Response to Cilluffo and Gergely

Research on the motives of those who engage in small group political violence typically takes a qualitative or quantitative form. I argue that researchers should seek to understand why people engage in small group political violence, and that the best way to achieve such understanding is to employ both. The advantages of this approach are discussed in this paper, as is the importance of recognizing that the activities of all actors in any given violent location, including state actors, should be accounted for in research.     

Health care reform content and process:propositions from the states

Health care reform and cost containment have become central campaign and policy issues in the United States. Although focus now centers on federal health care reform policy, state governments have been actively introducing health care reform legislation. Some of the health care reform initiatives on the state level have influenced deliberations on the federal level and President Clinton's health care reform initiatives will spur further state experimentation regardless of legislative success in Congress, In 1992 nearly all 50 states had either legislation introduced, or special task forces assigned that addressed health care reform issues. This exploratory research compares the content and process of health reform in four states that attempted major reform in 1992—Florida, Washington, Michigan, and Wisconsin—and draws propositions for state reform based on comparisons of content and process. The four states chosen represent geographic diversity and a balance between legislation seeking partial change and legislation calling for universal health care reform. The principal reform bills in each state are compared and assessed on the degree to which they address eight reform elements; high tech medicine, administration, tort reform, long-term care, regulation, insurance mandates, small business insurance, and insurance portability. These initiatives are also compared on a series of reform process variables that relate to the political process for adopting reform: degree of health sector support, type of political strategy used, reform champion, degree of cooperation among policy stakeholders, and timing of initiative. Based on these four cases the phased/partial approach seems to have a greater chance for legislative success than immediate universal reform. Florida's partial, consensus-building approach resulted in the only signed bill of the four states. Washington's bill, which also took a partial approach, passed the state senate before ultimate defeat in 1992 and eventual passage in 1993. Neither of the more ambitious universal health care reform packages introduced in Wisconsin or Michigan got out of committee. Although some of the plans were thorough, none adequately addressed the tradeoff between increasing access to care and containing costs. In addition, this study will demonstrate that universal health care legislation, does not necessarily equate to comprehensive health care reform. The propositions derived from this research have implications for future state health care reform efforts, as well as for federal health care reform policy in terms of the substantive content of reform proposals and the political process by which they are advanced.     

掠夺性定价的经济学及法律分析——美国和欧盟的经验与趋势

掠夺性定价一般表现为企业为排挤、制约竞争对手或阻碍竞争对手进入市场而在相当长的一段时期内故意将价格设置于其成本之下。其目的是为将竞争对手逐出市场并随后设定高于竞争水平的价格,以收回前期降价的损失。《中华人民共和国反垄断法》以及其他相关的法律法规都包含了禁止掠夺性定价的规定。然而,对于掠夺性定价中的一些具体问题还没有相应的法制规章提供指引和解读,再加上此类案件法院判决的先例在中国现阶段还属少见,因此,本文将详细讲解近年来美国和欧盟的经济学家、反垄断机构以及法院对此类经典案件(如Wanadoo案等)的审理分析经验与趋势,以供借鉴。     

Examining the effects of paper type, pen type, writing pressure and angle of intersection on white and dark dominance in ESDA impressions of sequenced strokes--an application of the likelihood ratio

Questioned document casework can occasionally involve the sequencing of impressions. Although some conclusions can be drawn from looking at ESDA traces of intersections there is currently no way of assessing the strength of the observations made in any given case. Using a range of paper and pen types this work examines points of intersection and evaluates the results statistically in order judge the value of the results obtained.     

Using polychromatic X-radiography to examine realistic imitation firearms

Sections 36-41 of the Violent Crimes Reduction Act (2006), which came into force in England and Wales on 1st October 2007, have placed significant restrictions on the sale and possession of 'realistic imitation firearms'. This legislation attempts to produce a definition of a 'realistic imitation' which clearly differentiates these items from other imitation firearms (which are not covered by the legislation). This paper will go a stage further by demonstrating techniques by which blank firing realistic imitation firearms which may be suitable for illegal conversion to fire live rounds may be differentiated from other less 'suitable' (but visually identical) realistic imitations. The article reports on the use of X-radiography, utilizing the bremsstrahlung of a commercial broad spectrum X-ray source, to identify the differences between alloys constituting the barrels of distinct replica and/or blank firing handguns. The resulting pseudo-signatures are transmission spectra over a range from 20 to 75 kV, taken at 1 kV intervals, which are extracted from stacks of registered, field flattened images. It is shown that it is possible to quantify differences between transmission spectra for components of different realistic imitation fire arms, and apply the results to determine the suitability of particular gun barrels from blank firing imitation firearms for illegal conversion to fire live rounds, or related illegal modifications.     

Social Orientation: Problem Behavior and Motivations Toward Interpersonal Problem Solving Among High Risk Adolescents

A model of problematic adolescent behavior that expands current theories of social skill deficits in delinquent behavior to consider both social skills and orientation toward the use of adaptive skills was examined in an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of 113 male and female adolescents. Adolescents were selected on the basis of moderate to serious risk for difficulties in social adaptation in order to focus on the population of youth most likely to be targeted by prevention efforts. Structural equation modeling was used to examine cross-sectional data using multiple informants (adolescents, peers, and parents) and multiple methods (performance test and self-report). Adolescent social orientation, as reflected in perceived problem solving effectiveness, identification with adult prosocial values, and self-efficacy expectations, exhibited a direct association to delinquent behavior and an indirect association to drug involvement mediated by demonstrated success in using problem solving skills. Results suggest that the utility of social skill theories of adolescent problem behaviors for informing preventive and remedial interventions can be enhanced by expanding them to consider adolescents' orientation toward using the skills they may already possess.     

Progress toward racial equality and reduction of black criminal violence

Trends in racial inequality and in black involvement in violence were examined to determine whether black progress toward equality and the Black Power Movement could have contributed to a reduction in black violence. The belief that egalitarian trends and the Movement could have ameliorative effects on violence is supported by subcultural theories, Fanon's Colonial Model, and other social scientific statements. The trends are consistent with the belief, structural changes indicated by educational and political progress being closely associated with violence reduction. But cultural change seems important too because, despite a period of black economic progress, no violence reduction occurred before an improvement in black self-concept. Indeed, the earliest black income and occupational gains were associated with several years of increasing black violence. Thus, the purely structural explanation of Blau and Blau (1982) and their emphasis on economic progress are questionable. In addition, Skogan's (1979) demographic explanation of the decrease in black violence in the early 1970s is shown to lack merit.