Challenge of Firearms Control in a Free Society

Chapter 10 of The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society, titled “Control of Firearms,” is a brief but strong statement in support of regulating gun transactions, possession, and carrying, with several specific recommendations, including the adoption of universal gun registration and permit‐to‐purchase requirements. The U.S. President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice, when writing the chapter, had no systematic research to draw on. Since its publication in 1967, the field of gun violence has become an active area of research, and much has been learned. But the nation has become far more polarized politically during the last 50 years, and gun policy has become a rigidly partisan issue. A new commission would have great difficulty reaching consensus, although there may be common ground on regulating guns vis‐à‐vis mental illness and domestic violence.     

Epidemiological Considerations in the Conceptualization and Utilization of “Prevalence” and “Incidence Rate” in Family Violence Research: A Reply to Brownridge and Halli (1999)

Brownridge and Halli (1999) have argued that the literature on family violence is beset by confusion in the conceptualization and utilization of incidence and prevalence terminology. Although we basically agree with the authors' diagnosis of the field, definitions of prevalence and incidence that they propose as gold standards are sometimes discrepant with established concepts in epidemiology. Drawing on the epidemiologic literature, we present more solidly based and operational definitions of these terms and try to understand the meaning of each measure. The same confusion surrounding use of prevalence and incidence also reigns in child maltreatment research, as revealed in our review of major studies. We address some of the main but often overlooked issues associated with use of epidemiologic measures in an area of social research such as family violence and make some proposals.     

The impact of gun control and gun ownership levels on violence rates

What effects do gun control restrictions and gun prevalence have on rates of violence and crime? Data were gathered for all 170 U.S. cities with a 1980 population of at least 100,000. The cities were coded for the presence of 19 major categories of firearms restriction, including both state- and city-level restrictions. Multiple indirect indicators of gun prevalence levels were measured and models of city violence rates were estimated using two-stage least-squares methods. The models covered all major categories of intentional violence and crime which frequently involve guns: homicide, suicide, fatal gun accidents, robbery, and aggravated assaults, as well as rape. Findings indicate that (1) gun prevalence levels generally have no net positive effect on total violence rates, (2) homicide, gun assault, and rape rates increase gun prevalence, (3) gun control restrictions have no net effect on gun prevalence levels, and (4) most gun control restrictions generally have no net effect on violence rates. There were, however, some possible exceptions to this last conclusion—of 108 assessments of effects of different gun laws on different types of violence, 7 indicated good support, and another 11 partial support, for the hypothesis of gun control efficacy.     

Measuring Family Violence: The Conceptualization and Utilization of Prevalence and Incidence Rates

The present study argues for a standard conceptualization of prevalence and incidence in family violence research. Reviewing several definitions of both prevalence and incidence in the family violence literature, we identify important inconsistencies in conceptualizations. The use of time frame to distinguish incidence and prevalence seems to have been a main thrust of the conceptual confusion. A gold standard conceptualization is proposed that sees prevalence as the extent to which violent behavior is distributed in the population and incidence as the amount of violent behavior that occurs among those in the population who experience violence. A discussion of rates calculated with other conceptualizations illustrates the need for standardization as well as the utility of the conceptualization in the present study. The calculation of prevalence and incidence rates is exemplified with respect to interpartner violence using Statistics Canada's Violence Against Women Survey (VAWS). Using duration as an independent variable, we also illustrate how the choice of incidence or prevalence rates may affect the operation of risk markers. Given the need for standardization, the relative ease with which this can be accomplished, and the knowledge that research in this area will be conducted well into the future, we conclude with a plea for a standard use of prevalence and incidence among family violence scholars.     

气候资源国家所有权的社会功能与权利结构

近两年来,气候资源所有权的立法引发诸多争议,学界从法律依据、资源属性和制度逻辑等几个层面批评了气候资源国家所有权的规定.这些批评的依据与分析的进路存在着可商榷之处：气候资源本身的自然属性和社会属性并不妨碍其作为国家所有权的客体,从《宪法》等法律相关条文规定上检讨气候资源国家所有权的法律依据是法条主义进路.气候资源国家所有权的制度逻辑可以克服气候资源的自由获取悲剧,实现气候资源国家管理和公益保护的社会功能.气候资源国家所有权在立法价值和社会功能上不同于民法所有权,需要更新其权利结构,除了具体化和更新传统的占有、使用、收益、处分四项权能的内涵,还需要引入保护权能和管理权能.     

国家所有权的基本理论和立法结构探讨

国家所有权在权利性质、权能设置、行使方式、法律保护等方面与传统民法上的所有权存在重大差别,已脱离传统物权和所有权的理论构成和立法结构。依公物法的理论看,《物权法》中规定的国有财产可类型化为国有自然资源、国有公共用财产及国有营运资产等,它们分别具有国有公物或国有私物的属性。国家所有权具有私权和公权的二重性,受私法和公法共同调整,是一种特殊的混合法律关系。国家所有权制度的建构应当超越私法的传统界域。我国未来民法典应设置财产权总则,将国家所有权作为一项重要的财产权专章或专节加以规定。     

The Associations Among Family-of-Origin Violence and Young Adults' Current Depressed, Hopeless, Suicidal, and Life-Threatening Behavior

The purpose of the current study was to determine if college students' retrospective reports of family-of-origin physical abuse were related to their current reports of depressed symptomology, hopelessness, and suicidal and life-threatening behavior. Consistent with hypotheses, abuse by a parent (physical and psychological) and physical perpetration toward a parent were associated with increased rates of suicidal and life-threatening behavior. Gender of the parent was also shown to be important as symptoms of depression were related to mother but not father victimization and perpetration. Contrary to expectation, witnessing parental spouse abuse was not associated with young adults' current symptoms of depression, hopelessness, and suicidal and life-threatening behavior. These findings were interpreted with regard to the intergenerational transmission of violence theory.     

Acute Influence of Alcohol,THC or Central Stimulants on Violent Suicide: A Swedish Population Study

Alcohol and substance abuse in general is a risk factor for suicide, but very little is known about the acute effect in relation to suicide method. Based on information from 18,894 medico‐legal death investigations, including toxicological findings and manner of death, did the present study investigate whether acute influence of alcohol, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or central stimulants (amphetamine and cocaine) was related to the use of a violent suicide method, in comparison with the nonviolent method self‐poisoning and alcohol‐/illicit drug‐negative suicide decedents. Multivariate analysis was conducted, and the results revealed that acute influence of THC was related to using the violent suicide method–– jumping from a height (RR 1.62; 95% CI 1.01–2.41). Alcohol intoxication was not related to any violent method, while the central stimulant‐positive suicide decedent had a higher, albeit not significant, risk of several violent methods. The study contributes with elucidating suicide methods in relation to acute intoxication.     

Economic Development,Change of Age Distribution,and Stream Analogy of Homicide and Suicide: A Cross-National Assessment

The current study tests the stream analogy of lethal violence, proposed by Unnithan et al. on a large sample of 124 nations. Spatial econometric regression models confirm that economic development decreases homicide rate and increases suicide–homicide ratio (SHR). The SHR developed by Unnithan et al. accounts for the impact of economic development better than original measure of suicide rate. The most important finding of the current investigation is that the increase in the population size of the elderly, consequent to economic development, is partially responsible for elevated suicide rates and SHRs.     

Violence,Guns, and Suicide in New Orleans: Results from a Qualitative Study of Recent Suicide Decedents

Many Americans own guns to protect themselves against other people, but there is evidence that both victimization and gun access increase suicide risk. We conducted qualitative interviews with informants of 17 suicide cases in New Orleans of the 60 who died between January 2015 and April 2016 to understand the relationship between past trauma, gun access and storage, and suicide. Nine cases had experienced a past trauma, including three who had recently had a family member killed by homicide. Eight died via firearm; of those, seven owned the guns they used to take their lives and stored them locked (but loaded) at home or in their cars. Preventing community violence and addressing its sequelae may be important for reducing suicides. A multi‐pronged strategy consisting of policies, education, and marketing will likely be needed to address the risk of suicide conferred by gun access.     

Homicide‐Suicide in Konya,Turkey Between 2000 and 2007*

Abstract: Homicide followed by the suicide of the murderer is a relatively rare lethal incident in which an individual kills another person and subsequently dies by suicide. Cases involving a homicide and a suicide in which death examinations and autopsies were performed at The Konya Branch of the Forensic Medicine Council between 2000 and 2007 were retrospectively investigated. During the studied time period, there were 10 homicide‐suicide cases identified with 10 perpetrators killing 12 victims. Nine of the perpetrators were men and eight of the victims were women. The precipitating motive was an impending divorce in four of the cases. Two perpetrators were described as severely depressed, one had a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder, and one was a pedophile who had reactive depression. Firearms were used in eight of the homicide cases and seven of the suicides. Constricting the use of firearms may reduce/prevent future homicide‐suicide cases, as it is the most commonly used method to carry out homicide‐suicides.     

自杀性恐怖犯罪新动向及对策研究

自杀性恐怖犯罪是为了达成某种目标或恐怖效果而经常采取的一种犯罪行为。犯罪原因包括民族分离主义的影响、宗教极端势力的蔓延、复仇心态的形成以及社会、经济因素等。目前这类犯罪呈现地域分布全球化、数量上升、个案和系列爆炸结合、主体年轻化、女性犯罪增加、高科技倾向明显、人弹更加隐秘的新特点。对其防控对策有：加强情报收集和分析、加强打击力度、强化综合治理、缔结统一国际反恐公约,完善国内反恐怖立法、大力发展生产力、反对＂双重标准＂、增强公众的心理承受力、倡导不同文明间的对话、交流与合作等。     

Aggregation,ratio variables,and measurement problems in criminological research

Issues of measurement error, level of aggregation, and ratio variables have been considered serious problems in criminological research. Although there have been many recent discussions of these issues in sociology and criminology, studies designed to assess the impact of these problems on the results of empirical research have, for the most part, been absent. After reviewing what is known theoretically and conceptually about these issues, an investigation which compares empirical analyses of a particular type of crime, homicide, that use different measurement strategies, different levels of aggregation, and ratio versus nonratio variables is presented. Utilizing homicide data from the mid-1970s and selected independent variables, the results of this investigation indicate that these three problems can interact in an empirical setting such that potential solutions to these problems do not always apply in the manner suggested in previous studies. The results also indicate that there is great risk in ignoring one or more of these problems in empirical research, in that different substantive conclusions can be reached from analyses that ignore these issues compared with analyses that deal directly with them.     

论我国国有土地使用权制度

土地制度是一个社会的重要财产制度,我国为发挥市场机制对土地资源的调节作用,以提高国有土地的利用效率,因而创立了国有土地使用权出让制度,其目的就在于以土地使用权代替和发挥土地所有权的作用和功能。但是该项土地使用权制度最大的不足就是对土地使用权的期限设定了限制,从而损害了市场作用的发挥和损害了公民的财产安全,因此有必要取消土地使用权的期限限制,将国有土地所有权的概念政治化或虚拟化。     

Prevalence and effects of violence against women in a rural community in Minia governorate, Egypt

This study was carried out to investigate prevalence and the characteristics of domestic violence (DV) against women in a rural area in Minia governorate, Egypt, as well as its physical and psychological consequences. Seven hundred and seventy-two women were interviewed. Sociodemographic data were collected; the WHO questionnaire was used to identify the abuse; the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IIIR (SCID) to detect psychiatric disorders. Abused females constituted 57.4% of the total sample. There were significant relationships between DV and low education, low income, higher number of children, and husband's education. Psychiatric disorders occurred in 18% of the sample. There were statistically significant relationships between psychological and physical abuse of women and the occurrence of psychiatric disorders. In conclusion, DV against women was related to various negative health outcomes, and it is recommended to be given its real importance in both Forensic Medicine Council and in psychiatric assessment.     

Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence Amongst Women of Reproductive Age in Lagos,Nigeria: Prevalence and Predictors

Research on predictors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Sub-Saharan Africa is contradictory, necessitating further investigation. This study sought the prevalence and predictors of IPV among women in Lagos, Nigeria. Questionnaire data from 934 women visiting an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Lagos were analyzed using multivariable methods. The 1 year prevalence of IPV was 29%, with significant proportions reporting psychological (23%), physical (9%) and sexual (8%) abuse. In-access to information, women’s autonomy and contribution to household expenses independently predicted IPV. The findings provide new incites for IPV prevention in Lagos with implications for further research.     

Risky Firearms Behavior in Low-Income Families of Elementary School Children: The Impact of Poverty, Fear of Crime, and Crime Victimization on Keeping and Storing Firearms

This report examines possession and storage of firearms in low-income urban families with at least one child between 8 and 12 years of age. The data primarily consisted of responses to a survey administered to parents, but these data were supplemented by records obtained from discussion groups composed of children between 8 and 12 years of age. The data were collected from five low-income neighborhoods in a medium sized city in the Pacific Northwest as part of a larger study focusing on the presence of risk factors for substance abuse, violence, and gang activity. All five neighborhoods are known to be plagued by poverty, violence, substance abuse, and gang activity. To make our findings more understandable, we compared our findings from these neighborhoods to similar data from a middle-class neighborhood. Middle-class parents were twice as likely to have firearms in their homes, but were much less likely to keep them loaded and/or unlocked. High rates of victimization, fear of crime, self-protective behavior, and exposure to threats or attacks were associated with keeping firearms for protection and engaging in risky gun behavior in the home.     

Drug Policies and Drug Prevalence: The Role of Demand and Supply

Changes in drug policy within countries and variations in drug policy across countries do not show clear cut relationships with drug prevalence levels. Neither liberal nor repressive policies promote or reduce drug use. Though policy might affect supply, factors associated with demand seem to exert a greater impact. Socio-economic conditions and attitudes of the populations towards drugs and related areas might be more important than policy in determining the prevalence level of cannabis and the turnover rate to hard drug use.     

Elder Abuse by Caregivers: A Study of Prevalence and Risk Factors in Hong Kong Chinese Families

This study aimed to establish preliminary estimates and related risk factors for elder abuse among Hong Kong Chinese families. A total of 276 elder Chinese participated in the study, among which 27.5% reported having experienced at least one abusive behavior committed against them by their caregivers during the surveyed year. The most common form of abuse was verbal abuse (26.8%), whereas physical abuse (2.5%) and violation of personal rights (5.1%) were relatively less common. There was no gender difference in the prevalence of elder abuse. Overall and verbal abuse were best predicted by participants' poor visual and memory abilities, dependence on the caregivers, and caregivers' nondependence on them. Physical abuse was best predicted by caregivers' nondependence on the participants as well as participants' dependence on the caregivers. Participants' age was the only significant predictor for violation of personal rights. Results, limitations, and implications of the study were also discussed.