Improved Area of Origin Estimation for Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Using 3D Scanning

An important component of crime scene reconstruction is bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA). Where BPA concerns impact patterns, estimating the area of origin is critical information for scene reconstruction. Traditionally, this is achieved by measuring individual bloodstains and performing trigonometric calculations; however, 3D scanning has been proposed as a viable alternative for overcoming logistical and practical concerns with the manual method. Therefore, this project aimed to establish whether the FARO Focus 3D scanner and FARO Zone 3D software can improve the accuracy of area of origin estimates relative to the manual method. We created a series of eight bloodstain impact patterns and performed paired analysis using the two methods to estimate areas of origin for each pattern. Our data suggested that FARO-derived estimates were generally more accurate than using the manual method. FARO-estimated heights of origin areas were generally closer to the true distance. Both methods underestimated the distance from the wall for most patterns originating 150mm or greater from the wall, but overestimated distances for patterns originating closer to the wall. The degree to which distances were underestimated increased significantly the further the blood source was from the wall and was greater for FARO-derived estimates. The results of this research contribute to the validation of these instruments for operational implementation for BPA and should be considered alongside the practical benefits of 3D scanning relative to manual methods. Further, 3D scanning can provide reliable BPA reconstruction documentation for technical review and court presentation.     

Effect of Wind on Horizontal Displacement of Fatal Fall from a Height

The horizontal displacement of the human body resulting from fatal fall from a height is an important variable commonly used to inversely determine the cause or identify other forensic aspects of the fall. When examining the horizontal displacement, the wind effect is generally ignored. This technical note reports analytical modeling of the falling process, utilizing previous measurements of wind force acting on the human body, for determining the functional relationship between the wind speed and the horizontal displacement in the falling process. The result reveals that it does not take extremely rare wind conditions to cause a considerable shift of the human body, highlighting the importance to consider wind as a factor in investigations of fatal falls.     

Strategic rebels: a spatial econometric approach to rebel fighting durations in civil wars

ABSTRACT

Recent research on multi-actor civil wars highlights that rebel organizations condition their conflict behavior on that of other rebel organizations, with competition and free-riding constituting the core theoretical mechanisms. We provide a new actor-centric approach to explicitly model strategic interdependence in multi-actor civil wars. We argue that rebel organizations have incentives to remain mobilized until the end of a conflict to maintain their power to negotiate, power to spoil, power to enforce, and power to protect. This induces strategic complements that dominate duration dynamics in multi-actor conflicts. Based on a network game-theoretic model, we derive a spatial econometric framework that allows for a direct test of strategic interdependence. We find that the estimated duration interdependence is positive but partially offset in secessionist conflicts where the public goods nature of the incompatibility also induces strategic substitution effects.     

刑法主观解释的必然性——以语言哲学为径路

中国刑法教义学的主流观点认为刑法的解释应当采取客观解释,其主要的辩护理由是读者反应论和文本的客观含义论。然而,刑法客观解释论提出的辩护理由难以承受理论诘难。通过语言哲学的径路分析可知,刑法解释必须采取主观解释:一方面,法律解释的过程实际上是对立法者意图的语义探知的过程;另一方面,法律解释的特殊性决定了法律解释必须采取沟通模式。     

房屋交付执行的民事监督路径之探究

不动产作为人类社会中最有价值的财产之一,能否顺利执行对债权人意义重大,其中以房屋的交付执行最具有代表性。本文以房屋交付执行中的物之交付请求权执行和行为请求权执行作为切入点,剖析了法院执行活动中腾房执行的现实性困难,围绕查封与腾房退地两项具体措施详述了执行环节的具体表现和问题所在,以此论证分析了检察机关行使监督权的突破方向和实践进路,以期结合自身职能发挥优势,在监督时重点突出、有的放矢。     

It Takes a Coalition: The Community Impacts of Collaboration

Members of Congress frequently collaborate on policy initiatives, reaching out to colleagues in both parties to find common ground on solutions for the problems faced by their constituents. Using a novel dataset of over 30,000 “Dear Colleague” letters sent by members of the 111th Congress, I use the collaborative relationships that exist in the earliest stages of the policy process to measure the social influence of legislators. I demonstrate that districts represented by members of Congress who are better connected to their colleagues receive a greater share of federal grant money. I argue that this is because collaborative legislators are well‐positioned to be influential allies to strategic bureaucrats who want to maintain a broad base of support for their programs in Congress. Thus, devoting resources to building relationships with their colleagues is one way members of Congress can more effectively support the communities they represent.     

侦诉衔接下主办侦查员制度的适用与优化

主办侦查员制度进一步强化了侦查活动与侦查监督、审查起诉、审判等工作之间的衔接,而侦诉衔接的过程中主办侦查员与其他诉讼主体在理念、方法和思维方面存在差异,成为了主办侦查员制度发挥功效所面临的困境。对此,主办侦查员制度在施行与适用的过程中应当注重对主办侦查员法治化理念的强化,明确侦查中立性要求,提升侦查诉讼性目标,以主办侦查员主动化、负责制、提升侦查质量为方法实现侦诉衔接下主办侦查员制度的优化。     

The doctrine of liability fixation of state responsibility in the convention on transboundary pollution damage

International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics - Transboundary pollution is an international problem. There are currently no adequate mechanisms under international law to...