Distinguishing Between Damage to Clothing as a Result of Normal Wear and Tear or as a Result of Deliberate Damage: A Sexual Assault Case Study

Abstract:  This paper focuses on bra damage, specifically damage observed in hook and eye fasteners that are generally located at the backstraps of bras. We describe bra design including the method by which hook and eye fasteners are generally constructed. We assess bra damage in two situations where the damage observed was unexpected given the case scenarios. These were: (i) the complainant of an alleged rape attributed damage to her bra hooks to force during a struggle and (ii) the complainant had earlier manipulated her bra hooks in an incident not related to her complaint. Steriomicroscopy and reconstruction experimentation were necessarily used to assess the bra damage. A systematic approach to damage analysis was employed by the forensic practitioners to correctly identify damage as being a result of mechanical manipulation and therefore as falsified. This paper suggests that more examples of falsified damage should be documented.     

假设因果关系与损害赔偿

假设因果关系涉及的并非因果关系问题,而是通过假设的原因进程对损害的范围予以限缩。它与损害计算的时点、假设原因的性质及损害的直接性与间接性相关。损害计算的时点决定了可以修正损害的假设原因的时间范围。假设原因的性质排除了可归责于第三人的侵权行为这类假设原因对损害的修正。直接损害与间接损害的区分决定了假设因果关系对损害修正的范围及程度。     

侵权行为法上的损害概念研究

从损害在侵权行为法上的地位出发 ,论述了侵权行为法范畴中损害的概念和特征 ,并对相关概念进行了比较。在对损害的性质进行探讨的基础上 ,认为侵权行为法上的损害本质上是一种法律保护的利益丧失状态。并且 ,作为侵权行为构成要件的损害和侵权赔偿中的损害在内涵上应该是一致的。进而对损害概念进行了分类 ,并认为我国即将制定的侵权行为法应该专门对损害概念予以规定。     

《民法典》背景下损害概念渊流论

《民法典》对侵害与损害的区分,给损害赔偿的体系带来了深远影响。如何理解损害的概念,是认识这一损害赔偿体系的基础。损害概念的发展历经差额假说、客观损害说及规范损害说的演变。差额假说在实践操作中具有便利性优势,且实质上是损害赔偿的填补功能及完全赔偿原则的规范表述,其作为通说的地位依然应当肯定。客观损害说及规范损害说的提出,...     

A New Method for the Characterization of the Degree of Fire Damage to Gypsum Wallboard for Use in Fire Investigations

A new method to characterize the degree of fire damage to gypsum wallboard is introduced, implemented, and tested to determine the efficacy of its application among novices. The method was evaluated by comparing degree of fire damage assessments of novices with and without the method. Thirty-nine “novice” raters assessed damage to a gypsum wallboard surface, completing 66 ratings, first without the method, and then again using the method. The inter-rater reliability was evaluated for ratings of damage without and with the method. For novice fire investigators rating degree of damage without the aid of the method, ICC(1,2) = 0.277 with 95% CI (0.211, 0.365), and with the method, ICC(2,1) = 0.593 with 95% CI (0.509, 0.684). Results indicate that the raters were more reliable in their analysis of the degree of fire damage when using the method, which support the use of standardized processes to decrease the variability in data collection and interpretation.     

火灾损失的灰色模糊预测方法

对于火灾损失的预测,由于诸多不确定因素,导致火灾损失预测具有“部分信息已知,部分信息未知”的“小样本”、“贫信息”不确定性,同时,在进行预测时要用精确值来表示各种事件的概率显然是不切实际的,而用模糊数或预言变量来表示他们则显得更为合理。同时,由于存在时间这一变化基准,要综合考虑时间、成本、信息等要素对火灾损失预测的影响。鉴于这种原因,本文考虑火灾损失为贫信息不确定性、预测分析模糊的方法问题。     

New Forms of Damage in Negligence

Although damage is an essential component of negligence liability, important extensions of the categories of actionable damage occur with little or no analysis or even acknowledgement of the fact. In this article, consideration is given to a number of new forms of actionable damage which appear either to have received recognition by the courts in recent years, or to be close to receiving such recognition. The article is divided into three core sections, dealing with negligent imprisonment, wrongful conception and educational negligence. The principal conclusions are that redress for negligent imprisonment is best achieved through recognition of imprisonment as actionable damage in negligence; that an unwanted pregnancy is a form of personal injury, albeit an unusual one; that the conventional sum award in wrongful conception cases is best analysed as compensation for a diminution in the parents' autonomy; and that while untreated learning disorders are now treated by the courts as a form of personal injury, in the absence of such a disorder educational under-development ought not to be recognised as actionable damage in its own right.     

论环境损害赔偿专门立法中的无过错责任原则

在环境损害赔偿领域,无过错责任原则已经成为一项基本归责原则。这一归责原则在国际环境法和其他国家环境法的损害赔偿领域已有大量应用,我国相关环境立法中也有关于该原则的规定。我国专门环境损害赔偿立法应将其确立为基本归责原则。在专门立法中应注意该原则与其他相关制度和机制的协调,其中主要包括对受害人过错的考量、该原则与限额赔偿机制的关系,以及在条件成熟时建立资金支持机制。     

试论空间环境损害的国际责任

空间环境损害是一种特殊的损害行为,其产生的国际责任属于国际赔偿责任,不以过失作为其责任构成要件。只要空间活动产生了空间碎片或放射性、化学性污染,就产生空间活动主体的国际责任。由于空间活动中空间环境损害行为主体、求偿主体、责任方式及责任的实现途径的特殊性,因此,空间环境损害的国际责任制度面临诸多挑战和完善。     

生态环境损害多元救济机制之衔接研究

围绕着生态环境损害救济,我国构建了多元主体参与、多种路径并存的制度体系,为公共利益提供全面保障的同时,也带来了不同机制之间应如何衔接的难题。衔接规则的缺失会引发不同机制功能重叠、相关主体角色错位、权责不明等诸多问题,严重影响生态环境损害救济制度功效的发挥。因此,建立、健全生态环境损害救济的多维衔接机制是当前我国生态环境保护工作的迫切任务。生态环境损害救济机制的衔接安排本质上是行政权能和司法权能的优化配置问题。基于二者的权限划分与功能定位,结合我国实践和域外经验考察,我国生态环境损害救济机制的衔接安排应当遵循"行政救济优先于司法救济"的基本原则。在具体制度设计层面,通过明确政府索赔权的适用范围,确立行政执法的优先性;通过完善民事公益诉讼启动的前置条件,确立行政救济的优先性;通过完善具体的诉讼程序规则,确立"先行后民"的检察公益诉讼衔接模式。     

Storm‐Related Postmortem Damage to Skeletal Remains

In April 2011, human skeletons were exposed to heavy storms at the outdoor Anthropology Research Facility (ARF) in Knoxville, Tennessee. Of the approximate 125 skeletons at the ARF in April 2011, 30 donations exhibited postmortem damage that could be attributed to the storms. At least 20 of the affected donations exhibit postmortem damage clearly associated with hailstones due to the oval shape and similar small size of the defects observed. The irregular shape and larger size of other defects may be a product of other falling objects (e.g., tree branches) associated with the storms. Storm‐related damage was observed throughout the skeleton, with the most commonly damaged skeletal elements being the scapula and ilium, but more robust elements (i.e., femora and tibiae) also displayed characteristic features of hailstone damage. Thus, hailstone damage should be considered when forensic practitioners observe unusual postmortem damage in skeletal remains recovered from the outdoor context.     

公私法协动视野下生态环境损害赔偿的理论构成

生态环境损害赔偿涉及私法与公法的协动。从比较法来看,私法在生态环境损害赔偿中的作用有两种解释路径:一是依托既有权利(如所有权、健康权等)受侵害,扩张损害概念,从责任范围层面涵盖生态利益;二是创设环境权或环境秩序权,从责任成立层面涵盖生态利益。两种进路的背后反映了对于公私法关系的不同认识,前者认为公法、私法并行救济,后者则认为私法救济优先。我国环境法学说传统上采第二种进路,而《生态环境损害赔偿制度改革方案》和“民法典草案”则有采扩张损害概念的整合进路的趋势。我国目前立法与司法实践仍存在体系上的龃龉。应当贯彻扩张损害的思路,在构成侵权的情况下,在责任范围中考虑生态利益。在不构成侵权的情况下,具体考量生态环境损害赔偿能否类推适用民法的规则。     

环境损害赔偿范围研究

环境损害赔偿范围的确定是环境损害赔偿制度中的关键问题,它直接关系到受害人的损失能否得到足额赔偿。环境损害范围是一个历史的发展过程,与此相对应,环境损害赔偿范围也应是一个发展的过程,除了传统的人身损害、财产损害以及精神损害之外,还应当包括公民环境权益的损害和生态环境自身的损害。     

合同实际履行与损害赔偿制度的经济学思考

合同违约责任的救济措施主要有实际履行与损害赔偿两种,大陆法系强调实际履行的重要性,而英美法系更注重损害赔偿的救济功能,从我国国情和微观经济学的角度出发,我国合同违约救济措施应采纳大陆法系的"严格的效率违约"理论,即原则上应以实际履行为主要救济措施,在实际履行明显不符合效率原则时强调损害赔偿的救济功能,只有这样才能使双方当事人付出的成本最低,而收益最大.     

旅游法上惩罚性赔偿的正当性分析--兼论旅游精神损害赔偿的可替代性

惩罚性赔偿是旅游合同违约损害赔偿的一个重大突破。鉴于精神损害在旅游合同中具有特殊地位,旅游惩罚性赔偿弥补了以往精神损害赔偿在违约责任中得不到支持的遗憾。结合旅游活动的自身特点,进一步探讨惩罚性赔偿与精神损害赔偿在旅游违约中的正当性、可替代性具有十分重要的理论和现实意义。     

精神损害之界定

明确精神损害的范围是确定精神损害赔偿数额的基础。各国确定精神损害范围的标准各异：在英美法中，凡造成被侵害人精神痛苦，即构成精神损害；大陆法则以寻找并确定侵权客体为进路，将非财产损失作为精神损害的范围，日本还将非财产损失作为法人精神损害的依据。其实，精神损害的确定应以受害人生理、心理（或精神）上的痛苦为标准，故法人不适用精神损害赔偿，精神损害赔偿的功能也仅以抚慰为主。     

Damage characteristics of fabrics created by TASER probes

TASER® weapons are conducted energy weapons (CEWs) that are frequently used by police departments around the world. CEWs can be deployed in two methods: drive stun application and probe deployment. This study aims to examine damages caused by TASER devices on fabrics and whether types of fabric material and TASER models could contribute to different damage features. Three types of white fabric were used, including 100% cotton, 100% polyester, and 65:35 polyester-cotton blend. Three models: TASER X26P, TASER X2, and TASER 7 were shot onto each type of fabric, with five repetitions each. Each damaged area on the fabric caused by a probe is a sample (n = 90) and was examined with a Keyence digital microscope. Images were captured by the Keyence microscope and measurements were recorded, including damage dimensions, fabric condition, evidence of burning, and extra findings. The presence of fused yarn ends was found to be statistically significant across the fabric types, and no damage features were found that may assist in the identification of TASER models. Other damage features including damage dimensions, discoloration, and fiber deformation were not found to be showing apparent differences according to statistical analysis. The conclusions made by this research should be used with caution due to the small sample size.     

论环境侵权损害赔偿责任制度

随着科学技术的高速发展,环境污染问题日趋严重,由此造成的环境侵权及其损害赔偿责任问题也成为人们普遍关注的话题.因此,应根据环境侵权的特殊性,在传统环境侵权损害赔偿的补偿性赔偿机制中引入惩罚性赔偿,建立相应的社会责任制度,使环境侵权救济制度设计更加科学化与合理化.     

False allegation of child abduction

Cases in which a child has been falsely reported as missing or abducted can be extremely challenging to the law enforcement agencies responsible for their investigation. In the absence of a witnessed abduction or an obvious crime scene, it is difficult to determine whether a child has actually been abducted or has become a victim of a homicide and a false allegation. The purpose of this study was to examine falsely alleged kidnapping cases and identify successful investigative strategies. Sixty-one adjudicated false allegation cases involving 66 victims were analyzed. The mean age of the victim was 5 years. Victims came from generally unstable, high-risk family situations and were killed primarily by biological parents. Victims were killed because they were unwanted or viewed as an obstacle to a desired goal, or they were victims of abuse or maltreatment that ended in fatality.     

A case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy with subsequent suicide of the mother

Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a subtle and difficult to diagnose form of child abuse in which the carer (usually the mother) simulates, manipulates or produces symptoms of illness in the victim. In most cases the detrimental effect is caused by applying foreign substances or by airway obstruction. In the presented case a 20-month-old girl developed a spreading soft-tissue infection resistant to treatment on the left upper arm after vaccination, which required a number of surgical interventions. Repeatedly, microorganisms from the intestinal flora were isolated from the wound secretion. After the girl suffered respiratory and circulatory arrest, which required resuscitation measures, chemical toxicological tests revealed not medically prescribed benzodiazepines in serum and urine. When the mother, a trained nurse, was confronted with the allegation to have manipulated the symptoms of the illness she committed suicide. The forensic autopsy of the suicide produced numerous hints suggesting chronic self-damaging behaviour described as Munchausen syndrome. This case shows a number of manipulation forms with the maintenance of a chronic skin and soft tissue infection belonging to the rarer forms of inflicting damage to the child. It also illustrates that confrontation with the allegation of Munchausen syndrome by proxy creates a very stressful emotional situation that may lead to a suicidal act.