The long way from electronic traces to electronic evidence

Generally, traces of Internet communications established by a citizen's computer are routinely recorded on and dated by Internet servers in so‐called ‘log files’. As far as the correct dating of the electronic offence is crucial for the potential identification of the author, convincing traces need to be date‐ and time‐stamped by a Trusted Third Party (TTP). Such a time stamp does not give any assurance about the correctness of the data and dates collected, but only proves that the traffic data were in a given state at a given date and time. If the Internet Provider (IP) address appears to be one used by the company, it is foreseeable that the system administrator within the company will be able to identify the computer owning a particular IP address. In others cases, only law enforcement agencies, in the circumstances and the conditions required by the law, are entitled to identify, with the help of Internet Access Providers (IAPs), the communication line suspected to have been used beside a given IP address. Putting together the traces left at the IAP side and in the log files of the attacked server site may lead, in the best cases, to an identified communication terminal. Nevertheless, in many cases, this will not be a formal authentication of a wrongdoer.     

Contributions of quantitative methods to the study of gender and crime,or bootstrapping our way into the theoretical thicket

Researchers concur on the importance of gender to the study of crime but not on the particular methodological strategy that should be used when studying the gender-crime relationship. This paper examines the actual and potential contributions of quantitative methods for unpacking the gender-crime relationship. Three bodies of literature pertaining to the gender-crime relationship are examined: (i) offending, (ii) victimization, and (iii) criminal justice processing. The findings from this review indicate that while much knowledge about the gender-crime relationship has been uncovered with quantitative data, a commensurate amount of theoretical knowledge does not exist. The author concludes with substantive and methodological suggestions for furthering our understanding of the gendercrime relationship. This paper was prepared for the Plenary Session,Journal of Quantitative Criminology 10-year Anniversary, 1995 Annual Meeting of the american Society of Criminology, Boston, MA.     

A neglected and intelligent alternative to arbitration is finally coming of age

Although not a substitute for arbitration, grievance mediation can be an effective, readily available and inexpensive means of resolving some disputes. Educator/arbitrator Bowers also sees it as an unjustly neglected preventive measure and seeks here to remedy that neglect by examining mediation's role in labor relations.     

Bureaupreneurs in China: we did it our way

This article explores the different and sometimes conflicting explanations of the success of the collective enterprises (town–village-enterprise) in China during the first phase of transition (1979–1995). It is argued that explanations, relying on cultural variables are not sustainable and this for two reasons. First, the importance of the collective enterprise is shrinking while the private sector is clearly on the rise. Second, other factors, referring to characteristics of the local and central political, administrative and economic environment, in which the Chinese enterprise has to (had to?) operate, provide for a sufficient explanation of the peculiar structure of the Chinese collective enterprises. These enterprises are seen as the result of ?bureau-preneurship’ because local bureaucrats were integrated in their management in order to pre-empt predatory behaviour and to facilitate the relationships with the central institutions. The article contributes to the property rights’ theory of the firm as it analyses an empirically very important case in which firms with unclear property rights and structures, apparently not conducive for incentives, might still be the most efficient option.     

论影响我国地方政府行政能力的因素及加强途径

随着经济社会的发展,公众的需求将不断的增多,对政府管理的能力要求也越来越高。如何适应新的时代要求,加强政府的行政能力,提升公共服务的水平,就成为摆在我国各级政府面前的一项艰巨而紧迫的任务。本文主要从几个方面进行阐述:加强地方政府的行政能力,是我国政府面临的时代要求;影响地方政府行政能力的主要因素;加强地方政府行政能力的基本途径。     

充分发挥优势 全面履行职责——山西省襄汾县乡两级司法行政机关积极主动参与“9·8”特大事故善后处理工作情况的调研报告

2008年9月8日,山西省襄汾县发生了震惊全国的新塔矿业尾矿库溃坝特大事故。在这起特大事故抢险、善后处理工作中,襄汾县乡两级司法行政机关以“围绕中心、服务大局”的强烈政治意识,充分发挥司法行政法律服务、法律宣传、法律保障的独特优势,为维护社会稳定、妥善处理事故作出了重要贡献。今年4月,中共中央政治局常委、中央政法委书记周永康,司法部吴爱英部长在临汾视察工作期间,在听取“9·8”事故善后处理工作后,对司法局在维护社会稳定方面所做的工作给予了充分肯定。     

充分发挥法制宣传教育职能作用

源自美国华尔街的金融风暴，以前所未有的深度和广度席卷全球。天津，作为我国国际港口城市、北方经济中心，受到的冲击之大、危害之重为上世纪三十年代以来之首。普法依法治理工作如何适应形势的发展变化，实现市委提出的“保增长、渡难关、上水平”总体目标，创造良好法制环境，是摆在我们面前严峻而现实的课题。     

充分发挥司法行政职能作用努力为社会主义新农村建设服务

建设社会主义新农村是我国现代化进程中的重大历史任务,是新时期解决“三农”问题的重大战略举措。司法行政机关是建设社会主义新农村的一支重要力量,在社会主义新农村建设中应当发挥四项基本作用:一是对发展农村经济的服务作用;二是对实现农村依法管理的保障作用;三是对提高广大农民群众民主法治意识的促进作用;四是对农村矛盾纠纷的化解作用。当前和今后一个时期,首都司法行政工作为社会主义新农村建设服务的主要思路和措施是:着力拓展农村法律服务,全面加强针对农村的法律服务力量,建立和完善村、乡(镇)两级公益法律服务平台,进一步扩大我市农村地区法律援助的覆盖面,探索建立将农村各类弱势群体的法律服务纳入法律援助范畴的机制。全面加强农村人民调解工作,完善农村人民调解工作组织体系,大力加强乡镇专职调解员队伍建设,努力打造一支专业化、职业化的调解力量,努力调处疑难复杂矛盾纠纷。探索和推广在农村集贸市场、旅游景点和外来人口聚集区建立专门的调解组织。深入开展农村法制宣传教育,注重农村普法的趣味性和实用性,促进“送法下乡”和“法制文艺进乡村”工作经常化、制度化。充分利用电视、广播、网络、报刊等现代传媒开展法制宣传,鼓励和扶持民间法制宣传、法律服务机构开展公益性法制宣传,努力扩大宣传教育的覆盖面,增强宣传教育的吸引力。     

我国地方立法的价值取向研究初探

笔者认为开展地方立法价值取向研究对于搞好我国地方立法工作意义重大。目前我国地方立法在价值取向上表现为 :法制统一的价值取向 ;分权式的价值取向 ;工具式的价值取向等 ,这种取向客观上存在一定程度的偏失。法治统一的价值取向 ;制度创新的价值取向 ;民主、程序、效益的价值取向应成为地方立法诸多价值取向中最本质的内容。     

宏观调控决策行为接近司法的应然性新探——理性的选择与制度的障碍

本文在对宏观调控决策行为接近司法的范围初步界定的基础上,以我国宏观调控决策行为接近司法为中心探讨以下三个问题:宏观调控决策行为接近司法的理论根源;宏观调控决策行为接近司法的制度障碍;我国宏观调控决策行为接近司法的法律路径设计。     

进一步发挥新形势下人民调解工作的作用

7月6日至7日,全国人民调解工作会议在北京召开。中共中央政治局常委、中央政法委书记罗干,中共中央政治局委员、书记处书记、国务委员周永康出席会议。中共中央政治局常委、中央政法委书记罗干强调,要认真学习贯彻胡锦涛总书记在中央党校的重要讲话精神,扎扎实实做好人民调解工     

The Politics of Constitution Making: Transforming Politics into Constitutions

According to our conventional perception of the interrelations between revolutions and constitutions, constitutions perpetuate the interests of the victorious forces of the revolution. This paper analyzes the distinctive character of the revolutions of 1989 in East and Central Europe with respect to their claim to constitutionalism. The main characteristic of these revolutions is the disbelief of their proponents in the postulate of a homogeneous unitary popular will which imposes itself on the society. Intead, two different concepts of civil society have been emerging, both of which can be connected with a more elaborate notion of constitutionalism. Constitutions can be understood as institutional devices which encourage the endurance of their legality without being entirely dependent on either the principle of self-interest or the idea of pre-political consensus.     

重构我国司法鉴定体制中存在的问题

2005年2月28日第十届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第十四次会议通过《全国人大常委会关于司法鉴定管理问题的决定》(以下简称为《决定》),并于2005年10月1日生效。其间有半年的准备调整时间。该《决定》对我国司法鉴定管理体制、鉴定机构的设置、鉴定人资格、鉴定机构的业务范围等都做出了明确规定,因此,《决定》的出台必将对我国现行的司法鉴定体制进行调整,对我国司法鉴定制度产生深远的影响。其有积极进步的一面,但也有消极负面的一些影响,其中最大最直接的影响莫过于对司法鉴定机构、司法行政机关和人民法院的影响。未雨绸缪,防患于未然,…     

重构我国司法鉴定体制中存在的问题

2005年2月28日第十届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第十四次会议通过《全国人大常委会关于司法鉴定管理问题的决定》(以下简称为《决定》)，并于2005年10月1日生效。其间有半年的准备调整时间。该《决定》对我国司法鉴定管理体制、鉴定机构的设置、鉴定人资格、鉴定机构的业务范围等都做出了明确规定，因此，《决定》的出台必将对我国现行的司法鉴定体制进行调整，对我国司法鉴定制度产生深远的影响。其有积极进步的一而，但也有消极负而的一些影响，