From Industrial Policy to Regional and Local Locational Policy: Experience from Santa Catarina/Brazil

Abstract — Industrial policy is no longer what it used to be. In the industrialised world and in advanced developing countries alike, the focus has shifted from a top-down, statist approach that sought to create industries to a decentralised, networked approach whose aim is to shape competitive advantages and to create ‘systemic competitiveness.’ This reflects the fact that globalisation and localisation are parallel and mutually reinforcing processes: The firms which do better in a globalised market are rooted in well-developed networks of supporting firms and institutions. The analysis of the case of Santa Catarina, a state which had a strong industrial growth record in the 1970s and 1980s, shows that the relevant actors tend to be slow to move to this kind of pattern. State-level industrial policy mainly consists of participation in a ‘guerra fiscal’ geared to attracting external investment as well as, to a very limited extent, measures aimed at giving financial support to local firms. Yet there is no such thing as an explicit policy at the state level — to say nothing of the local level — designed to support firms by shaping locational advantages. This is due to limitations on the part both of the state and the private sector. As far as the state is concerned, a traditional clientelist and ad hoc style of policy making prevails. In the private sector the business associations (sindicatos and the Federation of Industries, local chambers of industry and commerce and their umbrella federation) are slowly adapting to the new conditions presented by an open economy and far more competitive pressure, though they have thus far lagged in putting more pressure on local and state government to support company-level efforts to increase competitiveness. Within this general picture, however, there are differences between industrial clusters. The most advanced of them, made up of world-class firms manufacturing ceramic tiles, may show the way by strengthening associations, shaping locational advantages, and articulating the demands of companies toward the state.     

False-negative probability in the SEM/EDS automated discovery of iGSR particles: A Bayesian approach

The automated search software integrated with a scanning electron microscope (SEM/EDS) has been the standard tool for detecting inorganic gunshot residues (iGSR) for several decades. The detection of these particles depends on various factors such as collection, preservation, contamination with organic matter, and the method for sample analysis. This article focuses on the influence of equipment resolution setup on the backscattered electron images of the sample. The pixel size of these images plays a crucial role in determining the detectability of iGSR particles, especially those with sizes close to the pixel size. In this study, we calculated the probability of missing all characteristic iGSR particles in a sample using an SEM/EDS automated search and how it depends on the image pixel resolution setup. We developed and validated an iGSR particle detection model that links particle size with equipment registers and applied it to 320 samples analyzed by a forensic science laboratory. Our results show that the probability of missing all characteristic iGSR particles due to their size is below 5% for pixel sizes below 0.32 μm². These findings indicate that pixel sizes as large as twice the one commonly used in laboratory casework, that is, 0.16 μm², are effective for initial sample scanning, yielding good detection rates of characteristic particles that could exponentially reduce laboratory workload.     

Gunshot location through recorded sound: a preliminary report

Using a video tape and three still photographs, we analyze recorded sound to attribute authorship in a fatal shooting incident. We measure the acoustic signature of the scene with four test detonations, and we discuss two methods of processing putative echoes in the audio band of the video. They allow us to locate 11 out of 17 shots, with a precision of 0.4 x 1.0 m2. Combining the location of the shots with the known positions of the participants, we arrive at the clear attribution of eight shots; three other shots (among which is the fatal one) probably issue from the same shooter, who remains unidentified within a small group of men. Our results lead to the exculpation of the main suspect. We analyze the statistical significance of the results, use Monte Carlo simulations to set an upper bound to the probability of false positives, and discuss areas of improvement of the method.     

Recidivism after Fines,Suspended Sentences,and Imprisonment

In 1969 the Federal Republic of Germany abolished almost totally short prison terms in favor of fines. Between 1968 and 1971 the proportion of prison sentences was reduced by way of penal law reform from 23% to 7%. A corresponding decline in the number of prisoners per 100,000 could be observed within this period, too: whereas about 100/100,000 were incarcerated in 1969, the rate of incarceration in 1971 was 66/100,000. The dramatic decline in the number of prison sentences as well as in the number of prison inmates led to apprehensions that this change in sentencing policy might result in increasing rates of recidivism. A comparative analysis of recidivism after fines, prison sentences, as well as suspended sentences, was carried out in order to provide empirical evidence concerning this question.     

Fines and Justice Administration: The Experience of the Federal Republic of Germany

As part of the penal code revised in 1969, the Federal Republic of Germany increased its reliance on fines, including the introduction of day-fines, in lieu of short-term imprisonment for minor offenses. The previous trend toward the use of fines was accelerated by the requirement that courts order imprisonment only in exceptional cases. Traffic cases were particularly affected. The qualities of the offense and the absence of previous offenses, rather than an individualized study of the offender, continued to be the dominant criterium influencing the choice of a fine. The chief effect of day fines was higher amounts applied to the more affluent defendants; the amount of the fine appeared to have no effect on subsequent recidivism. For first offenders, fines were superior to imprisonment in avoiding reconviction. Day-fines were no more effective (but not less effective) than imprisonment in the instance of traffic offenses. Fines were superior to other sanctions for petty property offenders but not for career thieves.