(In)Efficiency of matching: the case of a post-transition economy

The aim of this paper is twofold. First, we provide estimates of the evolution in matching efficiencies in Poland, demonstrating decrease in estimated efficiency scores. These trends are accompanied by decreasing outputs in the matching function, as well as the lowering of the elasticities. Second, we relate the estimated efficiency scores to the use of active labour market measures. We find that job brokering intensity is conducive to matching efficiency, but active labour market policies coverage in general is not.     

Visualisation of fingermarks and grab impressions on dark fabrics using silver vacuum metal deposition

Vacuum metal deposition (VMD) involves the thermal evaporation of metal (silver) in a vacuum, resulting in a uniform layer being deposited on the specimen being treated. This paper examines the use of silver on dark fabrics, thus offering a simpler operation and more obvious colouration to that of the traditional use of gold and zinc metals which must be evaporated separately. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fabric type, donor, mark age and method of fingermark deposition on the quality of marks visualised using silver VMD. This was achieved by collecting fingermark deposits from fifteen donors, of both sexes and various ages, by a grab or a press method. Four different fabrics: satin, polyester, polycotton and cotton were studied over a 10 day timeline of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 21 and 28 + days. It was found that satin and polyester gave the most positive results, with polyester often producing excellent ridge detail. Cotton and polycotton were less successful with no ridge detail being observed. The donors also had an observable effect on the results obtained probably due to variations in secretions produced or pressures applied during specimen collection. The age of the mark or the method of mark deposition had little influence on the results obtained. Silver VMD is a viable process for visualising marks on certain dark fabrics and has the advantage over gold/zinc VMD in that the marks visualised are light in colour which contrasts well against the dark background.     

Australian Prosecution of Corporations for International Crimes: The Potential of the Commonwealth Criminal Code

On 1 July 2002 new provisions for the prosecution of genocide,crimes against humanity and war crimes came into operation withinthe Australian Commonwealth Criminal Code. The offences wereintroduced as a part of Australia's ratification of the RomeStatute of the International Criminal Court. Through the enactmentof these crimes within the broader context of the Criminal Code,Australia has, perhaps unwittingly, created a basis to prosecutecorporations for these crimes even under the universal jurisdictionprinciple. A current investigation by the Australian FederalPolice into the possible role of mining company Anvil MiningLimited in facilitating a military offensive in the town ofKilwa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo indicates thatAustralia, like many nations today, is grappling locally withthe possibility of corporate involvement in international crime.As a potential source of action against companies implicatedin international crime, the possible reach of the AustralianCriminal Code provisions warrants consideration. This articleoutlines the application of the new Australian internationalcrimes provisions to corporations and argues that, if used appropriately,these will represent a positive development toward corporateaccountability.     

Wild Justice Redux: What We Know About Social Justice in Animals and Why It Matters

Social justice in animals is beginning to attract interest in a broad range of academic disciplines. Justice is an important area of study because it may help explain social dynamics among individuals living in tightly-knit groups, as well as social interactions among individuals who only occasionally meet. In this paper, we provide an overview of what is currently known about social justice in animals and offer an agenda for further research. We provide working definitions of key terms, outline some central research questions, and explore some of the challenges of studying social justice in animals, as well as the promise of the work we're proposing. Finally, we suggest why continued research into animal cognition and social behavior has significant ethical implications for our treatment of nonhuman animals.     

Medical Error and Patient Safety: Understanding Cultures in Conflict

Evidence documenting the high rate of medical errors to patients has taken a prominent place on the health care radar screen. The injuries and deaths associated with medical errors represent a major public health problem with significant economic costs and erosion of trust in the health care system. Between 44,000 and 98,000 deaths due to preventable medical errors are estimated to occur each year, making medical errors the eighth leading cause of death in the United States. However, the recent prominence of the issue of safety or error does not reflect a new phenomenon or sudden rift in the quality of health care (although it is a system fraying at the edges). Rather, the prominence of the issue reflects a radical change in the culture of health care, and in how relationships within the health care system are structured and perceived. In this paper, I discuss the multiple factors responsible for the change in the culture of health care. First, the culture has shifted from a clinician cantered system, in which decision making is one–sided, to a shared system of negotiated care between clinician and patient, and, often, between administrator or payer. Second, the nature of quality in health care has changed due to the geometric increase in the availability of technological and pharmaceutical enhancements to patient care. Third, the health care culture continues to rely on outdated models of conflict resolution. Finally, the regulatory structure of health system oversight was set in place when fee–for–service care governed physician–patient relationships and where few external technologies were available. In the current health care culture, that structure seems inadequate and diffuse, with multiple and overlapping federal and state regulatory structures that make implementation of patient safety systems difficult.