Public corruption and fraud in the Netherlands: Research and results

Empirical research by social scientists on public corruption and fraud in the Netherlands has been scarce. Exceptions are research on criminal cases of corruption and, recently, a survey among local government functionaries to establish the extent of public corruption and fraud in the country. The article presents the conceptual framework and the results of this survey research on local corruption and fraud. A discussion of the findings concludes the article: How serious is the problem of Dutch public corruption and fraud? To stimulate comparative research, the questionnaire is added in an Appendix.     

A Transaction Cost Approach to the Autonomization of Government Organizations: A Political Transaction Cost Framework Confronted with Six Cases of Autonomization in the Netherlands

The aim of this paper is to explore the relevance of some important aspects of transaction cost economics (TCE) to a better understanding and explanation of the autonomization of government organizations. As TCE, with its focus on economic efficiency, was basically developed for the profit sector, its main concepts have to be adapted for the public sector. This paper presents a 'political transaction cost' framework which emphasizes 'political rationality' and 'political efficiency'. TCE's main concepts—the transaction characteristics specificity, frequency/scale and uncertainty and its assumptions about human behaviour, i.e. bounded rationality and opportunism,—are discussed for politically governed organizations and they are related to autonomization. The results of exploratory case research into six government organizations in the Netherlands suggest that such factors as bounded rationality, opportunism, political efficiency, and social institutions may have played an important part in the autonomization of the organizations involved. It seems that strictly economic aspects were less relevant whenever a decision to autonomize was taken and a specific form of autonomization was chosen.     

Accelerating commercialization: a new model of strategic foundation funding

Venture philanthropy presents a new model of research funding that is particularly helpful to those fighting orphan diseases, which actively manages the commercialization process to accelerate scientific progress and material outcomes. This paper begins by documenting the growing importance of foundations as a source of funding academic research as traditional funding from industry and government sources decline. Foundations are known for their innovative techniques and we consider the evolution of the ways that foundations fund academic research and form partnerships across academia and industry. We examine the example of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the development of the drug Kalydeco^® as a demonstration of the principals of strategic foundation funding. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation adapted to a venture philanthropy model and took an active role in drug development, stewarding the commercialization process from funding basic scientific work in academic institutions, to making an equity investment in a start-up firm. We conclude by evaluating the advantages and disadvantages to venture philanthropy for the academic researchers, industry partners, foundations, and universities and consider an agenda for future research.     

War and peace: Drug policy in the United States and the Netherlands

National drug policy has recently been a source of much debate and discussion in the United States. This paper provides a comparison of the key components of the respective drug policies that have been developed in the United States and in the Netherlands. It is argued that the Dutch approach has generally produced more desirable outcomes than have U.S. efforts, and that policy planners here should consider adopting and/or modifying several of these methods for local application.     

The Convergence of Social Policy and Criminal Justice

This article discusses the shift from crime as a problem of the police and judicial authorities to a subject of local policy. It will, in particular, examine the relationship between safety policy and social policy. Safety has become an important social theme in the last decades. There are at least three reasons to explain why this is the case: the increase of crime, increased attention for the victim and the legitimacy of the government. A concentric model is proposed to serve the development of a systematically set up local safety policy. In the Netherlands programmes such as Communities that Care and Justice in the neighbourhood (Jib) are important developments which stress the integral approach of the crime and safety problem. The article closes with a discussion on the convergence of criminal justice policy and social policy.     

The Legal and Social Construction of Value in Government Procurement Markets

The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 introduces a social value duty. It requires public authorities in England and Wales that are carrying out procurement activities to ‘consider’ how such activities might ‘improve … economic, social and environmental well-being’. This article analyses qualitative, empirical data on how the social value duty has been interpreted and applied across local government in England. Although only a weak legal duty, this law has made a notable impact on practice. The article explains the changes brought about in practice under the social value duty and seeks to understand why these changes have occurred. It does so by recognizing local government procurement markets, as well as local government organizations themselves, as strategic action fields. In these fields, there are competing visions for social value. It is through conversations between actors that a common meaning comes to be attached to the law.     

FAMILY COURT IMPROVEMENT AND THE ART OF GRANTSMANSHIP: A JUDGE'S PERSPECTIVE

Many American courts face funding obstacles as they try to create and implement unified family court processes that have not been part of the traditional family court adversarial process. To create new staff positions, build and equip adequate facilities, and create and implement innovative programs, grant funding may be available to supplement what local and state governments provide. While social science research confirms that children are adversely affected by exposure to high‐conflict family litigation and domestic violence, many communities have few affordable and available resources to address these issues. This article presents lessons and principles that one court learned as it applied for a grant to design programs for high‐conflict families and families with domestic violence history.     

Politics and administration during a ‘nuclear-political’ crisis

How do public agencies and goverments cope with large-scale hazards if they cannot rely on specific laws, previous experience or governmental directions. National and local authorities in West Germany were completely surprised by nuclear fallout from the Chernobyl reactor blaze in 1986. This article describes and analyzes local, regional and national administrative reactions. Attempts by local and state administrators to preserve their freedom of action were confronted with national-level attempts to centralize and coordinate crisis decision making. Many local and regional bodies had to cope with citizen protests and attempts at self-regulation organized by autonomous radiological experts and amplified by the mass media. There was a marked lack of uniformity in government responses to the crisis. This was only in part due to the pervasive uncertainty and the lack of preparedness. Problems of inter-administrative coordination always occur when decentralized political responsibilities meet with geographically extensive threats.The paper is commented on by Klaus König, professor of Government and former advisor to the West German chancellor.     

FUNDING COMMUNITY POLICING TO REDUCE CRIME: HAVE COPS GRANTS MADE A DIFFERENCE?*

Research Summary: This research examines how funding from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), has affected violent and property crime rates in the United States from 1995 to 1999. Drawing on six years of panel data, we examine the effects of three types of awards made by COPS to 6,100 law enforcement agencies serving more than 145 million citizens. We estimate their impact on crime reduction over time in jurisdictions receiving funding and controlling for baseline levels of crime, socioeconomic characteristics, city size, and population diversity and mobility. Our analyses suggest that COPS hiring and innovative grant programs have resulted in significant reductions in local crime rates in cities with populations greater than 10,000 for both violent and nonviolent offenses. Multivariate analysis shows that in cities with populations greater than 10,000, an increase in one dollar of hiring grant funding per resident contributed to a corresponding decline of 5.26 violent crimes and 21.63 property crimes per 100,000 residents. Similarly, an increase in one dollar of innovative grant funding per resident has contributed to a decline of 12.93 violent crimes and 45.53 property crimes per 100,000 persons. In addition, the findings suggest that COPS grants have had no significant negative effect on violent and property crime rates in cities with less than 10,000 population. Policy Implications: The findings of this study imply that COPS program funding to medium‐ and large‐size cities has been an effective force in reducing both violent and property crime. Federal government grants made directly to law enforcement agencies to hire additional officers and promote innovations may be an effective way to reduce crime on a national scale.     

Uses of Meta‐Analysis in Criminal Justice Research: A Quantitative Review

Meta‐analysis has been adopted in many scientific fields for synthesizing large bodies of research, for evidence‐based development of practical policies, and for empirical resolution of difficult questions. It provides a rigorous, objective, and quantitative strategy to make effective use of an existing body of research, even when the results seem inconsistent and inconclusive. This paper reviews usage of meta‐analysis in research on criminal justice‐related issues and problems over the past three decades, identifying 176 studies published between 1976 and 2006 using meta‐analysis methods on criminal justice topics. Characteristics of these 176 studies are coded and analyzed to identify trends in the use of meta‐analysis by criminal justice researchers, as well as to summarize distinctive variations in how it has been used. A comparison of criminal justice with meta‐analysis usage in other social and applied science fields suggests some hesitation in adopting the methodology.     

Local law enforcement terrorism prevention efforts: A state level case study

Although law enforcement agencies across the nation have assumed part of the responsibility in the fight against terrorism, significant confusion exists as to the role of local law enforcement. While some agencies have taken steps towards terrorism prevention, little data has been collected on which agencies have taken the greatest steps, how those agencies have changed, and how other agencies should direct their activity. This case study of law enforcement census data from a single state considered variations in terrorism preparedness and predictors of preparedness. Agency size, presence of funding, and other variables significantly predict levels of terrorism preparedness. Important policy implications such as the distribution of funding and which agencies should be working towards terrorism preparedness are discussed.     

A need for emotionally intelligent policy: Linking tax evasion with higher education funding

Purpose. The current study addresses the issue of discontent at a personal and policy level with higher education and its funding, and its relation to tax compliance among a graduate population. It examines the thesis that discontent with the provision and funding of higher education plays a significant role in lowering tax compliance through the mediational role of shame management and dissociation from authority. Method. Data are taken from the graduates' hopes, visions, and actions survey based on a sample of 447 Australian graduates who recently received their tertiary degrees. Results. Path analysis provides support for the central thesis but also shows additional direct links between (1) dissatisfaction (with university studies) and tax evasion, and (2) having an income‐contingent university debt to repay and tax evasion. Conclusions. This study demonstrates the ways in which the legitimacy of the tax system and the legitimacy of higher education policy are interconnected. Criticisms of government departments acting in tunnel‐visioned ways with regard to the consequences of their actions are magnified in light of the findings of this paper. People take out their frustrations with one part of the government system (higher education funding and service provision) on other parts of the government system (taxation). Communication between these different parts is imperative for effective policy development and implementation.     

The Siren’s Song: Federalism and the Cops grants

The federalization of crime control has become a focal point for criminal justice researchers. Because the federal government is limited in how it can affect crime, it often assumes the role of funding agent to state or local governments and places restrictions on the use of these monies. Generally, no consideration is given to state or local concerns. As a result, national crime control policy often becomes mired in issues of federalism. One unintended consequence is the creation of a Siren’s Song, where state and local agencies simply pursue funding dollars to expand their budgets rather than to adopt beneficial policies or make meaningful changes. This paper illustrates this point by examining the federal “100,000 Cops” initiative in one rural West Virginia jurisdiction.     

Criminology as social control science: State influence on criminogical research in Canada

The focus of this paper is on the relationship between criminological research and government practices regarding research funding. Specifically, two major modes of funding criminological research in Canada are examined:Contract Research and Grant Research. After presenting the case that government policy directions and the government's methods of funding criminological research have significant effects on the types of research that are conducted in this country, the argument is made that criminologists interested in conducting state funded research should first ask themselves the fundamental question of who is likely to benefit from the results of such research. Revised version of a paper presented at the Canadian Law and Society Association Meetings, Quebec City, 1989. The author would like to thank several colleagues for comments made on earlier drafts of this paper, with special thanks to M.A. Kandrack and K.R Grant.     

The Police and the New Magistracy: Independent Members and the New Police Authorities

Independent appointed members to police authorities were introduced as part of the reforms brought about by the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994. This radical change to the make-up of police authorities was defended by government ministers as a necessary reform in order to broaden the expertise and experience available in such bodies. Critics, by contrast, saw the change as a move to further centralise control, and as a means of reducing local democratic input, over policing. Using data from a national telephone survey of police authority clerks, and case studies of three police force areas, this article examines the role of `independent' appointed members to local police authorities. We argue that the early signs are that the new members are becoming well integrated into police authorities, although such bodies have been significantly depoliticised as a result of this and other changes. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Delegation Dilemmas: Coalition Size,Electoral Risk,and Regulatory Governance in New Democracies

This article addresses the determinants of regulatory agency design in multiparty‐coalition governments. Previous research has mainly focused on U.S. institutions, producing context‐specific findings. We found electoral uncertainty, government turnover, and coalition size to be key factors explaining the bureaucratic autonomy of 31 state regulatory agencies recently created at the subnational level in Brazil. The legislative support that chief executives enjoy only acquires explanatory power when it is interacted with government turnover. Because Brazilian governors have great ability to build oversized majority coalitions, coalition strength influences the governor's strategy when the governor faces credible threats from rival elite groups.     

The money blind: how to stop industry bias in biomedical science, without violating the First Amendment

The pharmaceutical and medical device industries use billions of dollars to support the biomedical science that physicians, regulators, and patients use to make healthcare decisions--the decisions that drive an increasingly large portion of the American economy. Compelling evidence suggests that this industry money buys favorable results, biasing the outcomes of scientific research. Current efforts to manage the problem, including disclosure mandates and peer reviews, are ineffective. A blinding mechanism, operating through an intermediary such as the National Institutes of Health, could instead be developed to allow industry support of science without allowing undue influence. If the editors of biomedical journals fail to mandate that industry funders utilize such a solution, the federal government has several regulatory levers available, including conditioning federal funding and direct regulation, both of which could be done without violating the First Amendment.     

The challenge and imperative of private sector cybersecurity: An international comparison

Attacks on computers and information networks, both public and private, are disclosed in the news daily. Most recently, Apple, Facebook, and Twitter acknowledged that they were attacked and were now taking additional measures to secure their networks. In January of 2013, Kaspersky Labs reported discovering malware that not only targeted government information in Eastern Europe, former Soviet republics, and Central Asia, but also had been actively doing so since 2007. The scope of global cyber attacks is staggering and the solutions to securing property and protecting national security are illusive, in large part because infrastructure is owned and operated by private, rather than public, entities. Nations struggle with choosing the most effective strategy and potential regulation of the private sector in order to reduce overall cybersecurity risk. This paper reviews the nature of cyber threats, and compares the United States and European approach to promoting cybersecurity in the private sector. Furthermore, the paper discusses how different approaches can affect cybersecurity risk, and suggests a framework for visualizing the impact of law and strategy on security.     

民生性事权分配的经济法解析

民生性事权是指政府从事民生性事务的职权和职责，而民生性事权的分配则是指民生性事权在中央政府和地方政府之间以及同一级政府的不同职能部门之间的划分和配置。通过考察民生性事权在中央和地方之间分配失衡的实际情况，可以确立其在中央和地方合理分配的原则，进而进行规范上的构造。基本公共服务的事权应当尽可能由较高层级的政府承担，或者有能够与之匹配的地方财力支应，而非基本公共服务的事权则可以由较低层级的政府承担。