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Recognising the rights of innocent parties suffering the deep impacts of crime, state governments since 1992 have established and developed end-to-end support services for victims.

The Department of Justice provides victims of crime with access to quality services from the start to the finish of their contact with the criminal justice system, as well as a stronger voice in the judicial process.

By allowing victims a more formal role in the justice system, we aim to significantly contribute to their recovery and healing, Department Director General Dr Adam Tomison says.

Our extensive victim services network of staff performs in a fraught environment at the coalface of the interaction between the justice system and a victim, Dr Tomison says.

For victims who request assistance, Court Counselling and Support Services (CCSS) helps from after a crime has been committed through to the court process, including family violence civil matters.

The Victim-offender Mediation Unit (VMU) becomes involved at the pre-and post-sentence stages and the Victim Notification Register (VNR) provides information during an offenders incarceration.

The challenge for the victim of crime is that it was an unwanted and traumatic experience, CCSS Director Teresa Tagliaferri says.The victim is facing a situation they were not in control of and then results in them having to embark on a healing journey.

This is difficult enough to work through from a personal perspective but is also occurring at the same time as a complicated police investigation and/or court process, she says.

The biggest changes CCSS has seen over the years include the expansion of its specialist services, reflected in the Child Witness Service and Family Violence Service, and the regionally-based combined Victim Support and Child Witness Service.

The voluntary nature of these services is important as it is empowering the victim of crime to have control about what they need, Ms Tagliaferri says. We provide our services with compassion, ensuring the principles of trauma-informed practice.

The VMU offers a reparative pre-sentence mediation service that is voluntary for victims and offenders, and a post-sentence process for victims when offenders are subject to supervised orders in the community.

The VNR also comes under that unit and is a vital cog in the Departments support structure for victims which has been operating for 21 years.

Headed by 19-year VNR veteran and experienced social worker Anne Martin, the register keeps victims apprised of an offenders status in the criminal justice system and endeavours to meet the needs of victims as well as being cognisant of the rights of offenders.

Victims can apply to go on the register at any time during an offenders passage through the correctional system, from which the VNR gathers information for victims.

A victims trauma can be long-lasting and were often talking to people who have lost a loved one and that loss is forever, Ms Martin says.

This is why the information (about an offender) that we pass on, its important we do it as sensitively and full of compassion as we can.

Commissioner for Victims of Crime Kati Kraszlan commended victim-facing staff who had often spent many years at the coalface.

Someone like Anne at the VNR may have been dealing with the same victims of crime since an offender was locked up 20 years ago, as well as taking countless other victims through the sentencing, incarceration, community supervision and eventual release process, she says.

While people may not always like what the VNR has to say, they do their job in a supportive and professional manner.

Ms Kraszlan is hosting the Victim Voices conference, which will map out the victim experience, on Friday, 16 September in Perth.

Chief Justice Peter Quinlan, cyber safety expert Paul Litherland and Dr Tomison are among speakers at the free event at the State Library of WA.

Tickets for the event are free, but must be booked at justice.wa.gov.au/victim-voice-conference.

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Recovery and healing at the heart of victims of crime services - Government of Western Australia

Meghan Markle has launched her latest attack on the royal family, saying she was happy to leave in part because she lost control of her beloved social media accounts claiming her images were instead given to people who were calling my children the N-word.

The 41-year-old rookie podcaster insisted in a scathing interview with New York Magazines The Cut that she and husband Prince Harry never stood a chance in the UK because just by existing, we were upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy.

She also admitted that their decision to flee royal life as well as launch legal action against her own estranged father has torn apart both their families.

Harry said to me, I lost my dad in this process. It doesnt have to be the same for them as it was for me, but thats his decision, she said in the profile published Monday.

Despite this cost, Markle told interviewer Allison Davis ahead of her latest royal-bashing, Im, like, so excited to talk.

During the sitdown at her $14.65 million mansion in Californias celeb-packed Montecito, Markles eyes became alight and devilish when she asked, Do you want to know a secret?

Im getting back on Instagram, she said, launching into her biggest gripe about her short-lived time as a senior royal how she had to sacrifice her online life.

Her only Instagram account for a time became @KensingtonRoyal, one shared with Harrys brother, Prince William, and Williams wife, Kate Middleton and one Markle had no control over.

It was a big adjustment a huge adjustment to go from that kind of autonomy to a different life, she complained of losing the 3 million followers she had spent years growing.

Now, instead of posting her own snaps, the historic images were shared with royal watchers around the world via the press.

Theres literally a structure by which if you want to release photos of your child, as a member of the family, you first have to give them to the Royal Rota, she griped of the UK media royal pool, sharing the historic images with royal watchers worldwide.

Why would I give the very people that are calling my children the N-word a photo of my child before I can share it with the people that love my child? she asked.

Her comments did not specify whether she was accusing the press, the public or her new royal handlers of making such racist slurs. However, The Cut stressed that she was notably still ruffled over it.

You tell me how that makes sense and then Ill play that game, she said.

She also blamed the intense scrutiny for the seeds of Megxit, saying it stemmed from a plan to remove the press packs guise of public interest in reporting on them because their lives were taxpayer funded.

If they left the country and made their own money, then maybe all the noise would stop, Meghan said, saying they hoped at first to serve in other parts of the British Commonwealth, such as Canada.

Anything to just because just by existing, we were upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy. So we go, Okay, fine, lets get out of here. Happy to, she said.

That, for whatever reason, is not something that we were allowed to do, even though several other members of the family do that exact thing, she complained, without citing specific examples.

Finally going back to the UK this summer to help celebrate Queen Elizabeth IIs Platinum Jubilee was surreal and bittersweet, she said, knowing none of it had to be this way.

The former Suits star admitted that she had initially assumed her TV career would help make royal life a breeze.

I was an actress, she said. My entire job was, Tell me where to stand. Tell me what to say. Tell me how to say it. Tell me what to wear, and Ill do it.

Now, she wishes she had seen movies that forewarned of the likely pressures, such as 2004s The Prince & Me, in which Julia Stiles plays a student who falls for a Danish prince, just to clash with his family.

Yeah. That wouldve been really helpful. That wouldve been a very key tutorial to have had in advance of all this, she told the interviewer, who noted she said it not quite sarcastically but with a steel rod in it.

Despite her N-word claim, Markle believes her clash came not from racism but just from her being American.

However, she insisted that being half black had made her brief time in the royal family all the more pivotal, recalling the high praise of a South African cast member of the live-action version of The Lion King at the London premiere in 2019, before she fled.

He looked at me, and hes just like light. He said, I just need you to know: When you married into this family, we rejoiced in the streets the same we did when Mandela was freed from prison,' she claimed.

Markle who has taken digs at the royal family on her new Spotify podcast hinted that there is likely far more to come.

Its interesting, Ive never had to sign anything that restricts me from talking, she said.

I can talk about my whole experience and make a choice not to, she said, saying she has only held back because she is still healing.

I think forgiveness is really important. It takes a lot more energy to not forgive But it takes a lot of effort to forgive. Ive really made an active effort, especially knowing that I can say anything, she said.

However, she would not reveal just how intimate that will get with their upcoming docu-series for Netflix.

While Markle again insisted it is not a reality TV show, she would not elaborate on just how far it will differ from one.

The piece of my life I havent been able to share, that people havent been able to see, is our love story, she said of Harry, with whom she is like salt and pepper because we always move together.

I hope that is the sentiment that people feel when they see any of the content or the projects that we are working on, she said, vaguely.

Whats so funny is Im not trying to be cagey, she said.

When the media has shaped the story around you, its really nice to be able to tell your own story.

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Meghan Markle was 'happy' to leave the royal family, get her social media accounts back - New York Post

Research on excessive digital media usage finds pediatric vision suffers negative effects

Pediatric eye health is important in all aspects of a childs life and development. Not simply represented by clarity, vision is a functional system thatwhen operating at its best is both flexible and efficient.

Vision is a primary sensory input that influences a childs learning, development, demeanor, and stamina, and is biologically unsuited for the excessive near demands of the digital culture children find themselves in.

Todays families face the challenges of managing an onslaught of digital media in their lives. Digital media includes a child interfacing with television content, cellular phones, tablets, computers, etc.

Digital media devices and the technology they deliver have many benefits, including the expansion of communication tools, easy and immediate access to information, and the ability to accommodate both our childrens strengths and challenges.

As with all things, the benefits of technology are counteracted by risks.

The current exposure to digital media has a profound effect on children. We have never had a generation of infants and toddlers with such increased near visual demands and sensory stimulation brought on by the cell phones and tablets that they interact with daily.

The excess near demands experienced by children of all ages creates a visual system that is fatigued and unable to operate efficiently.

Common Sense Media Research reported in 2021 that use of entertainment media alone approached 9 hours daily in teenagers and 6 hours daily in tweens.1 For both tweens and teens, screen media use increased 17% since the start of the pandemic.1 These statistics are staggering and often lead to parents feeling helpless and out of control when addressing screen time habits and their children.

Excessive digital media use has also proven to risk addiction in children. Addiction to device use, addiction to social media, and addiction to gaming are very real and serious consequences that are noted in the pediatric population.

In 2018 the World Health Organization added a gaming disorder to the International Classification of Diseases.2 MRI studies reveal that gaming and smart phone addictions change the physical structure of the brain in a manner that parallels drug and gambling additions.

Related: (VIDEO) The negative effects of digital media on pediatric development

As optometrists, we know that the power of the accommodative (focusing) system is age dependent. Excess use of this system without the proper visual hygiene wears down the strength and stamina of accommodation.

Todays optometric practices diagnose many patients with accommodative insufficiency due to a world driven by excessive digital demands. These excessive near demands reveal significantly reduced accommodative clinical findings, including visual acuity that is reduced and variable and the detection of low amounts of against the rule astigmatism.

Recognizing these clinical findingsin addition to the asthenopia, headaches, and fatigue that accompany accommodative issuesare critical to properly treat our patients.

In addition to the accommodative system, we see an inherent stress put on the binocular vision system. Binocular vision development begins in the brain, and there are valid neurologic concerns that screen-based activity stimulates visual processing more heavily than even the sensory processing systemsthus interrupting the development of binocular vision.

In our practices, we see binocular vision dysfunction in the form of convergence excess and convergence insufficiency that are influenced by the excessive screen time of todays youth.

A close viewing distance when looking at digital devices also influences the onslaught of visual symptoms.

Clinical studies reveal that the close viewing distance often accompanying the use of handheld digital devices becomes even closer with prolonged use.3 A primary chief complaint of parents bringing young children in for an eye exam is the observation of how close the child views a cell phone or tablet.

The closer the viewing distanceaccompanied with excess usagethe more likely an increase in diagnoses of accommodative and binocular vision issues, and the visual symptoms that accompany them.

There are several treatment options available for accommodative and binocular vision issues. Reading glasses and bifocals are prescribed to support the visual systems and aim to decrease the patients visual symptoms. Vision therapy is another treatment option for accommodative and binocular vision issues, aimed at improving the efficiency of all aspects of visual function.

Its been known that the progression of myopia is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, but digital media also influences the progression of myopia development.

Todays emphasis on the treatment of myopiawith a goal of minimizing progressionforces an optometrist to examine the screen time habits of our patients. We know that there are modifiable behaviors that influence the development of myopia.

Scientific research demonstrates that increased outdoor exposure positively influences the development of myopia.4 The exact cause of this is not fully understood, but outdoor time likely contributes to a limit of near demands and will have a more positive impact on the visual system.

A January 2021 JAMA article shares, Home confinement due to coronavirus disease [in] 2019 appeared to be associated with a substantial myopic shift in children.5 This observation demonstrates the effect of excessive screen time on the development of myopia.

Beyond influencing a childs visual system, digital media also has a significant impact on the overall development of our pediatric population.

We know that early exposure to digital media negatively affects a childs intellectual, social, and emotional development. Elevated digital media use more specifically results in decreased cognition and language skills. Further, the way children use digital media has a strong correlation with their mental health.

An area to examine is the influence of technology on the quality of sleep among the youth.

In the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, it was noted that Adolescents' bad sleep quality was consistently associated with the mobile phone use and number of devices in the bedroom, while in preadolescents, with Internet use and turning-off time.6

Children and teens with devices in the bedroom experience decreased sleep duration, increased daytime drowsiness, and decreased academic performance. Poor sleep habits align with additional issues in the realm of mental health.

Unhealthy online habits result in elevated incidences of anxiety, depression, and hyperactivity diagnoses. Structural changes in the brain related to cognitive control and emotional regulation are associated with a digital media addiction.7 Neurologic changes noted with digital media addictions correlate clinically with the patterns of substance behavior dependence.

The path of excessive and unhealthy digital media use may lead to mental health challenges and addiction in our adolescent population. This is a path that every family wants to avoid.

The best way to achieve balance in ones family regarding digital media use is to develop rules and boundaries. Each family can strive to create a system that works for them.

Digital media use can be classified in three categories, known as the the 3 Cs of media:

1. Consumption: taking in media in a passive manner2. Creation: active engagement and development of skills3. Communication: using media to connect to another person

A well-balanced approach to digital media limits consumption and communication to 1-2 hours daily. However, it is understood that schools rely heavily on digital devices in their educational model, and this does contribute to the stress on the visual system and impact on development.

Parents must focus on what they can control and create a home environment that supports the benefits of technology and balances screen time in a manner that has a positive effect on all aspects of their childs life.

As Catherine Steiner-Adair, EdD, author of The Big Disconnect, says: Parenting in the digital age challenges in ways the human brainAND heart can hardly process fast enough. We do not want to surrender ourselves unquestioningly to adapt to technology.

Original post:
Pediatric eye health and digital media: negative effects - Optometry Times

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During a White House event on Friday, President Biden appeared to apologize to his own staff after being instructed to stop taking questions from reporters at the meeting.

Biden met with local officials and activists on Womens Equality Day to discuss guaranteeing abortion access throughout the country in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe V. Wade.

Though the most attention-grabbing moment of the entire sit down came when a confused Biden tried to take one too many questions from the press and awkwardly apologized to his staff for taking "control" of the situation.

After finishing one question, Biden pointed to another reporter, ready to field more inquires. Though as seen in video recorded at the meeting, an administration staff member interrupted Biden, trying to force an end to the questions.

President Biden apologized to his staff for taking "control" and fielding too many questions from the press on Friday. (AP Newsroom)

BIDEN MOCKED FOR AGAIN USING PREPARED LIST OF REPORTERS AFTER GENEVA SUMMIT: 'EMBARRASSING'

The offscreen staffer stated, "Thank you so much, Mr. President for " Caught off guard, Biden abruptly interjected with an apology. "Oh Im sorry, I " he trailed off, stammering.

Leaning back with his arms up as if trying to defuse the situation, Biden added, "I took control. I shouldnt do that." The staffer assured him it was "no problem," though Biden once again acknowledged, "Im not allowed to do that."

He then seemed to cede authority to his handlers, prompting them by saying, "Go ahead, you tell me." Without skipping a beat, the unknown staffer took control of the situation, stating, "I think were gonna go ahead and have the rest of the conversation [barely audible] closed to press. Thank you all so much."

Biden sat there awkwardly as journalists exited the room, still shouting questions at the president as they left.

Biden's apology to his own staff had social media users wondering if he was in control of his own presidency. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The strange scene had several conservatives on Twitter wondering whether Biden calls the shots or whether his handlers do.

"Who's really in control?" asked conservative pundit Ian Miles Cheong.

BIDEN APPEARS TO USE PREPARED LIST OF REPORTERS AGAIN FOLLOWING G20 SUMMIT IN ROME

Author and former NYPD police commissioner Bernard Kerik asked a similar question, tweeting, "WHO IS HE TAKING ORDERS FROM?"

Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo., press secretary Abigail Marone declared, "The President of the United States isnt allowed to decide when he takes questions from the press."

"Who's in charge?" asked The Daily Wires Twitter account.

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President Joe Biden apologized to his staff for taking "control" during a White House meeting after he let the press ask one too many questions. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Gabriel Hays is an associate editor at Fox News. Follow him on Twitter at @gabrieljhays.

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Biden seemingly apologizes to White House staff after taking too many media questions: I shouldnt do that - Fox News

People who attended the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, fled the scene in a rush after hearing numerous gunshots. Parents grabbed their children and others helped people flee to safety. A few members of the community were so shaken they did not return until days later to claim the belongings they had left behind. These people who felt safe in a town they had grown to know and love will not see it the same.

Guns being in the hands of someone ill-equipped is the reason peoples nerves are so shaken. The danger in areas such as grocery stores, schools, and more cause them to no longer see these places as safe. While the issue of gun control may be coming to peoples attention now, it has been a topic of debate since James Madison wrote the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights.

The second amendment, simplified, protects a person who owns a weapon and is not in the militia. This means that a person can use their weapons to strictly defend their property. While this may have been a revolutionary amendment for those living in 1791, the amendment is not fit for twenty-first-century America.

Security and safety have changed from 1791 to 2022. From our clothes and mannerisms, all the way to women being able to vote and members of the LGBTQIA+ community being able to get married. Why should gun laws be any different? We live in a time when people feel they have to defend themselves.

Some people in todays society choose to buy guns to protect themselves for self-defense, hunting, and collecting. These guns, while small in size, are large in power. Guns, depending on the model, can be sold to any person who is 18 years old or older. In the U.S. a background check is not required when buying a gun from a private seller. This is an issue because, while 18 years old is a legal age to be considered an adult, it does not mean an 18-year-old can make adult decisions yet. According to the National Library of Medicine, human brains develop up until you are around 25 years old making it a big responsibility for people to make rational decisions while being under the age of development. Which can lead to an accident in a few short minutes. When it is easy to obtain guns, it is unchallenging for people to harm others and themselves.

Since 2006, there have been 504 mass shootings in the U.S., and 2,644 people have been killed. Two of the victims of the Highland Park shooting, Kevin and Irina McCarthy, had a two-year-old son. He is now an orphan due to this tragedy.

Others who have died due to a mass shooting were kids themselves. Nineteen elementary school children and two teachers passed away in the mass shooting of Robb Elementary on May 24. These children did not get to live long enough to explore, learn, and have fun as kids should. Instead, they spent their last minutes on earth hoping to see their parents again at such a young age.

A place of learning turned into a place of worry for many students, not just that day, but every day from here on out. No one should fear getting an education or going to a parade out of fear of a mass shooting taking place. We have our amendments in place to protect us, but the second amendment does not seem to be doing its job.

America needs all the help it can get to help revise the Second Amendment. This can happen through peaceful protests, voting during elections, and speaking up. Rather than standing by and watching more unreasonable murders, you can make a change. So step up and do your part to help reform gun control laws in America for a better future.

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Opinions: Gun control laws in the United States have to change - Metea Media