Patricides and Step-Patricides in Ghana: Victims,Offenders, and Offense Characteristics

There is a paucity of empirical research on patricide in Africa and many non-Western societies. To help fill this scholarly vacuum and contribute to the literature on patricide, the current article presents the results of an analysis of 18 cases of patricide and step-patricide that occurred in Ghana during 1990–2016. Given the exploratory nature of the study, no hypotheses were constructed or tested. Findings indicate that patricide is a rare crime, that sons were disproportionately more likely than daughters to kill their fathers, and that adult children were more likely than adolescent and pre-pubertal children to commit patricide. The results further show that a significant number of the patricides were triggered by offender mental illness. The predominant circumstance, however, was conflict between son and father over a myriad of issues. Three of the 18 patricides were influenced by the perpetrators’ beliefs that their fathers were maleficent witches who had bewitched them. Also, patricide offenses were typically spontaneous rather than premeditated. A recommendation is provided for continued research on patricide in Ghana and other non-Western societies to shed light on an empirically-neglected but vital topic.     

Juvenile Sex Offenders: Differences between Group and Solo Offenders

We report on findings from a study into differences in personality and background characteristics between juvenile sex offenders who commit their sex offenses on their own and those who do so in a group. Solo offenders were found to score significantly higher on neuroticism, impulsivity and sensation seeking, but scored lower on sociability. In addition, the solo offenders in the sample were more often recidivists for sexual offenses, and were more often themselves a victim of a sexual offense. Solo offenders were significantly older than juveniles who had committed a sexual offense with a group. On the basis of these results we recommend differential treatment for the two types of offenders.     

Effectiveness of the Restorative Justice Process on Crime Victims and Adult Offenders in Thailand

In this paper, the researchers draw on research findings of the restorative justice process for adult offenders in Thailand run by probation officers during the pre-investigation stage. The evaluation study was conducted in 2009, aiming to analyze the effect of restorative justice on victims and offenders. The researchers investigate various key aspects, such as rates of satisfaction and perception of fairness, changing attitudes of victims and offenders, response to the victim’s needs, offender’s accountability, and reoffending rate. Factors associated with these aspects were also analyzed. A quasi-experimental research design was applied and the research findings showed that victims and offenders participating in the restorative justice process were significantly more satisfied with almost all evaluated outcomes than those who did not. However, the study did not find any significant difference in the re-offending rate between offenders in the experimental and comparison groups. Finally, the study found that two factors, i.e. victim’s income and victim–offender relationship, significantly related to the victim’s satisfaction. Victims who had low income were more likely to be satisfied with the outcome than those who had high income and victims who previously knew the offender were more likely to be satisfied with the process than those who did not.     

Transgender Victims and Offenders: Failures of the United States Criminal Justice System and the Necessity of Queer Criminology

The purpose of this article is to highlight the experiences of transgender people within the criminal justice system as both victims and offenders. We contend that queer criminology is both needed and can assist in exploring the experiences of this unique population who face discrimination within the US criminal justice system and who are often ignored within criminological research. The article will provide an overview of transgender people’s general experiences within the criminal justice system and explore influences of cultural stereotypes about transgender people by examining the cases of three transgender victims of violence—Brandon Teena, Gwen Araujo, and Cece McDonald. This article highlights the importance of concepts such as sex, gender, transpanic, transphobia, victim-blaming, and the responses by key players in the criminal justice system (police, courts, and corrections) to transgender victims and offenders.     

论共同犯罪中的身份

犯罪主体的不同身份能够对共同犯罪的性质产生影响。中外刑法通说主张的共犯从属于正犯的观点,较好地解决了共同犯罪的定罪问题。对于纯正身份犯的共同犯罪,其定罪可分为：非身份者教唆、帮助身份者的共犯关系;非身份者与身份者共同实行或组织实行的共犯关系;身份者教唆、帮助非身份者实行的共犯关系等情况进行。     

论香港与内地移交逃犯的先例模式

香港与内地在逃犯移交问题上长期处于无法可依且不对等的状态。先例模式从两地移交逃犯的现状出发,将遵循先例原则引入移交逃犯模式的构建中,以个案协商为基础,并赋予协商结果以先例效力。先例模式利用现有法律,实现事实移交。它是一个过渡的模式,为两地最终签订双边协议创造条件。先例模式的内容主要包括三个方面:先例的确立机制、先例的适用机制和谈判主体的构建。     

我国物权立法借鉴的理性选择与反思--兼对《物权法(草案)》的回应

我国物权立法应选择最适合我国实际,又是当代最先进的立法经验为我所用。物权立法可以从英国财产法中获取有益的经验,也可以从俄罗斯立法经验中获得启示。我国物权法草案无论在内容上还是立法技术上都存在一些不足,应加以完善。     

On the Tension between Moral Autonomy and the Rational Justification of Norms

Within the framework of autonomous morality, the validity of a norm depends on the consent of autonomous agents. However, such a consent will often not be obtained. Approximative criteria can be formulated, stating when a norm, although not consented completely, should be accepted as objectively valid. Such criteria, however, restrict moral autonomy. Hence, demands of autonomy and of rationality collide. This collision must be resolved by restraining autonomous judgement in order to make commonly binding norms possible.     

论被害人被害后心理及其救助

本文从被害人被害后心理的内涵出发,探讨被害人被害后几种常见的心理表现,并有针对性地提出被害人被害后的心理救助措施,旨在于帮助被害人建立有效心理防范机制,以期更好保护被害人的权益。     

试论老年犯处遇制度的改革

老年犯由于年龄的增长,身体机能的衰退,人身危险性和再犯可能性会显著降低;而监禁刑又有着一系列的弊端,诸如会令老年犯出现监狱化和健康恶化等后果,并且监禁刑改造功能有限,会导致老年犯的再社会化困难。因此,应该改革老年犯的处遇制度,并且应该对老年犯罪人多适用非监禁刑,并扩大社会矫正的适用范围。     

被害性与被害预防

被害预防是犯罪预防的重要一环,被害预防应该从被害性分析着手。被害性即指人身上所存在的足以导致犯罪侵害的一切特性,它与犯罪心理紧密相关。从犯罪人犯罪前的心理状态分析,犯罪人选择作案对象有一定规律,这种规律决定了被害性。被害人就其有无过错可分为两类,不同的类型具有不同的被害性,被害预防应从一般预防和特殊预防进行。     

精神障碍者刑事责任能力判定研究

为推介中国人民大学法学院博士培养成果,搭建论文品评乃至学术评价之平台,《法学家》专辟博文精萃一栏。该栏目由两部分组成:其一是论文要旨,由博文作者对其博士论文进行全面系统而重点突出的介绍,一般宜包括如下要素:论文的体系架构;论文每章节的主要内容;论文的主要特点;论文的主要创新和不足;论文所研究领域的课题展望。其二是论文评议,可以是答辩委员会的论文审查意见,或者评审专家的点评,具体宜包括如下要素:对论文的总体评价;对论文的体系及各章节的评价;对论文创新的评价;指出论文的不足以及进一步完善的方向。敬请关注并提出宝贵建议。     

论我国应建立犯罪被害人国家补偿制度

犯罪被害人国家补偿制度是指遭受犯罪侵害的被害人或其近亲属在一定条件下可获得国家提供的经济补偿的法律制度。这一制度在西方国家运行40年来已取得良好的社会效果,为我国提供了可借鉴的有益经验。我国目前的被害人保护立法有严重缺陷,缺乏对犯罪被害人的人文关怀,由此还引发诸多社会问题。在我国建立这一制度是实现正义、保障人权、控制犯罪、完善法制的必要,也是切实可行之策。     

论未成年犯刑事责任的几个问题

本文就我国刑法关于未成年犯刑事责任的三个问题进行了研讨.关于未成年犯相对负刑事责任年龄段责任范围,作者指出,虽然现行刑法规定存在不足,但是这种不足应当由立法机关以法律修订的方式,而不是通过有违罪刑法定原则之虞的扩张解释来弥补,并建议参照俄罗斯立法模式对我国刑法关于未成年犯相对负刑事年龄段责任范围的规定进行修改.关于对未成年犯适用缓刑的问题,作者认为在遵守现行刑法关于缓刑的规定的情况下,可以通过适当放宽适用缓刑的实质条件的把握以扩大对未成年犯的缓刑适用.关于对未成年犯罚金刑的适用,作者认为应当在坚持罪刑法定和罪责刑相适应原则的基础上扩大对未成年犯适用罚金刑.     

论我国未成年犯社区矫正的必要性及可行性

当前,我国未成年人犯罪数量快速增长,且再犯罪率很高,这表明传统的未成年犯矫正工作已不适应现在矫正工作的需要。对未成年犯进行社区矫正,是近年来世界各国刑罚执行制度的一个发展趋势。它彰显了人道主义和人文关怀精神,有利于对未成年犯的再社会化,能够有效地克服对未成年犯科以监禁刑罚所产生的弊端。从未成年犯社区矫正的基本概念入手,论述我国未成年犯适用社区矫正的必要性及可行性。     

Victims and Offenders in Two Crime Statistics Programs: A Comparison of the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) overcomes a basiclimitation of the traditional summary Uniform Crime Reporting program (UCR)by collecting victim information. Using this new victim information tocompare National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) and NIBRS results, wefind some similarities as well as some differences in the characteristics ofvictims and offenders suggested by the two programs. Similarities appear inthe proportions of men and women involved as victims and offenders forrobbery and assault. Comparisons are more difficult and the proportions lesssimilar for property offenses. Nevertheless, the results suggest that whenthe NIBRS is fully developed, it will be an important source of informationon the characteristics of both victims and offenders. Even before theredesigned program is fully implemented, one of the most important featuresof NIBRS reports will be their ability to provide local area victimizationinformation. In addition, the NIBRS will provide much more information onarrests and the characteristic of offenders than any existing program.     

Rational Choice,Agency and Thoughtfully Reflective Decision Making: The Short and Long-Term Consequences of Making Good Choices

Notions of human agency are a prominent part of some but not all criminological theories. For example, McCarthy (Annu Rev Sociol 28:417–442, 2002) argues that rational choice theory, which allows persons great involvement in decision making, is more congenial with notions of human agency than others. It would appear from his argument that rational choice theory offers fertile ground to develop a clearly defined role for human agency in criminal behavior. In this paper we have taken up McCarthy’s view and argue that an important part of what is human agency consists of thoughtfully reflective decision making. We outline four elements of thoughtfully reflective decision making, and claim that it is a characteristic that varies both across persons and within persons over time. It is in short the process by which good decisions are made because by using this process one increases the likelihood that choices made will be consistent with preferences. We develop a clear operational definition of thoughtfully reflective decision making and link it to the concept of human agency. We also articulate testable hypotheses about the short-term and longer-term implications of thoughtfully reflective decision making. We conclude with a discussion of what we think lies ahead for future conceptual and empirical work.