Supervised injection sites: Minister of Health ready to review applications for pilot research projects

Since 1 January 2003, Health Canada has been prepared to receive proposals for pilot supervised injection sites (SISs). Vancouver has already indicated that it will submit a proposal within a few months. Other cities that have expressed an interest in opening SISs include Montréal, Québec, Winnipeg, and Victoria.     

North America's first supervised injection site opens in Vancouver

The number of injection drug users frequenting the long-awaited supervised injection site in the Downtown Eastside has steadily increased since the site opened in September 2003. However, there are concerns about the restrictions imposed by Health Canada and about the activities of the Vancouver Police.     

Harm-reduction activism: a case study of an unsanctioned user-run safe injection site

Due to the ongoing health crisis among injection drug users in Vancouver, Canada, there have been repeated calls for the establishment of safe injection sites (SISs) since the early 1990s. In April 2003, in response to a large-scale police crackdown and government inaction, a group of activists opened an unsanctioned SIS in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES). The 327 Carrall Street SIS operated for 181 days despite considerable police harassment and limited financial support. During the operation of the SIS, volunteers supervised over 3000 injections and demonstrated the feasibility of a user-run low-threshold SIS. The experience of the SIS provides valuable lessons for those seeking to advance the interests of injection drug users through community mobilization and direct action approaches. In this article, Thomas Kerr, Megan Oleson, and Evan Wood describe the events surrounding the establishment, operation, and closing of the unsanctioned SIS, and outline the lessons learned.     

Business group drops opposition to drug users' health centre

A legal intervention by the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users has forced the Community Alliance to abandon a petition against a health contact centre in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.     

Human rights in Vancouver: do injection drug users have a friend in city hall?

In april 2003, the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) initiated a crackdown in the city's Downtown Eastside, an area frequented by drug users and the site of one of the developed world's worst AIDS epidemics. Human Rights Watch (HRW) visited the city and issued a report documenting first-hand accounts of unnecessary use of force by police officers and other human rights abuses. In this article, HRW staffers Joanne Csete and Jonathan Cohen describe how the initial euphoria that greeted the election of Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell has worn off; how a crackdown that was supposed to be aimed at drug traffickers had the effect of driving drug users away from health and harm-reduction services; and how both the VPD and city tried to discredit the HRW report. Finally, the authors discuss how concerns about the VPD have led to official complaints being filed, and they question whether police forces should be allowed to investigate themselves.     

Women’s activism in a drug user union in the Downtown Eastside

Marginalized women in Canada who use criminalized drugs are often defined through institutional discourses of addiction, disease, poverty, sex work, and violence. Framed by many researchers as an at risk population, the fullness of these women’s lives is often rendered invisible, and the complexity, diversity, and range of experiences of their political and community work and their movement through the city are less often a topic of interest. This gap is addressed through an exploration of how some marginalized women come to know and experience themselves politically and physically, as part of a reflection upon their movement in and through the Downtown Eastside (DTES) of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Drawing from community-based research in the DTES over a four-month period with women in leadership roles at the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, a drug user union, this paper highlights the results from focus groups and brainstorming sessions. The participants disrupt conventional notions of addiction and criminalization through their political and community activities and their ongoing resistance to systemic discrimination.     

Study highlights negative public health consequences of police crackdown on drug market

A police crackdown in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES) displaced the drug scene to adjacent areas and may have exacerbated the health and social harms associated with injection drug use. This is the finding of a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal by Evan Wood and his colleagues at the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS.     

Telemedicine--the diagnostic tool of the future

The most immediate concern in the development of telemedicine programs, technology, and equipment is the continuation of federal funding. As Congress continues its efforts to balance this year's federal budget, funds for research generally and particularly for the pilot programs discussed above could be cut or eliminated. Federal funding is surprisingly important to the rapid maturation of telemedicine. Without these pilot projects, HCFA believes that it would be unable to assess the effect of Medicare reimbursement for telemedicine consultations. Without such assessment, HCFA may be unwilling to relax the current restrictions on reimbursement for telemedicine outside of pilot programs. HMOs and third-party payors would then be less likely to support telemedicine programs and reimburse providers who participate in them. Similarly, without the promise of federal or private reimbursement, the telecommunications industry will find it harder to justify continuing research and development in new technologies. Nonetheless, even a complete elimination of all federal research monies is likely only to slow the growth of telemedicine, not stop it.     

Memorializing Colonial Power: The Death of Frank Paul

Through an analysis of an inquiry into the death of an Aboriginal man in custody, I argue that the contemporary colonial relationship between white settlers and those whom they have dispossessed is spatially and racially organized as one between modern subjects and those who must be assisted into modernity. Law, in the form of an inquiry, serves to confirm these arrangements. In Part One, Redemption, I begin with the inquiry's conclusion that Frank Paul was intrinsically vulnerable. In Part Two, Memorializing, I unravel Frank Paul's story, showing the imprinting of colonial power on his body. In Part Three, Cleansing, I show that the Aboriginal body must be repeatedly evicted from the civilized spaces of the settler. In Part Four, Abandonment, when the cleansing ritual proves lethal, death is declared comprehensible, given the body's incompatibility with modern life. In Part Five, Death Worlds, I suggest that the Downtown East Side of Vancouver, Canada where Frank Paul lived is maintained as a death world where humans are reduced to the status of the living dead. Throughout, I argue that Frank Paul must be understood and remembered as an Aboriginal man whose body bore the imprint of an ongoing colonialism.     

Predictive crime mapping

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have emerged as a key tool in intelligence-led policing and spatial predictions of crime are being used by many police services to reduce crime. Break and entries (BNEs) are one of the most patterned and predictable crime types, and may be particularly amendable to predictive crime mapping. A pilot project was conducted to spatially predict BNEs and property crime in Vancouver, Canada. Using detailed data collected by the Vancouver Police Department on where and when observed crimes occur, the statistical model was able to predict future BNEs for residential and commercial locations. Ideally implemented within a mobile GIS, the automated model provides continually updated predictive maps and may assist patrol units in self-deployment decisions. Future research is required to overcome computational and statistical limitations, and to preform model validation.     

Turning brownfields into greenspaces: examining incentives and barriers to revitalization

This study employs interviews, document review, and a national survey of local government officials to investigate the factors that influence the success of efforts to convert underutilized contaminated properties into greenspace. We find that the presence of contamination continues to be a concern despite federal and state efforts to ease liability fears but also that site and project features can overcome this hurdle. In particular, jurisdictions appear more likely to convert distressed properties into greenspace if recreational parks, rather than open space, are planned, sites are already owned rather than available only through tax foreclosure, and the state is perceived as being supportive of the conversion. In addition, mixed public-private funding and site locations in residential areas are more likely to attract community support for conversion projects.     

A discrete choice experiment investigating preferences for funding drugs used to treat orphan diseases: an exploratory study

Policy debate about funding criteria for drugs used to treat rare, orphan diseases is gaining prominence. This study presents evidence from a discrete choice experiment using a convenience sample of university students to investigate individual preferences regarding public funding for drugs used to treat rare diseases and common diseases. This pilot study finds that: other things equal, the respondents do not prefer to have the government spend more for drugs used to treat rare diseases; that respondents are not willing to pay more per life year gained for a rare disease than a common disease; and that respondents weigh relevant attributes of the coverage decisions (e.g. costs, disease severity and treatment effectiveness) similarly for both rare and common diseases. The results confirm the importance of severity and treatment effectiveness in preferences for public funding. Although this is the first study of its kind, the results send a cautionary message regarding the special treatment of orphan drugs in coverage decision-making.     

Modelling the buried human body environment in upland climes using three contrasting field sites

Despite an increasing literature on the decomposition of human remains, whether buried or exposed, it is important to recognise the role of specific microenvironments which can either trigger or delay the rate of decomposition. Recent casework in Northern England involving buried and partially buried human remains has demonstrated a need for a more detailed understanding of the effect of contrasting site conditions on cadaver decomposition and on the microenvironment created within the grave itself. Pigs (Sus scrofa) were used as body analogues in three inter-related taphonomy experiments to examine differential decomposition of buried human remains. They were buried at three contrasting field sites (pasture, moorland, and deciduous woodland) within a 15 km radius of the University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Changes to the buried body and the effect of these changes on hair and associated death-scene textile materials were monitored as was the microenvironment of the grave. At recovery, 6, 12 and 24 months post-burial, the extent of soft tissue decomposition was recorded and samples of fat and soil were collected for gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) analysis. The results of these studies demonstrated that (1) soil conditions at these three burial sites has a marked effect on the condition of the buried body but even within a single site variation can occur; (2) the process of soft tissue decomposition modifies the localised burial microenvironment in terms of microbiological load, pH, moisture and changes in redox status. These observations have widespread application for the investigation of clandestine burial and time since deposition, and in understanding changes within the burial microenvironment that may impact on biomaterials such as hair and other associated death scene materials.     

Grants to states for operation of qualified high risk pools. Final rule

This rule finalizes the interim final rule with comment period that was published on July 27, 2007, regarding extended funding for seed and operational grants for State High Risk Pools under the Public Health Service Act.     

刑事诉讼制度的地方性试点改革

地方司法机关围绕刑事诉讼制度进行的试点改革,其兴起并趋于活跃不是偶然的,而是中国特有的刑事司法环境所形塑出来的多种因素与多重机制综合作用的结果。由于这些试点改革由地方司法机关主导,所以,它们在具体的实施中表现出了一些体现中国司法管理与司法制度的运行特点。实践中各种类型的试点改革共享类似的制度逻辑,具有共通的内在特质。它们最大的价值在于可以充当全国层面刑事诉讼制度改革的"实验室",为刑事诉讼立法提供实证依据与经验素材。作为一种高度技术化的法律改革活动,地方司法机关的试点改革存在诸多必须为我们所正视的技术缺陷。未来应该突破价值论的意识形态藩篱,采取有针对性的弥补措施,促进地方司法机关试点改革的发展。     

The European Community and Biodiversity Loss: Missing the Target?

The European Community has set itself the stringent policy target of halting all biodiversity loss by 2010. It intends to achieve this target by following a dual strategy. On the one hand, the 1979 Wild Birds Directive and 1992 Habitats Directive are designed to protect important sites housing vulnerable wildlife. On the other hand, biodiversity protection is to be integrated into all other Community policies. The Community views the Common Agricultural Policy as having a vital role in both areas. It provides a mechanism through which much needed Community funding can be channelled into the management of protected wildlife sites. Equally, it also has an important influence upon biodiversity in the wider countryside. This article examines the regulatory measures that have been taken to integrate biodiversity protection into the Community's agricultural policies and assesses whether they are likely to be sufficient to enable the Community to meet its 2010 target.     

Structural Funding in the Management of Cultural Heritage in Poland

ABSTRACT

This article concerns structural funding for Polish cultural heritage for the years 2007–13, focusing on the largest operational program, “Infrastructure and Environment,” financed by the European Regional Development Fund. It presents the results of empirical research based on a questionnaire study of a specifically selected group of projects funded under this program. The objective of the study was to analyze the outcomes of this funding upon completion of the financial perspective, presenting tangible and intangible results as well as potential external effects. The empirical data allowed the development of conclusions and recommendations, stressing the importance of the continuing improvement and development of the funding scheme.     

Dualism in Dutch legal education: The Nijmegen Law School

This study presents a pilot project and steps undertaken by Brunel Law School of Brunel University West London (UK) in response to the new challenges and pressures brought by globalisation in higher education. In the last few years there has been emerging consensus in the literature on the importance of internationalisation of higher education and student mobility as a tool for its achievement. Correspondingly, in the UK there has been a significant policy shift from the recruitment of international students to the development of collaborative agendas with overseas institutions and the student experience as the common platforms for the international activities of UK institutions. Thus, the aim of this study is to share with the legal education sector the experience of developing such a process of internationalisation through the design of a sustainable mobility programme for taught postgraduate students which has met the favourable response and financial support of the UK public funding system.     

An improved protocol for the examination of rogue WWW sites

Internet server managers have a range of techniques available to help them improve service performance and security. These techniques can become barriers to the investigation of illicit or illegal activity. This paper describes some of the legitimate techniques which can be used to improve server performance or security, and which present challenges for the investigator. Furthermore, it proposes a rigorous procedure which should be followed to ensure that any investigation of a web site or server has been complete and accurate, and that all possible useful information has been extracted and examined.     

High risk pools. Interim final rule with comment period. Interim final rule with comment period

This interim final rule with comment period will amend our regulations regarding grants to States for operation of qualified high risk pools to conform to provisions of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 and the State High Risk Pool Funding Extension Act of 2006. Those provisions extended funding for seed and operational grants for State High Risk Pools and amended section 2745 of the Public Health Service Act.