A survey of image processing techniques and statistics for ballistic specimens in forensic science

This paper provides a review of recent investigations on the image processing techniques used to match spent bullets and cartridge cases. It is also, to a lesser extent, a review of the statistical methods that are used to judge the uniqueness of fired bullets and spent cartridge cases. We review 2D and 3D imaging techniques as well as many of the algorithms used to match these images. We also provide a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of these methods for both image matching and statistical uniqueness. The goal of this paper is to be a reference for investigators and scientists working in this field.     

A comparison of adjustment methods to test the robustness of an STR DNA database comprised of 24 European populations

An aim of the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) is to produce a DNA database of second generation multiplex (SGM) STR profiles that is representative of the resident cosmopolitan populations. To achieve this, data were collected from 24 different populations. All of the data were combined to form one database of 5700 profiles from which allele proportions were calculated. The robustness of this combined European database was tested by estimating parameter d for every DNA profile, where d=log(10)(Pm(c)/Pm(E)) Pm(c) is the match probability of the profile calculated from its cognate database and Pm(E) is the match probability of the combined European database. Overall there was a small tendency for Pm(c)>Pm(E) primarily because of sampling bias. This bias was removed by the simple expediency of applying an adjustment factor to the calculation of Pm(E). These were selected from the Balding size bias correction, the Balding and Nichols Fst correction, a minimum allele proportion (between 0.01 and 0.02), an upper bound of a 95% confidence interval (CI) and a lower bound on the genotype match probability. It was demonstrated that a single European database is a feasible proposition. A combination of different adjustment methods can be used to ensure that the result is conservative relative to the cognate database, and their effect measured by parameter d.     

试死伤探讨

人体损伤按形成时间的不同可分为生前伤和死后伤.死后在尸体上形成的损伤称为死后伤.     

Online reference database of European Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (STR) haplotypes

The reference database of highly informative Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (STR) haplotypes (YHRD), available online at http://ystr.charite.de, represents the largest collection of male-specific genetic profiles currently available for European populations. By September 2000, YHRD contained 4688 9-locus (so-called "minimal") haplotypes, 40% of which have been extended further to include two additional loci. Establishment of YHRD has been facilitated by the joint efforts of 31 forensic and anthropological institutions. All contributing laboratories have agreed to standardize their Y-STR haplotyping protocols and to participate in a quality assurance exercise prior to the inclusion of any data. In view of its collaborative character, and in order to put YHRD to its intended use, viz. the support of forensic caseworkers in their routine decision-making process, the database has been made publicly available via the Internet in February 2000. Online searches for complete or partial Y-STR haplotypes from evidentiary or non-probative material can be performed on a non-commercial basis, and yield observed haplotype counts as well as extrapolated population frequency estimates. In addition, the YHRD website provides information about the quality control test, genotyping protocols, haplotype formats and informativity, population genetic analysis, literature references, and a list of contact addresses of the contributing laboratories.     

Theories on the Economics of Regulation: A Survey of the Literature from a European Perspective

This article is, on one hand, a survey of the core theoretical literature on the economics of public regulation; and, on the other hand, a cohesive discussion about how the literature has matured and how recent contributions on political and regulatory institutions—US and European—are related to, and affect the results of, former lines of research. We conclude that the traditional distinction between public interest theories and special interest theories has lost validity due to the entry of game theory and institutional research. The evolving institutional analysis provides a sophisticated interpretation of possible corrective rationales inherent in regulatory restrictions, and is as such an important complement to the still vigorous special interest literature focusing on the redistributive rationales and their effects.     

精神卫生立法刍议

一、精神卫生问题严重浙江金华四中学生徐力杀母事件一时成为议论的焦点。事后,人们从教育角度思考教育工作的改进。但换个角度不难得出结论:中学生的精神健康问题亟待引起重视,中学生的精神卫生教育应当成为素质教育的重要内容。据报道我国三成中学生有心理问题,上海高校10%至20%的学生有严重的心理疾病。联系去年法轮功事件中发生的许多悲剧,其中不少是因为精神卫生问题,更使我们意识到这一问题的严重性:精神健康障碍已是全社会面临的一个共同问题。从1999年11月11日至13日中国———世界卫生组织卫生高层研讨会获悉,精神障碍已成为我国疾…     

精神卫生立法刍议

一、精神卫生问题严重浙江金华四中学生徐力杀母事件一时成为议论的焦点.事后,人们从教育角度思考教育工作的改进.但换个角度不难得出结论:中学生的精神健康问题亟待引起重视,中学生的精神卫生教育应当成为素质教育的重要内容.据报道我国三成中学生有心理问题,上海高校10%至20%的学生有严重的心理疾病.     

Mitochondrial DNA in the Central European population. Human identification with the help of the forensic mt-DNA D-loop-base database

Sequencing of mtDNA is an advanced method for the individualisation of traces. Disadvantages of this method are expensive and time-consuming analysis and evaluation procedures as well as the necessary stock of population-genetic data which is still insufficient. Central European institutes of forensic medicine from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland have been working together since the beginning of 1998 to establish a mtDNA database. The aim is to build up a large stock of forensically established data and provide population-genetic data for frequency investigations, which will serve as a basis for expert opinions and scientific research. Good data quality is ensured by using original sequences only. Ring tests, which have been conducted to enhance analytical reliability, revealed a high correspondence rate of the analytical results obtained by the individual member institutes. Today 1410 sequences are available for comparison, of which 1285 sequences in the HV1 and HV2 regions cover the full ranges from 16051 to 16365 and from 73 to 340 (according to Anderson). The major part is formed by Central European sequences comprising 1256 data sets from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Today the database contains sequences from a total of 12 European, six African and three Asian countries including 100 sequences from Japan. This paper is aimed at discussing the individualisation potentials of mtDNA as well as the possibilities and limits of ethnic differentiation by means of pairwise sequence differences on the basis of the data stock available.     

浅论输血感染侵权诉讼的处理

本文笔者就输血感染引发的民事诉讼案件的举证责任问题、对原被告双方当事人的举证要求、归责原则以及司法审判中如何处理此类型案件等方面进行论述.     

Estimating the shooting distance of a 9-mm Parabellum bullet via ballistic experiment

We demonstrate here how the shooting distance of a 9-mm Parabellum FMJ bullet (115gr) has been estimated via shooting experiments. Such a bullet was found by investigators near a concrete wall, fairly distorted at its tip. The bullet carries no evidence of multiple impact and no evidence of ballistic impact on the wall has been reported. We estimated the impact velocity by comparing the questioned bullet with a set of comparison bullets hitting a wall (rigid target) with different velocities. The shooting distance was recovered from the impact velocity by studying the typical behavior of a manufactured 9 mm bullet weighting 115 g (7.45 g), shot in pistol or a sub-machine gun. The results demonstrated that the questioned bullet was a lost bullet. The shooting distance also helped the investigators, narrowing the range of the estimated positions of the shooter.     

浅论输血感染侵权诉讼的处理

本文笔者就输血感染引发的民事诉讼案件的举证责任问题、对原被告双方当事人的举证要求、归责原则以及司法审判中如何处理此类型案件等方面进行论述。     

欧盟立法评估制度研究

立法评估是对立法效果的评估和分析.经过近十年的实践和发展,欧盟立法评估制度已经形成了包括评估目标、主体、对象、标准、主要内容以及程序步骤等在内的完整的制度框架体系.随着市场经济的发展和欧洲政治经济一体化进程的加快,欧盟的立法评估制度在市场规制、提高立法质量与增进社会公共福利方面发挥着愈来愈重要的作用.虽然该制度在具体实际运作中尚有较大的改进空间,但其仍为我国立法评估制度的构建提供了可资借鉴的因素.     

浅议警察人格魅力

人民警察的人格魅力对于警察开展公安工作具有重大意义。坚定的信念,执法的严谨公正、高度的自我约束力是构成警察人格魅力的主要要素。人民警察在提高自身素质的基础上,能够形成具有鲜明个性和时代特征的人格魅力。     

论欧盟条约中的辅助性原则

《欧盟基础条约》和尚未生效的《欧洲宪法条约》均规定了辅助性原则。虽然该原则不可避免的具有内在的模糊开放性,但仍不影响它作为一项宪法性原则的地位。辅助性原则最大的意义在于:为在欧盟和成员国或其他主体之间选择最为合适的权力行使主体提供了程序性的保障,因而提供了一个促进协调以取得平衡的重要概念空间。     

青少年犯罪的社区服务刑罚探析

监狱对于严重犯罪来说是合适的,对于轻微犯罪行为,对于青少年犯罪,监狱就不是最好的也不是最有效的地方,而社区服务刑罚是具有创造性的判决轻微犯罪行为犯人的方法,犯罪分子被命令在社区利用业余时间,从事一定量的工作,目的是让犯罪分子对其所犯罪行向社区作出赔偿.这显然对和谐社会的建设具有积极意义.     

A new retrieval system for a database of 3D facial images

A new retrieval system for a 3D facial image database was designed and its reliability was experimentally examined. This system has two steps, firstly to automatically adjust the orientation of all 3D facial images in a database to that of the 2D facial image of a target person, and then to identify the facial image of the target person from the adjusted 3D facial images in the database using a graph-matching method. From the experimental study [M. Yoshino, K. Imaizumi, T. Tanijiri, J.G. Clement, Automatic adjustment of facial orientation in 3D face image database, Jpn. J. Sci. Tech. Iden. 8 (2003) 41-47], it is concluded that the software developed for the first step will be applicable to the automatic adjustment of facial orientation in the 3D facial image database. In 28 out of 110 sets (25.5%), the 3D image of the target person was chosen as the best match (from a database of 132 3D facial images) according to the similarity of the facial image characteristics based on the graph matching. The 3D facial image of the target person was ranked in the top of 10 of the database in 75 out of 110 sets (68.2%). These results suggest that this system is inadequate for the identification level, but may be feasible for screening method in a small database. It will be necessary to further pursue the possibility of realization of a facial image retrieval system for a large database such as suspects' facial images in future.     

After the Crash: A Perspective on Multilevel European Democracy

From a social‐market perspective, European integration has reduced the capacity of democratic politics to deal with the challenges of global capitalism, and it has contributed to rising social inequality. The article summarises the institutional asymmetries which have done most to constrain democratic political choices and to shift the balance between capital, labour and the state: the priority of negative over positive integration and of monetary integration over political and social integration. It will then explain why efforts to democratise European politics will not be able to overcome these asymmetries and why politically feasible reforms will not be able to remove them. On the speculative assumption that the aftermath of a deep crisis might indeed create the window of opportunity for a political re‐foundation of European integration, the concluding section will outline institutional ground rules that might facilitate democratic political action at both European and national levels.