Author: Jessica Roberts Martin

Margo Schlanger, J.D., professor of law, has been named the new reporter for the American Bar Association’s effort to rewrite and update its standards relating to the legal treatment of prisoners.

The St. Louis Chapter of the American Jewish Congress and the School of Law are co-sponsoring the 27th annual Constitutional Conference titled “In a Nation of Immigrants, Immigration Impasse: What Now?” from 2:30 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 7 in the Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom in Anheuser-Busch Hall.

While many Americans view Columbus Day as the recognition of cultural heritage, a number of American Indians, indigenous people, and U.S. citizens hold a vastly different view. “It is estimated that 85 percent of the American Indian population was wiped out in the 150 years following the arrival of Columbus,” says Dana Klar, director of the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies at Washington University in St. Louis. Today, the state of Minnesota does not celebrate Columbus Day and in South Dakota, a state with a large number of American Indians and reservations, Columbus Day is known as Native American Day. “It is time for this nation as a whole to follow suit,” Klar says.

What mental impact do disasters have on victims?Hurricanes, earthquakes and other major disasters take their toll not only on buildings and infrastructure, but also on the mental health of victims and volunteers. Monica M. Matthieu, Ph.D., disaster mental health expert, says, “It is important to realize that the community relationships and social network that we have before a disaster is the one that we will draw on for support and care after a disaster.” She is available to discuss the impact of disasters on victims, mental health professionals and volunteers; volunteering after a disaster; important disaster-related community resources; and how to develop a community network before a disaster.

Photo by Mary ButkusFormer U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt confers with social work student Sudie Nallo following a discussion led by Muneer Ahmed, J.D., professor of law at American University, on “Guantanamo, National Security, and Citizenship” in the Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom of Anheuser-Busch Hall.

The Gephardt Institute for Public Service invites University faculty to apply for grants to support community-based teaching and learning, also known as service-learning.

Leila N. Sadat, J.D., the Henry H. Oberschelp Professor of Law, has been appointed director of the Whitney R. Harris Institute for Global Legal Studies by Kent D. Syverud, J.D., dean of the School of Law and the Ethan A. Shepley University Professor. Michael Peil J.D., assistant dean for international programs, is the new executive director of the Harris Institute.

Hallmarks of autism are characteristic behaviors — repetitive motions, problems interacting with others, impaired communication abilities — that occur in widely different combinations and degrees of severity among those who have the condition. But how those behaviors change as individuals progress through adolescence and adulthood has, until now, never been fully scientifically documented. In a new study, published in the September Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, researchers have found that symptoms can improve with age. “On average, people are getting better,” says Paul T. Shattuck, assistant professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. “It is a hopeful finding, but the fact remains that those with severe autism will depend on others for their everyday needs and care for the rest of their lives.”

“It is unlikely that a dispute over proper ownership of sports memorabilia would receive this sort of attention if it did not involve O.J. Simpson,” says Christopher A. Bracey, associate professor of law and of African and African-American studies at Washington University in St. Louis. “If the past is prologue, his celebrity status may also prove to be his ‘get out of jail free’ card, reinforcing his reputation as a man who operates ‘above the law.’ On the other hand, recent celebrity cases suggest that celebrated athletes and entertainers will no longer receive a free pass when it comes to the criminal justice system. In the case of Michael Vick — and perhaps OJ — one might argue that celebrities are now, in some sense, being targeted for prosecution.” Bracey is following the Simpson case and is available for interviews.

“I always thought the fashion police were a myth, but they seem to be real,” Richards says.A growing number of cities have enacted laws that would make wearing saggy or low-slung pants indecent exposure. “It’s an interesting question whether these laws would violate the First Amendment as currently understood,” says Neil Richards, professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis. “Saggy pants laws form a hybrid case. They are regulating in terms of indecent exposure but seem to be directed at the expression of identity through clothing.” Richards is available to discuss the constitutional issues surrounding these laws.