Don't Mention the War: The Court of Appeal,the Criminal Cases Review Commission and Dealing with the Past in Northern Ireland

Despite the vast transitional justice scholarship relating to prisoner release, amnesties and prosecutions when conflicts end, there is a significant gap in practice and academic literature regarding wrongful convictions. Uniquely amongst post‐conflict societies, Northern Ireland has a body for investigating miscarriages of justice, albeit one designed for ‘ordinary’ appeals. In the absence of a formal truth‐recovery process, criminal appeals are becoming a proxy for addressing the role of the state during ‘The Troubles,’ as well as remedying individual injustices. This article examines the approach of the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal during the conflict. It charts the developments in its decision‐making following the cease‐fires and the establishment of the Criminal Cases Review Commission. It concludes that the current system is unsatisfactory as it ignores the effects of the conflict on the appeal process and offers no insights into the role of the Court during the conflict. Alternative models are suggested.     

Wiping the Slate Clean: Reforming Scots Law's Approach to Evidence of the Accused's Bad Character

This paper discusses the Scottish Law Commission (SLC)'s Report on Similar Fact Evidence and the Moorov Doctrine, which proposes revolutionary changes to the way in which Scots law deals with evidence of the accused's bad character, including his previous convictions. The article sets these proposals in context by explaining the existing Scots law, and comparing it to the English provisions on bad character evidence contained in the Criminal Justice Act 2003. This comparison reveals similarities between the responses of the two jurisdictions. It is remarkable that the SLC did not consider English law to be a viable model for reform, choosing instead to propose legislation which would simply deem certain pieces of bad character evidence relevant in criminal trials. The second part of the paper explains why these proposals should not be implemented.     

Electronic evidence: A proposal to reform the presumption of reliability and hearsay

There is a general concern amongst judges, lawyers and legal scholars that evidence in digital format is not to be trusted, given that it can be altered and manipulated with ease. Some jurists have called for a UN Convention on matters relating to the authentication and admissibility of electronic evidence. It is debatable whether such a Convention is necessary, but guidance of an international nature might be welcome, providing that any such guidance remains guidance, and does not ossify into legal requirements that fail to take into account the dynamic and constantly developing changes in information technology. In any event, the accuracy of the presumption in England & Wales that a computer is in order at the material time is highly debatable, and it is suggested that this presumption ought to be reformed.     

论国际刑事法院证据规则的混合模式——以大陆法系和英美法系证据规则比较为视角

国际刑事法院诉讼规则是一种混合模式,证据规则也不例外.而这种混合模式融合了大陆法系证据采纳的宽泛规定和普通法系证据收集、出示和审查中的对抗制因素.这种混合模式有其特定的成因,而大陆法系和普通法系对这一混合模式则存在不同的看法,本文从比较视角对这一问题进行了分析,并指出了其对我国证据立法的启示.     

自媒体时代的刑事司法与民意

相对于传统的自上而下的传播模式,“自媒体”更多地体现出一种传播的对等性,更加注重网民的自主性,表现出个性化、互动性的特征,更易引发刑事司法与民意之间的紧张关系。涉弱势群体的刑事个案更易引发民众的关注、民意的表达更为通畅与开放、民意的表达忽略了案件事实与法律适用本身、民意的真实性有待考证,这是自媒体时代的民意的主要特征。在自媒体环境下,民意推动了刑事诉讼程序的公开、公正进行,有助于刑事司法判决朝着更为公正、合理的方向发展,不理性的民意对部分刑事案件的错判、误判的影响仍然不能忽视,民意对刑事司法的影响呈现出无序性。营造刑事司法与民意互动的良性循环需要注意：建立及时的信息发布、沟通机制,对自媒体进行必要的约束,发挥自媒体对民意的引导、培育功能。构建公平有序的社会制度。     

论国际刑事法院证据规则的混合模式——以大陆法系和英美法系证据规则比较为视角

国际刑事法院诉讼规则是一种混合模式,证据规则也不例外。而这种混合模式融合了大陆法系证据采纳的宽泛规定和普通法系证据收集、出示和审查中的对抗制因素。这种混合模式有其特定的成因,而大陆法系和普通法系对这一混合模式则存在不同的看法,本文从比较视角对这一问题进行了分析,并指出了其对我国证据立法的启示。     

The Council for the Administration of Criminal Justice and Protection of Juveniles

The Council for the Administration of Criminal Justice and Protection of Juveniles (Raad voor Strafrechtstoepassing en Jeugdbescherming) is an independent advisory, supervisory and judiciary board to the Netherlands Minister of Justice on matters relating to the prison system, the hospital order detention system, the probation system and the youth incarceration system. Members are recruited from a variety of backgrounds, such as magistracy, science, medicine, psychiatry and social work. As a rule, they have a full-time job in society. They are recruited by virtue of their expertise, competence and professional experience in relevant fields. Nowadays, there are about 60 members. The combination of the Council’s three tasks has been criticised. The argument is that the advisory and supervisory tasks of the Council could interfere with the independent and impartial nature of its judicial task. The supposed incompatibility of the three tasks has been one of the arguments of the Minister of Justice in defending his decision to set up an Inspectorate for the whole field of the administration of justice. This Inspectorate would overlap the Council’s supervisory task. So, legislation has been prepared in order to prevent overlap by taking away this task from the Council. The resistance to these plans was an important reason for the Dutch government to ask the Verwey-Jonker Institute to evaluate the performance of the Council. The Council performed very well in this evaluation. Its performance could not, therefore, really be used as an argument for curtailing its tasks. The independent nature of an Inspection Board is open to question, as it is functioning under the responsibility of the Minister of Justice. However, the Minister of Justice has not been convinced by this and other arguments, so there is a big chance that the Council will loose its supervisory task.

刑事诉讼制度改革中的“底限正义”——对中国刑事诉讼制度改革理路的质评

我国刑事诉讼法修改在即,但是关于刑事诉讼制度改革我们始终缺乏一种方法论上的指引。“底限正义”理论是一种指导刑事诉讼制度改革的有效方法和策略,它一方面认可人类社会存在着最低限度的正义要求,从而为以法律移植为主要内容的我国刑事诉讼制度改革提供了理论依据;另一方面又承认正义的相对性和多元性,承认法律制度移植的可选择性,从而为我国当前刑事诉讼制度改革提供了微观操作步骤。同时,“底限正义”理论对我国刑事诉讼法学研究的深入拓展也有着重要的借鉴意义。     

清末修订《刑事民事诉讼法》论考——兼论法典编纂的时机、策略和技术

《刑事民事诉讼法》的修订,本是为了回应守旧大臣的批评,适应当时改革的即时之需。为此,它被定位为一部暂行章程,这导致了它简单、务实的立法风格。不过,与这种风格不协调的是,立法者又显然试图将一些时人并不熟悉的制度引入中国。《刑事民事诉讼裁判等项法律》的发现,为我们进一步了解《刑事民事诉讼法》的起草过程提供了线索。根据现有史料,不足以断定伍廷芳就是《刑事民事诉讼法》的起草人;督抚对该草案的批评,也不能简单归结为“礼教派攻击法理派”。这次立法最终以一种“不了了之”的方式终止,但是,作为法典编纂的一个失败案例,它却给后人以长久的启示。     

The End of Innocence: Open Justice,Free Speech and Privacy in the Modern Constitution – Khuja (formerly PNM) v Times Newspapers Limited

This case note explores the issue of open justice considered by Khuja (formerly PNM) v Times Newspapers Limited in the Supreme Court and argues that the current law is confused and incoherent. Far from settling the debate, it is suggested that the decision further undermines some of the key assumptions underpinning the current approach, especially in the light of the compelling and humane minority judgment. This leaves the area ripe for reconsideration in general terms. This note challenges many of the formulaic slogans and rhetoric in previous case law as well as suggesting that the meaning of open justice has been lost in current discourse. After summarising the facts, this note sets out the majority and minority judgments, before analysing some of the conceptual difficulties raised – particularly those of open justice, privacy, presumption of innocence and freedom of speech.     

国际法院司法实践中的反诉问题研究

反诉是国际法院诉讼程序中的一种附带程序。20世纪90年代,国际法院涉及到反诉的案子突然增多,其基本上是被作为一种诉讼策略在使用。国际法院在处理反诉过程中的系列做法彰显了反诉的诸多法理。为了加强对反诉程序的控制,国际法院对反诉规则进行了相应的修改。     

Assuming that the Defendant Is Not Guilty: The Presumption of Innocence in the German System of Criminal Justice

The presumption of innocence is not a presumption but an assumption or legal fiction. It requires agents of the state to treat a suspect or defendant in the criminal process as if he were in fact innocent. The presumption of innocence has a limited field of application. It applies only to agents of the state, and only during the criminal process. The presumption of innocence as such does not determine the amount of evidence necessary to find a defendant guilty. In spite of these limits, the presumption of innocence protects suspects and defendants from specific dangers inherent in the criminal process. German procedure law is used to show these areas.     

强化我国行政执法公正的问题浅析

行政执法公正是人们对执法追求的基本理念。目前,我国行政执法存在诸多不公的现象。究其成因:一是法律意识淡薄;二是自由裁量权滥用;三是权责不清;四是监督不力。为了实现行政执法公正,必须从以下方面努力:一是强化从严执法的法治观念;二是防止行政自由裁量权的滥用;三是建立健全行政执法责任制;四是强化行政执法监督机制。     

佘祥林冤案：我们离无罪推定还有多远

在民众关心、同情佘祥林遭遇的同时,我们更应该反思它带给我们的启示与教训,以推动中国司法改革的发展。本文将着重探讨佘案的症结之一—无推定原则的改革与发展。     

Keywords,case law and the Court of Justice: the need for legislative intervention in modernising European trade mark law

Recent preliminary references to the CJEU on online keyword advertising and registered trade mark infringement have exposed the challenges facing EU registered trade mark law in its response to new technologies. These cases and the challenges they pose provide a timely prism through which to examine the European trade mark law-making process and the role of the CJEU within that process. This article will employ an analysis of the way in which the CJEU has developed certain key new aspects of the law on ‘infringing use’ to explore concerns over the CJEU's role and approach. It will be argued that, driven by policy considerations, the CJEU has acted creatively to develop the law of infringement in ways that cannot be sustained by the TMD and CTMR and which are likely to cause increasing uncertainties going forward. With the European Commission currently considering reform of Trade Marks Directive 2008/95/EC and Community Trade Mark Regulation 207/2009/EC, this paper will argue that there is a need for more comprehensive and forward-looking legislative intervention than has yet been proposed and that such intervention will be essential to restoring balance in the European trade mark law-making process.     

The Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2018: Updating the Federal Approach to Youth Involved,and At‐Risk of Becoming Involved,in the Juvenile Justice System

On December 21, 2018, the Juvenile Justice Reform Act was signed into law, marking the first update in 16 years to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended. The reforms reflect much of the knowledge that has been gained through research and science over the past decade and strengthen the Act’s core protections for youth in the juvenile justice system. The changes also expand the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s role in research, and technical assistance, and provide for additional oversight for related programs.     

刑事证据视野中的盘查记录

盘查记录有《当场盘问、检查笔录》和《挡获经过(说明)》两种形式,它们在制作主体、形成时间空间、证明内容等方面具有不同特点,之所以如此,源于不同的警务机制。盘查记录的诉讼证据资格不应有任何疑问,这是因为在违法—犯罪二元追诉机制下,刑事立案前的查缉活动由负责日常警务的警察依法进行,由此获得的证据必然具有合法性。在证明作用方面,盘查记录因其证明内容的综合性、直接性和不可替代性,从而具备了很强的诉讼推进能力。从立法完善角度,应当统一盘查记录的形式,规范其制作方式和记载内容,明确盘查记录的诉讼证据地位。     

Increasing Evidence-Based Programs in Criminal and Juvenile Justice: A Report from the Front Line

For the past 5 years in the United States, there has been an increased emphasis on evidence-based programs, and, in particular, the promotion of experimental designs as the highest standard of evidence. This interest has been fueled by the Federal government's demand for accountability that links budget allocation with program performance. The National Institute of Justice, the research, development and evaluation agency within the Office of Programs in the U.S. Department of Justice is undertaking a number of efforts to improve the quality of evaluation research and address the need for evidence-based programs. These efforts have focused on making improvements upfront in the grant selection process so that well-designed evaluations will be undertaken and in the management and monitoring of ongoing evaluation research grants so that implementation and design issues can be identified and addressed. Evaluability assessments is a key strategy that NIJ is relying on increasingly to identify programs that have a high likelihood of being successfully evaluated. Whether these efforts will lead to an overall increase in the rigor of NIJ-supported evaluations remains unanswered at this time. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The National Academies or the National Institute of Justice.