The nature of shoplifting in Iceland

This paper investigates the nature of shoplifting in Iceland for the period 1977–1980. Data was collected from police reports. There were a total of 103 incidents reported to the police in the greater Reykjavik area for the four-year period studied. Most incidents were reported on Fridays and Wednesdays, and in December. Fifty-nine per cent of the subjects were between the ages of 11 to 14 years and only 6.9 per cent were above the age of 50 years. Young females tended to shoplift more frequently than males whilst in the company of their contemporaries. Females commonly stole clothes intended for personal use, wheras males most frequently stole books which they intended to sell for cash. Shoplifting represents a very small proportion (about 1.3%) of all theft offences reported to the police in Iceland. Cases were invariably dealt with out of court and although a large proportion of suspects admitted to previous shoplifting it was very rare that people were re-apprehended.     

Juvenile Courts after 100 Years: Past and Present Orientations

Juvenile institutions were developed in the nineteenth century. In the United States, they prompted an extension of the parens patriae doctrine, which provided a basis for the creation of the juvenile court a century ago. The protective orientation of the court was intended both for juvenile delinquents and children in danger. Important changes have occurred since the 1960s. Procedural guarantees for delinquents and de-institutionalisation of children in danger have created a clear distinction between the two groups. Diversion has introduced an alternative to the court process. Policies aimed at young offenders have moved gradually in the direction of the adult criminal court model. The article presents an overview of this evolution, essentially for North America.     

消费信用与消费者破产制度的建立

随着我国市场经济的快速发展,消费信用已经深入到人们的日常生活中.经济周期波动、社会不可抗力、消费者管理不善及恶意欺诈等是消费信用蕴涵的主要风险.消费信用经济的扩大化导致消费者的负债额上升.作为消费信用回收制度的消费者破产制度将推动消费信用市场的发展,避免破产司法上的诸多冲突.我国消费者破产制度的核心构成可划分为消费信用风险的防范机制、消费信用风险的分担机制、消费信用风险的保障机制、消费者滥用破产程序的道德风险抑制机制.     

Citizen Orientations Toward State and Non-State Policing*

In contemporary Western societies, policing has become associated with the state although this practice is of recent origin and by no means universal. Even within post-industrial states, non-state forms of policing exist and may be a rediscovered source of social control. A survey of subway riders in New York City provides information about citizen dispositions toward policing by state and non-state sources. It was found that respondents are substantially more supportive of a self designated citizen anti-crime organization, the Guardian Angels, than they are of the New York City Transit Police although a sizable number of respondents support both sources of policing. Differential assessment is related to perception of crime trends, the degrees to which respondents believe bystanders will intervene on their behalf in the event of a crime, fear of victimization and the reported likelihood that respondents will intervene. Such findings are useful in addressing general theoretical issues respecting the basis for support of state and non-state policing and their relative role in social control.     

消费者:人的法律形塑与制度价值

消费者是人格形象时代变迁的产物 ,对这一问题的认识必须从人的历史演进中寻求答案。在资本主义发展之初 ,自然人的结合体尚未获得正统的主体地位 ,消费者缺乏赖以产生的社会环境。自然人和法人的分化 ,使人的正统地位第一次遭受到法人的挑战。而随着法人这一虚拟人格的发展壮大 ,法律主体的实力日趋悬殊 ,消费者在垄断时代和消费社会中作为新型的人类形象出现了。消费者保护的基本价值和功能在于 :确立个体的身份认同与归属 ;启动个人涉入社会的参与和抗衡机制 ;确保个体性的不容消逝 ;聚积集体行动的社会自发力     

Jurisdiction for Consumer Contracts: European Union: Modified Rules of Jurisdiction for Electronic Consumer Contracts

The Brussels Convention on Jurisdiction and the Recognition of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters (the Brussels Convention) is to be replaced in 2002 by a Community Instrument: The Council Regulation (EC) No 44/2001 of 22 December 2000 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (the Regulation).¹ The Regulation is an important measure approved by the European Union to simplify rules of jurisdiction and recognition of judgments for the benefit of the Internal Market. Amongst other matters, the Regulation updates existing jurisdiction rules for a consumer contracts. The rules for consumer contracts apply where a consumer and a business are domiciled in a Member State or the business has a:“branch, agency or other establishment” in a Member State. Importantly, the Regulation clarifies jurisdiction rules for consumer contracts conducted over the World Wide Web (WWW). These rules are to be welcomed, as they provide guidance on what rules of jurisdiction apply to consumer contracts over the Web, albeit that they are limited to where the parties are domiciled in Europe. This article outlines the rules of jurisdiction for consumer contracts provided by the Regulation, and where appropriate, highlights some aspects of the new rules that will possibly require further discussion and clarification by the European Court of Justice once the new rules are in force.     

中国宪法的宪政取向与缺失--基于中国现行宪法的文本分析

在人类政治智慧的发明中,宪政是最有可能实现民主、自由、人权、法治和公正,最有利于保证社会秩序和国家稳定的制度设计和价值理念,现代宪政蕴含的逻辑至少包括人民主权、宪法法律至上、尊重和保障人权、权力机关优位、依法行政、公正司法、监督和制约公权力等方面.我国现行宪法虽在很大程度上体现了现代宪政文明的价值取向,但仍存在着宪法价值取向上国家主义至上和过于理想化倾向、宪法基本原则表述不明确、公民基本权利与自由保障乏力、国家权力分配体制不明确、秩序缺位和面临宪法实施困境等宪政缺失.对此在宪政建设过程中必须予以正视,以弥合宪法与宪政的差距.     

论消费者保护规制的理据——在经济和伦理之间

消费者保护的的经济性理据和理论性理据及二者的关系值得反思。消费者保护法及其实施,一方面应该更多地利用成本收益分析来提高效率,另一方面应该更多地关注培育共同体价值,促进社会正义、缩小贫富差距等非功利性目标。