Equal opportunities: protecting the rights of AIDS-linked children in the classroom

Within the past few years a number of children have been excluded from attending public school because they are linked to AIDS. School boards have justified their decisions to exclude these children on the basis that protecting the public's health, safety and welfare outweighs the rights of these children. Most courts have rejected this justification and have held that either under the equal protection clause of the Constitution or section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, children cannot be excluded from the classroom solely because they are linked to AIDS. This Note discusses both section 504 and equal protection analyses used by the courts. When analyzing a school board's decision to exclude an AIDS-linked child from the classroom, most courts have used a higher level of scrutiny and individualized inquiry in order to ensure that the rights of both the AIDS-linked child and his or her uninfected classmates and teachers are protected. After applying these analyses to a hypothetical case, this Note concludes that both section 504 and the equal protection clause ensure that AIDS-linked children will not be barred from the classroom unless the presence of additional factors increases the risk of these children transmitting the virus to others.     

走向平衡：对被害人和被告人权利保障的关系思考

注重对刑事诉讼中人权的保护是全世界范围内司法改革的重要内容,无论在理论探究还是在司法实践中都有着很强的时代意义。通过对被害人和被告人权利保障的历史的回溯,现实的观察,以及从理论研究和司法实务的视角,总结了对被害人和被告人权利保障关系方面一直存在的不同的声音和做法。并以全球范围内新一轮司法改革的价值为引导,从哲学的角度进行系统的分析,力求厘清权利保障平衡的相关关系,从而符合寻求被告人与被害人之间权利保障的平衡这一变化趋势,指导司法实践工作,并在最后以此平衡关系作为一个新颖的视角,对国家被害人补偿制度进行探讨。     

Morphology of "asphyxia-induced epiglottis form" in newborn infants, infants and young children

A systematic histological study of cross-sections of the larynx from 52 fatalities (neonates, infants and young children) revealed a broad spectrum of anatomical variants in the epiglottis form, which were caused by variations in the epiglottic cartilage. There was no correlation between the epiglottis form and the age of the child. Furthermore, no differences in shape could be established between cases of SIDS and control cases. The term "asphyxial-related epiglottis form" appears to be inappropriate. The commonly found supraglottic laryngitis on the laryngeal aspect of the epiglottis was seen in combination with histologically proven infections in the upper and lower respiratory tract. Histological investigation of the larynx provides valuable information for the morphological diagnosis in fatal cases in early life.     

完善紧急状态立法保障公民的宪法和法律权利

紧急状态是危及一个国家正常的宪法和法律秩序、对人民的生命和财产安全构成严重威胁的正在发生的或者是迫在眉睫的危险事态。如何在紧急状态时期始终坚持依法办事的原则,是衡量一个社会法治化水平的标志。为此,世界上绝大多数国家都注重通过宪法和法律来确立国家的基本紧急状态制度,以保障宪法所规定的公民基本权利,通过赋予国家机关必要的紧急权力,来建立有效的应急反应机制,迅速恢复宪法和法律秩序,最大限度地保证人民的生命和财产安全。另外,还有一些国家依据宪法关于紧急状态的规定,制定专门的紧     

关注刑事辩护律师的权益保障

年初本刊采访最高人民检察院常务副检察长张耕时,张耕副检察长曾透露说高检正在起草一个有关保障律师依法执业的专门规定。果然,最近最高人民检察院公开发布了这个颇受司法界关注的司法文件枣《关于人民检察院在刑事诉讼中保障律师依法执业的规定》(以下简称《规定》)。     

The third way in mental health policy: negative rights, positive rights, and the Convention

Mentally disordered patients may be said to have rights in two senses: negative rights to freedom from arbitrary detention or interference with their person; and positive rights to expect a certain minimum standard of service, be that in terms of treatment as an in-patient, or as a patient in the community. The Labour government has appointed a 'scoping group' to carry out a root-and-branch review of the Mental Health Act 1983. The 1983 Act was mainly concerned with in-patient treatment. The group is to look at the scope for introducing further compulsory powers in the community, enhancing the rights of carers and relatives, and is to take account of recent British and Strasbourg case law. The primary impact of the Convention on psychiatric patients has been in relation to protection against arbitrary detention under Article 5, unsoundness of mind being one of the permitted grounds of deprivation of liberty under Article 5(1)(e). This article explores the potential impact of Convention rights in developing what Gostin referred to in the early 1980s as a 'new legalism'. The new legalism linked concern for traditional rights to due process and review by the courts or other external bodies with the 'ideology of entitlement' to adequate treatment and services. The article outlines the current policy context of mental health services and looks at the development by the European Court of Human Rights of positive Convention rights to services out of Article 5, whose purpose seems at first sight to be the protection of due process rights. It examines the relevance of Convention rights to community powers.     

Professional attitudes regarding treatment and punishment of incest: Comparing police,child welfare,and community mental health

Brief case histories involving incest were presented to police officers, child welfare workers, and community mental health practitioners in a rural area in Canada. Intervention priorities involving “treatment versus punishment” were assessed across the three professional groups for each specific case vignette. Attitudes were assessed on three factors: perpetrator mentally ill rather than criminal, view regarding treatment of victims and mothers, and support for court mandated treatment. Police and community mental health practitioners had significantly different attitudes as to whether perpetrators of child sexual abuse should be viewed more as criminals or as mentally disturbed. Both mental health and child welfare staff differed significantly from police with a less punitive view towards victims and their mothers. All three profressional groups showed no difference in their modest endorsement of the use of mandated treatment by the courts. Gender was not found to influence response to case vignettes.     

The New Zealand Health and Disability Commissioner: a comparative assessment of the commissioner's contribution to protecting the rights of mental health consumers

The Health and Disabliity Commissioner's contribution to the protection of mental health consumers' rights is examined. This assessment covers a number of aspects. It includes the scope of consumer rights jurisdiction, the breadth of legal entitlements, protective mechanisms used, and the effectiveness of that protection. The Commissioner's role is also assessed comparatively. It is contrasted domestically with District Inspectors of Mental Health and internationally with Scottish and United Kingdom reform proposals. While analysis reveals considerable similarities, the New Zealand Health and Disability Commissioner is favourably highlighted in contrast with Scotland and the United Kingdom, particularly in the area of enforceability of mental health consumer rights.