Children's Lie-Telling to Conceal a Parent's Transgression: Legal Implications

Children's lie-telling behavior to conceal the transgression of a parent was examined in 2 experiments. In Experiment 1 (N = 137), parents broke a puppet and told their children (3-11-year-olds) not to tell anyone. Children answered questions about the event. Children's moral understanding of truth- and lie-telling was assessed by a second interviewer and the children then promised to tell the truth (simulating court competence examination procedures). Children were again questioned about what happened to the puppet. Regardless of whether the interview was conducted with their parent absent or present, most children told the truth about their parents' transgression. When the likelihood of the child being blamed for the transgression was reduced, significantly more children lied. There was a significant, yet limited, relation between children's lie-telling behavior and their moral understanding of lie- or truth-telling. Further, after children were questioned about issues concerning truth- and lie-telling and asked to promise to tell the truth, significantly more children told the truth about their parents' transgression. Experiment 2 (N = 64) replicated these findings, with children who were questioned about lies and who then promised to tell the 'truth more likely to tell the truth in a second interview than children who did not participate in this procedure before questioning. Implications for the justice system are discussed.     

Juveniles' Competence to Stand Trial: A Comparison of Adolescents' and Adults' Capacities as Trial Defendants

Abilities associated with adjudicative competence were assessed among 927 adolescents in juvenile detention facilities and community settings. Adolescents' abilities were compared to those of 466 young adults in jails and in the community. Participants at 4 locations across the United States completed a standardized measure of abilities relevant for competence to stand trial (the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool—Criminal Adjudication) as well as a new procedure for assessing psychosocial influences on legal decisions often required of defendants (MacArthur Judgment Evaluation). Youths aged 15 and younger performed more poorly than young adults, with a greater proportion manifesting a level of impairment consistent with that of persons found incompetent to stand trial. Adolescents also tended more often than young adults to make choices (e.g., about plea agreements) that reflected compliance with authority, as well as influences of psychosocial immaturity. Implications of these results for policy and practice are discussed, with an emphasis on the development of legal standards that recognize immaturity as a potential predicate of incompetence to stand trial.     

秘鲁对遗传资源相关传统知识的保护及对我国的启示

传统知识在遗传资源保护和持续利用中具有非常重要的作用,但由于其自身特点,传统知识经常成为发达国家生物开发者进行生物剽窃的对象,其价值也在获取与惠益分享中没有得到合理的承认与补偿。目前很多发展中国家都意识到保护传统知识的必要性,并开始立法对其进行保护。为了防止对传统知识的不当占有、公平和合理补偿传统知识的贡献、并促进其持续利用和发展,秘鲁通过获取与惠益分享管制立法与传统知识保护专门立法相结合的方式,综合运用传统知识专门权利、登记、披露、法定合同以及知识产权等相关制度对土著和当地社区的传统知识进行保护。秘鲁的经验为具有相似国情的我国制定和完善传统知识保护立法提供了可资借鉴的宝贵经验。     

Stereotypical Knowledge and Age in Relation to Prediction of Public Support for Rehabilitation: Data from Taiwan

Studying public attitudes toward rehabilitation is not a new phenomenon. However, not much research is available on this topic from Asian countries. The present study explores public attitudes among Taiwanese people toward rehabilitation efforts in general, and the Rehabilitation and Protection Act (RPA) in particular. Using a sample of N?=?333, we asked Taiwanese residents age d18 and older about their support for the RPA, and their support for rehabilitation initiatives for three types of criminals: drug offenders, violent offenders, and sex offenders. Using a univariate model, we found that only two variables??age and stereotypical knowledge??had a statistically significant effect on whether an individual supported rehabilitation initiatives. Findings also indicate overwhelming support for the RPA and rehabilitation in general. We discuss these findings in a cultural context, and make recommendations for future research.     

为自己作证的权利及其真实义务——论英美法被告人作证权制度及其对大陆法系的影响

被告人作证权制度是英美法特有的一项制度,是在十九世纪中期边沁功利主义思想影响下确立的。在英美法国家,被告人如果要在法庭上陈述事实就要像其他证人一样,走上证人席,宣誓作证。被告人作证时不受不得强迫自证己罪原则的保护,对控辩双方的提问必须如实回答,故意虚假陈述将构成伪证罪。二战之后,部分大陆法国家或地区在改造职权主义庭审方式时,都不约而同地借鉴了被告人作证权制度,形成了相对独特的调查被告人程序。我国也不例外。但我国的调查被告人程序不符合无罪推定原则、控辩平等对抗原则和证明责任分配原则的精神,有待进一步的完善。     

法理学“指导”型知识生产机制及其困难——从法理学教材出发

从知识生产机制的整体视角来看,中国法理学教材还没有走出苏式法理学的框架。苏式法理学教材的"指导"型知识生产机制基于法理学与部门法学具有不同的研究对象这一基本原理,认为法理学是部门法学的指导性学科,并由此决定了"指导"型知识生产机制的运行机制;运行机制包含正面向度和反面向度两个方面,正面向度指的是法理学针对部门法学生产"指导"型知识,反面向度指的是部门法学帮助法理学生产"指导"型知识,法律关系理论和法律行为理论分别典型地对应着这两个方面。然而,对上述理论的检讨表明,"指导"型知识生产机制在运行机制层面是无效的;进一步地,该机制在基本原理层面及其理论基础层面也是错误的,因而应当被抛弃。     

Unintended and Unavoidable: The Failure to Protect Rule and Its Consequences for Undocumented Parents and Their Children

Parents without immigration status in the United States regularly face the threat of deportation and separation from their children. When an undocumented parent is brought to the attention of law enforcement through the child welfare system, they also face the potential of the loss of legal custodial rights to their children. The child welfare system and immigration enforcement mechanisms operate independent of one another with little regard for how actions in one can impact a parent's legal rights in the other, often permanently separating children from their parents. This article examines the particular issue of undocumented parents who are charged with the failure to protect their children from witnessing or otherwise experiencing abuse committed by a third party. It explores how such a charge, whether founded or unfounded, can result in loss of eligibility for immigration relief to which the undocumented parent would otherwise be entitled, as well as deportation of the parent and permanent separation of parent and child. These issues are situated within the larger context of the normative guideposts of both family and immigration law, namely, the best interests of the child and family unity. It identifies issues for further academic inquiry as well as tips for practitioners who may represent undocumented parents in either the family or immigration systems.

Key Points for the Family Court Community:
• Learn about the potential consequences under family law and immigration law when an undocumented parent's child is abused by a third party
• Gain strategies for planning with undocumented parents to avoid the loss of the custody of their children in the event of a sudden deportation
• Be able to identify and address particular concerns for clients who are undocumented victims of domestic violence

     

罗素论分析的方法和目的——兼评季羡林先生的分析观

分析方法具有很大的用途。它不但体现在哲学思维上,而且体现在日常推理和一般的科学研究中。但是,由于哲学的学科特点,分析方法在哲学中的成功运用不仅需要更大的细心和耐心,而且需要更高的抽象能力和想象能力。在分析观上,和笛卡尔一样,罗素强调了作为分析前提的自明性;但和笛卡尔不一样的是,罗素认为分析的方法本质上不是演绎而是归纳,其目的不是为着得到确实无疑的结论——这样的结论是不会有的,而是为了得到更深刻、更具概括力的结论。这样的分析方法不是别的,正是科学方法论的精髓所在——假说演绎法。     

法律与证券市场关系研究的一项进路——LLSV理论及其批判

合称LLSV的四位美国学者设立的“法律与金融”理论,通过数据统计分析创造性地提出,法系渊源导致了不同国家对投资者保护的系统性不同,从而造成了证券市场系统性的强弱不一。总体而言,普通法系的投资者法律保护强于大陆法系,证券市场也更发达。此种理论引发了大量讨论,并开辟了新的学术领域。LLSV理论有相当的可取性,但学界也已对之提出了多种批评意见,主要包括：LLSV所用的测量指标选取和赋值中的问题、统计方法本身的局限性、与诸多国家发展事实的不契合及该种理论对法律移植过程之重要性的忽视等。从正反两面总结、评估这些研究,将对法律与证券市场的关系有更为全面深刻的认识。     

增强执政能力与提高参政水平的互动关系

历史证明,中国共产党的执政能力与民主党派的参政能力是相辅相成、不可分割的。中共的执政能力不强,民主党派的参政能力也不会强;反之,如果民主党派的参政能力不强,中共的执政能力也不会强。当中共提出加强执政能力建设问题时,如何提高参政议政水平,也成为作为参政党的各民主党派必须引起高度重视的重大问题。