Low Down

  The technique of criminal profiling has proliferated over recent decades, despite a remarkable lack of empirically rigorous evidence concerning its accuracy. Notwithstanding the absence of evidence, the very circumstance of the continued use of profiles by police investigators is often regarded as proof of their accuracy. This phenomenon is essentially informed by an “operational utilitarian argument.” Namely, anecdotal evaluations of criminal profiles sponsor their continued use. A series of empirical studies that systematically test the reliability of such anecdotal evaluations concerning the perceived accuracy of criminal profiles. The results of these studies demonstrate the unreliability of anecdotal evaluations and highlight the weakness of such an argument. On an intuitive level, fictional portrayals of criminal profiling may serve to fuel the impression of the merit and accuracy of the practice in assisting investigators. The second factor relates to the general environme...

Children in vehicles. This is a particular problem with several aspects. Many countries have brought in laws to protect children in cars because of their special vulnerability First, it is an understandable, but highly dangerous, indulgence for adults to allow small children to travel unrestrained in the front seat of a car. Some parents even allow them to stand gripping the fascia edge immediately below the windscreen, an invitation to facial and eye damage even in minor accidents. The seating of a child on the mother's lap is hazardous, as on violent deceleration either mother and child pitch against the windscreen - or the child flies out of the arms of a belt-restrained mother. The close proximity to the fascia and windscreen causes many deaths and facial injuries, especially to the eyes. Adult secured seatbelts will not properly accommodate a child (or even a small adult), because the fixation point on the door pillar is too high even if the straps can be short- ened sufficien...

  Numerous investigations have been made by road research organizations and car manufacturers using dummies and actual corpses, together with sophisticated recording equipment and high-speed cinematography. These have establisheda detailed picture of the sequence of events in automobilecrashes. When the most common event  -  frontal impact  -  occurs, the unrestrained driver first slides forwards so that his legs strike the fascialparcel-shelf area, and his abdomen or lower chest contacts the lower edge of the steering wheel. The body then flexes across the steering wheel and begins to rise. The heavy head goes forwards, and there is flexion of the cervical and thoracic spines. The upward and forward component causes the head to strike the windscreen, the upper windscreen rim or the side pillar. The windscreen is often perforated by the head or face, and the whole body may be ejected through the broken glass, to land on the bonnet or even on the roadway ahead. A...