DNAc: A clustering method for identifying kinship relations between DNA profiles using a novel similarity measure

After decades of refinement, DNA testing methods have become essential tools in forensic sciences. They are essentially based on likelihood ratio test principle, which is utilized specifically, by using as prior knowledge the allele frequencies in the population, to confirm or refute a given kinship hypothesis made on two genotypes. This makes these methods ill suited when allele frequencies or kinship hypotheses are unavailable. In this paper, we introduce DNAc, a new clustering methodology for DNA testing based on a new similarity measure that allows an accurate retrieval of the degree of relatedness among two or more genotypes, without relying on kinship hypotheses or allele frequencies in the population. We used DNAc in analyzing microsatellite DNA sequences distributed among 12 genotypes from normal individuals from two distinct families. The results show that DNAc accurately determines kinship among genotypes and further gathers them in the appropriate kinship groups.     

Species identification of Papaver by metabolite profiling

This paper analyses and discusses arguments that emerge from a recent discussion about the proper assessment of the evidential value of correspondences observed between the characteristics of a crime stain and those of a sample from a suspect when (i) this latter individual is found as a result of a database search and (ii) remaining database members are excluded as potential sources (because of different analytical characteristics). Using a graphical probability approach (i.e., Bayesian networks), the paper here intends to clarify that there is no need to (i) introduce a correction factor equal to the size of the searched database (i.e., to reduce a likelihood ratio), nor to (ii) adopt a propositional level not directly related to the suspect matching the crime stain (i.e., a proposition of the kind 'some person in (outside) the database is the source of the crime stain' rather than 'the suspect (some other person) is the source of the crime stain'). The present research thus confirms existing literature on the topic that has repeatedly demonstrated that the latter two requirements (i) and (ii) should not be a cause of concern.     

诉讼监督改革:抉择困境与实践进路

我国当前的诉讼监督具有全面性、事后性、弱效力和分散性等四个鲜明的特点,诉讼监督改革面临着选择诉讼与监督分离还是诉讼与监督合一、以同步监督为主还是以事后监督为主、全面监督还是重点监督、弱效力监督还是强效力监督的艰难抉择。在推进诉讼监督改革时,检察机关必须遵从必要性原则、有限监督原则、中立性原则等三个基本原则,必须鼓励先行先试、坚持循序渐进、注重协调配合以及加大诉讼监督工作力度和创新诉讼监督机制等。     

单亲家庭青少年成长困境的社会工作介入初探

青少年成长话题已引起人们越来越多的关注和讨论。但是,针对单亲家庭青少年、尤其是单亲家庭青少年成长困境开展的研究稍显不够,从社会工作专业层面对这一主题进行的研究更是几近空白。本研究着重从社会工作视角分析单亲家庭青少年成长困境,建构社会工作介入单亲家庭青少年成长困境解决的模型,并探讨社会工作解决单亲家庭青少年成长困境的路径,以期通过这种努力,引导单亲家庭青少年理性应对困境,促进其健康成长。     

变化的民居文化与乡村社会——以山东省莱州市碑坡村为例

改革开放以来,随着经济社会的发展,乡村社会以其特有的方式阐释着中国社会的发展。莱州市碑坡村民居房屋建筑材料、房屋结构布局的变化,既是乡村社会发展的产物,又在一定程度上反映和影响了乡村社会的发展。     

未成年人犯罪记录有条件消灭制度实证调研报告——以上海地区为范本

未成年人犯罪记录有条件消灭制度是我国少年司法的重要组成部分,在中国司法体制下出现了从无到有的试点改革。目前,随着刑法修正案八（草案）的出台,我国立法的摩擦正在消除,契合国际少年司法的发展趋势。通过上海地区对罪错未成年人的抽样研究和各地实践改革的成果对比,论证建立该制度的必要性和可行性,通过对启动、审查、考察、回转、制度衔接等优化模式的探索,构建我国未成年人犯罪记录有条件消灭的规范程序。     

The Present and Future of The Investor-State Dispute Settlement Paradigm

While the World Trade Organization (WTO) system remains faithfulto the long-standing traditional paradigm of state-to-statedispute resolution, dispute resolution mechanisms in the areaof international investment are undergoing a radical change.Traditionally, the paradigm of ‘diplomatic protection’has served as a basis for the settlement of investment disputesamong states. In earlier commercial agreements, including theFriendship, Commerce, and Navigation Treaties (FCNs) concludedfrom 1940s to 1960s, the resolution of international investmentdisputes took the form of state-to-state dispute resolution.This paradigm shifted in the 1970s when direct investor claims,modelled on treaties that European countries had been puttingforward since 1959, were allowed under a series of bilateralinvestment treaties initiated by the United States. This shifthas been reflected in subsequent efforts to reach a multilateralagreement on investment (MAI) and in many free trade agreements(FTAs). Also, in the area of international human rights law,it is an increasing trend to allow an individual to have directrecourse to international human rights protection bodies, suchas the Human Rights Committee established under the InternationalCovenant on Civil and Political Rights, after the exhaustionof domestic remedies. The allowance of direct claims has helpedto make up for the typical shortcomings of the diplomatic protectionmechanism where, the espousing state has frequently exercisedexcessive discretion in deciding whether to advance claims dueto considerations of a political nature, unrelated to the particularcase, so that this mechanism can increase international friction.On the other hand, the strong point of diplomatic protectionhas been its capacity to screen out frivolous or dishonest claimsby individuals. The question whether various international disputesettlement mechanisms may eventually converge into an effectivesystem based on a direct claim procedure is a vexing one. Itis uncertain whether the model of investor-state dispute settlement(ISDS) can play a pioneering role in this ongoing process. Anypertinent answers to such questions require a thorough comparisonof the benefits and drawbacks of such a development. Lessonsfrom the experiences under the ISDS system and its modificationefforts should be fully taken into account so the newly emergingdispute resolution system will not lead to tension between nationsin an area where precedent is scant, but the need is great.     

区域经济发展的法制协调机制浅析

区域经济的协调发展需要有统一、完善的法制作保障。国家统一的法制往往满足不了特定区域经济协调发展的需求,而地方性法规和规章又只能在本行政区域内发生作用,且地方立法之间往往存在着冲突。借鉴美国的法制协调经验,构建我国的区域法制协调机制,有利于我国区域经济的协调发展。     

Patterns of victim marginalization in victim-offender mediation: some lessons learned

This article discusses issues that restorative justice programs may face during implementation and lessons learned from an exploratory study. We examined various perspectives of multiple participants who experienced a Victim-Offender Mediation (VOM) program in a mid-sized Midwestern city in the U.S. The primary data source comprised 34 interviews with 37 participants including adult crime victims, juvenile offenders and their parents, mediators, and representatives from referring agencies. Observations complemented the interview data. Findings revealed patterns of victim marginalization during the processes used: victims were not prepared appropriately; were at times pressured by mediators to behave in certain ways; and, occasionally felt intimidated by offenders and/or their families. We discuss some factors that may have influenced the emergence of these patterns. This study revealed gaps between the guiding principles of restorative justice theory and field practices, particularly sensitivity toward victims to meet their needs. We suggest that restorative justice programs should consider using a monitoring system to ensure that the processes used remain consistent with the values and principles of restorative justice.     

No fats,femmes, or Asians: the utility of critical race theory in examining the role of gay stock stories in the marginalization of gay Asian men

In the last few decades, proponents of critical race theory have uncovered everyday forms of injustice that continue to affect the lives of men and women of color by exposing the subtle forms of racism that exist in the stock stories told by the dominant group as well as the counterstories told by subaltern groups. However, rarely have we examined the stock stories articulated by subaltern groups to marginalize other subaltern groups. In this paper, I consider the stock stories told by gay White men and the counterstories expressed by gay Asian men to examine subtle forms of racism within the gay community. I argue that we need not only to reveal how the stories narrated by the dominant group continue to maintain social inequality, but that we also need to consider how subaltern groups help to maintain social inequality by adapting the language of the dominant group to use against other subaltern groups.