel senso se abbiano mai avuto esperienza di abuso sugli anziani) 4. la conoscenza degli stessi operatori riguardo le azioni da adottare nel momento in cui si trovino di fronte ad un abuso. Risultati: La raccolta dei dati ha permesso di ottenere un totale di 98 questionari compilati su 142 somministrati (69.0%). La maggioranza dei questionari è stata compilata da soggetti di sesso femminile (75.5%), di età compresa tra 41 e 50 anni (27.6%) e con qualifica di infermiere (46.9%). La Tabella 1 descrive i dati preliminari ottenuti e la divisione per Unità Operative e per qualifica dei compilatori. La tabella 2 mostra la distribuzione per sesso e classi di età dei compilatori in base alla sede ed all’Unità Operativa di appartenenza. Tab. 1. BARI (PUGLIA) CAMPOBASSO (MOLISE) Medicina Interna Geriatria Medicina Interna Geriatria Qualifica Arruolati Raccolti Arruolati Raccolti Arruolati Raccolti Arruolati Raccolti Medici 7 4 7 1 9 4 4 3 Med. in form. 15 11 15 14 0 0 0 0 Infermieri 12 11 12 10 20 16 15 9 OSS 4 3 4 1 3 1 3 1 Portantini 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 1 Ausiliari 2 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 Totale 42 32 42 30 34 22 24 14 Tab. 2 BARI (PUGLIA) CAMPOBASSO (MOLISE) Totale Medicina Interna Geriatria Medicina Interna Geriatria Sesso (M/F) 10/22 6/24 5/17 3/11 98 Età 21-30 10 10 4 0 24 31-40 8 5 6 2 21 41-50 7 8 4 8 27 >50 7 4 8 4 23 Non risposto 0 3 0 0 3 Conclusioni. Da questi dati preliminari si evince come l’interesse per l’abuso sugli anziani, sebbene presente, non rappresenti per tutti gli operatori sanitari una priori

È un dato ormai acquisito che la popolazione anziana sta aumentando nel nostro paese. Ciò comporta nuove problematiche medico-legali, criminologiche, psichiatriche e psicologiche per le discipline forensi, che si dovranno sempre più confrontare con le delicate questioni che questa fascia d’età solleva in ambito valutativo e peritale. Gli autori, nel loro lavoro, si soffermano in particolar modo sul ruolo ed il contributo, le potenzialità ed i limiti che la psicodiagnostica forense può fornire a tali delicate questioni valutative, che ormai non appartengono più al futuro, ma al presente di chi opera in questo ambito.

È illusorio pensare che ci possa essere uno strumento psicodiagnostico che possa valutare in modo completamente affidabile e valido l’interazione dei vari fattori implicati nella valutazione di una personalità, del comportamento di un soggetto e delle conseguenze di quel comportamento. Inoltre è necessario tener ben presenti le differenze di setting: clinico, e forense. Le informazioni ottenute con l’assessment di personalità sono largamente dipendenti dalla natura delle fonti di informazione, non derivanti dai test usati e che gli strumenti psicodiagnostici non posso fornire. Nei test autosomministrati il soggetto deve “leggere ed elaborare” il contenuto degli item in base alla consapevolezza di sé e contemporaneamente decidere se, è meglio rispondere onestamente oppure presentarsi in modo più “sano” o più “patologico”. C’è una differenza fondamentale fra testing e assessment. Il testing è un processo di semplice decodificazione di un punteggio mentre l’assessment di personalità è un processo cognitivo complesso che viene effettuato dallo psicologo o psichiatra clinico e forense, e non dal test. Se usati adeguatamente, i test di personalità autosomministrati, possono costituire al tempo stesso un limite ed una opportunità. I rischi ed i limiti sono rappresentati sia da fattori psicologici e non psicologici che influenzano le funzioni di personalità ma non sono adeguatamente integrate e rappresentate nello strumento e nell’assessment complessivo, sia da un uso “meccanico e servile” dei test, sganciati da quel complesso di informazioni anamnestiche, cliniche, ed in ambito psichiatrico e psicologico forense, criminologiche, criminodinamiche, criminogenetiche ed attintenti la storia e la narrazione dei soggetti e degli eventi per cui si procede ad accertamento peritale e psicodiagnostico forense. Le opportunità, al contrario, riguardano il dato che, se ben usati, con corretta, adeguata ed aggiornata metodologia integrati con altri strumenti psicodiagnostici e clinici e soprattutto in un complesso eterogeneo di fonti di informazione, possono fornire un contributo prezioso e dati importanti, a volte completamente differenti sugli stessi costrutti, degli strumenti usati, e che quindi necessitano di un’operazione e da uno sforzo di logica e di integrazione cognitivamente attiva da parte dello psicologo o dello psichiatra clinico e forens

OBIETTIVI: Il presente studio si propone di valutare la presenza dei fenomeni di bullismo e di cyber bullismo nei preadolescenti (10 – 13 anni), le modalità e la frequenza con cui questi episodi si verificano e la relazione con l’ambiente familiare e scolastico in cui i preadolescenti vivono. La scelta del target più giovane, rispetto alle analisi finora condotte, risiede soprattutto nella mancanza di evidenze in merito ai fenomeni di cyber bullismo in questa fascia d’età. Lo studio si propone, inoltre, di descrivere la diffusione e l’uso, tra i preadolescenti, delle tecnologie e degli strumenti informatici di ultima generazione e valutarne la correlazione con l’aumento degli episodi di cyberbullismo. METODI E AZIONI: È stato effettuata una ricerca nel territorio di Ruffano (Le) presso l’Istituto Comprensivo Statale di Ruffano presso cui è stata svolta un’indagine conoscitiva attraverso l’utilizzo di un questionario modificato, costruito ad hoc utilizzando parte degli items contenuti nel “Questionario sulle prepotenze tra i ragazzi a scuola” [versione originale a cura di Dan Olweus (1991) e di I. Whitney& P.K. Smith (1993)], tradotto e adattato da A. Fonzi, M.L. Genta e E. Menesini (1993) del Dipartimento di Psicologia Generale dei Processi di Sviluppo e Socializzazione dell’Università degli Studi di Firenze e un questionario sviluppato dalla sezione di Psichiatria della Facoltà di Medicina dell’Università di Foggia come strumento per valutare il fenomeno del cyberbullismo. RISULTATI : Il campione oggetto di indagine era costituito da 200 bambini e ragazzi appartenenti a quattro classi di quinta elementare e cinque classi di prima media. Hanno aderito allo studio 85 bambini e ragazzi, di cui il 54,1% (n=46) erano di erano di sesso femminile. Il tasso di adesione allo studio risulta pari al 42,5%. È stato possibile osservare un altissimo tasso di diffusione degli strumenti elettronici tra i preadolescenti attraverso cui, la metà degli intervistati ha dichiarato di aver subito atti assimilabili ad episodi di cyberbullismo. CONCLUSIONI: Un dato preoccupate è rappresentato dal fatto che il 70% dei ragazzi intervistati ha affermato di utilizzare il pc per navigare su Internet in totale autonomia, senza il controllo di un adulto, 268 e quasi due terzi ha la consuetudine di giocare on-line. I ragazzi hanno mostrato di avere buona conoscenza ed esperienza dello strumento Internet: conoscono i social network e sono iscritti ad almeno uno di questi, Facebook in particolare nonostante l’iscrizione sia consentita solo ai maggiori di 18 anni e li utilizzano abitualmente per chattare con amici e parenti. A fronte di questa esperienza, l’indagine ha mostrato come in realtà i bambini non abbiano consapevolezza della possibilità di incorrere in episodi di cyberbullismo: 44 ragazzi hanno dichiarato di essere stati oggetto di episodi assimilabili a comportamenti di cyberbullismo, ma solo 5 di loro hanno affermato di esserne stati vittima. La valutazione della reazione dei genitori nei confronti degli atti di prepotenza attuati dai propri figli ha messo in luce come in molti casi i genitori siano impreparati di fronte a tali eventi: infatti solo una proporzione ridotta di genitori cercano di indagare le motivazioni che spingono i loro figli a compiere atti di prepotenza nei confronti di altri bambini. PAROLE CHIAVE: Cyberbullismo, internet, preadolescenti.

A deep understanding of the characteristics of sex offenders may serve to improve clinical prevention and treat- ment programs. Mostly, however, this knowledge can aid in the creation of better re-education and rehabilitation programs as well as criminological treatment. In prison systems outside of Italy, the use of treatment programs specifically designed for sex offenders is commonplace, whereas in Italy, there is only sporadic experimentation in this field which is aimed at evalu- ating adults. If this is true for adults, it is even more so for the minors who commit this type of crime that gives rise to worry and a great sense of alarm. The aim of this work is to show the preliminary results of an empirical study that explores the men- tal representations of the parents of minors who commit acts of sexual violence towards other. This study is an ongoing in col- laboration with the Juvenile Justice Center (Centro Giustizia Minorile) of the Region of Apulia, whose first data on 10 juve- nile perpetrators of such specific crimes are presented here

Il termine parricidio si riferisce all’uccisione del proprio genitore, biologico o acquisito. Questo particolare omicidio può comprendere: patricidio; matricidio; doppio particidio, uccisione di entrambi i genitori. Il parricidio è raro e rappresenta una piccola percentuale di tutti gli omicidi commessi. In Europa e Nord America la sua diffusione varia dal 2 al 4%. Il numero dei patricidi supera quello dei matricidi. In Italia, il Rapporto EURES-ANSA (2008) segnala che i particidi rappresentano meno del 3% del totale degli omicidi. I matricidi, in Italia, sono maggiori dei patricidi. Il parricidio commesso da un adolescente si differenzia da quello compiuto da un adulto. Il parricidio ha caratteristiche differenti dal matricidio. La letteratura offre diverse chiavi di lettura per questo particolare tipo di omicidio, ne evidenziamo alcune: a) porre fine con un atto disperato a situazioni di abuso e violenza intrafamiliari che durano da molto tempo. Gli adolescenti omicidi difendono sè stessi e altri membri della famigli da comportamenti tirannici e dispotici. b) presenza di disturbi psichiatrici gravi con abuso di sostanze e di alcool c) ciclo della violenza: adolescenti vittime di violenze, che diventano autori di violenze.Nel nostro studio sono stati analizzati tre casi di parricidio commessi da adolescenti.

Introduction: One of the difficulties associated with administering the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) is that it requires dichotomous responses (T/F; 0/1). The authors present this pilot study as a means of confronting this problem by proposing a new version of the test: MMPI-2-FUZZY, which allows subjects being tested to respond in a nuanced manner while following the principles of fuzzy logic. Materials and Methods: Fuzzy logic is based on assigning a degree of truth to a particular variable ranging between 0 and 1 (In our case items on the test). Computerized administration of the MMPI-2 was converted in such a way so as to allow the subject to express a level of agreement (or disagreement) for each test item on the MMPI-2 by moving a cursor along a continuous line that contains values from 100% true to 100% false. This new version of the test was preliminarily administered on a sample of 26 healthy male subjects. As an external validity criterion, the diagnostic accuracy of the MMPI-2-Fuzzy was then compared with that of the classic MMPI-2 (bivalent) by using the diagnoses of 20 male subjects with psychotic disorders upon discharge from the Psychiatric Clinic at the University of Bari (Italy), each of whom was administered the computer-based MMPI-2-Fuzzy. Results: Notwithstanding the preliminary nature of the study and the limitations associated with the small sample size, it is nonetheless possible to affirm a higher validity of the MMPI-2-Fuzzy and the two modes of administration and scoring by utilizing ROC curve (fuzzy 0 0.82; bivalent = 0.80), and the study of sensitivity, specificity and global diagnostic accuracy (fuzzy = 0.71; bivalent = 0.60) when discriminating between those who are healthy and those who are ill. Conclusions: Such promising results may indicate the need for further study regarding alternate versions of administering the MMPI-2 in both clinical and legal-medical settings.

Obiettivo della ricerca, effettuare una ricognizione sulle modalità di tratta- mento degli autori di reato con disturbi mentali da parte dei Centri di Salute Mentale della Regione Puglia dopo la Sentenza 253/03 della Corte Costitu- zionale. Con i Dipartimenti di Salute Mentale pugliesi è stata approntata una sche- da di rilevazione in grado di fornire informazioni in merito ad aree conside- rate significative: socio-demografica(sesso, scolarità, stato civile, condizione abi- tativa, condizione lavorativa, caratteristiche famiglia di origine), clinica(diagno- si, numero di ricoveri, durata della presa in carico, operatori coinvolti nel trat- tamento, modalità e tipo trattamento, frequenza dei contatti, familiarità psi- chiatrica) ecriminologica(tipo di reato, modalità di invio al servizio, posizione giudiziaria, grado di giudizio, autorità inviante). Attraverso l’indagine, tuttora in corso, ci si propone di effettuare una ricognizione degli autori di reato af- fetti da disturbi mentali in carico ai servizi territoriali nel quinquennio 2003- 2007. Questi i primi dati emersi. Il 72% dei soggetti del campione è costituito da uomini, la maggior parte dei quali (51,8%) possiede il titolo di licenza media inferiore ed è celibe o nu- bile (63%). Gran parte dei pazienti vive con la famiglia di origine (55,6%), de- scritta nel 40% dei casi come “assente”. Circa il 44% del campione è affetto da disturbi dello spettro schizofrenico; il 75% del campione non presenta familiarità psichiatrica o antisociale.In merito alle modalità di trattamentoricevuto, per il 47% del campione ef- fettua solo controlli c/o presso il CSM; il tipo di trattamentoseguito dal 98% dei pazienti è costituito dalla psicofarmacoterapia, nel 43% dei casi associata ad al- tro tipo di trattamento (riabilitazione, psicoterapia). In maniera, cioè, del tut- to sovrapponibile a quanto viene garantito agli altri pazienti. Particolarmente interessanti, infine, i primi dati relativi all’area criminolo- gica. Il 69% del campione è costituito da soggetti inputabili, il 70% dei quali condannati a pena definitiva. Nel 25% dei casi si tratta invece di soggetti in at- tesa di giudizio. L’Autorità inviante è costituita in circa la metà dei casi (49%) dal Tribunale di Sorveglianza, per il resto da altri Giudici – GIP, per lo più – o collegi giudicanti, con i quali i servizi psichiatrici coinvolti non hanno in seguito mantenuto rapporti costanti e duraturi nel tempo.

Gli esperti in ambito forense e medico-legale stabiliscono non solo la validità di quanto riferito ma anche la credibilità di chi lo riferisce. L’intera relazione tra il soggetto e lo specialista è influenzata da elementi che alterano la genuinità della diagnosi, es.: l'assetto stesso del valutatore; la natura coatta dell'esame; il peso esistenziale ed i vantaggi legati all’esito della valutazione stessa; la necessità che i risultati vengano comunicati a terzi; la tendenza dei soggetti valutati ad amplificare la desiderabilità sociale. In questo contesto la dissimulazione, intesa come occultamento o minimizzazione di una sindrome che di fatto sussiste, rappresenta un problema nel processo diagnostico, impattando sul numero di falsi negativi. Il dissimulatore è una persona che ha ben presente una verità e poi la nega, gestendo mentalmente due affermazioni contrapposte. Nei contesti come quello medicolegale e forense, dove il bisogno di dare sostanza alle proprie valutazioni è più sentito, bisogna far fronte ai limiti della soggettività e della sola osservazione clinica. L'ausilio di strumenti psicodiagnostici è pertanto irrinunciabile ed ampiamente effettuato. Il test MMPI-2 appare il principale strumento che, ancora oggi, dimostra di possedere indici in grado di individuare atteggiamenti dissimulatori nei soggetti esaminati. Il comportamento "menzoniero" è accompagnato da elementi verbali e non verbali, segni e indizi paralinguistici meta comunicativi. Tra i comportamenti non verbali rivelatori di probabile menzogna sembra rivestire un ruolo interessante il fattore “tempo di latenza” . Gli autori, partendo dall'ipotesi che sia plausibile aspettarsi tanto nei simulatori quanto nei dissimulatori, un allungamento dei tempi di risposta (T.R.) connesso ad una maggiore "gestione mentale dell'informazione" da manipolare, hanno cercato di verificare quanto il calcolo dei T.R. applicato all’MMPI-2, rappresenti un'ulteriore fonte di informazione nell’identificare l'adozione di un atteggiamento dissimulatorio. Lo studio ha visto l'applicazione di una versione computerizzata dell'MMPI-2 costruita ad hoc capace di calcolare automaticamente i tempi di risposta, ad un campione di 59 maschi e 17 femmine suddivisi in 4 gruppi in base alla motivazione soggiacente l'accertamento medicolegale: idoneità lavorativa, genitoriale, per la patente di guida e per il porto d'armi. Il gruppo di controllo era rappresentato da volontari, clinicamente sani, non condizionati da interessi secondari nella compilazione del test, bilanciati e controllati per numerosità, età e scolarità. La validità dei T.R. è stata valutata attraverso il test statistico t di Student, confrontando i singoli gruppi sperimentali ed i rispettivi gruppi di controllo, osservandone la significatività statistica delle differenze tra le medie dei tempi a tutte le scale di controllo, cliniche, di contenuto e supplementari dell'MMPI-2 e rispetto al tempo totale di compilazione del protocollo. Le prime risultanze mostrano come la distribuzione del tempo medio di risposta si differenzi tra i soggetti sperimentali e controlli proprio in relazione a quelle scale che analizzano dei costrutti psicologici, clinici e comportamentali, inerenti gli ambiti oggetto delle valutazioni. I risultati preliminari di questo filone di ricerca appaiono incoraggianti e motivano ad un ampliamento del campione per aumentarne la significatività statistica.

The aim of this study is to provide data regarding the treatment of foreign juveniles in the Italian justice system. The authors examined the records from juvenile detention centers and primary juvenile reception centers in Italy in order to gain a better understanding of how foreign minors are treated with respect to their Italian counterparts. Statistical analysis was then carried out and the results revealed many inequalities. The authors believe that it is important to create secondary and tertiary prevention services in order to decrease the likelihood of recidivism, and to promote the minor’s integration into the social fabric of their adopted country. Foreign minors are more frequently placed in jail than their Italian counterparts. The authors conclude that only through the development of a united partnership can a welcoming network be created: one that is able to pick up on the first signs of trouble that often confront foreign minors.

This case study regards the murder of a Tunisian national residing in a small town in southern Italy who was murdered by fellow Tunisian citizen, also living in Italy. The victim was found hogtied and hanged by a cord that was suspended from an iron staff situated between two concrete electrical poles. This method of killing is known as "incaprettemento". It is an unusual type of strangulation whereby a rope is passed around the victim’s wrists, ankles, and throat causing suffocation. This results in a very slow and painful death. Typically, it is a method employed by Italian organized crime groups, but it has also been used in the execution of war crimes. This means of killing is meant to impart a particularly degrading and humiliating revenge on the victim. It may also serve as sign of intimidation and a warning to others. There is very little written about incaprettamento in the literature, but it has, nonetheless, important psychological, anthropological, and cultural implications in the field of criminology. The perpetrator underwent psychodiagnostic evaluations, and was ultimately deemed fit to stand trial.

Foreign minors often have problems integrating into Italian society. The two principal reasons for this is their young age, and their different cultural background. The aim of this study is to provide data regarding the treatment of foreign juveniles in the Italian justice system. The authors believe that it is important to create secondary and tertiary prevention services in order to decrease the likelihood of recidivism, and to promote the minor’s integration into the social fabric of their adopted country. The principal motive for which minors leave their homeland is the search for a new way of life. Persichella wrote of “advance socialization”, a term that refers to the expectations of well being that a foreigner might associate with a particular place. These mental images are often generated by the mass media, as well as by relatives and friends who have already emigrated there. These youngsters are often disappointed upon their arrival in the new country, leaving them in a state of relative deprivation, frustration, and tension, which are significant risk factors for the commission of crimes. The percentage of foreigners convicted of crimes in Italy has increased over the last decade with respect to the number of convicted Italians. This is true for all crime categories. There are many reasons for this phenomenon. Among them are the conditions in which these immigrants find themselves when they arrive in Italy (e.g. how their previous expectations measure up to the reality of their new existence; how successfully they reintegrate with their families; their ability to enter into the work force; and the influence of both Italian and foreign organized crime groups). Foreign minors are more frequently placed in jail than their Italian counterparts. This is because it is less likely that they would have access to resources that might allow them to be spared detention (e.g. having a nuclear family; a home; steady employment, etc.) In theory, these foreign juveniles are supposed to have access to detention alternatives, but in reality they must overcome serious obstacles in order to take advantage of them. Cultural mediation acts to facilitate relationships between individuals from ethnic minority groups and the associated social services that are in place to serve them. The cultural mediator aids the foreigner in understanding how to behave appropriately, and attempts to sensitize him to the customs and way of life in Italy. The cultural mediator also actively participates at various phases of institutional life, for example, in helping the minor to communicate with juvenile justice officials, and with relatives. In addition, the mediator also aids the family in navigating the Italian legal system. Some juvenile detention centers (IPMs) report a lack of resources and funding necessary to create appropriate treatment plans. They cite, for example, the under utilization of cultural mediators who are often marginalized and relegated to the singular role of interpreter. Cultural mediators are typically only available on an hourly basis, and are not considered to be an integral part of the treatment team. Short stays in IPMs are also reported to be problematic: repeated transfers make it impossible for staff to get to know the minor in order to create an individualized education program. When considering the usefulness of detention alternatives, the study and development of shareable management models that address the real needs of minors in the juvenile justice system are of fundamental importance. Facilitating the social integration process, appointment of a legal guardian when necessary, and providing qualified legal representation are high on the list of priorities. Only through the development of a united partnership can a welcoming network be created: one that is able to pick up on the first signs of trouble that often confront foreign minors.

The use of internet is modifying our way of acting, and also our way of thinking, involving a change in one’s image, the image of the others and our relationships. However, internet is a new instrument of communication but also a tool to commit crimes. As a matter of fact crimes committed on the internet may be considered as one of the main typical psychological paradox of the relation between the mind and the advanced information technologies: the possibility that the experience of a complete control of one’s life promoted by the use of the internet (for it is characterized by accessibility, cheapness, the possibility of alter one’s identity, wholeness, interactivity and standardisation), can evolve in a progressive and complete loss of control on the virtual experience, leading to commit a real crime. The potentialities of these new mode of communication are well known, as well as the even greater number of risks for young subjects who have a not jet structured, and still in growing, personality. Cyberbulling is an example of these concrete risks. The term indicates bulling facts and troubles made through e-mails, chats, blogs, mobiles and web sites. involves minors whose identity are forming. This study shows the first results of a still in progress research among minors attending primary school.

Scope. The aim of this study is to gain a clear understanding of the level of knowledge and training of staff members from psychiatric rehabilitation hospitals in the Province of Taranto (Italy), where patients released from judicial psychiatric hospitals will be admitted. Case Studies A questionnaire taken from an earlier study on judicial psychiatric hospitals, conducted by The Ministry of Justice of the Department Penitentiary Administration – Superior Institute of Penitentiary Studies, was used in this study. Results. Many requests for information and training regarding the problems and challenges related to the management of individuals who are mentally ill, perpetrators of crimes, and persons who are held in protective custody are made by those who work in these institutions. Conclusions. Hospital workers are highly apprehensive with regard to working with a patient population quite different from that which they are normally accustomed to. In order to confront these challenges, they, together with other colleagues from both the private and public services sector, have turned toward the concept of teamwork. One element of contradiction seems to be a low level of knowledge regarding what will be required of them when their work will be connected to the world of criminal justice in the future. The workers who were interviewed who have experience in working with patients from Judicial Psychiatric Hospitals (OPG) seem to be up to the task of meeting the complex needs of the mentally ill and perpetrators of crimes within psychiatric rehabilitation facilities, as these patients must be kept under security.

The MMPI-2 test is one of the few psychodiagnostic instrument used in Italy which permits to identify distorted behaviours, simulation and dissimulation by means of specific scales .The aim of this research is to study the validity of the F-K dissimulation index of the MMPI-2 test and to determine its cut off values. This index permits a greater diagnostic accuracy between MMPI profiles, in which simulation an dissimulation problems are minimized or accentuated, and profiles compiled with spontaneity and in compliance with the clinical and forensic examinations . In forensic medicine field, the use of instruments that allow us to identify cases in which there are psychopathological accentuation or minimization for defensive or instrumental reasons, may represent an important contribution, in order to ascertain the validity of the results and to assess the credibility of patients’ answers, running out the risk of invalidating the whole research.

Il test MMPI-2 è uno dei pochi strumenti psicodiagnostici che consente, con scale specifiche, l’individuazione di condotte distorsive. L’obbiettivo della comunicazione è quello di presentare uno studio della validità e individuazione del cut-off dell’indice di dissimulazione F-K del MMPI-2, che consente una maggiore accuratezza diagnostica tra profili del test Minnesota compilati con atteggiamento di minimizzazione o di amplificazione di problematiche presenti (dissimulazione e simulazione) e profili compilati con atteggiamento di spontaneità e compliance con le situazioni di esame clinico e medico-legale. In ambito forense usare strumenti che consentano l’individuazione di casi in cui è presente un’accentuazione psicopatologica o una minimizzazione della stessa per motivi difensivi o strumentali, può costituire indubbiamente un significativo contributo per l’accertamento della validità dei risultati acquisiti e per stabilire la credibilità di quanto viene riportato dai soggetti esaminati, con il rischio di rendere non valide le indagini effettuate. Il Campione sperimentale è composta da 311 soggetti interessati ad apparire esenti da disturbi psichici (di cui 253 sottoposti a selezione per entrare nelle Forze Armate dall’Ufficio Selezione di Bari e 58 interessati ad ottenere/rinnovare il porto d’armi o per riottenere la patente di guida sospesa per infrazioni al Codice della strada, sottoposti a valutazione psichiatrica presso la Clinica Psichiatrica dell’Universitá di Bari). Il Campione di controllo è composto da 49 soggetti sani, volontari di pari etá, scolarizzazione e genere, genuinamente interessati ai risultati del test al solo fine della autoconoscenza. Le mediane dell’Indice F-K del gruppo di controllo sono risultate al Wilcoxon Signed Rank test significativamente differenti da quelle dei selezionandi per le Forze Armate (p < 0.0001) e da quelle dei richiedenti l’idoneita psichica al porto d’armi o alla patente di guida (p < 0.0001). Le medie dell’Indice F-K del gruppo di controllo sono risultate al t-test di Student significativamente differenti da quelle dei selezionandi per le Forze Armate (t = 6.644; p < 0.0001) e da quelle dei richiedenti l’idoneita psichica al porto d’armi o alla patente di guida (t = 4.96; p < 0.0001). La differenza media dei punteggi F-K tra il gruppo di controllo e il gruppo sperimentale dei potenziali dissimulatori e risultata di ca. 10 punti. Riassumendo, dall’analisi delle curve della Accuratezza Diagnostica globale al variare del cut-off dal nostro studio e risultato che valori dell’F-K inferiori a -10 sono affidabili indicatori di una reale condotta distorsiva in senso dissimulativo. L’accuratezza evidenziata dal Dissimulation Index (= 73%) di Gough, appare un risultato significativo che giustifica la nostra proposta di introdurre di routine all’interno di un protocollo diagnostico medico-legale l’utilizzazione del Dissimulation Index F-K di Gough quale indice numerico dell’atteggiamento distorsivo in senso dissimulativo per valori al di sotto di -10. In conclusione l’accuratezza diagnostica evidenziata dal test MMPI-2, nell’individuazione di soggetti potenzialmente dissimulatori, (indice di Gough, F-K < -10), consente di segnalare all’attenzione della comunitá scientifica e professionale dell’area medico legale e forense, l’importanza di adottare questo strumento psicodiagnostico, nel protocollo valutativo, come prezioso ausilio nella individuazione dei casi di dissimulazione di un disturbo mentale.

Gli Autori si soffermano sulle problematiche collegate alla genitorialità del soggetto anziano , con riferimento peculiare alla valutazione delle capacità genitoriali ,attività diagnostica complessa , con riflessi sia clinici che psicosociali che giuridici . Analizzano in particolare le implicazioni di carattere psicosociale per l'equilibrio e la tutela dei minori e per i rischi di abusi sia per quanto riguarda i minori che i soggetti anziani

Il caso che viene presentato, riguarda la relazione di una coppia altamente disfunzionale e la loro separazione molto dolorosa e conflittuale. Dopo aver superato con molte difficoltà una malattia di grave entità, uno dei due parner aderisce ad un percorso religioso in un gruppo di carismatici. Contestualmente conobbe una donna con cui avviò una relazione, segnata da aspetti turbolenti e disfunzionali e con cui, nonostante tutto alla fine contrasse regolare matrimonio. Anche la donna seguì il partner nell'adesione al gruppo dei carismatici. La Chiesa Cattolica riconosce questa organizzazione ecclesiastica, che però si presenta con caratteristiche un pò inusuali rispetto ad altri gruppi di profilo ecclesiastico. Tendono ad essere gruppi connotati da chiusura e rigidità. I loro seguaci affermano di avere con Dio un rapporto speciale e diretto. Secondo gli insegnmenti del Magistero Ecclesiastico un rapporto positivo tra Dio e la dimensione umana deve includere il rispetto della libertà individuale, la dignità della persona, il diritto anche al dissenso. Ed in ogni caso un corretto rapporto con le scritture e Dio è mediato dalla chiesa, dai presbiteri, dalla tradizione. Come si vedrà nel caso in oggetto, l'approccio dei gruppi carismatici verso soggetti con personalità fragili o dipendenti o emotivamente immaturi, può nascondere delle insidie anche gravi, anche in pressenza di soggetti, come nel caso in oggetto, che dal punto di vista esclusivamente cognitivo non sembrano manifestare particolari problemi psicopatologici.

Titolo Abstract L'ABUSO SUGLI ANZIANI IN NURSING HOME: REVISIONE DALLA LETTERATURA Premessa: L'Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità (OMS) ha riferito che il numero delle persone di età superiore ai 60 triplicherà tra il 2000 e il 2050. Il progressivo invecchiamento provoca, e ancora di più si tradurrà in un aumento della domanda di servizi sanitari e le spese da parte dello Stato e le famiglie. In tal senso, l'abuso sugli anziani è ancora un problema misconosciuto e spesso sottovalutato, sebbene sia molto più comune di quanto i dati ad oggi disponibili suggeriscano. L'aumento della popolazione anziana da un lato e l'incremento del ricorso alle cure sia di tipo istituzionale sia non (vedi badantaggio), purtroppo fa prevedere che tale fenomeno sia destinato a crescere in futuro. La dimensione del problema è stato percepito solo negli ultimi decenni e non ci sono studi approfonditi e analisi che descrivano bene la situazione, soprattutto nelle nursing home. Obiettivo: Scopo del presente studio è stato quello di esaminare la letteratura disponibile negli ultimi cinque anni per definire lo stato dell'arte su questo fenomeno, con particolare riguardo al ruolo infermieristico nel'abuso sugli anziani, concentrandosi sui possibili tipi di maltrattamenti, le motivazioni e gli interventi di prevenzione. Risultati: Gli articoli pubblicati negli ultimi 5 anni per quanto riguarda il maltrattamento degli anziani sono stati selezionati, utilizzando banche dati scientificamente riconosciutei come PubMed, Cochrane Library Medline, Scopus e Web of Knowledge. Diverse parole chiave sono state utilizzate per la ricerca, tra le quali "elderly abuse", "elderly abuse and neglect", "elderly mistreatment", e "elderly abuse in nursing home". Inoltre, per capire meglio l'entità del fenomeno, abbiamo cercato anche le parole chiave corrispondenti per abuso sui minori. Considerando la banca dati Scopus, solo 78 di 1342 articoli pubblicati negli ultimi cinque anni riguardano l'abuso di anziani in relazione alla cura, che rappresenta una parte molto piccola (5,81%) del campione considerato. Confrontando il numero di articoli, il rapporto tra articoli su abuso su bambini/abuso su anziani è pari a 1/0.04, sottolineando il poco interesse della ricerca per questo fenomeno. Inoltre, è stato osservato che l'abuso sugli anziani in casa di cura è ancora sottoriportato sia per quanto riguarda gli articoli originali sia nelle review. Conclusione: Nonostante l'invecchiamento della popolazione, l'abuso sugli anziani rimane ancora un problema nascosto, trascurato e sottovalutato anche nella letteratura. Spesso l'attenzione è rivolta a questo fenomeno solo quando si verificano casi di malasanità, che danno luogo solo una parte del problema e spesso portano a osservazioni e conclusioni a volte sbagliate sulle attività degli operatori sanitari e la natura dell'evento. Una maggiore formazione culturale degli operatori sanitari, una maggiore conoscenza del problema ma anche un maggior numero di ricerche in proposito sarebbero necessario per poter prevenire e combattere tale fenomeno. Presentazione Abstract

Il lavoro con le persone informate sui fatti, con le vittime, ha un’importanza fondamentale sia per l’attività investigativa, sia per la salvaguardia della stessa persona vittima di reato. L’operatore di Polizia Giudiziaria deve essere in grado di diagnosticare i problemi e le questioni legate alle conseguenze dannose di un crimine. Per tale motivo sono di grande importanza il rispetto e la sensibilità con cui le forze di polizia interagiscono con le vittime ed i testimoni del crimine, nonché l’accuratezza, la precisione, il metodo, con cui li interrogano.

La carie è stata identificata come la malattia singola cronica piú comune dell’infanzia; il suo controllo e prevenzione dovrebbe essere una priorità per gli odontoiatri. Scopo di questo studio è descrivere la correlazione tra le carie precoci dell’infanzia (ECC) ed il fenomeno della negligenza su minori. Ad un campione random di genitori afferenti a diversi servizi di pediatria a Bari è stato consegnato un questionario contenente dati socioeconomici, demografici e riguardo le cure odontoiatriche; il questionario è stato completato da una visita odontoiatrica. Su 63 bambini esaminati, il 61.9% (n=39; 95% CI=49.9-73.9) presentava ECC; il 47.6% (n=30; 95% CI=34.9-60.6) erano ECC di tipo I, il 12.7% (n=8; 95% CI=5.6-23.5) di tipo II e l’1.6% (n=1; 95% CI=0-8.5) di tipo III. In particolare, la frequenza di ECC di tipo II e III è risultata maggiore nei bambini provenienti da famiglie con reddito basso (chi-quadro=8.50; p=0.03).

Dental caries was identified as the single most common chronic childhood disease; its control and prevention should be a priority for dentists. Aim of our work is to describe the correlation between early childhood caries (ECC) and the phenomenon of child neglect. To a random sample of parents afferent to pediatric services in Bari was delivered a questionnaire recording socioeconomic, demographic and dental service-use data, completed by a dental examination. Of the 63 children examined, 61.9% (n=39; 95% CI=49.9-73.9) presented with ECC, of which 47.6% (n=30; 95% CI=34.9-60.6) were classified as Wyne’s Type I; 12.7% (n=8; 95% CI=5.6-23.5) were classified as Type II; and 1.6% (n=1; 95% CI=0-8.5) as Type III. In particular, the frequency of Types II and III were shown to be higher in low-income families (chi-square=8.50; p=0.03).

Psychodiagnostic tests have arisen from the need for observation methods that can guarantee the most objective and scientifically sound results possible. Such tests are able to both diagnose and rule out the presence of psychopathologies. Moreover, they can also identify a subject’s attitudes while he is performing certain tasks and/or exercising certain rights. Therefore, the proper use and classification of data provided by these tests is perhaps the most difficult aspect of psychodiagnostics, especially in forensic and/or expert witness contexts. It is by no means easy or simple to integrate evaluation results obtained from subjects, whether they are minors or adults, and to present the findings in a way that is accessible to those who may not be experts on the subject (e.g. plaintiffs, consultants, lawyers, judges, etc.). This means that psychologists and forensic psychiatrists who use these tests must always be kept up to date on the latest studies regarding the validity, dependability, and reliability of such instruments. The forensic clinician must use proper multimethod assessments, together with other sources of data, in order to provide accurate information related to the level of functioning and psychopathology of the subject in question. The true value and utility of an instrument can only be demonstrated from within the framework of these tests. Bibliografia: 1) Martino V, Campobasso F, Cannito A, Massaro Y, Lisi A, Grattagliano I, Catanesi R (2013). Il Test Mmpi-2 Fuzzy. Incremento Dell’accuratezza Diagnostica Del Mmpi-2 Per Mezzo Di Un Innovativo Metodo Di Somministrazione. Dati Preliminari Di Una Ricerca.. Rivista Italiana Di Medicina Legale, vol. anno XXXV, p. 1307-1321, ISSN: 1124-3376 2) Martino V, Campobasso F, Cannito A, Massaro Y, Lisi A, Grattagliano I, Mazzotta n, Catanesi R (2013). L’uso del test MMPI-2 nella valutazione delle condotte distorsive: la dissimulazione. . Rivista Italiana Di Medicina Legale, vol. n 1 , 2013, p. 133-145, ISSN: 1124-3376 3) Lisi A, Stallone V, Tomasino M.G., Affatati V, Dimastromatteo C, Grattagliano I (2013). Utilità e limiti del Disegno della Famiglia nella valutazione dei casi di child sexual abuse, in ambito peritale; uno studio casistico . Maltrattamento E Abuso All'infanzia, p. 81-96, ISSN: 1591-4267 4) A.Lisi, V.Stallone, M.G. Tomasino, V. Affatati, C. Zelano, Grattagliano I (2012). Utilità e limiti del Disegno della Figura Umana nella valutazione dei casi di abuso in ambito peritale. Psicologia Clinica Dello Sviluppo, vol. n.2/2012, p. 421-440, ISSN: 1824-078X, doi: 10.1449/37836 5) Affatati V, Grattagliano I, Todarello O, Catanesi R (2012). Utilizing the Rorschach Test in the diagnosis of gender identity disorder and in the evaluation of suitability for sex reassignment surgery. RIVISTA DI PSICHIATRIA, vol. 47, p. 1-8, ISSN: 0035-6484 6) V. Stallone, Grattagliano I, A. Lisi (2010). Minori Vittime di Abuso: La valutazione Psicodiagnostica in ambito forense. Zacchia, vol. vol. XVIII fasc. 4, p. 495-531, ISSN: 0044-1570 7) L. Amerio, Grattagliano I, I. Berlingerio (2008). Acccertamenti Psicodiagnostici sulle vittima di violenza sessuale. Il test ORT ( Objective Relations Technique). Rivista Italiana Di Medicina Legale, vol. vol 30, fascicolo 3, p. 801-813, ISSN: 1124-3376 8) F. Pacente, Grattagliano I (2007). Il reattivo di rorschach secondo l’exner comprehensive system in ambito medico legale-psichiatrico forense. RASSEGNA ITALIANA DI CRIMINOLOGIA, vol. vol 1, fasc. 3, p. 169-198, ISSN: 1121-1717 9) L Amerio, Grattagliano I (2007). Quali Test nelle consulenze in ambito civile. Rivista Italiana Di Medicina Legale, vol. n 6, p. 1227-1246, ISSN: 1124-3376 10) D. De Fidio, Grattagliano I (2007). Correlazione tra il MMPI-2 e il Rorschach: un’analisi possibile?. Italian Journal Of Psychopathology, vol. 13, p. 162-170, ISSN: 1592-1107 11) Grattagliano I, D. De Fidio (2007). Imputabil

Foreign minors have a lot of integration problems and create tensions within the receiving community. They have less safety and fewer rights of the Italian minors for the same deviant behaviour.This paper presents the conditions of minors in Italian judicial system, with particular attention to foreign younger. The analysis of the statistical data and the study of laws about the Italian intramoenia regime allows authors to identify the role of institutions which must give to juvenile prisons the task of establish precautionary measures, in order to avoid recidivism and to promote minors positive integration in the society within a legal context.

In the field of psycho forensics, any sexual behavior that occurs without consent, without, equality, or as a result of coercion is considered to be abusive (AACAP, 1999; Shaw, 2002). In order for sexual behavior to be considered consensual, certain criteria are necessary: comprehension of the nature of the proposal; an understanding of societal standards regarding sexuality; awareness of the potential consequences and alternatives; the presumption that agreement or disagreement will be respected in the same manner; the decision to engage is a voluntary one; and that those involved are mentally competent (AACAP, 1999). Equal relationship refers to situations in which the two people involved possess equal power within the relationship, and neither of the two is controlled or coerced by the other. Coercion refers to situations where one party abuses authority, offers bribes, makes threats, or uses intimidation tactics in order to win the cooperation or obedience of the other. Sexual conduct during adolescence must not be considered deviant if it involves non-coercive interaction between two peers. It is not always easy to demonstrate coercion, though expert testimony evaluations often focus on this critical aspect. At times it is also challenging to determine what age appropriate sexual behavior is, and if the two people involved are, in fact, developmental and/or chronological peers. Studies on the topic hypothesize the inability of the adolescent to recognize the other as different from him or herself, and the difficulties associated with entering into a sexual relationship with another person, where dysfunctional coping strategies are often employed. One pilot study from 2002 revealed that the parents of adolescent sexual offenders most often employ an overprotective-affectionless parenting style (Craissati J, McClurg G, Browne K). “Affectionless control” parenting style is a risk factor for the development of deviant behavior. Comorbidity rates in adolescent sexual offenders are high and involve behavioral disorders, personality disorders, and emotional-affective disorders. One recent study revealed that about two thirds of sexual offenders meet the criteria for personality disorder. Impulsivity is one of the characteristics typical of people who exhibit aberrant and violent behavior (Baltieri D.A., Andrade A.G., 2008). The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between personality, parental care, and coping style in adolescent sex offenders. Instruments: Clinical interviews; psychodiagnostic testing (MMPI, Minnesota for Adolescents, A/2; PBI-Parental Bonding Instrument; CISS-Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations; Questionnaire I-R, frustration-aggression by Caprara et al.; and healthcare, psychological, and judicial documentation. The sample studied thus far is comprised of 23 unmarried male adolescents between the ages of 15 and 20 years at the time of the interview. The average age was 17 years ± 1.6 (standard deviation), and almost all subjects were Italian (1 Albanian), and Catholic (1 atheist, and 1 agnostic). All were investigated for perpetrating sexual violence on other minors. The sample was taken from Judicial Juvenile Social Services, which intervenes following the commission of a crime by a minor. Preliminary results have revealed no particular pathologies on the part of the adolescent sexual offenders who were examined by the authors. The type of parenting style they received appears to have been intrusive-overprotective, which did not allow the adolescent to face typical life challenges, thus impeding his ability to develop coping skills. This type of parenting style includes intrusiveness, enmeshment, encouragement of dependence, and cutting the minor off from the outside world.

OBJECTIVES: Today the school is no more designed as an istitution of information and sociality, but as a formative agency, also with the help of new didactic technologies like new media and computer science. Radiokreattiva project for the education to legality act in this assumption. The purpose of this research work is test which changes are found in students that have done the project, such as adherence at social rules and perception of istitutions and police. METHODOLOGY: In scolastic year 2011-2012 a questionnaire of Prof. Diana, Marra (2009) was submitted in test-retest to 285 students of 11-13 years (135 males, 150 females) in 28 schools of Bari, and significative differences in anwers given to same items were identified. The items were about student’s attitudes and beliefs on istitutions, rules, laws and society. RESULTS: A significative improvement seems to emerge about declared knowledge of laws (p=0,02) and confidence in istitution and political men (p=0,04) at test-retest. About reaction at acts of violence a significative halving (p=0,01) of people that wouldn’t talk with anybody was identified. Also admiration level about police increased. Level of indifference instead decreased. DISCUSSION: Significative positive variations seems to emerge about attitudes on istitutions and police, and there is an increased discrimination between legal or illegal behaviours. A more complete knowledge of laws and constitution was detected, while conspiracy of silence decreased. There are also critical areas, like a little confidence on other people. Radiokreattiva would proceed in this direction in the future: peer to peer education may be an important support to prevention and primary intervention in school ambit

Il parricidio è un evento molto raro e rappresenta solo una piccola percentuale di tutti gli omicidi commessi. In Europa e Nord America si stima una diffusione di questo reato che varia dal 2 al 4%, con il numero dei patricidi che supera quello dei matricidi. In Italia, il Rapporto EURES-ANSA (2008) ha osservato che i parricidi nel nostro paese rappresentano meno del 3% del totale degli omicidi, più rappresentati fra di essi i matricidi (59%) rispetto ai patricidi. Dal punto di vista criminologico, nel parricidio sono frequenti i seguenti riscontri (Hillbrand, Alexandre,Young, Spitz, 1999): • autore del reato: il figlio maschio; il rapporto figlio – figlia è pari a 15:1, • vittima: il padre; il rapporto padre – madre è pari a 2:1; • sede dell’omicidio: la casa del genitore; • assenza di complici: sono presenti solo vittima ed aggressore; • strumenti offensivi adoperati: armi occasionali, mezzi contundenti o strumenti appuntiti o affilati, armi da fuoco, più raramente le manovre asfittiche, a conferma che l’omicidio è conseguenza di un “impulso del momento”; • ammissione di responsabilità: la prevalenza degli autori non tenta la fuga; La predominanza del genere maschile nella commissione del parricidio, rilevata su scala mondiale, è ritenuta correlata alla generica prevalenza dei maschi nella commissione di atti di violenza, senza alcuna influenza della etnia di appartenenza. La modalità omicidiaria è spesso efferata e di alto impatto emozionale sulla opinione pubblica e nell'immaginario collettivo, anche perchè spesso dei minorenni ne sono i protagonisti. Nella comunicazione vengono presentati tre casi eclatanti di parricidio tratti dall'esame della documentazione e dei fascicoli giudiziari presenti presso l'Istituto Penale Minorile presente in Bari, N. Fornelli. Unitamente ad una breve review di letteratura sul tema, vengono evidenziate le differenze tra il parricidio commesso da adulti e quello commesso da minori. Infine le complesse problematiche sottese ad un reato così particolare vengono connesse con il ruolo che assumono gli abusi ed i malatrattamento subiti dai minori autori di parricidio con particolare riferimento ai processi emozionali che ne vengono attivati.

The authors of this study tackle the complex subject of parricide, which is a rare and often brutal form of homicide. Parricide has a high emotional impact on public opinion and on our collective imagination, especially in light of the fact that the perpetrators are often minors.. Three striking cases of parricide, taken from various documented sources and judicial files from the “N. Fornelli” Juvenile Penal Institute (Bari, Italy), are presented here. A review of the literature on the topic has revealed differences between parricides committed by adults and those committed by minors.. In the end, the complex issues underlying such an unusual crime are connected to abuses and maltreatment that minor perpetrators of parricide have suffered, especially the emotional processes that are activated.

Essere padri detenuti rientra nella categoria di genitorialità a rischio, in quanto la condizione di detenzione fa venire meno alcuni aspetti fondamentali dell’esercizio della funzione genitoriale. L’ingresso in carcere interrompe ed altera la natura reciproca dello scambio comunicativo e interattivo genitore-figlio. Un padre detenuto non può esercitare nella pienezza fisica, spaziale e temporale il proprio ruolo di genitore, non essendo nelle condizioni di garantire la trasmissione al/la figlio/a di quel senso di attaccamento, fiducia e sicurezza fondamentale per la sua crescita. Su un ulteriore livello di analisi va considerato che stereotipi e pregiudizi possono contribuire a creare una rappresentazione culturalmente condivisa del detenuto stesso come soggetto incapace di essere un buon genitore. Ciò potrebbe determinare un vissuto di fallimento e di inadeguatezza rispetto alla percezione di sé come padre e rispetto al proprio ruolo genitoriale L’assenza, inoltre, (nella maggior parte dei casi degli individui in stato di detenzione) di modelli di riferimento adeguati, le condizioni iniziali di svantaggio, la povertà di strumenti cognitivi, comunicativi e relazionali disponibili, uniti all’esperienza di un contesto restrittivo quale il carcere, rendono difficile la costruzione e il mantenimento di un legame fra padre-figlio adeguato alle esigenze di sviluppo del minore. Quindi la condizione di detenzione altera: a) la dimensione relazionale genitore-figlio/a; b) la rappresentazione e il vissuto che il soggetto ha come di sé come padre/genitore. Non possono, pertanto, sussistere dubbi sull’importanza di interventi correttivi rispetto a tali dinamiche negative e, sull’importanza di iniziative di supporto ai soggetti detenuti ed alle loro famiglie, fra le quali vi sono ad esempio, la predisposizione di luoghi e tempi per gli incontri tra genitore detenuto e figli, adatti a recuperare e mantenere una continuità di rapporti ed a stabilire e promuovere una responsabilità genitoriale da parte del soggetto recluso. Obbiettivi della ricerca: –Verificare l’auto-percezione del ruolo paterno – Verificare lo stile di attaccamento dei padri in stato di detenzione – Esplorare la relazione tra modalità di auto-percezione del ruolo paterno e pattern di attaccamento dei partecipanti alla ricerca. Metodo: Sono state coinvolte le Direzioni delle Amministrazioni Penitenziarie di due regioni italiane: Puglia ed Emilia Romagna. Sono stati arruolati 150 detenuti di sesso maschile, a cui è stato richiesto il consenso alla ricerca ed a cui è stato somministrato un articolato questionario anamnestico e due strumenti di valutazione delle competenze genitoriali. Strumenti: ASQ- Attachment Style Questionnaire (Feeney, Noller, Hanrahan, 1994) ARP-Questionario sull’Autopercezione del Ruolo Paterno (MacPhee, Benson, Bullock, 1986). Considerazioni Finali: È nota la capacità dei minori di instaurare attaccamenti multipli profondi con persone che, pur non appartenendo alla cerchia familiare ristretta, si dimostrano disponibili e preparati a rispondere ai loro segnali. Da ciò deriva la rilevanza della rete sociale che circonda il minore nel suo processo di crescita ed, in particolare, della rete sociale dei minori che sono figli di genitori detenuti, e ciò anche alla luce dei più recenti orientamenti di politica criminale nel settore dell’esecuzione penale, che spostano sempre più le problematiche derivanti da una detenzione dal ristretto ambito carcerario allo spazio più allargato del territorio. A ciò si associa la correlazione tra il successo di strategie rieducative in carcere ed il mantenimento di una buona relazione tra detenuto figli e famiglia, dal momento che le modalità dell’esecuzione della pena investono con le proprie ripercussioni non solo il soggetto che le subisce ma, in modo altrettanto incisivo, il contesto sociale che lo circonda e la famiglia in primo luogo.

Lo stress, nel contesto della relazione paziente- caregiver è noto essere un fattore di rischio per abuso su anziani sia in setting familiari che istituzionali. Comunque, il fenomeno degli anziani responsabili di abusi sessuali è spesso misconosciuto e particolarmente com-plesso. In setting istituzionali tale popolazione è spesso vittima di abusi sessuali ma anche ad elevato rischio di divenire essa stessa responsabile di abusi nei confronti di vittime quali i bambini. Pertanto, la mancanza di attenzione alle necessità fisiologiche degli anziani può essere dannosa non solo per la salute del soggetto stesso ma anche di coloro che vivono con essi. Sulla base dei dati del Dipartimento degli Affari Interni per il periodo 2004-2010, gli anziani sono responsabili di abuso sessuale su minori per circa un quinto del totale di abusi sessuali perpetrati. Le ragioni alla base di tale comportamento sessuale ed in particolare di tali abusi nei confronti dei bambini rappresenta ancora un problema irrisolto, non essendo ancora chiaro se tale fenomeno debba essere ascritto alla “senilità” o alla “pedofilia”. Per la prima volta è descritto un caso di abuso sessuale perpetrato da un paziente istituzionalizzato nei confronti di un minore in visita. Un uomo di 70 anni residente presso una casa di riposo fu accusato di abuso sessuale nei confronti di una bambina di 6 anni recatasi in visita dalla nonna. L’uomo soffriva di morbo di Parkinson da diversi anni, ed era in trattamento con L-Dopa. Inoltre, assumeva un neurolettico atipico, la quetiapina fumarato, per il controllo di disturbi comportamentali (gambling) insorti in corso di trattamento. L’analisi delle tracce di DNA sugli abiti della bambina risultò negativa per liquido seminale ma evidenziò un profilo di DNA compatilibe con quello del paziente. L’uomo fu giudicato colpevole per abuso sessuale e condannato a 5 anni di carcere. Fu anche portata avanti un’azione legale contro lo staff della casa di riposo per inadeguata sorveglianza del paziente. Gli anziani sono spesso vittime misconosciute di abuso sessuale, ma sono anche responsabili di abusi nei confronti di soggetti più vulnerabili come bambini o anziani coresidenti. Malattie mentali e disturbi cognitivi (correlati a demenza, ad altri fattori neurologici o iatrogeni), così come una serie di problemi in aggiunta a comportamenti patologici (ad es. pedofilia) sono solo alcuni dei fattori che possono portare a tali condotte. Pertanto, se è importante comprendere a fondo i fattori che portano al maltrattamento degli anziani e agli abusi sia in ambito familiare che in setting di cura, dall’altra parte i caregiver hanno la responsabilità di assicurare la salvaguardia degli anziani non autonomi e proteggerli dagli abusi che possano subire, ma anche di assicurarsi che essi stessi non siano responsabili di abusi nei confronti delle persone con cui vivono o con cui vengano a contatto

The purpose of this study is to analyze the crime of stalking focusing on the victim. Starting from the analysis of published literature on stalking, we investigated 10 judiciary documentations on stalking cases in which an intimate relationship between the offender and the victim is present. The aim of this study is to identify the general traits of those which could be more susceptible to become a stalking victim. Finally, early experiences of abuse and maltreatment are identified as one of the main predictive risk factors for the propensity to start and abide in a violent intimate relationship. The role of relationship models and schemes in this propensity are also discussed.

The aim of this study was to ascertain if a relationship between weapon choice and psychopathology existed. The perpetrators (103) were evaluated at the Department of Criminology and Forensic Psychiatry of the University of Bari in southern Italy. Psychiatric examination and psycho-diagnostic tests were administered for each of the perpetrators and a database was subsequently formulated. The results showed a significant correlation between some types of mental disorder and weapon choice. A strong correlation was found between delusional disorders and the use of sharp weapons, whereas depressive disorders were more strongly associated with asphyxia. Organic disorders were found to be highly correlated with the use of blunt instruments. In cases where the homicide was the result of an impulsive reaction, the use of sharp weapons was most often observed.

Il tema del “demoniaco” non è affatto scomparso dall’orizzonte complessivo delle rappresentazioni del “sacro”. Un caso di “esorcismo” non autorizzato e non legittimo nei confronti di una bambina viene analizzato attraverso due prospettive, quella psichiatricoforense e quella gruppale ed etnoantropologica al fine di arrivare ad una interpretazione transculturale del fenomeno. Ogni approccio considerato ha evidenziato dinamiche, situazioni e significati differenti sottolineando come solo l’interazione tra punti di vista diversi ma complementari possa portare alla comprensione dell’episodio.

Sacred crimes: a psychological approach Grattagliano Ignazio, Cassibba Rosalinda, Mininni Giuseppe & Scardigno Rosa Department of educational sciences, psychology and communication University of Bari Aldo Moro Religions are constructed as systems of meanings (Park, 2005) and act as systems of communication (Pace, 2008): they offer to believers a set of beliefs, goals, a subjective sense of meaning, that are discursively and narratively constructed, socialized and acted. By offering stories and shared meanings, religions contribute to give order to social reality and propose to their interlocutors a kind of communicative contract (Mininni, Ghiglione, 1995): if and how the addressees accept this proposal open a wide range of positioning (Scardigno, 2010). On the extreme positions, the atheists refuse the contract, whereas the magic-idolizing positioning accept as long as they can see/touch the Transcendent. In the middle of this continuum, the interlocutors can become active intralocutors and construct their own religiosity. Most of time, this relation can be mediated by several kinds of vicarious figures: those who consider themselves as receiving viva-voce the divine Word; those who act rituals as empowered by a religious institution; those who can introduce the believer in an “other” dimension. These figures respectively refer to three kinds of charisma: personal, functional and specific charisma (Pace, 2008). Most of time, believers can meet religious figures having one kind of charisma; sometimes two of them can be met; in extraordinary cases, the three charismas join. These figures’ features really offer believers the possibility to construct a relation with a figure they can trust in, sometimes with a reverential attitude. Unfortunately, sometimes these religious men can take advantage of their positions: the words and the rituals that should offer meanings, values, comfort and hope, can become weapons and dangerous communicative tools for believers in good faith. In this background, the present work is focused on a case study: the subject is a 53-year-old man who is legally declared as blind, and who has various previous convictions for fraud and sexual abuse on minors. He would convince people that he was a Catholic clergyman and organized masses and personal appearances in which messages from God would supposedly come through him. In addition to overseeing two religious centers where he would gather groups of the “faithful” who believed in his visions, he would also make visits to people’s homes in order to pray and perform religious rites, as well as to offer his assistance in order to help them with their various problems. The case of this “bogus priest” came to our attention following new allegations of sexually abusing five juvenile males, four of them belonging to one family (ages 10, 13, 14, and 17), and the other, their 14 year old cousin. The minors belonged to families with a multitude of problems resulting from economic hardship and relational difficulties. Judicial investigations carried out revealed that the boys had been the objects of sexual abuse at his hands over a period of time. It came out that these episodes had occurred during prayer, at confession, and when receiving spiritual guidance. Content analysis and discourse analysis on the victims’ answers to the questionings revealed stories of a well-planned strategy by the “bogus priest” abuser: the trust is betrayed and the young boys declare the oppositions between the “paternal” attitude, during the day-light, and the “strange” behaviors, during the night-time. This case study offers the possibility to reflect that the sense of order proposed by a religious system of meanings can be overthrown: psychology of religion, psychopathology and law can find a common field for investigation.

Mobbing may cause the appearance of reactive mental disorders related and based to a pathogen and peculiar working environment. Usually in “Mobbing” cases we analyze the point of view of the patient, what he believes he has suffered, we listen to his reasons, we record his suffering but often it’s not possible to check and verify if this is true checking with the other party, with the Employer. Our purpose is to understand and recognize if the Mobbing situation is really in place and the quality of the Mobbing action accomplished by the employer. Our aim is to evaluate the psychological aspect that are usually examined only from the patient / “alleged victim” point of view, both clinical and forensic. The doctor has no tool to evaluate – very rarely it happens – about complains, about the mobbing environment, about downgrading of duties. For this reason, the research on data and records for years 2010-2014 provided by INAIL – Apulia Region, even if based only on official acts and documents, is in our point of view important: we have been able to have a better understanding on a complex phenomenon like the Mobbing and regarding the damage evaluation of the medical/ legal, psychological, psychiatric/forensic aspects.

The amount of boys and girls who manipulate their body in a permanent way with tattoo and body piercing is an ever-increasing number. The body becomes the instrument through which young people show their feeling of uneasiness, which is consequence of adolescence. These kinds of manipulation of the body may be related to self injury phenomenon, or common adolescential behavior, such as use of tobacco, drugs or alcohol abuse, or to family conflicts and abnormal temperament traits. Considering adolescence as a critical period, this paper indicates the needfulness to monitor adolescents who manifest these behavioral tendencies not only to identify possible related medical complications, but also in order to recognize useful and early indicators of their feeling of uneasiness. This also in the view to carry out specific preventive strategies against the unset of risky behavior, such as smoking, alcohol and drugs abuse, and any other dangerous attitude.

Un caso di “senza dimora autore di reato” (un omicidio commesso con particolare violenza ed efferatezza), , ci ha fornito l’occasione per riflettere sui “reati d’impeto” commessi da questa particolare tipologia di soggetti. Il “reato d’impeto” segnala un comportamento di passaggio all’atto repentino, impulsivo, non mediato ed agito secondo modalità più o meno organizzate, il cui significato criminogenetico e criminodinamico, deve essere esaminato caso per caso. Nel caso di reati d’impeto commessi da soggetti “ senza fissa dimora”, si tratta di distinguere con molta attenzione tra una condizione di dipendenza da sostanze e di presenza di disturbi mentali rilevanti, come propria della condizione di estrema marginalità di questi soggetti, e come elemento predisponente e favorente il reato d’impeto.

This paper highlights how the early interpersonal experiences can deeply influence the normal, pathological individual development or his criminal career. In particular, several studies analyzed the attachment style of subjects sent to prison for sexual crimes. Sexual offenders’ attachment is worthy of further investigation and in-depth analysis, as they are more and more often subjected to criminology attention and are socially relevant.

Interest in the treatment of sexual aggressors has come about because sexual assaults represent a serious problem in our society and they victims and their families. Two types of responses for dealing with this issue in the fields of research and treatment have been developed. One is punitive in nature and is based on the idea that therapeutic treatment is unproductive. It is important to underline that the evidence supporting this idea is scarce. Research on more efficacious treatment models is still open. Psychotherapeutic treatment, which at present seems to produce the best outcomes, is characterized by a plurality of approaches: cognitive-behavioral, individual and group dynamics, familial, and strategic. The aim of this work is to try to look for possible solutions that may lower the frequency of these crimes and to give the aggressors the chance to confront their own problems and to understand the seriousness of the consequences produced by their acts.generate serious issues both for the

Sexual offenders e legami d’attaccamento. Una ricerca su un campione italiano Ignazio Grattagliano , Alessandro Taurino Alessandro Costantini2Alessandra Latrofa2, Sonia Papagna2, Maria Terlizzi2 Michele Giovanni Laquale2, Rosalinda Cassibba2, Le osservazioni, le analisi e le valutazioni sui sexual offenders ipotizzano che il profilo e le caratteristiche di autori di reati così “particolari”, coinvolgano una serie diversificata di fattori eziologici. Una delle chiavi di lettura è quella che esplora il ruolo giocato dalle esperienze di attaccamento di questi sogetti.La nostra indagine ha avuto lo scopo di rilevare quale fosse la categoria di attaccamento prevalente in un gruppo di venti sexual offenders, condannati e ristretti in carceri italiane. La ricerca ha riguardato sia la dicotomia sicuro/insicuro, sia rispetto alle tre categorie F (free), Ds (dismissing), ed E (entangled), riportando l’eventuale presenza di stati mentali di tipo Unresolved. Sono state inoltre indagate in maniera descrittiva le esperienze infantili di tali soggetti in relazione alle figure significative di attaccamento. Il punto di forza di tale studio, sul piano metodologico, è stato l’utilizzo dell’Adult Attachment Interview. Se, infatti, molte indagini presenti in letteratura evidenziano l’uso di strumenti self-report o di questionari per la rilevazione delle esperienze di attaccamento dei soggetti coinvolti, nella nostra ricerca è stato utilizzato uno strumento standardizzato, la cui validità è ampiamente documentata e riconosciuta nell’ambito della ricerca clinico-psicologica e medico-psichiatrica.

A homeless person may be defined as “a person in a state of tangible and intangible poverty, bearer of complex, dynamic, and multiform hardships” The study presented here was carried out in collaboration with the Italian Railway Police, from a criminological perspective, and focuses on homeless perpetrators and victims of crime. As of the writing of this article, 47 cases have been studied. Socio-demographic variables: AGE: The majority of subjects were male (72%), and 28% were female. The average age of the subjects observed was 49.8 years. The average age for males was 48.4 years, and 53.3 years for females. NATIONALITY: 74% were Italian; 26% were foreign (most of whom were Northern and Eastern Europeans) EDUCATION: 47% had five years of schooling; 19% had eight years of schooling; 6% had 13 years of schooling; and in one case, 18 years of schooling. Almost 30% of the subjects had no schooling at all. DURATION OF HOMELESSNESS: 40% were homeless for more than 5 years; 47% were homeless between 1 and 5 years; and 13% were homeless for 6 months. EVENTS LEADING TO HOMELESSNESS: Loss of employment (26%); Departure from home (20%); Immigration (10%); Divorce (10%); Home eviction (8%); Death of a family member who was the only source of income (4%); Financial failure (4%). The literature shows that divorce and poverty, as well as family and living problems predispose women to homelessness and to being victimized by crime. The literature also notes the role that mental illness and substance abuse play. Drug and alcohol use are predisposing factors for homelessness, the commission of crimes, and being the victim of crime . In addition most mental disorders diagnosed in the homeless are correlated to substance abuse , followed by mood, psychotic, and anxiety disorders ; anti-social and personality disorders ; and dual diagnosis . CRIMINAL ASPECTS OF OUR SAMPLE: Fifty-one percent of the crimes committed generally involved offences against property, or violence perpetrated against another person. This is in agreement with the literature, which reports that such crimes among the homeless are tied to the acquisition of, and selling of illegal substances . Another interesting fact taken from the literature regarding the homeless is the high percentage of crimes committed against women . This has also been confirmed by our sample. Forty-three percent of the subjects studied had no previous contact with the legal system: neither as perpetrator, nor as victim . Only 20% had been previously incarcerated. This datum differs from the literature a bit, which reports higher percentages of incarceration of homeless people with respect to our sample. The relationship between homelessness and incarceration is reported in various studies: 73% of males and 27% of females had been arrested at least one time . Gardiner & Cairns (2002) reported that 77% of male subjects in their study had been previously arrested. Moreover, being homeless increases the chances of being detained by the police after being stopped by them. And finally, physical and sexual violence constitutes another significant risk factor that may lead to homelessness . In the end, physical and sexual violence is a significant risk factor for becoming homeless.

One of the more harmful possible outcomes resulting from conflict between parents is the phenomenon of parental alienation syndrome (PAS). This disorder often goes undetected, and is not well recognized in Italy although it is the subject of many studies in the United States.Due to the ever-increasing attention given to PAS in cases regarding separation and divorce, where conflict involving child custody is often involved, the authors set about studying this topic by analyzing the files and records pertaining to 18 cases of PAS from four family counseling centers in Apulia, Italy.Using an intentionally elaborate questionnaire, we set out to investigate the particular features of PAS. In particular, this questionnaire allowed us to obtain information on the nuclear family as well as on the dynamics of separation and divorce. These elements are useful in determining parental fitness and can serve to offer insight into the behaviors of both the alienating and alienated parent. Furthermore, such information may offer insight into the effects of PAS on the children based on its three types (mild, moderate, and severe).The article concludes with some annotations, reflections, and proposals regarding the possible deleterious effects that parental conflicts may produce

Specific definitions aside, the behaviours that are generally associated with stalking may be classified into three categories of acts: 1) following (including showing up at the victim’s home and workplace, maintaining surveillance, and setting up coincidences); 2) communicating (by telephone, mail, leaving notes, graffiti, gifts, e-mail, and internet); including the ordering of goods and services in the victim’s name; 3) attacking or committing acts of violence (threats, direct harassment of the victim or of people close to the victim, damaging of personal goods, false accusations, physical or sexual violence). The work here presented proposes to find empirical confirmation of the data cited in the scientific literature with particular attention paid to the studies carried out by Mullen, Pathé, Purcell and Meloy who proposed a criminological diagnostic category for stalkers, delineating their behaviors.We go on to highlight patterns of behavior, as well as physical and social characteristics as postulated by these authors, and found in the molesters investigated in this study.

Aim This study has the aim to represent the degree of information raining about the identification of possible stalking acts and their frequency, within the context of public and private National Healthcare and Social Assistance. Data and Methods Socio Demographic data both of victims and possible stalkers, circumstances of events and the emotional responses of victims are gathered up by a multiple choice questionnaire , made by 20 questions, given to a sample of 101 subjects, which are practitioners within Healthcare and Social Assistance area (doctors, psychologists, nurses, social-health operators) both of public and private health facilities. Results Considering our sample, subjects which point out harassments linked to stalking are 30/101 (29.7%). Female sex is mainly represented F =22/30 (73, 3%) compared to male sex M=8/30 (26, 7%). 30, 14% of female health operators (nr 22/73) and 28, 57% of male health operators (nr 8/28) affirm that they are victims of harassments. Discussion The results indicate a lack of attention towards the stalking phenomenon, a limited trust of victims to the institutions, but also the persistence of a backward culture, within social and health services, about stalking, preventatives strategies of it and counter-actions of the harassment. Only a small part of them, 16.1%, reports what is happened or turn to anti-violence centres Conclusion The study highlights that information about stalking and its psychological consequences on victims/operators are insufficient in social and health area. It is necessary the star up of awareness campaigns, which gives information to practitioners of public and private Healthcare and Social Assistance area about characteristics of stalking and the way by which avoid its risks and prevent it.

Objectives. The aim of this work was to examine the role of substance use as factor which increase risk of assault. Materials and Methods. A review of the some of the most important international literature about drug-facilitated crimes is presented here. Results. The whole part of the papers shows a relationship between substance use and risk increase of assault, particularly in family violence and rape. Conclusions. The effects of psychotropic substances use depend on the user's emotional state and on drugs use expectations. This prospective shows that we need to be cautious in interpreting processes of linear causality between abusive behaviour, processes of victimisation, abuses and abnormal sexual behaviours, which are related to the patient's desires, enhanced and validated by drugs.

Il lavoro presenta un fenomeno di particolare rilevanza che può emergere, nel contesto delle dispute tra genitori separati per l’affidamento dei figli, in qualità di derivato o effetto della Sindrome di Alienazione Genitoriale: le false accuse di abuso sessuale intrafamiliare. Si assiste, infatti, sempre più di frequente a vicende giudiziarie che seguono un iter caratteristico: un genitore viene accusato di abusi o gravi maltrattamenti ai danni del figlio e viene allontanato, sospendendo ogni relazione con il bambino; il lungo percorso investigativo e giudiziario non conferma la denuncia ma, nel frattempo, il rapporto genitore-figlio è compromesso irrimediabilmente. Si desume, dunque, l’importanza di un’accurata differenziazione tra accuse bona fide di abuso e denunce frutto di una PAS: a tale scopo Gardner (1999) fornisce un lungo elenco di criteri che fanno riferimento sia ai pattern comportamentali dei minori che alle caratteristiche psicologiche, agli atteggiamenti e alla storia familiare dei genitori. In caso di abuso realmente subito dal genitore rifiutato, i sintomi dei figli rientrano solitamente nell’area del Disturbo Post-traumatico da Stress (A.P.A., 2001), e difficilmente si riscontrano le manifestazioni tipiche della PAS. Quanto alle figure parentali, solitamente i genitori alienanti sono poco collaborativi nel sottoporsi a valutazioni, poco attendibili nei loro resoconti, bisognosi di fare continue “iniezioni di richiamo” per ricordare ai figli i maltrattamenti subiti, premurosi nel proteggere i figli dal genitore bersaglio, anche in contesti protetti; denunciano, inoltre, i presunti abusi solo dopo la separazione. I genitori di minori realmente abusati, invece, lasciano che i figli ricordino spontaneamente gli abusi subiti, riconoscono il rischio dell’indebolimento del rapporto tra il genitore abusante ed i figli e fanno di tutto per ripristinarlo in condizioni protette; la denuncia degli abusi risale, infine, ad un periodo di molto precedente alla separazione. I genitori bersaglio della PAS, spesso, sono attendibili nei loro resoconti; si sono in genere preoccupati del benessere familiare; le denunce di abuso mosse loro riguardano solo i figli, non gli altri familiari. I genitori realmente abusanti, al contrario, sono poco attendibili nei loro resoconti, poco o affatto interessati al benessere della famiglia, tendono all’impulsività, all’esplosione violenta della rabbia; la denuncia di abuso può estendersi , in questi casi, anche ad altri membri della famiglia

Introduction: It seems paradoxical, but the more rational a society becomes, the more its need for spirituality grows. The phenomenon of magical religiosity is not associated with any particular social class, but may be found in all social strata of the population: People often turn in this direction at times when they are unable to face negative life events. Unscrupulous criminals, who take advantage of such weaknesses and problems of others, exploit these characteristics of fragility. The case presented here demonstrates this concept. The Case: The subject is a 53-year-old man who is legally declared as blind, and who has various previous convictions for fraud and sexual abuse on minors. He would convince people that he was a Catholic clergyman and organized masses and personal appearances in which messages from God would supposedly come through him. In addition to overseeing two religious centers where he would gather groups of the “faithful” who believed in his visions, he would also make visits to people’s homes in order to pray and perform religious rites, as well as to offer his assistance in order to help them with their various problems. The case of this “bogus priest” came to our attention following new allegations of sexually abusing five juvenile males, four of them belonging to one family (ages 10, 13, 14, and 17), and the other, their 14 year old cousin. The minors belonged to families with a multitude of problems resulting from economic hardship and relational difficulties. They had come to know the “bogus priest” during prayer meetings. When the imposter had learned of the two families’ problems, he began to make “pastoral visits” where he would offer to host the boys in his sanctuary homes during school breaks and the summer holidays. He eventually requested that custody of the boys be given over to him. He reported the families’ difficulties to social services in a manipulative way. He also stated that the boys had been sexually abused and neglected, but some of the investigations into this alleged abuse had brought his true identity to light. Judicial investigations carried out revealed that the boys had been the objects of sexual abuse at his hands over a period of time. It came out that these episodes had occurred during prayer, at confession, and when receiving spiritual guidance. The victims recounted stories of a well-planned strategy by the “bogus priest” abuser. In addition to isolating them from their families and their home environments, the “bogus priest” touched them on their genitals, asked them to perform sexual acts on each other, tried to engage in oral sex with them, masturbated them, showed them pornographic films, and asked them very intimate questions during “phony confessions”. The fake clergyman also gave the boys money in order that they not reveal what had happened. Moreover, he threatened them, saying that if they divulged what had transpired, they would be institutionalized and would lose all contact with their families. In order to prevent the parents from speaking to each other, or with social service representatives, he spoke badly to each one about the others, thereby creating a situation of isolation and conflict within the families. After being exposed, the “bogus priest” was arrested and found guilty. Conclusions: The literature, as well as clinical and rehabilitation experience on juvenile victims of sexual abuse, all demonstrate that the psychological damage to developmental processes on minors is much more severe when the abuser is a significant figure who is emotionally tied to the victim, particularly mothers and fathers. For this reason, intrafamilial sexual abuse is particularly serious and harmful to a child. We can hypothesize that a priest is perceived as a father insomuch as children have fewer instruments to separate the concept of God the father from a concrete figure who represents him. It is probable,

The contexts of legal communication are characterized by the maximum strain between the spread of doubtfulness and the aspiration to certainty. The distance between the versions of events proposed by prosecution and defense is clear evidence of the sense-making dynamic that marks the human condition as “insecuritas”. The analysis of legal contexts allows us to capture the complex process of the discursive construction of (un)certainty, that interweaves references on both the epistemic and value axes typical of a specific sense-enunciative community. In the discursive sphere of the “court” institution, all the enunciative positionings enacted by those who incriminate, defend, testify, guarantee and judge, disclose the several ways to relate to (un)certainty of their textual worlds. As a consequence, the meaning of “evidentials” is overdetermined by specific rhetorical structures that set up a wide range of personal styles in the management of (un)certainty . The analysis of texts produced in a judicial debate aims to display the dialogical principle pertaining to a specific modulation of evidentiality expressed by deontic forms, performing a “dehumanizing” rhetoric. They can be interpreted as a trace of the opportunity to emphasize the ethical roots of each claim for certainty

The great tradition of Occidental philosophy is enlivened by the obsession with (un)certainty (Wittgenstein 1969). It inspired several theories concerning ways and limits of knowledge as a form of control over the world by human beings (McBurney e Parsons 2001) as well as refined models about the degrees of plausibility of trust as basic justification for human relations. In a such cultural horizon, the psycholinguistic perspective aims to get in the common speech dynamics (Mininni, 2000). One of them is evidentiality, that is a wide range of stances the enunciator can take on the nature of information proposed by his textual world – assertion, belief, opinion, inferences, etc. – and on its quality – reliability, pertinence and so on (Wesson & Pulford 2009). The contexts of legal communication are characterized by the maximum strain between the spread of doubtfulness and the aspiration to certainty. The distance between the versions of events proposed by prosecution and defense is a clear evidence of the sense-making dynamic that marks human condition as “insecuritas” (Semerari 1980). The analysis of legal contexts allows to catch the complex process of discursive construction of (un)certainty, that interweaves references on both epistemic and value axis typical of a specific sense-enunciative community. In the discursive sphere of the “court” institution, all the enunciative positioning acted by those who incriminate, defend, testify, guarantee and judge, disclose the several ways to relate to (un)certainty of their textual worlds. As a consequence, the meaning of “evidentials” (Jakobson 1956; Haviland 1989) is overdetermined by specific rhetoric structures that set up a wide range of personal styles in the (un)certainty management. The analysis of texts produced in different phases of various judicial debates aims to display the dialogical principle (Bakhtin 1981) pertaining to a specific modulation of evidentiality expressed by deontic forms (e.g. “it must be”). They can be interpreted as a trace of the opportunity to emphasize the ethical roots of each claim for certainty (Hermeren 2011)

This work aims to identify some indicators of good parenting which are shared by social workers (psychologists and social workers) and couples of candidates for adoption or who have just adopted a child. The objective of this experience has been, first, to give operators and couples an opportunity to take into account the components of parenting considered most important for “success” of an adoption. At the same time, that experi-ence intended to identify evaluation criteria “shared” between the “social actors” in-volved in the path adopted; those criteria could be used for the evaluation of candidates-couples for adoption, and/or monitoring of the parenting skills of couples who have al-ready embarked on that path.

The migration process is cause of physical and social stressors that may lead to mental health problems, particularly in children. In Italy there are few studies about migrant children's mental health; thus the aim of this study is to compare the prevalence and types of emotional and behavioral problems in migrant schoolchildren to those of native Italy children. The research involved migrant (first- and second- generation) and native schoolchildren attending kindergarten, primary and secondary school. A questionnaire was administrated to parents to collect information about the socio-demographic characteristics. All teachers filled in the Teacher’s Report Form (TRF) for migrant and native children. The findings show that teachers detect the academic and adaptive problems more easily in migrant schoolchildren, but they probably are less aware of their psychological problems. The observations made in this study provide a starting point to understand the psychological status and the main problems among migrant children.

In the course of their work, experts in the field of forensics must evaluate not only the validity of what has been reported to them, but also the validity of who does the reporting. The entire relationship between subject and forensic science specialist is influenced by a series of elements that may alter the genuineness of a diagnosis (e.g. the examiner’s style; the rigid and constrictive nature of the exam; the repercussions of the outcomes of the exam; the need for the results to be reported to a third party; and the tendency of evaluated subjects to dissemble. Concealment of a syndrome represents a problem in the diagnostic process that results in an increase of false positives. A dissembler is a person who is well aware of the truth, but denies it by mentally managing two conflicting affirmations. In the field of legal medicine and forensics it is necessary to face up to the limits of subjectivity and clinical observations. The use of psychodiagnostic instruments, in these cases, appears to be indispensible. The MMPI-2 test is the principal instrument possessing indices that are able to root out concealing behaviors in subjects who are being examined “Lying and concealing” behaviors are accompanied by verbal and non-verbal elements, including such paralinguistic clues as body language. “The latency period” plays a particularly interesting role among the various forms of non-verbal behavior, and is often considered to be a non-verbal sign that the subject is probably lying . Beginning with the hypothesis that one can expect a longer response time by dissemblers because of their need to “manage mental information”, the goal was set to verify potential information in connection to response times on the MMPI-2 test items as an instrument that can identify concealing behaviors. This study was conducted using the computerized version of the MMPI-2, which is able to automatically calculate response times. Fifty-nine males and 17 females were enlisted and subdivided into four groups based on the reasons for which they underwent legal medical assessment: candidate for a driver’s license; suitability to carry a firearm; appropriateness for a particular job; and fitness to be a parent. These subjects were compared to a control group made up of voluntary subjects deemed to be clinically healthy and not influenced by ulterior advantages or interests regarding the completion of the test. This group was controlled for number, age, and level of education. The usefulness of response times in identifying “dissemblers” from the control gro

After attending this presentation, attendees will understand that assaults by psychiatric patients against mental health care providers is a significant occupational risk for health care staff in private and public acute psychiatric facilities and rehabilitation wards. The review of literature shows that aggressive behavior, in most cases, involves verbal aggression and that physicians and nurses reported the highest prevalence of violence. Several surveys revealed that younger patients (=25-30 years of age) with multiple diagnoses, including substance abuse, psychotic behavior, and non-compliance to treatment are at the greatest risk of violent behavior, without a great gender difference. This presentation will impact the forensic science community by emphasizing that mental health professionals can become victims of lethal assault by psychiatric patients, with minor injuries being more common (i.e., resulting in missed days of work or assignments to limited duty). Multiple or life-threatening injuries (i.e., fractures, lacerations, bruises, or a loss of consciousness) are sustained by a smaller percentage of staff members. A case of a 53-year-old female psychiatrist who was found stabbed in her office in a mental health center was reported. A 44-year-old male was charged with this fatal assault. He had been previously admitted to the hospital with suicidal ideation and confusion. A 14.5 centimeters-long kitchen knife (single cutting edge) was found in the office. The autopsy revealed 70 stab wounds: four superficial wounds of the supraclavicular and cervical areas; three abdominal wounds penetrating the liver; eight wounds of the thorax penetrating the lungs; forty-two wounds of the back (twenty-eight of which penetrated pleural cavities); six superficial wounds of the lumbar region; and seven superficial wounds of the upper arms. The same knife found in the crime scene caused all of the wounds. Death was attributed to massive hemorrhagic shock. The forensic psychiatric expert highlighted a borderline-antisocial personality disorder; the perpetrator was judged competent to stand trial and the prosecutor asked for 30 years in prison. Results from the literature review indicate that patient aggression toward mental health care professionals is common and worldwide. These incidents raised the controversial debate regarding the potential danger posed by individuals with mental illness, as psychiatrists have a 5% to 48% chance of experiencing a physical assault by a patient during their career. According to the United States Department of Justice’s National Crime Victimization Survey conducted from 1993 to 1999, the annual rate of non-fatal, job-related violent crime was 12.6 per 1,000 workers in all occupations. Among physicians, the rate was 16.2 per 1,000 and among nurses was 21.9 per 1,000; however, for psychiatrists and mental health care professionals, the rate was 68.2 per 1,000, and for mental health custodial workers the rate was 69 per 1,000.1 The most common type of aggression has minor consequences (mostly psychological as symptoms suggestive of post-traumatic stress disorder) and has usually occurred in crowded and unstructured settings without weapons, but a few cases of serious injuries or death are reported. Mental health care practitioners have to be aware that risk factors for violence are divided into two categories: static (psychiatric diagnoses of major mental illness and prior history, young adulthood, lower intelligence, history of head trauma or neurological impairment, dissociative states, history of military service, and weapons training) and dynamic (substance abuse or dependence, persecutory delusions, command hallucinations, treatment non-compliance, impulsivity, homicidality with a feasible homicidal plan, depression, hopelessness, suicidality, and access to weapons). A multidisciplinary continuing education curriculum

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) defines child abuse and maltreatment as “all forms of physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, and commercial exploitation that results in actual or potential harm to a child’s health, survival, development or dignity...” (OMS 2002). Statistics show that child abuse and neglect is rising at an alarming rate. Due to an increase in the number of such cases, the Italian Minister of Health has defined the phenomenon of abuse and violence against minors as a health problem, and not only a social or, safety issue. Such events are complex in nature and require the expertise of various disciplines. In order to ascertain if abuse was indeed perpetrated on a minor, careful verification of the facts is required, as well as an objective “legal-medical” examination. The only suitable means for tackling this task is teamwork. One very important resource to consider is the registered nurse, who is often the first health care worker to come into contact with the presumed victim. By spending time with these young patients, it is easier for a forensic nurse to take on the role of “confidant” while at the same time looking out for unusual behaviors, or any signs of physical abuse such as lesions or burns. Method The aim of this poster is to examine the contributions of forensic nursing in the evaluation of child abuse and neglect. Results Notwithstanding recent institutional laws and regulations put into place that redefine the job descriptions of healthcare providers, nurses in Italy do not have complete decisional autonomy. A nurse’s image is still closely connected to that of the physician. This goes against current Italian ethical and penal code, which lays out the specific roles of healthcare workers with regarding juveniles who are presumed victims of abuse. Conclusions Forensic nursing specialized in the verification of child abuse and neglect is well established and considered to be very important in countries such as the United States. It is a hopeful sign that registered nurses’ roles and autonomy in legal-medical matters, such as child abuse and neglect, have been recognized in Italy.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines child abuse and maltreatment as “all forms of physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, and commercial exploitation that results in actual or potential harm to a child’s health, survival, development or dignity...” (OMS 2002). Statistics show that child abuse and neglect is rising at an alarming rate. Due to an increase in the number of such cases, the Italian Minister of Health has defined the phenomenon of abuse and violence against minors as a health problem, and not only a social or, safety issue. Such events are complex in nature and require the expertise of various disciplines. In order to ascertain if abuse was indeed perpetrated on a minor, careful verification of the facts is required, as well as an objective “legal-medical” examination. The only suitable means for tackling this task is teamwork. One very important resource to consider is the registered nurse, who is often the first health care worker to come into contact with the presumed victim. By spending time with these young patients, it is easier for a forensic nurse to take on the role of “confidant” while at the same time looking out for unusual behaviors, or any signs of physical abuse such as lesions or burns.

The development and diffusion of Information and Communication Technologies has resulted in a profound change in the way in which we learn, we relate to others and build their identity. Internet and social media are tools and contexts to improve knowledge and skills but also put themselves at risk to get involved in violent and aggressive interactions relationships as in the case of cyber bullying. The Cyberbullying refers to aggressive behavior, intentional deployed by one or more individuals, using electronic means, repetitively and continuously against a person who can not easily oppose (Smith et al., 2008). The study aims to assess the prevalence of bullying and cyberbullying and to deepen the effect of the Internet and the use of technological communication tools on the quality of relationships among adolescents. The sample is a group of 85 students aged between 10 and 13 years. The results confirm both the spread of bullying and cyber bullying that relations between these two phenomena. Moreover, it appears that only in particular conditions, technological means of communication and internet increase the risk of involvement in aggressive interactions.

This work analyses the psychological assessment in traffic psychology focusing on the Expert System Traffic (EST), a computerized psychological assessment tool of the Vienna Test System. This tool includes various neuropsychological cognitive tasks (assessing attention, memory, visuomotor ability, etc.), some personality inventories (measuring aggressiveness, emotional stability, etc.), two scales of alcol assumption and risk taking behaviour in presence of dangerous conditions. The absence of cognitive deficits, aggressive personality traits and acting behaviours prone to risk taking in dangerous situations seems to be a crucial feature of driving ability. The EST is a very high standardized procedure. Furthermore, its ability to measure a complex and multifactorial behaviour like the driving ability, makes the EST the most valid assessment of driving-specific ability in the whole context of traffic psychology.

Through a multilevel approach, the text describes and analyzes a case of sexual abuse perpetrated and continued to the detriment of five children, came to our observation in the field expert, committed by a person who "impersonating" for a Catholic priest. The various aspects considered (psychiatric, psychological, forensic, ethno-anthropological and communicative) reveal dynamic situations and specific meanings, so that only the interaction between different but complementary perspectives can lead to a deeper understanding of the uniqueness of the case examined, illustrating in an exemplary way the dense web of disturbances caused by a double mockery of the trust which the primary relationship of human sociality.

An estreme case of family violence on a child. Marianna is a child dead by hardships. The case, apparently far from nursing daily practice, is the occasion for reflecting how often the nursing profession witnesses situations at risk of remaining invisible unless somebody decides to take them on collecting data, reporting signals, carefully observing.

The case presented here concerns an unusual type of strangulation homicide whereby a rope is passed around the victim’s wrists, ankles, and throat resulting in suffocation by auto-asphyxia. The literature usually refers to this method as “incaprettamento” (i.e. “trussed up like a goat”), a method employed by organized crime groups such as the Italian Mafia, but also used in the execution of war crimes, or in various other cultural-anthropological contexts, This method of killing is meant to impart a particularly degrading and humiliating revenge on the victim. It also serves as sign of intimidation and a warning to others.To all appearances, the case presented here is different than those usually reported in the literature. The unusual way in which the killing took place, along with its symbolic meaning, seems to have both military and anthropological origins that reflect the culture to which the perpetrator belonged. This case study, offers the opportunity to analyze the interaction between these factors and those derived from the experience of a rigid military environment such as that of the Foreign Legion.

In ambito forense usare strumenti che consentano l’individuazione di casi in cui è presente una minimizzazione della patologia può costituire un significativo contributo per l’accertamento della validità dei risultati acquisiti e per stabilire la credibilità di quanto viene riportato dai soggetti esaminati. Il test MMPI-2 è uno dei pochi strumenti psicodiagnostici che consente l’individuazione di condotte distorsive. Il primo obiettivo di questo lavoro di ricerca è presentare gli esiti del tentativo di individuare condotte di dissimulazione tramite l'adozione di indici ricavati non da singoli item, ma dal confronto relativo a tutte le intere scale dello strumento. Un secondo obiettivo è mettere a punto un nuovo indice di dissimulazione in grado di fornire una indicazione ancora più affidabile sulla probabilità di dissimulazione da parte del valutando se confrontato con alcuni consueti indici di dissimulazione all'MMPI-2. Il Campione sperimentale è composto da 67 soggetti maschi, potenziali dissimulatori in quanto interessati a risultare sani in vista dell’ottenimento di un certificato di idoneità al lavoro, al porto d’armi, alla patente di guida o all’adozione, presso la Clinica Psichiatrica e la Sezione di Criminologia e Psichiatria forense del Policlinico di Bari, e 2 Consultori Familiari afferenti all'Azienda Sanitaria Locale di Bari. Campione di controllo: 62 soggetti maschi, volontari, clinicamente sani Per quanto riguarda i risultati preliminari: Delle 48 scale prese in considerazione, 28 hanno soddisfatto il criterio di significatività p=0,001, differenziando il gruppo sperimentale da quello di controllo. Per ridurre la ridondanza di eventuali scale altamente correlate tra loro sono state eseguite 28 regressioni multiple standard ognuna con una delle 28 scale come criterio e le altre 27 come predittori. Sono state selezionate le 20 scale che ottenevano un valore di Square Multiple Correlation minore o uguale 0.20. Queste 20 scale sono state poi inserite in un modello di analisi discriminante stepwise forward preliminare. Dall'analisi emerge che il miglior indicatore sul piano della discriminazione tra campione di controllo e sperimentale è la scala Pt, seguita da L e da Hs e da altre sei variabili. E’ stato anche calcolato un nuovo indice per la dissimulazione in ambito forense, la Forensic Evaluation Dissimulation Index. L’indice FEDI ha soddisfacenti indici di Sensibilità (0.82), Specificità (0.81), Likelihood ratio positivo (4.32) e negativo (0.22), poteri predittivi positivo (0.81) e negativo (0.82). Questo lavoro di ricerca pone le basi di un più ampio progetto di ricerca volto all’identificazione di innovative e valide strategia per l’accertamento di condotte distorsive nell’ambito di valutazioni forensi. L’analisi dei dati evidenzia un modello a tre predittori (PT, L e HS) in grado di riclassificare la quasi totalità dei partecipanti ammessi a visita (97%) e quasi il 63% dei partecipanti di controllo. Una seconda metodologia può basarsi sul superamento di un valore soglia. Il Forensic Evaluation Dissimulation Index (FEDI), presenta soddisfacenti indici di sensibilità, specificità e Likelihood Ratio e sembra di semplice utilizzazione ottenendo sempre risultati decisamente migliori rispetto ad altre scale ed indici con simili caratteristiche. L’indice FEDI oltre a presentare un alto livello di accuratezza diagnostica (0.90), risulta un indice maneggevole e spendibile in diversi ambiti.

Psychological cults are of particular interest to criminologists due to their complex and multi-faceted structures. They may come in the form of organizations, movements, and training centers that make promises to their victims of developing or strengthening their psycho-relational capacities, thus resulting in improvements in their social, professional, and personal lives. Starting from the complex and delicate story of a professional couple who join a cult, the authors describe one case of a organization that are referred to as “psycho-sects”, and with a significant number of followers. These cases came to our attention through judicial authorities, and they offer us an opportunity to look at two aspects associated with psycho-sects: The need of individuals to belong to such groups; and the risk of abuse and violence that they face

Grattagliano I. USELFULNESS AND LIMITS OF THE FAMILY DRAWING TEST, IN THE EVALUATION OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IN EXPERT TESTIMONY: A FIELD SURVEY Ignazio Grattagliano This study aims, to make a contribution exclusively casuistic, at assessing the ability of the Design of the Family to identify the graphic signs of sexual abuse, in the evaluation of child sexual abuse. Two groups, composed by 8 minors with ascertained (by the Italian Magistrature) sexual abuse, and 8 minors belonging to the control group, respectively, were compared. The drawings were analysed through an ad hoc grid composed by 17 graphic indicators. Results don’t show that two groups are very different in all examined variables. To date, it seems neither possible nor methodologically appropriate to use this tool in the forensic field as “proof” of any abuse suffered by the child.

Antisocial Personality Disorder (DAP) and Psychopatic Personality Disorder or Psychopathy (DPP) have long been considered as synonimous, so that DSM-IV-TR (2000) included only DAP while no reference about DPP was comprised. The present paper considers research works on neurobiological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioural characteristics of Psycopathy, corroborating the clinical validity and usefulness of this disorder. The empirical evidence of DPP is the basis for the proposal by Personality Disorders Work Group on DSM-V to consider and discriminate these different disorders as two subtypes of unique disorder (Antisocial/Psychopathic Personality Disorder), included in wide revision model of DP. This “alternative model” was refused at the end of DSM-V elaboration and was included in the III Section of manual dedicated to “emergent model”.

This study aims, to make a contributions exclusively casuistic, at assess the ability of the Design of the Family to identify the graphic signs of sexual abuse, in the evaluation of child sexual abuse. Two groups, composed by 8 minors with ascertained (by the Italian Magistrature) sexual abuse, and 8 minors belonging to the control group, respectively, were compared. The drawings were analysed through an ad hoc grid composed by 17 graphic indicators. Results don't show that two groups are very different in all examined variables. To date, it seems neither possible nor methodologically appropriate to use this tool in the forensic field as "proof" of any abuse suffered by the child.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Gender identity disorder (GID) is a mental disorder in which gender identity is incongruent with the anatomical sex, in the absence of any clear and defined genetic or biological alteration. The diagnosis of GID as well as the assessment of patient eligibility for sex reassignment surgery (SRS) are prerequisite to the legal recognition procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the Rorschach test in differential diagnosis determination and primarily in providing information on patient eligibility for SRS, in the framework of the clinical, therapeutic and forensic psychometric and psychodiagnostic assessment, and according to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For this purpose we analysed the Rorschach test of 47 patients (33 GID and 14 GID NAS). RESULTS: Results show that GID NAS patients have greater difficulties in stress control and less adaptability, which could lead to disorganisation, impulsiveness, behavioural disorders, as well as higher levels of situational and chronic stress, with altered thought patterns and uncontrolled ideation, a higher frequency of thought disorders and disturbed relations, with lower quality and less adaptive interpersonal relationships, which are characterized by dependency and aggressive behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: This research shows that the Rorschach test cannot be used alone in the determination of the differential diagnosis between GID and GID NAS in the diagnosis and evaluation of patient eligibility for SRS, especially when comparing groups which do not shows significant differences in the prevalence of the main psychopathological disorders.

When following proper legal medical and forensic psychiatric methodology, one needs to be aware that it is incorrect to make a diagnosis of abuse based solely on the results of administered psychodiagnostic instruments, particularly when employing graphic evaluations, such as The Human Figure Drawing Test. This article highlights the expressive and communicative value that the drawings may possess in child abuse investigations, whether they are of a sexual, physical, or psychological nature, or if they involve neglect. It is well to remember that, especially in the field of legal medicine; one always needs to keep in mind that no do not automatism exists a direct association between the coupling of a single response on the test, needs to keep in mind that no direct association exists between the coupling of a single response on the test, and and its psychological significance. Test responses in no way constitute any significant juridically usable