Medical malpractice as reflected by the forensic evaluation of 4450 autopsies

A multicentre retrospective analysis of 4450 autopsies carried out due to suspicion of medical malpractice in 17 German institutes of forensic medicine from 1990 to 2000 was performed for the German Federal Ministry of Health. During the time period analysed an increase of cases could be mentioned. The main results of the study are: in the cooperating institutes the total number of autopsies due to suspected medical malpractice ranged from 1.4 to 20%. In more than 40% of the cases preliminary proceedings were started because the manner of death was certified as non-natural or not clarified. Hospital doctors were more affected by medical malpractice claims than doctors in private practice. However, the number of confirmed cases of medical malpractice was higher for doctors in private practice than for hospital doctors. Although surgery is still at the top of the disciplines involved in medical malpractice claims the number of confirmed surgical cases was below the average. Mistakes in care were confirmed to be above the average. Medico-legal autopsies are still a very sufficient method to evaluate cases of medical malpractice: 2863 cases could already be clarified by autopsy. Up to now there is no systematic registration of medical malpractice charges in Germany. A systematic registration should be initiated to build up and/or improve error reporting systems and, thus, to improve patient safety. Compared to other sources of medical malpractice claims (arbitration committees of the medical chambers, reference material of health and insurance companies, files of civil courts) the data of the present multicentre study are in so far unique as only lethal cases were evaluated and a complete autopsy report was available as basis of an expert opinion in alleged medical malpractice cases.     

Juvenile delinquency as reflected by offenders of the borstal institute of Cameroon

This paper will describe the governmental structure of Papua New Guinea and the justice system. It identifies justice policy in relation to devolution and the involvement of the community in the justice system. After pointing out that in colonial times judicial powers were exercised at the village level it notes that the introduction of a Village Court system in 1975 and the commencement of Probation in 1985 have both served as a means of introducing custom into the legal system and into the justice system. Probation and Village Courts are discussed and constraints in their operation and development are identified. Other functions of the Probation Service which assist in giving the community a voice in sentencing and in the supervision of offenders are described. The paper concludes that although there has been no formal devolution policy until recently, the desirability of involving the community in the maintenance of law and order has been recognised, primarily through Village Courts and Probation. The fact that Provincial Governments have no law and order powers is identified as a factor marginalising Provincial Governments from the justice system and to that extent, the community within the Province. The paper suggests that policy makers need to address the position of the Provincial Governments within the justice system. Institutional devolution has been limited and there is scope for more to be done but adequate resources must be made available. Gender bias in the Village Court and within Probation as well as the attitude of the lower courts towards Probation are noted as constraints generally.     

马克思主义法学为何要把"意志"视为法律本质

意志是马克思主义法律本质理论中的一个极其重要的概念。把意志视为法律本质是马克思主义对西方重要的文化传统的继承和发展。意志既具有理性因素 ,又具有非理性因素 ;而且 ,与理性相比 ,意志的理想色彩淡了许多。这些因素决定了马克思主义法学最终把意志作为法律本质     

Regulation by Reward: On the Use of Incentives as Regulatory Instruments*

This essay explores the use of positive reinforcement as a regulatory strategy. It discusses both financial and symbolic incentives and their application in furtherance of regulatory compliance, and presents various illustrative examples of the use of positive incentives by regulatory authorities. It then reviews the advantages and potential shortcomings of regulatory incentives, and suggests principles by which incentive instruments can be used as part of an overall regulatory regime.     

解读高等学校的“法律法规授权的组织”资格——以田永诉北京科技大学案为范本展开的分析

“法律法规授权的组织”是非行政机关被推上行政诉讼被告席的惟一事由,也是法院受理田永诉北京科技大学案,为学生打开司法救济之门的前提。然而,法院在田永一案中并没有证成高等学校具有“法律法规授权的组织”资格。尽管单方面性、强制性等是行政权的属性,但并非所有具有这些属性的权力都是行政权。     

Occupational satisfaction and competence of police officers as predicted by the Kuder Interest Inventory

A sample of 77 police officers who had been members of the Evansville, Indiana Police Department for at least two years had been given the Kuder Occupational Interest Inventory prior to being hired. Each was given the Zytowski Personal Data Questionnaire to obtain self-ratings of satisfaction and duty performance. A high percentage (81%) of the officers who had been hired and whose careers had continued in police work had Police Officer as one of their top ten occupations on the Kuder Interest Inventory. The Kuder was less successful at predicting satisfaction and performance. These data supported the concept that stress and burnout were more important predictors of satisfaction and duty performance than were interests.     

检察机关排除非法证据的困境与出路——以非法言词证据为中心

鉴于检察机关的特殊地位,检察机关排除非法证据具有正当性,这也是非法证据排除程序的重要内容。但检察机关排除非法证据的实际效果并不乐观,其原因在于排除主体的定位模糊,非法证据的发现机制不畅,被告人滥用诉权,非法言词证据范围不明确,同步录音录像缺乏监督等。因此,检察机关应当从创新工作机制出发,逐步推动中国特色的非法证据排除规则制度的完善。具体而言,检察机关应当采取建立检察官排除非法证据的激励机制,扩展其发现非法证据的渠道,完善预案机制等措施,以提高检察机关排除非法言词证据的成效。     

医疗机构产前检查过失致缺陷婴儿出生之法律救济探析

因医院产前检查过失导致缺陷婴儿出生之损害赔偿案件在我国司法实践中并不鲜见,但世界各国对此类案件的处理则没有统一规定,在我国也没有相应的法律规范。本文从法理上剖析了人民法院以医院产前检查过失行为侵犯缺陷婴儿父母的生育选择权为裁判基础的不妥之处,评析了"缺陷婴儿不当出生之诉"的侵权不成立、违约救济之困境,提出在我国侵权法体系中应当增加"违反保护他人的法律规定之侵权类型",以消弭此类纠纷在司法实践中法律适用的困惑。     

论作为知识分子写作方式的晚清散文话语建构

梁启超、严复、王韬等晚清的思想者散文家,以散文的方式参与其时代话语的建构.他们的写作凸现着作为公共知识分子写作所通常具有的模式特征.时代的命定、社会身份的规定和个人特殊的心路历程等因素,决定了他们的散文--晚清主流散文,是以时代主题的表达为要务的.这一类散文有着思想的偏至和审美的弱化等特点.     

The PGM1 polymorphism as revealed by ultrathin-layer isoelectric focusing in the population of Padua

The occurrence of PGM₁ phenotypes in 589 samples from the population of Padua was investigated by ultrathin-layer isoelectric focusing. All ten phenotypes were observed. Frequencies of the PGM₁ alleles (1+ = 0.6180; 1? = 0.1163; 2+ = 0.2122; 2? = 0.0535) have been compared to those found in other populations.