Prison structure, inmate mortality and suicide risk in Europe

Suicide presents a major complication during imprisonment and greatly contributes to the high mortality rate of prisoners. All international studies have found increased suicide rates among prisoners compared to the general population. This study examines risk factors for suicide and mortality in prisoners using supranational data from the Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics (Statistiques Penales Annuelles du Conseil du L'Europe or SPACE) from 1997 to 2008. Macrostructural risk factors for prison suicide are analyzed from this supranational data set and the identified indicators are further evaluated on the single country level. Sexual offenders, offenders charged with violent crimes and prisoners sentenced for short- and long-term imprisonment are considered to be at an elevated risk for suicide. In addition, prison mortality is associated with overcrowding.     

Recent publications on organized crime

Publication Monitor

Recent publications on organized crime     

An introduction to the special issue on ‘Organised crime and illegal markets in the UK and Ireland’

This paper provides an introduction to the articles and report excerpt submitted to the special issue of Trends in Organized Crime on ‘Organised crime and illegal markets in the UK and Ireland’. The aim of the special issue is to draw together empirical research findings and theoretical accounts on various manifestations of organised crime in the particular geographic context(s), the evolution of organised crime, the links between organised crime, the legal sphere and paramilitary groups, as well as an account of the demographic profile and attitudes of citizens in areas in which organised crime groups thrive.     

Rechtsschutz im europäischen Kontrollverbund am Beispiel der FFH-Gebietsfestsetzungen

Verbundförmig durchgeführte Verwaltungsverfahren im europäischen Mehrebenenverwaltungssystem nehmen zunehmend komplexere Gestaltungsformen an, was weitreichende Auswirkungen auch auf den Rechtsschutz Betroffener hat. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht am Beispiel des europäischen Naturschutzrechts, welche Rechtsschutzmöglichkeiten betroffene Grundstückseigentümer in verbundförmig durchgeführten Verwaltungsverfahren offen stehen. Dabei wird deutlich, dass ein kohärentes Rechtsschutzsystem durchaus vorhanden ist, wenngleich seine Inanspruchnahme nicht unerhebliche Schwierigkeiten aufwirft.     

An unusual case of 3 fatal, accidental CO poisoning cases by re-routed ventilation

A case of fatal carbon monoxide poisoning is presented where three members of a family, aged between 23 and 66 years, died while having dinner. After analysing the scene and evaluating the personal circumstances there was no doubt that death was due to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. The fact that three persons of different ages died almost simultaneously as well as the technical reconstruction appears noteworthy to the authors. Scrutiny of the technical circumstances revealed that the waste air containing carbon monoxide was re-routed because of the oppressively hot weather conditions. The fumes from the stove heating in the living room flowed into the chimney and from there via another pipe into the kitchen oven and finally reached the atmosphere of the kitchen where the three members of the family died.     

Unanimous constitutional consent and the immigration problem

This paper utilizes the cross-cutting cleavages approach to evaluate the probability of a unanimous constitutional consent and, based on these results, discusses the implications of immigration on an existing constitutional consent. It is shown that previous conclusions of beneficial effects stemming from a multitude of political dimensions for a unanimous constitutional consent crucially depend on the assumption of an extreme mode of intrapersonal compensation of constitutional majority and minority preferences. These conclusions are reversed once you consider more restrictive schemes of such intrapersonal compensation. Since, furthermore, the probability of constitutional consent unambiguously falls with a growing size of the collectivity, only a policy of selective and controlled immigration will be able to guarantee with regard to the existing cleavages of a society that the existing constitutional consent will not be damaged or destroyed, whereas uncontrolled immigration, possibly based on ethical norms, will risk the breakdown of any constitutional consent in a society.     

Pennies from heaven: Entry fees to a socialist “paradise”

Based on a political-economic perspective, this paper assesses the former GDR-regime's policy of obligatory exchange (Pflichtumtauschsatz). ThePflichtumtausch, one of a wide array of instruments used to collect convertible currency and restrict access to the GDR, is briefly described. Following that, a demand function, relating visits to East Germany on the one hand to thePflichtumtauschsatz on the other, is estimated. The empirical evidence adduced suggests that visits to the East were considered a normal good. The next question considered is whether the GDR-regime, acting in its role as a monopolist, followed an optimal pricing policy. On both theoretical and empirical grounds this can be rejected. Visits to the East were underpriced. This resulted in a higher number of visits and lower revenue when seen from a profit-maximizing perspective. On the other hand the actual pricing was advantageous with respect to two goals: the deterrence of visits and the collection of convertible currency. Nonetheless, it is clear that the GDR-regime voluntarily restricted its revenue collection from thePflichtumtausch. This restraint, however, can be seen as its input into a political bargain. As a rule, such “good manners” in the matter of thePflichtumtausch were more than compensated by interest payments saved in the use of the Swing. The GDR-regime's generosity thus turned out to be a rather expensive good for the West Germans.     

Disziplinäre Rituale – Bericht zum Jubiläumskongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Soziologie

Mitteilungen und Berichte

Disziplin?re Rituale – Bericht zum Jubil?umskongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Soziologie