Homicide and economic conditions: A replication and critique of M. Harvey Brenner's new report to the U.S. Congress

M. Harvey Brenner has produced two influential studies of the social costs of unemployment, economic inequality, and economic growth, both sponsored by the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress. This paper reports the results of an effort to reproduce Brenner's findings for homicide from his more recent (1984) study. Our conclusions are as follows. (1) Although not obvious from his write-up, Brenner's 1984 results differ substantively from his earlier results. (2) We are unable to reproduce his reported findings. (3) There are serious methodological problems with his procedure for choosing a regression specification.     

An analysis of single and multi-copy methods for DNA quantitation by real-time polymerase chain reaction

The goal of this paper was to examine and compare two different commercially available approaches to the determination of the relative quantities of autosomal and Y chromosomal DNA using real-time PCR. One, Quantifiler^® Duo, utilizes a TaqMan^® assay with single copy probes for both autosomal human and Y quantification. The other method, Plexor HY^® utilizes a primer quenching assay with multi-copy probes for its quantification of autosomal human and Y chromosomal DNA. To test these approaches we have utilized the NIST Human DNA Quantitation Standard Reference Material 2372, a set of three different NIST human DNA quantification standards, to examine the precision, accuracy and sensitivity of the real-time PCR assays. We also examined data from both systems utilizing casework samples. The results show that both systems produced linear estimates for DNA quantity over a broad range of input DNA. However we did observe some apparent copy number effects when comparing the three different NIST standards which we attributed to issues with sequence variations in the different standards. Overall, the single copy approach provided better accuracy while the multi-copy approach produced better sensitivity. Thus the choice of which system to use should depend upon the goals of the user.     

Developmental validation of the AmpF?STR SEfiler Plus™ PCR amplification kit: An improved multiplex with enhanced performance for inhibited samples

Since its introduction in 2002, the AmpF?STR^® SEfiler™ kit has provided a highly discriminating DNA profiling option to German forensic laboratories by combining the widely used SGM Plus^® Kit loci with the SE-33 locus required for the German DNA Database. Whilst proving successful on database samples, laboratories using the SEfiler™ kit have reported the need for chemistry better able to handle the ever-increasing number of casework samples.The new AmpF?STR^® SEfiler Plus™ kit contains the same loci and primer sequences as the SEfiler™ kit but uses improved synthesis and purification processes to minimize the presence of dye-labeled artifacts. Other improvements include modified PCR cycling conditions for enhanced sensitivity and a new buffer formulation that improves performance with inhibited samples when compared to the original SEfiler™ kit.Validation studies demonstrating the effectiveness of the multiplex are presented with emphasis on the models of inhibition and casework samples.     

论公共需求与中国经济增长

需求结构的不合理是制约中国经济增长的一个重要原因,因而有必要对需求结构不合理原因作进一步的分析.现阶段在若干领域的需求过于旺盛所导致的经济过热的内在机制,是政府的片面政绩冲动和企业的盲目利润冲动,其后果是导致了需求结构的不合理.在产生大量无效供给的前提下,我国公共产品的有效供给却长期不足,人民的需求得不到应有的满足.随着经济市场化的深入和社会公共需求的日益增长,需要政府提供更优质、更全面的公共产品.因此,及时调整现有的宏观经济政策导向,加快制度创新,强化政府提供公共产品的职能,以满足公众对公共产品的有效需求,应成为我国治理现阶段经济过热的新思路.     

Race and Gang Affiliation: An Examination of Multiple Marginality

Criminological research has historically drawn a connection between race/ethnicity and gang membership. The focus on specific racial/ethnic groups and particular gangs in distinct geographical locations within ethnographic research, along with the lack of a comprehensive explanation, however, has limited this research. Thus, the true nature of the relationship between race/ethnicity and gang membership remains unclear. This research expands the contemporary literature regarding race/ethnicity and gang membership by utilizing multisite survey data to examine Vigil’s (1988 Vigil, J. D. 1988. Barrio gangs: Street life and identity in southern California, Austin, TX: University of Texas Press.  [Google Scholar], 2002 Vigil, J. D. 2002. A rainbow of gangs: Street cultures in the mega‐city, Austin, TX: University of Texas Press.  [Google Scholar]) multiple marginality framework of gang involvement for Whites, African Americans, and Hispanics. Results suggest that multiple marginality is a viable explanation for current gang membership. When examining the applicability of this theory for members of various racial/ethnic groups, important differences appear when examining current versus ever gang membership. For current gang membership, significant differences between racial/ethnic groups exist, with ecological/economic stress variables being significant for Whites and social control/street socialization elements representing the important predictors for African Americans and Hispanics. This pattern changes when examining those reporting ever being in a gang. For “ever” gang membership, social control/street socialization elements predict membership for all groups. Policy implications of these results are discussed.     

伪劣商品犯罪的经济分析

刑法的经济分析理论是一种崭新的研究刑法规范设置的成本与效益的理论。伪劣商品犯罪作为谋利型的经济犯罪,其成本与“效益”的关系尤为突出,依据刑法经济分析理论,我国伪劣商品犯罪屡禁不止的原因是国家支付刑罚成本虽高,但因刑种、刑度设置的不合理,以及刑罚确定性低而导致刑罚效益低,致使刑罚的投入量与刑罚效益不对称。要遏制生产、销售这类犯罪,就必须应调整伪劣商品犯罪的刑罚结构,限制自由刑的适用,扩大财产刑的适用范围,增设资格刑,并提高刑罚的确定性,以较低的刑罚成本获取最佳的刑罚效益。     

尸体腐败程度与死亡经过时间的实验研究

为了找出推测死亡经过时间的客观依据,应用健康的苏白猪为实验模型,进行尸体腐败程度与死亡经过时间研究,将模型分别放置在室内、室外及地下三个环境中,让尸体在自然的环境中发生腐败,详细记录尸体腐败所表现的现象,特别是腐败气体所产生的张力。实验发现,尸体腐败至软组织与骨骼全部分离、以及腐败残留物质的完全消失,与温度、湿度、降雨量、尸体与地面倾斜度、昆虫的寄生等有明显的关系。所得数据,为死亡经过时间的推测,积累了重要的参考依据。     

浅析顺德市飞车抢夺犯罪案件的特点原因及对策

抢夺犯罪案件是指以非法占有为目的,乘人不备,公然夺取数额较大的公私财物的案件。随着社会主义市场经济体制的建立和现代交通、通讯事业的迅速发展,人财物大流动,社会迅速由“封闭型”向“开放型”发展,社会犯罪活动亦呈现出新特点、新动向,较为突出的特点之一是抢夺案件频繁发生,泛滥存在,其中“飞车抢夺”案件最为典型。如何遏制、减少抢夺案件的发生已成为当今社会治安防控工作一个亟待解决的重要课题。     

The challenge and imperative of private sector cybersecurity: An international comparison

Attacks on computers and information networks, both public and private, are disclosed in the news daily. Most recently, Apple, Facebook, and Twitter acknowledged that they were attacked and were now taking additional measures to secure their networks. In January of 2013, Kaspersky Labs reported discovering malware that not only targeted government information in Eastern Europe, former Soviet republics, and Central Asia, but also had been actively doing so since 2007. The scope of global cyber attacks is staggering and the solutions to securing property and protecting national security are illusive, in large part because infrastructure is owned and operated by private, rather than public, entities. Nations struggle with choosing the most effective strategy and potential regulation of the private sector in order to reduce overall cybersecurity risk. This paper reviews the nature of cyber threats, and compares the United States and European approach to promoting cybersecurity in the private sector. Furthermore, the paper discusses how different approaches can affect cybersecurity risk, and suggests a framework for visualizing the impact of law and strategy on security.     

国际税收协定与国内税法关系探讨——以受控外国公司税制为视角

长期以来,国际税收协定与国内反避税法的关系问题一直存在争议。一般认为,税收协定优于国内税法;但是,为了防止纳税人滥用税收协定进行避税,该原则也不应绝对化。受控外国公司税制作为一种重要的反避税措施,也产生了与税收协定的兼容性问题。从欧盟国家的实践来看,观点并不一致。但2003年OECD范本注释明确规定,两者是兼容的。由于我国在新的企业所得税中规定了该项税制,因此,解决两者的兼容性也是必须面对的问题。同时,在《宪法》没有对条约在国内法中地位进行规定之前,我国《企业所得税法》第58条应得到完善。     

论自决权的性质——一种国际法与国内法的综合分析

在国际政治和国际法领域里,自决权是一个难以明确界定的有争议的概念。它的内容、主体和适用范围始终在不断适应国际政治的变化和发展,它的重心也必将随着其内容、主体和适用范围的发展变化而发生相应的转移。这一重心转移的过程,既是自决权从外部自决向内部自决回归的过程;也是自决权由以国际法原则为重心转移到以国内法原则为重心的过程;同时也是自决权自身内涵不断扩大的历史过程。在这一过程中,自决权先后主要是独立权、国家主权、人权、发展权、人民主权和自治权。自决权的内涵及其重心转移说明,台湾当局企图分裂国家,搞“独立公投”的所谓“自决”,既违背国际法原则,也违背国内法原则,实际上是行不通的。     

论不动产财产权有限自由与适度限制的模式与原则

所有的不动产财产权争议.实际上都是围绕着不动产财产权的自由与限制这一核心问题而展开的.不动产财产权自由与限制之间必须达列一定的平衡.有限的自由与适度的限制是我们解决不动产财产权冲突的重要指导思想与原则.不动产财产权有限自由与适度限制的模式为:完备的财产权宪法保护与民法保护体系--公共利益、适度国家理念--程序正当和手段合理的行政法与权利对等的私法限制.不动产财产权有限自由原则应遵循禁止权利滥用原则、公序良俗与诚实信用原则、容忍义务原则.不动产财产权适度限制原则应遵循宪法审查原则、合法原则、合理原则、比例原则、公平补偿原则.遵循有限自由与适度限制原则的目的是为了达到自由与限制、公益与私益、公权与私权的平衡.     

Charge reduction: An analysis of prosecutorial discretion in burglary and robbery cases

Although a substantial number of researchers have studied charge reductions taking place within the context of guilty plea negotiations, few have focused on estimating the determinants of charge reductions taking place at the initial screening decision. The prosecutor's decision to reduce original felony charges to a misdemeanor has serious social, legal, and economic consequences for the suspect. This paper presents a model of the variables affecting the likelihood of such a reduction in burglary and robbery offenses. Drawing from Littrell's principled charging perspective and earlier research on labeling, the analysis involves estimating logistic regression equations specifying both main and interaction effects of the suspect's gender and race and variables related to suspect character, case seriousness, and legal seriousness. Partial support is found for Littrell's perspective.     

纳税担保法律性质与法律适用辨析

对纳税担保法律性质的争议源于对纳税担保行政性和民事性多元目的价值的不同认识。按照法的价值位阶将纳税担保定性为民事性,有利于保障税收债权的安全,有利于贯彻落实我国物权法的平等保护原则。实践中行政复议、行政诉讼解决纳税担保纠纷出现的僵局,不是法律制度本身的缺陷造成的,而是人们错误认识纳税担保的性质,把民事纠纷当作行政案件处理的结果。适用民事法律、按民事诉讼解决纳税担保纠纷是纳税担保法律适用的应然选择。     

试析刑法学教学面临的困境和出路

国家统一司法考试与我国加入WTO对中国法学教育提出了新的要求。结合我院刑法学教学的实际,刑法学教师必须准确、客观、系统地讲授刑法知识,运用相关的教学方法,建立教学行为规范,充分调动学生课堂思维的积极性,作到师生同步思维,提高教育效果,从而提高我院刑法教学的质量。     

关于"百事内讧"事件的经济法律分析--兼论中国入世后外商投资企业中利益格局的变化与矛盾冲突的协调

"百事内讧"事件,反映了我国加入WTO后,跨国公司调整全球投资战略意图,与作为东道国的中方合资、合作者之间利益格局发生变动,引起矛盾冲突激化的形势.在合作双方争论的背后,隐藏着各自对于利害关系的权衡抉择,问题的关键已经超出单纯的违法违约及其责任怎样承担的范畴,涉及到如何取舍以求花费最小的成本获取最大利益的全局考量.对其进行适当的经济法律分析,有助于争议双方在博弈中作出最优或者次优方案的选择.     

Stroop效应和反转Stroop效应的脑事件相关电位研究

采用事件相关脑电位(ERP)技术探讨与Stroop任务相关的脑加工机制.以中文Stroop色字为刺激,以大学生为被试,要求被试进行颜色判断和字义判断任务.对各任务中一致刺激和不一致刺激诱发的ERP分别叠加平均.结果发现:颜色任务P330-390的潜伏期表现出Stroop效应,而字义任务P330-390的峰值表现出反转的Stroop效应;差异波N370可能反映了对无关信息的抑制,而P600-650则可能反映了对语义的再加工.     

Collateral Damage: An Analysis of the Achievements and Unintended Consequences of Batterer Intervention Programs and Discourse

This paper reviews and critiques two prevailing program models for batterer intervention in order to highlight both their valuable achievements and attendant costs and consequences. We analyze these batterer intervention program models at 3 levels. First, we describe the historical development and basic program components of the intervention models. Second, we trace differences in the models to their grounding in different psychological assumptions and theories about behavior change, masculinity, and violence. Third, differences between the models are mapped onto contrasting approaches to the regulation of human deviance in the criminal justice and mental health systems. Based on this analysis, we conclude that further attention to structural and contextual factors, such as class, race, economic stress, and substance abuse in explanations of domestic violence is needed, together with alternative approaches to collaboration between victim advocates and batterer intervention providers.     

Effects of Cyanoacrylate Fuming,Time After Recovery,and Location of Biological Material on the Recovery and Analysis of DNA from Post‐Blast Pipe Bomb Fragments*

Abstract: This study investigated the effects of time, cyanoacrylate fuming, and location of the biological material on DNA analysis of post‐blast pipe bomb fragments. Multiple aliquots of a cell suspension (prepared by soaking buccal swabs in water) were deposited on components of the devices prior to assembly. The pipe bombs were then deflagrated and the fragments recovered. Fragments from half of the devices were cyanoacrylate fumed. The cell spots on the fragments were swabbed and polymerase chain reaction/short tandem repeat analysis was performed 1 week and 3 months after deflagration. A significant decrease in the amount of DNA recovered was observed between samples collected and analyzed within 1 week compared with the samples collected and analyzed 3 months after deflagration. Cyanoacrylate fuming did not have a measurable effect on the success of the DNA analysis at either time point. Greater quantities of DNA were recovered from the pipe nipples than the end caps. Undeflagrated controls showed that the majority (>95%) of the DNA deposited on the devices was not recovered at a week or 3 months.     

Use of the SIRS in Compensation Cases: An Examination of Its Validity and Generalizability

The Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS; Rogers et al., Structured interview of reported symptoms (SIRS) and professional manual, 1992) is a well-validated psychological measure for the assessment of feigned mental disorders (FMD) in clinical, forensic, and correctional settings. Comparatively little work has evaluated its usefulness in compensation and disability contexts. The present study examined SIRS data from 569 individuals undergoing forensic neuropsychiatric examinations for the purposes of workers’ compensation, personal injury, or disability proceedings. Using bootstrapping comparisons, three primary groups were identified: FMD, feigned cognitive impairment (FCI), genuine-both (GEN-Both) that encompasses both genuine disorders (GEN-D) and genuine-cognitive presentation (GEN-C). Consistent with the SIRS main objective, very large effect sizes (M Cohen’s d = 1.94) were observed between FMD and GEN-Both groups. Although not intended for this purpose, moderate to large effect sizes (M d = 1.13) were found between FCI and GEN-Both groups. An important consideration is whether SIRS results are unduly affected by common diagnoses or clinical conditions. Systematic comparisons were performed based on common disorders (major depressive disorder, PTSD, and other anxiety disorders), presence of a cognitive disorder (dementia, amnestic disorder, or cognitive disorder NOS), or intellectual deficits (FSIQ < 80). Generally, the magnitude of differences on the SIRS primary scales was small and nonsignificant, providing evidence of the SIRS generalizability across these diagnostic categories. Finally, the usefulness of the SIRS improbable failure-revised (IF-R) scale was tested as a FCI screen. Although it has potential in ruling out genuine cases, the IF-R should not be used as a feigning screen.