Putting affected people at the centre of humanitarian action: an argument for the principle of humanitarian subsidiarity.

The humanitarian system has grown organically over the course of a generation to become a complex system bound by a common primary mandate. Its guiding principles provide it with a unique identity and separate humanitarian actors from other aid-related stakeholders. However, all of the evidence suggests that humanitarian actors will extend their reach and engage in new and unprecedented ways with an expanded mandate in years to come.

Human rights and proactive displacement: determining the appropriate balance between the duty to protect and the right to remain.

The proactive displacement by public authorities of populations from areas perceived to be exposed to a high risk of disaster presents complex human rights challenges. Provided that no ulterior motive is at play, the use of compulsory evacuations and relocations as policy responses to such risk is mandated by the duty to protect the right to life. However, proactive displacement in the interest of saving lives can be problematic as such measures can lead to the limitation of other human rights, resulting in an intricate assessment of whether compulsory evacuation or permanent relocation is proportional in any given circumstance.

Service user experience of adapted dialectical behaviour therapy in a community adult mental health setting.

Background: Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), a skill-based cognitive behavioural treatment, is increasingly used in the treatment of borderline personality disorder (BPD).

Aims: The study examined service users' perspective on the effectiveness of an adapted DBT programme, delivered within a community adult mental health setting.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with eight participants with a diagnosis of BPD about their experience of the programme.

Naturalistic study of crisis referrals to an Irish community adult mental health service.

There is no agreed definition of a mental health crisis; however, a useful one is 'a situation where mental health has deteriorated to an extent that the user is likely to be at risk of harm to self or others and is in need of urgent intensive specialist support and treatment' (Minghella , 1998). Community-based care is the primary model of specialist mental healthcare in Ireland (Government of Ireland, 2006). When clinically indicated, a patient with mental health crisis is referred to the community mental health team (CMHT) for an urgent assessment.

Patterns of denial in sex offenders: a replication study.

To assess whether a robust typology of sex offenders could be established based on the patterns of denial displayed, a previously developed semistructured interview method was used to assess denial in a mixed group of convicted rapists and child molesters. Cluster analysis was used to establish homogeneous groups of sex offenders based on the pattern of denial in each case, with a three-cluster solution emerging as the most appropriate, confirming previous research. The denial groups were compared in relation to objective offense characteristics to assess whether a consistent typology of offenders emerged.

Infanticide and child murder - admissions to the Central Mental Hospital 1850-2000.

Infanticide and child murders have been known to all civilisations throughout time. This study looks at the problem from an Irish perspective, particularly with regard to the forensic psychiatry service. The case notes and legal files of 64 women admitted to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH), Dublin, between May 1850 and 2000 were examined.