Latvia’s eastern region: international tensions and political system loyalty

Latgale’s frontier region status makes it vulnerable in a time of growing international tension, all the more because of its strong Russian minority and persistent socio-economic problems causing disaffection. A two-directional analysis of linkage interactions – inner-directed and outer-directed – highlights both external threats and also regional conditions that act as a check on ‘hybrid warfare’ activity, such as centripetal center–periphery relations, stabilizing factors in society and a new policy response by Riga to Latgale’s developmental needs. Latgale is therefore no ‘Crimea’ as it shows a basic loyalty to the Latvian state, very little support for separatism while of course Latvia benefits from NATO membership.     

Fault,Gender Politics and Family Law Reform

Recent public debates about family law reform have revealed both support for and criticism of legislative policies that seek to shape social norms. Amidst this debate was a suggestion from some quarters that the Whitlam Government's removal of fault‐based divorce is responsible for the gendered tensions that characterise modern reform debates. This article draws on archival records and interviews conducted with family law professionals who worked in the system in the 1970s and experienced the transition to the no‐fault system, to explore the principles underlying the introduction of the Family Law Act of 1975 and to identify the sources of continuing dissension about its impact.     

Provisional concepts and definitions of fact

The paper explains and differentiates the concept of ‘fact’ in the legal setting. Fact and evidence, fact/falsity distinguished; fact and law considered -- a real difference or a pragmatic device? Questions of fact and degree considered, in themselves and in the context of jury trial and of appeals. Primary fact, factual inferences from primary fact, questions of classification of fact are considered. Whether inference is supported by evidence, and whether classification is correct may be questions of law. Issues of fact and opinion, fact and comment, relative to freedom of speech, defamation etc: no clear distinction available. Legal problems concerning absence of workable distinctions.

     

Associations between ward climate and patient characteristics in a secure forensic mental health service

Ward climate is associated with patient satisfaction and, potentially, with improved outcomes but increased understanding of its relationship with individual patient characteristics is required. We investigated relationships between patient (N?=?63) gender, perceived risk, risk behaviour, therapeutic engagement (session attendance), psychopathology and ward climate in a forensic psychiatric hospital. Lower security levels were significantly associated with better patient cohesion (PC), experienced safety (ES) and therapeutic hold (TH). Female gender predicted PC and ES. Higher perceived risk was associated with lower PC after controlling for security level and gender. Diagnosis of personality disorder or psychosis was associated with higher ES. Lower levels of engagement predicted greater TH. The relationship between patient characteristics and ward climate in forensic settings is complex. Prospective studies are needed to further establish determinants of ward climate, particularly those aspects of patient risk that are associated with poorer PC.     

Global Administrative Law: The View from Basel

International law-making by sub-national actors and regulatorynetworks of bureaucrats has come under attack as lacking inaccountability and legitimacy. Global administrative law isemerging as an approach to understanding what internationalorganizations and national governments do, or ought to do, torespond to the perceived democracy deficit in internationallaw-making. This article examines the Basel Committee on BankingSupervision, a club of central bankers who meet to develop internationalbanking capital standards and to develop supervisory guidance.The Basel Committee embodies many of the attributes that criticsof international law-making lament. A closer examination, however,reveals a structure of global administrative law inherent inthe Basel process that could be a model for international law-makingwith greater accountability and legitimacy.     

An evaluation of Internet use policies of Victorian local government

The Internet has provided employees and organisations with many benefits. However, employee misuse of Internet services has also become increasingly common. A solution to combating this problem is the implementation of an Internet Use Policy (IUP) within an organisation. This study developed IUP guidelines that were used to evaluate existing Victorian local government authority (LGA) IUPs. The number of LGAs without policies was then determined in February 2001. The findings revealed 36 per cent of Victorian LGAs did not have an IUP implemented. Fifty-one per cent of rural LGAs were found not to have IUPs. Furthermore, policies when compared with the IUP guidelines revealed deficiencies in many areas. A follow-up review was then conducted in 2004. It revealed that only 6 per cent of LGAs now lacked policies.