Differences in personality and mental state between suspects and witnesses immediately after being interviewed by the police

Abstract

There is increased recognition that people interviewed by the police are often psychologically vulnerable due to modest intelligence, mental health problems, disturbed mental state, and personality problems. The current study aimed to investigate differences in the mental state and personality between suspects and witnesses. The participants were 78 individuals (47 suspects and 31 witnesses) who had been interviewed by the Icelandic police. They were assessed psychologically immediately after the interview with the police was completed. Significant differences emerged between the two groups with the suspects being more depressed, hopeless, compliant and personality disordered than the witnesses. Four of the suspects claimed to have made a false confession to the police due to their immediate need or psychological problems.     

The Central Park Jogger Case-Police Coercion and Secrecy in Interrogation

Abstract

The prosecution and recent legal reversals in the New York “Central Park Jogger” case are discussed with a focus on the preoccupation with crime in US society and concerns regarding racial discrimination in the legal system. It is argued that the inherently coercive nature of interrogation, and the secrecy that surrounds custodial interrogation, create conditions that are ripe for abusive treatment. The phenomenon of false confession is presented and discussed with regard to the Central Park Jogger and other cases. The author advocates the recording and preservation of the entire period of custodial questioning so that there is an objective record of the interrogation methods that lead to “confession” statements.     

韩国老年人福利法的变迁及对我国的启示

人口老龄化问题在发达国家早已为人所熟知,进入21世纪,一些发展中国家也开始进入老龄化行列之中,而同属东亚的韩国和我国在很多方面,有着惊人的相似之处,在人口老龄化问题上也不例外。由于两国的老龄化进程相对较快,使得两国在应对老龄化问题上面临了新的挑战。自上世纪60年代后,韩国老年人福利法制的发展与完善对我国相关法制的建立提供了可以借鉴的经验和启示。     

韩国犯罪被害人保护立法考察与借鉴

韩国以《宪法》、《刑事诉讼法》、特别法律和《犯罪被害人保护法》为主要内容,建构起系统而完备的犯罪被害人保护立法体系,对于切实实现犯罪被害人权益的全方位保护意义重大。我国应当借鉴韩国犯罪被害人保护立法的有益经验,确立对犯罪被害人宪法层面的观念保护、完善刑事诉讼法中被害人的权利、制定旨在实现犯罪被害人经济救助的专门法律。     

Suggestibility and children with mild learning disabilities: The use of the cognitive interview

Abstract

The aims of this paper were firstly to identify any differences in the level of suggestibility between 20 7–9-year-old children with mild learning disabilities and 20 children with average academic ability using the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale 2 (GSS2) and, secondly, to note the impact of the cognitive interview on the response patterns of children with mild learning disabilities.

On the GSS2, average academic ability children recalled significantly more correct details than children with mild learning disabilities. There was no significant difference between the two groups of children on distortions, fabrications, total confabulations or on any of the four measures of suggestibility.

In the second part of the study, 38 children with mild learning disabilities watched a filmed event and then were interviewed using either a standard or a modified version of the cognitive interview. Following this, all participants were asked specific questions, some of which incorporated misleading information. One week later each participant was re-questioned. This time critical questions were included about the truth of the presuppositions introduced in the initial interview session. It was found that the cognitive interview elicited significantly more correct and incorrect details than a standard interview with no significant difference in fabrications. Use of the cognitive interview did not significantly affect susceptibility to subsequent misleading suggestions.     

韩国对单位环境犯罪的制裁

环境犯罪与单位之间具有紧密的联系,单位环境犯罪案件造成的危害日益严重,追究单位环境犯罪问题引起了世界各国的高度重视,韩国率先成为发展经济与环保先进国家之一,这其中的原因是多方面的,但完善的环境刑事立法、特别是有关＂环境犯罪控制特别措施法案＂显然起到了积极的作用。＂环控法案＂的突出特点是引入法人刑事责任的双罚制,通过对法人加重刑罚处罚来威慑环境犯罪。     

The Incidence and Impact of Family Violence on Mental Health Among South Korean Women: Results of a National Survey

This representative national survey examined incidence of husband-to-wife violence in the past year, lifetime exposure to parental violence, and the relationships between victimization experiences of family violence and mental health among South Korean women (N = 1,079). The major findings were that incidence rate of husband-to-wife violence among Korean women was 29.5%, which was much higher than those of other nations, and that their experiences of physical violence by husbands in the last year and lifetime verbal abuse by parents had strong associations with the mental health of victims. The findings suggest that preventive intervention programs for male perpetrators as well as domestic violence victims with mental health problems and comprehensive interventions for Korean couples are urgently needed. In addition, parents should be educated about how to modify their children’s behavior without physical punishment or verbal abuse.

The enhanced cognitive interview: expressions of uncertainty,motivation and its relation with report accuracy

The Enhanced Cognitive Interview (ECI) is one of the most widely studied and used methods to interview witnesses. However, ECI research has mainly focused on increasing report size and somewhat overlooked how to improve and evaluate report accuracy. No study evaluated if witnesses’ spontaneous expressions of uncertainty are accurate metacognitive judgments, nor if witnesses’ motivation during the interview affects report accuracy. This study examined how witnesses’ judgments of recall ‘uncertainty’ and their motivation perception could relate to report accuracy. Forty-four psychology students watched a mock robbery video recording and were interviewed 48 hours later with either the Portuguese version of the ECI or a Structured Interview (SI). Afterward, participants’ motivation was assessed and items of information were classified as ‘certainties’ or ‘uncertainties’. Results suggest that our ECI protocol was effective, since participants interviewed with the ECI produced more information without compromising accuracy. ‘Uncertainties’ were less accurate than ‘certainties’, and their exclusion raised overall, ECI, and SI, accuracy. More motivated participants had better recall accuracy. Accounting for witnesses’ motivation and spontaneous verbal expressions of uncertainty may be effective and time-saving procedures to increase accuracy. These are key points that professionals and researchers should consider.     

东亚福利资本主义的发展:以日本、韩国与台湾为例

论文考察了近年来日本、韩国与台湾的福利国家(welfare state)发展情况。通过仔细观察医疗政策、养老金以及与劳动市场相关的其他社会政策的变化,文章尝试探究在这些领域发生的变化,到底能在多大程度上佐证一个从发展范式向普遍主义范式的重要转变。论文解释了在这些国家和地区社会政策变化的要旨和方向,认为能够解释他们的政策偏离的原因,不仅存在于经济的重组中,同时存在于不断变化的政治形态之中。     

South Korea's innovations in data privacy principles: Asian comparisons

Over the last two decades, at least a dozen Asian jurisdictions have adopted significant data privacy (or ‘data protection’) laws. South Korea started to implement such laws in relation to its public sector in the 1990s, then its private sector from 2001, culminating in the comprehensive Personal Information Privacy Act of 2011. Internationally, there have been two stages in the development of data privacy principles (the common core of such laws), the first typified by the OECD's data protection Guidelines of 1981, and the second typified by the European Union data protection Directive of 1995, with a third stage currently under development.     

韩国的法学教育及律师资格考试改革

韩国最近开设的法科大学院和即将实施的新的律师选拔、培养制度是韩国法律界的一大革新。在大陆法系色彩强烈的韩国法律体系里,能否成功地建立起美国式的法学院制度和律师选拔制度备受关注。尤其是韩国的法学教育以及司法改革制度,是在没有充分的协商和准备的基础上出台的,从一开始就存在很多争议,因此需要设计相应的补充方案。     

南非法院对涉外离婚案件管辖权的确定

在1979年的《离婚法》实施前,南非法院主要根据普通法规则来确定对涉外离婚案件的管辖权,即由当事人的住所地法院对离婚诉讼行使管辖。在《离婚法》实施后,根据该法,南非法院可以根据任一方当事人的住所地或通常居所地为由来对涉外离婚诉讼行使管辖。     

南非法院对外国仲裁裁决的承认和执行

南非法院对外国仲裁裁决的承认和执行既可根据南非的普通法,也可根据南非的《承认与执行外国仲裁裁决法》进行。根据南非普通法,如果外国仲裁裁决不是终局的,或缺乏有有效的仲裁协议或自然公正,或裁决是通过欺诈方式获得的,或裁决的承认和执行违反南非的公共政策,南非法院就不会承认和执行该裁决;而南非的《承认与执行外国仲裁裁决法》是为实施《纽约公约》而制定的,不过,二者在内容上存在着不同。     

新村运动中韩国政府的行政作为及其对中国的启示

为改变日益严重的工农业、城乡、区域之间发展失衡的状况，20世纪70年代初，韩国政府发起了“新村运动”并取得了巨大成就。在这一过程中，韩国政府的行政作为主要体现在：改革机构，调整支农政策，提供财政援助，发挥农协的作用，实施新村教育以及建立监查制度。借鉴韩国政府推进新村运动过程中的有益做法，对促进我国社会主义新农村建设具有十分重要的现实意义。     

讯问辅助方法在转化讯问对象拒供动机中的功能

讯问对象的拒供动机是形成“讯问难”的重要因素。讯问对象的拒供动机形成因素主要来自于讯问人员和讯问对象自身两个方面;按照常态和变态心理因素分为现实性拒供动机和心理拒供动机。侦查讯问辅助方法在转化讯问现实性拒供动机的功能在于减弱讯问对象拒供的心理需要,明确或强化其供述需求,提供诱因,创设有利于讯问对象形成供述决意的情境;在转化心理拒供动机中的功能在于利用讯问对象心理病态特征,刺激讯问对象的挫折情绪,突破忍耐极限,导致心理崩溃,从而走向供述。     

Differing patterns of marriage between a city and villages in 18th century Korea: The case of Taegu Area

While the urban area was increasingly filled with middle- and low-status residents, the rural area was dominated by high-status settlers whose number increased because of migration from the city and natural growth. Remarkable differences existed between urban and rural marriage features such as marriage age and rate of remarriage. The more sincere adoption of the high-status marriage culture in the rural area may be attributed to its occupational homogeneity. In the rural agrarian settings, landlords, self-cultivators and tenants shared a similar living pattern and value system based on the agricultural cycle. The urban area, however, exhibited a variety of work patterns of local functionaries, artisans and merchants. Many middle- and low-status people might well have found the high-status culture of the rural area incompatible with their own.     

The enforcement of anti-human trafficking law in South Africa: a case of an aircraft without a pilot

This article evaluates the effectiveness of current law enforcement efforts in combating human trafficking in South Africa. Based on a broader empirical doctoral study, it was discovered that as currently structured, the South African Police Service (SAPS) cannot be effective in the enforcement of anti-trafficking law in the country. Combating human trafficking among other things, requires a formidable law enforcement agency that is explicitly proficient in the modus operandi of the crime; the sophisticated cum dynamic nature of the forces and factors that fuel the illicit trade in a vacillating milieu. Unfortunately, academic writings on this observable position in South Africa are scanty. Therefore, an article of this nature is not just timely but urgent. Findings from the study (among others) revealed that a wide-gap exist in the capacity of the SAPS, and other relevant stakeholders, to enforce anti-trafficking law in the country. Hence, it was recommended that for a result-oriented approach, South Africa needs to establish a specialised law enforcement agency distinct from the regular police structure to enforce anti-trafficking law in the country.     

The Influence of Clothing and Wrapping on Carcass Decomposition and Arthropod Succession During the Warmer Seasons in Central South Africa*

Abstract: The influence of clothing and wrapping on carcass decomposition and arthropod succession was investigated to provide data to enable estimated postmortem interval in homicide investigations. Six pig carcasses, Sus scrofa, were divided into three sample groups, each with a clothed carcass wrapped and a carcass wrapped with no clothes. Two more carcasses, one with no clothes or wrapping, the other with clothes and no wrapping were used as controls. The clothed or wrapped carcasses had larger visible maggot masses, which moved more freely and these carcasses took longer to dry out. The blow fly maggot masses were dominated by Chrysomya marginalis and Chrysomya albiceps. Oviposition occurred simultaneously on all carcasses. High temperatures in one case caused significant maggot mortality. The Coleoptera community was dominated by Silphidae, Thanathopilus micans larvae, Dermestidae, Dermestes maculatus adults and larvae, and Cleridae, Necrobia rufipes.     

The connection of police strategies for coping with workplace problems to stress in two countries

This research examined the direct effects of coping strategies on stress and the moderating effects of coping strategies on the associations between workplace problems experienced by police and stress in South Korea and the United States. Data revealed that coping strategies did not change the strength of connections between workplace problems and stress. Especially in the United States, the use of escape as a coping strategy was related to high stress. Findings were most consistent with the use of organizational-level interventions to increase police officers' job control and advancement opportunities, and pointed to the need to consider support as a way to limit stress.