Post-release Employment and Recidivism in Norway

Objectives

Investigate the transition from prison to employment and the relationship between post-release employment and recidivism.

Methods

We use a sample of every person released from Norwegian prisons in 2003 (N?=?7,476), and they are followed through 2006 with monthly measures. We estimate the time to recidivism using discrete time survival models, conditioning upon both pre-release characteristics and post-release time-varying covariates (employment, educational enrollment and participation in labor market programs).

Results

The majority of former inmates were employed at some point in our data window, but it took approximately 30?months for 30% of them to become employed. The hazard of recidivism is substantially lower (0.12, p?<?.001) when former inmates are employed compared with unemployed, although observable individual characteristics can account for a large share of this association (0.50, p?<?.001, after adjustment). The negative association between employment and recidivism remains when controlling for other post-release statuses. Although post-release employment periods are associated with a lower risk of recidivism for all categories of principal offence, the magnitude of the association varies. The association is smaller for those receiving social benefits.

Conclusion

The findings are consistent with theories suggesting that employment reduces the risk of recidivism.     

The demand for transparency: An empirical note

By encouraging socially wasteful rent seeking and corruption, natural resources abundance might not be a blessing but a country’s curse. A recent attempt to impede these practices of corruption with theft is the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). The purpose of this organization is to verify and fully publish company payments and government revenues from oil, gas, and mining. Using a probit estimation technique the paper analyses empirically the political and socio-economic factors which determine a country’s participation in EITI, which can be interpreted as revealed willingness to reform.     

The Swedish jury system in press cases: An offspring of the English trial jury?

In the area of press freedom the English influence has for more than 200 years been strongly felt in Sweden. The introduction of a jury system in press cases in 1815 was clearly inspired by the English example. The Swedish variant had, admittedly, some strange features but it was nonetheless, in essence, a jury. Thus it should, historically and systematically, be looked upon as an offspring of the English trial jury.

Since 1815 the Swedish jury has grown more ‘English’ in some respects. Those greater similarities notwithstanding, there are still important differences between the two systems. At least two of the differences are the result of Swedish innovations.

In 1949 the Swedes in the new Freedom of the Press Act included a provision, stating that the court of first instance not only may but must review a verdict of conviction. If also the court convicts and, consequently, fixes the penalty, the defendant can always take the case at least to the appropriate court of appeal. Thus, there is a double‐check or even a triple‐check against an unwarranted conviction. From the defendant's point of view the Swedish jury system can be described as fool‐proof.³⁵

In 1949 the Swedes also introduced a new method of choosing the jury. The jurors are drawn by lot but not, as in England, with the electoral register as the starting point but from a panel chosen by politically elected councils. Furthermore, one third of the jurors must be present or former lay assessors. Through that method of selecting the jurors the Swedes have reasonably counteracted the traditional charges that juries are ignorant or confused or both. On the other hand, the Swedish system may be sensitive to political influence on the administration of justice since the composition, not exactly of this or that jury but of the whole panel, is the indirect result of political elections. However, once more, unwarranted convictions are almost certainly reversed by the courts.

With their method of choosing the jurors the Swedes also avoid a problem which has, in recent years, caused considerable disquiet in Great Britain ‐ jury vetting. The ancient practice of ‘Stand by for the Crown’ is still a reality in English courts. How often the prosecution uses its right to influence the composition of juries by vetting proposed jurors is not known. However, the practice has caused serious concern among lawyers. ‘The fear of “packed” juries is still with us’, to quote an expert in the field, John F. McEldowney.³⁶

The Swedish jury in press cases is certainly not the most important or the best known offspring of the English trial jury ‐ that is, of course, the American jury. However, the Swedish jury has survived for more than 165 years and is still going strong. It is quantitatively of modest significance ‐ there are in ‘normal’ years no more than a dozen cases in the country. However, the jury has an umbrella effect outside the printed media, i.e. what you are allowed to say in a newspaper or in a book you can almost certainly say at a public meeting or on a stage.

In recent decades the Swedish jury has shown a considerable capability of development. It has approached the English model on some points while, at the same time, making innovations on others. It is possible that Sweden during the 1980s may somewhat expand the jury system within the area of free speech, i.e. outside the printed media.     

The margins of security: Politics and economics in Sweden

The strong military defense posture is perhaps the most well-known attribute of the Swedish security policy. A military-industrial policy of self-sufficiency is often described as a necessary condition for the peace-time credibility of Sweden's nonaligned position and will to stay neutral in war. What is not so well known are the underlying premises, costs involved and the alternatives rejected. This article analyzes national and international developments with important implications for the future. When the suit of the traditional Swedish security policy becomes too small, the margins of security become apparent.     

Time since discharge of rifles

The estimation of time since the latest discharge of rifles has been achieved by the SPME sampling technique and the GC-TEA analytical system. An unidentified compound, designated as the TEA2 compound, was detected in all the rifles investigated. The same compound was observed in shotguns and spent cartridges in our previous work. This compound escapes rapidly from the inside of rifle barrels, but can still be detected there one to two months after the shooting. The decrease of the TEA2 peak with time after shooting is non-exponential, and the curve-fitting procedure proposed for the estimation of time since discharge of shotguns can be applied also for rifles.     

Biting the hand that feeds them? Abkhazia–Russia client–patron relations

ABSTRACT

The article discusses the post-Soviet de facto state of Abkhazia, and its relationship to its main patron, Russia. All patron–client nexuses are marked by a high degree of asymmetrical power – especially with de facto states, which depend upon the patron for their very survival. Thus, it is surprising to see how de facto client states repeatedly show that they are both willing and able to defy the wishes of their patrons and pursue their own agendas instead. Moreover, the patron may be willing to tolerate such rebelliousness. What can explain such “disobedient” behavior? I examine three contentious aspects of Russian–Abkhazian relations: the process leading up to the signing of an extended bilateral agreement in 2014; the tussles over how to fight crime in Abkhazia; and acrimony over Abkhazia’s reluctance to allow Russians to buy property in their country, despite massive pressure from Russian authorities.     

The extent of postmortem drug redistribution in a rat model.

The aim of this study was to investigate the postmortem redistribution of several drugs in a rat model and to examine if any of the pharmacological properties was related to the extent of this phenomenon. One of the following drugs: phenobarbital (phenobarbitone), acetaminophen (paracetamol), carbamazepine, codeine, verapamil, amphetamine, mianserin, trimeprazine (alimemazine) or chloroquine was administered together with nortriptyline orally to rats 90 min prior to sacrifice. Heart blood was sampled immediately before sacrifice and after 2 h postmortem, as it has previously been shown that this is sufficient time for postmortem concentration changes to occur in heart blood. Blood was also sampled from the clamped abdominal inferior vena cava (representing peripheral blood) and tissue samples were taken from lungs, myocardium, liver, kidney, thigh muscle, forebrain, and vitreous humor together with a specimen from the minced carcass. Drugs were analyzed by high performance liquid or gas chromatography. For phenobarbital, acetaminophen and carbamazepine the postmortem to antemortem blood drug concentration ratios were close to 1.0 and tissue concentrations were low. The postmortem to antemortem heart blood drug concentration ratio for chloroquine (6.9 +/- 1.5) was higher than for nortriptyline (3.5 +/- 0.3), and the remaining drugs (codeine, verapamil, amphetamine, mianserin, and trimeprazine) showed ratios of the same magnitude as nortriptyline. The postmortem to antemortem blood drug concentration ratios for both heart blood and blood from the vena cava and also the lung to antemortem blood drug concentration ratio were closely related to the apparent volume of distribution for the drugs studied (p < 0.001). Accordingly, an apparent volume of distribution of more than 3-4 L/kg is a good predictor that a drug is liable to undergo postmortem redistribution with significant increments in blood levels. The postmortem drug concentration in blood from vena cava was closely related to the antemortem blood level, confirming that among the postmortem samples, the peripheral blood sample was the most representative for the antemortem blood concentration.     

Local government service production: The politics of allocative sluggishness

A partial adjustment model with endogenous speed of adjustment is developed to analyze how pressure from interest groups and mass media influence the adjustment process of local governments. A survey questionnaire to the local politicians is used to measure the pressure indicators. Based on a combined cross-section and time-series data base for Norwegian local governments, the sluggishness of the adjustment process is estimated. The dynamics of the adjustment process is shown to reflect the activity of interest groups and media pressure. Pressure groups related to primary education explain an important part of the sluggishness observed. Pressure groups promoting kindergartens and health care/care for the elderly stimulate reallocations.     

C. Reviews and notes: bibliographies and works of reference

THE CONCISE ENCYCLOPÆDIA OF ISLAM. By CYRIL GLASSÉ. London, Stacey International, 1989. 472pp. Ills., maps, plans. £30.00

THE NEAR EAST NATIONAL UNION LIST. Volume 1. Compiled by DOROTHY STEHLE, under the direction of GEORGE N. ATIYEH. Washington, Library of Congress, 1988. ix, 867pp. USS 47.00.

MUDEJARES: REPERTORIO BIBLIOGRAFICO. Compiled by PAZ FERNANDEZ. (Cuadernos de la Biblioteca Islámica ‘Félix María Pareja’, 18.) Madrid, Instituto Hispano‐Árabe de Cultura, 1988. iii, 42pp.

INFORMATIONS BIBLIOGRAPHIQUES. I'LAMAT BIBLIYUGHRAFIYYA. 3 et 4–1986; 1 et 2–1987. Tunis, Bibliothèque Nationale, Service des Dépots et des Publications/Dar al‐Kutub al‐Wataniyya, Maslahat al‐Ida’ wa‐1‐Nashr, 1987. 45 + 23; 49 + 46pp.

L'ÉCONOMIE DES PAYS ARABES: PRÉSENTATION THÉMATIQUE DES TRAVAUX DE LA PÉRIODE 1979–1984. By CHANTAL BERNARD. (Cahiers du C.R.E.S.M., 20.) Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1988. 156pp. FF 90.‐.

SYRIA. Compiled by IAN J. SECCOMBE. (World Bibliographical Series, 73.) Oxford, Clio Press, 1987. xxxii + 341pp. £45.00.

MALTA. Compiled by J.R. THACKRAH. (World Bibliographical Series, 64.) Oxford, Clio Press, 1985. xviii, 153pp. Map. £23.50.

BIBLJOGRAFIJA NAZZJONALI TA’ MALTA. MALTA NATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY, 1983–1987. Valletta, National Library of Malta, 1984–1988. 5 volumes. 41; 60; 59; 64; 76pp. Each LM 1.50 or US $9.00 (incl. air mail postage).

MELITENSIA: BOOKS IN PRINT 1985. Valletta, Sapienzas, 1985. 55pp.

ARABIC LANGUAGE TEACHING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM: 1988 DIRECTORY. Compiled by DIONISIUS A. AGIUS. [Leeds,] Folia Scholastica, 1988. 36pp. £2.50.

QUR'ANS OF THE MAMLUKS. By DAVID JAMES. London, Alexandria Press in association with Thames and Hudson, 1988. 270pp. 170 illustrations (80 in colour). 1 map. £35.00.

CALLIGRAPHIE ISLAMIQUE, TEXTES SACRES ET PROFANES. ISLAMIC CALLIGRAPHY, SACRED AND SECULAR WRITINGS. By DAVID JAMES & others. Geneva, Musée d'Art et d'Histoire and Treasures of Islam, 1988. 200pp. Colour illus.

KAYF NU'ALLIM AL‐KHATT AL‐'ARABI. By MA'RUF ZURAYQ. Damascus, Dar al‐Fikr, 1407/1987 (2nd edition, reprinted from the 1985 edition). 150pp. 51 illustrations. US$ 2.50.

IMAGES OF WOMEN: THE PORTRAYAL OF WOMEN IN PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE MIDDLE EAST 1860–1950. By SARAH GRAHAM‐BROWN. London, Quartet, 1988. 288pp., 216 b/w ills. £22.50.