Sentencing Female Misdemeanants: An Examination of the Direct and Indirect Effects of Race/Ethnicity

Little is known about the predictors of sentencing for the typical female offender—one who commits a misdemeanor or lesser offense. Moreover, although ample discussions of racial/ethnic disparity in sentencing may be found in the extant literature, most researchers have focused on what happens to males who commit felonies. Thus, to help fill a void I examine the likelihood of receiving a jail sentence among a sample of cases for female misdemeanants. All were convicted in New York City's Criminal Court. I account for direct and indirect effects by estimating a causal model that predicts the sentencing outcome. Race/ethnicity did not directly affect sentencing. Indirect effects, however, were found. Black and Hispanic females were more likely to receive jail sentences than their White counterparts due to differences in socio‐economic status, community ties, prior record, earlier case processing, and charge severity.     

An investigation of the relationship between anger and offence-related shame and guilt

Abstract

A number of accounts of shame and guilt emphasise an association between shame and anger difficulties, and it has been suggested that shame and rage may promote one another. The shame–anger relationship may be particularly relevant to the study of forensic populations, as the fact of having committed a criminal offence has the potential to be a highly shame-provoking experience. The current study investigates the prediction that shame and guilt reactions to an offence are differentially related to the propensity to experience and ability to control anger. A measure of offence-related shame and guilt and a measure of anger experience and control was completed by 60 men detained in forensic psychiatric units. The results supported the prediction that offence-related shame is associated with elevated levels of anger difficulties, whilst offence-related guilt is associated with ability to control anger. The findings of the current study are consistent with those of previous investigations of shame, guilt and anger. Specific implications for the understanding and prevention of violent offending are discussed.     

Reengineering the Child Support Scheme: An Australian Perspective on the British Government's Proposals

After years of problems with the Child Support Scheme in Britain, the Government has decided to attempt reform again, less than four years after a previous major change was implemented in 2003. The author evaluates these reform proposals, drawing upon his experience in leading a recent major review of child support policy in Australia. While many of the reform measures offer a sensible way forward for child support policy, Britain risks going backwards in terms of community acceptance of the child support obligation. The Government needs to consider the likely impact of its policy settings on private agreements about child support. Ways are proposed both to protect the Treasury and to promote the wellbeing of children by adopting different policy settings that ensure the resident parent has an incentive to bargain for the level of child support required by the new formula. The new formula itself is evaluated in the light of the international research on the costs of children. Ways are also suggested for developing a co-ordinated approach across government to the provision of support services for parents who do not live together.     

立法后评估：法律体系形成后的一项重要工作

中国特色社会主义法律体系基本形成,我国立法迎来从数量型发展向质量型发展的转折,立法后评估成为提高立法质量不可或缺的重要手段。本文以对重庆市地方性法规的评估研究报告为依据,阐述立法后评估的特点、主体、对象、内容、标准等一系列理论和实践问题,并就克服当前立法后评估遇到的制度困境提出了对策建议。     

缺乏对抗的“被告人说话式”审判——对我国“控辩式”刑事审判的实证考察

我国立法机关于1996年在吸收了对抗式刑事审判合理因素的基础上,创设了"控辩式审判"方式,以解决庭审走过场的弊端和实现控辩审职能的分化。从司法实践来看,改革者的目标并没有得到实现。我国的刑事审判在实际运作上是一种缺乏对抗的"被告人说话式"审判,具体表现在:庭审上趋于消极但不中立的法官,公诉人对审判的单方面主导,被告人是法庭上的"主角","说话权"受限的量刑辩护人,法庭调查的书面化等。由此导致我国刑事审判制度的双高现象:高效率和高定罪率。