The effect of board size and composition on European bank performance

Banks are “special” financial institutions generating distinct corporate governance challenges. The present paper examines the relationship between two of the most pertinent corporate governance factors—that is, the size of the Board of Directors and the proportion of non-executive directors—and firm performance on a sample of 58 large European banks over the period 2002–2004. The empirical analysis embraces a number of bank-specific variables. Our results reveal that bank profitability is negatively related to the size of the Board of Directors, while the impact of Board composition, although positive in all models, is, in most cases, insignificant. The results are robust after controlling for firm-specific variables.      

The Concept of Appropriation and The Offence of Theft

The English law of theft is confusing and problematic in principle. Since the introduction of the Theft Act 1968 there has been inconsistency in the interpretation of appropriation as court and commentators have grappled with the intuition that appropriation must entail some subjective element and cannot be purely objective. Although subjectivity is traditionally associated with culpability rather than with conduct, it is argued that some acts can be subjective and yet factual and stand as causes to effects. Appropriation is such an act, its necessary and sufficient condition being a mindset, here termed proprietary subjectivity, on the part of the actor. It is argued that clarification of the concept of appropriation can help to resolve misperceived problems. Such clarification will also reveal other problems in the law of theft. Some tentative comments de lege ferenda are made suggesting how these problems can be addressed.     

Toward a Feminist State: What Does ‘Effective’ Prosecution of Domestic Violence Mean?

This article examines domestic violence criminal prosecutions and addresses what 'effective' prosecutorial action means in such cases. The argument elaborates on a point recently articulated by the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, which links effective prosecution of violence against women to the creation of a less patriarchal society. The article concludes that 'effective' prosecution of domestic violence means prosecution which constitutes the State as less patriarchal ceteris paribus .     

统一公法学与刑法及刑法学的关系

刑法与刑法学,刑法学与公法学、统一公法学之间不是一种简单的线性关系。从数学中的集合概念来看,狭义的刑法学是统一公法学的组成部分,它们之间是被包含与包含的关系,即狭义刑法学被统一公法学所包含,狭义刑法学是统一公法学的子集。但若以广义刑法学立论,则广义刑法学与统一公法学之间是一种交叉关系,重合的部分即是狭义刑法学,此乃统一公法学与广义刑法学两个集合的交集。     

对刑法中“国家规定”的理解和适用——兼评一宗走私制毒物品案的审理

正确把握“国家规定”的内涵和外延,对于定罪量刑非常重要。当前将国务院各部委制定的规章视为刑法中的“国家规定”没有充足的法律依据。基于国务院的行政管理职责实际是由各部委来具体履行的现实,建议立法机关对“国家规定”作扩张解释,将国务院有关部门依据法律和行政法规制定的规章等纳入“国家规定”的范围,为打击诸如走私盐酸等类的违法行为提供法律依据。     

宪法与刑事诉讼法关系模式的发展趋势--紧密型关系模式的普遍化

由于宪政的深入发展、刑事诉讼中权力与权利关系冲突的日益加剧、人本主义的滥觞、法律形态的程序化等方面的原因,宪法与刑事诉讼法关系变得更加紧密,世界范围内正逐渐形成紧密型关系模式的普遍化趋势.     

犯罪过失构成要素比较研究

科学地抽象和概括犯罪过失共同的构成要素并进行比较研究,对于正确认定犯罪过失和过失犯罪,具有积极的意义。中外学者都比较重视对过失构成要素的研究,但侧重点各不相同:国外学者特别是大陆法系的学者注重对构成要素内容的研究,国内学者则侧重于对其结构的剖析。违法性认识不是犯罪过失的构成要素。     

欺诈:一种竞争法的理论诠释——兼论《消费者权益保护法》第49条的适用与完善

欺诈在合同法中是一种意思瑕疵 ,在信息社会里 ,欺诈作为误导公众的行为 ,是一种典型的不正当竞争行为。《消费者权益保护法》不能简单地视为合同法的特别法 ,欺诈的研究不应拘泥于意思表示的狭隘范围 ,反欺诈的消费者权益保护应纳入反不正当竞争法的范畴来考察。从竞争法的角度来看 ,欺诈不要求行为人具有主观故意 ,一种行为只要在客观上有误导消费者的效果 ,就足以构成欺诈。欺诈的救济措施 ,在主体设计、补救措施和赔偿责任上均有区别于传统合同欺诈的制度设计。     

侦查教学贴近公安实践的思考

侦查教学贴近实践,是培养实战型人才的重要环节。侦查工作的实践性特点和现实斗争的需要,培养实战型人才的重任落在教育部门肩上。如何在教学中贴近公安实践,与采取的教学手段相互关联。对侦查教学进行改革,协调整合理论和实践课内容的成分,提高教师业务水平,汲取基层实践经验,发掘教师资源,是当前侦查教学中的关键问题。     

铁路站车查堵逃犯之我见

随着“严打整治”斗争的步步深入 ,借助铁路的车站和列车逃窜的犯罪分子也势必增多 ,因而 ,给铁路公安机关充分发挥阵地控制和站车查堵逃犯提供了极大的机遇和严峻的挑战。本文对铁路站车查堵逃犯从有条件查堵和无条件查堵两个方面进行分析和研究 ,并阐述了铁路站车查堵的对策。