From the economy of deficit to the black-market: car theft and trafficking in Bulgaria

Official and victimisation data show that despite falling rates for motor vehicle thefts, much of the EU ‘organized crime’ related thefts have remained almost stable. Nevertheless, the car-theft market in the EU has changed, and so has the role of traditional destinations for stolen vehicles, such as Eastern Europe. The paper examines the demand, supply, and regulation factors that shape the structures of the vehicle theft market in Bulgaria, and smuggling patterns and offender behaviour in source countries, in particular Spain. We argue that such nuanced historical approach that takes into account a wider range of factors in destination countries can help explain the recent transformations in Europe’s vehicle-theft markets.

Understanding parrot trafficking between illicit markets in Bolivia: an application of the CRAVED model

The CRAVED model has been used to understand theft variation in a whole host of hot products, including wildlife. Past research, however, has only applied the model at either the theft or illicit market stage to understand why particular products are stolen in high numbers. The CRAVED model has yet to be applied to the trafficking stage of hot products smuggled between illicit markets and, therefore, its applicability at this particular stage remains unknown. Using secondary data from the Los Pozos wildlife market in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, this study applies the CRAVED model to explain why parrot species are trafficked between illicit markets in Bolivia. This research finds that species that are more “available” and less “valuable” are more likely to be trafficked between illicit markets, suggesting that variation at the trafficking stage of the parrot trade can be explained by nearly the same CRAVED concepts as they do at the poaching stage. This study also finds that one-quarter of parrots in the Los Pozos market are trafficked to other cities, of which 99% are to the city of Cochabamba. These findings suggest that shutting down illicit markets and patrolling major roadways between cities can substantially reduce the illegal parrot trade.     

Where the wild things are: animal victimization in federal environmental crime cases

Although there has been a marked increase in studies of animal abuse from a variety of socio-legal and green criminological perspectives in the past two decades, we have a limited empirical understanding of the extent of animal victimization in environmental crime prosecutions in the United States. In order to better understand the nature and distribution of animal victimization in environmental crime prosecutions, we employ a content analysis of federal environmental crime cases, 2001–2011. Out of 972 cases, results show identifiable animal victimization plays a role in six percent of cases. Although animal victimization in environmental crime may be extensive, its role in environmental prosecutions appears secondary. We conclude with possibilities of expanding animal protection via wildlife and environmental law connections.     

Automobile theft: Estimating the size of the criminal population

Animal abundance estimation procedures including a new method of Zelterman are applied in the criminological context of auto theft in the Australian Capital Territory. Using goodness-of-fit statistics and comparing the estimates with known clearance rates, it is estimated that during 1987 about 39% of offenders were charged with at least one count of auto theft. The results also indicate the extent of overrepresentation of juveniles in court statistics compared with their relative participation rate in auto theft.     

再论犯罪学研究的路径选择——以中国犯罪学研究为视角

中国犯罪学的危机在于研究路径的局限性,理论犯罪学没有形成理论体系,移植的学说难以落脚生根,对策研究少有建树.中国犯罪学突围路径在于:加强本体犯罪学和实证犯罪学的研究.实现根本突破必须解决犯罪学的批判理性、问题意识、多学科知识的整合等问题.     

论盗窃虚拟财产的定性

以非法获取计算机信息系统数据罪定性盗窃虚拟财产的行为虽然符合罪刑法定原则的要求,但该罪名不能反映犯罪目的,盗窃虚拟财产的行为也没有扰乱公共秩序,虚拟财产具有价值,也可脱离受害者的控制,并能被盗窃者实际控制,符合盗窃罪的要求,盗窃者如果具有永久性剥夺受害人虚拟财产的犯罪意图的,应该以盗窃罪追究其刑事责任,域外的实践也将盗窃虚拟财产的行为定性为盗窃罪.盗窃虚拟财产的行为也可能构成盗窃罪、侵犯通信自由罪、非法获取计算机信息系统数据罪与破坏计算机信息系统罪,属想象竞合犯.     

An overview of seized illegal wildlife entering the United States

The current study analyses seizures made at US ports of entry between 2003 and 2013, with the aim to identify concentrations of illegal wildlife imports into the United States. Findings show that 94% of species seized belong to six groups – mammals, molluscs, birds, reptiles, fish and coral – with mammals and reptiles making up more than half of all seizure incidents. Additionally, most seized wildlife is imported as leather products, medicinal products and as meat. The majority of seizures emanate from six countries, and illegal wildlife is primarily brought to the US via airline baggage. Temporal trends of wildlife seizures point to increases in the seizures of all groups of species, with the exception of birds. Based on these findings, we recommend using situational crime prevention techniques at US ports of entry to reduce opportunities that enable this trade.     

盗窃犯罪及其刑法适用研究

盗窃犯罪数量多、危害大。当前的盗窃犯罪表现出新的特点,有其复杂的原因,应当加强防范。适用刑法,首先应当认真分析、正确认定;其次应当量刑轻缓、罪刑相当。     

论犯罪测量量具及其标准化

犯罪测量是犯罪学的重要课题。近年来西方犯罪学发展缓慢，原因就在于测量量具缺乏标准化。测量量具不标准不利于犯罪学核心概念的精确，不利于实证研究的比较，不利于理论与实证互动，不利于研究成果的累积与转化。对于初学实证的我国犯罪学界，普及量具标准化意识有独特的意义。犯罪学测量量具标准化有利于西方犯罪学理论的中国化和我国本土犯罪学理论的验证。量具标准化不会影响犯罪学的多元比较，它是灵活的、发展的，不是固定的、模式化的。量具标准化不是一劳永逸的，它需要定期评估。     

A Block-Level Analysis of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries and Crime in the City of Los Angeles

The liberalization of marijuana laws may have implications for neighborhood crime insofar as the distribution of marijuana through a dispensary system may provide additional opportunities for criminal behavior to take place. This project fills an important gap in the scant literature on medical marijuana dispensaries and neighborhood crime rates by integrating perspectives from environmental criminology and social organization theories in investigating the dispensary-crime nexus through interaction models and flexibly assessing dispensaries’ relationship to crime at different spatial scales. This study found the placement of a medical marijuana dispensary in the previous year to be associated with crime rate change, in both the block and the surrounding area, over and above predictor variables drawn from social organization theory. And, this study’s interaction models suggest that marijuana dispensaries may increase crime rates on socially organized blocks, with such blocks potentially experiencing a slight perturbation in their ecological continuity from a dispensary’s establishment.     

Mistaken identity,identity theft and problems of remote authentication in e-commerce

The problem of mistaken identity in e-commerce transactions brings together seemingly unrelated issues: privacy, network security, digital signatures – and classic contract law. Combining an academic exercise with the practical implications of the insecurity of the Internet, this paper draws some unexpected conclusions regarding cases of mistaken identity and exposes flaws in popular legal arguments on the subject. Problems of mistaken identity must be analysed afresh with a number of factors in mind: the more widespread use of fictitious identities in on-line transactions, the higher incidence of identity theft and the greater difficulty of authenticating the other transacting party. The trend to preserve the privacy of Internet users indirectly clashes with efforts to ensure transactional security in e-commerce. An indispensable prerequisite of the latter is the ability to identify the other party to the contract. The problem of mistaken identity is not new – but it assumes a different scale in e-commerce transactions.     

再论计算机犯罪概念

犯罪学与刑法学都以犯罪作为主要的研究对象,但是由于两种学科的任务和目的不同,导致犯罪学与刑法学是两种不同的语言环境。计算机犯罪概念在犯罪学和刑法学的定义中也会存在较大的差异,此差异是目前计算机犯罪概念难以形成统一认识的最重要的原因。如果在犯罪学语境中定义计算机犯罪,那么计算机犯罪的外延包括以计算机作为犯罪对象的计算机犯罪和以计算机作为犯罪工具的计算机犯罪。     

有组织犯罪概念二元论

有组织犯罪的理论研究从其一发端便面临着一种巨大的尴尬──概念确立的艰难。本文通过对当前这一领域研究成果的总结与清理,凸现了其现时的理论困境,并在此基础上提出了可能的突破路径,即有组织犯罪概念应从刑法学和犯罪学两个层面上予以二元解说。文章还进一步对二元论的立论基础、理论功能和基本内涵进行了详尽的分析。     

Juvenile Delinquency in the USSR: A Criminological Survey

This article examines some statistical data concerning juvenile delinquency in the USSR, analyzes social and demographic characteristics of juvenile delinquents, and describes special methods of preventing and combating juvenile delinquency in the USSR.

In those cases when the article does not contain direct references to the source of the data, the author cites the results of various research studies which are in his possession.     

Correlates of distance to crime in Mexico City

This study examined the correlates of distance to crime in a sample of 412 prison inmates in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area. The study focused on crimes of theft and included a spatial analysis of the crime scene and the place of residence of the prison inmates. The data show a high clustering of criminals in a few neighbourhoods surrounding the old downtown area. Also, 38.8% of the sampled criminals committed their crimes in the same neighbourhood where they lived. Regression analysis revealed two independent and positive correlations of distance to crime: the monetary gain of the crime and if the prison inmates' intimate partner was also in jail. These findings suggest that, aside from the monetary rationale in the distance to crime function, the neighbourhood and family contexts deserve further research for a better understanding of criminal behaviour in Mexico.     

唐以前盗罪之变迁研究

尽管名称不一,但盗罪无疑是古今刑事法律均极为关注的罪名,今人也习惯于以财产性犯罪来理解传统中国的盗罪。然而,在中国文字初创之时,“盗”其实是泛指“不正”“不当”之义的词汇;至战国时代,才被相对明确地用来指称侵犯财产的行为,但其“不正”“不当”之义也并未完全消失。此种日常语义的多层次性也影响到战国秦至汉代的法律对盗罪的设计,使盗罪一方面以非法取财为主旨,另一方面又保留着超越财产性犯罪之概念限定的可能,从而表现出一定的含义复杂性。至魏晋南北朝,立法者们虽试图对盗罪予以分化或净化,但由于“盗”字的日常语义依然具有多层次性,作为法律术语之盗罪的含义复杂性也无法彻底改变并最终遗留在唐律之中。     

破坏环境资源保护罪的构成特征探究

破坏环境资源保护罪是新《刑法》增设的一类犯罪。其侵犯的客体是国家对环境资源保护的管理制度。其客观方面不仅包括举动犯、结果犯, 而且还应当包括危险犯这一新的犯罪形态。就因果关系而言,笔者不赞成对本类犯罪的认定采取有罪推定的方法,而赞成采取国外的“流行病学”的证明方法,即“根据流行病学的方法去认识某种物质所造成的某种危害的必然性,再加上动物实验数据,并备有其他必然性的补充资料,就可以充分断定因果关系了”。关于本类犯罪的主体,笔者认为国家也可以成为国际环境犯罪的主体。在主观罪过方面,笔者不主张在我国对于此类犯罪引进无过失责任。     

非法拘禁罪若干问题研究

成立非法拘禁罪,不要求被害人认识到自己被剥夺自由的状态.非法拘禁罪是一种典型的继续犯,其行为应在一定时间内处于持续状态.对于非法限制他人人身自由的行为,必要时可以按照非法拘禁罪论处.非法拘禁罪与绑架罪界限的关键区别在于主观目的的不同.     

Data and information theft in e-commerce, jurisdictional challenges, related issues and response of Indian laws

Data and information constitute a valuable resource both for the companies in general and individuals in specific. The traditional paper based transaction has been replaced by electronic transaction and now a day’s most of the valuable data and information’s are stored in electronic medium. Therefore data and information security have become a matter of great concern for every agencies acting on faith of e-transaction. In India there remains an added significance owing to the fact that a growing number of companies seek more centralized and less expensive methods of processing information, they’re turning to offshore outsourcing to fulfill many of their business and human resources processes. Data theft is not in itself a new concept, but has become an increasingly important issue in the digital age. The new mode of communication, its malleability, transmissibility, networking capacity, affect our lives in many and sometimes surprising ways, it requires that we find new legal solutions for new social questions.