Measuring Quality of Life in Spanish Municipalities

Abstract

Measuring quality of life in municipalities entails two empirical challenges. First, collecting a set of relevant indicators that can be compared across the municipalities in the sample. Secondly, using an appropriate aggregating tool in order to construct a synthetic index. This paper measures quality of life for the largest 237 Spanish municipalities using Value Efficiency Analysis (VEA) to derive comparative scores by combining the information contained in 19 partial indicators. VEA is a refinement of DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) that imposes some consistency in the weights of the indicators used to construct the aggregate index. The indicators cover aspects related to consumption, social services, housing, transport, environment, labour market, health, culture and leisure, education and security. The results show that the Northern and Central regions in Spain attain the highest levels of quality of life, while the Southern regions report low living conditions. Education is the variable that requires the largest improvement in low performing municipalities, followed by health and culture facilities, pollution and crime. Population density, growth and ageing seem to relate positively to quality of life.     

從《項目融資業務指引》框架內看項目融資及其風險防範

項目融資是第一次石油危機之後在國際金融市場大規模發展起來的一種新型借貸方式,80年代中期被引入中國。從國內外的實踐來看,該融資方式一般應用于現金流量穩定的發電、道路、鐵路、機場、橋梁等大型基建項目,目前應用領域仍呈擴大趨勢。項目融資在中國的發展歷史很短但發展很迅速,多以能源和交通等領域的項目為試點並獲得成功。項目融資為解決我國大型基礎設施項目資金問題做出了重要貢獻。但由於項目融資時間長、規模大、參與方多、結構複雜,導致風險極大。因此,如何識別風險,評估風險,進行風險管理,是影響項目融資成敗的重要因素。     

The enhancement effect of social and employment integration on the delay of recidivism of released offenders trained with the R & R programme

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the extent to which social and employment integration enhances the efficacy of social–cognitive training carried out in prison through a Spanish adaptation of the Reasoning & Rehabilitation (R & R) programme. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare a group of inmates who received only social–cognitive training with a group of inmates who also received social and employment integration and with a comparison group who received neither of these interventions. The total sample was composed of 117 repeat offenders, serving sentence for property offences, drug dealing and offences against the person. The results obtained through a Kaplan–Meier survival analysis after a 6-year follow-up indicate that both intervention groups are significantly different from the comparison group. The group that received social and employment integration had the highest level of delayed recidivism, but the difference with the group that only received social–cognitive training was not statistically significant. The results are discussed in relation to the Good Lives Model and to the Risk–Needs–Responsivity Model of offender rehabilitation.     

Childhood abuse and neurocognitive performance in adulthood: a preliminary study of executive functioning in offenders

Childhood abuse has an important negative influence on long-term executive functioning performance. Although this has been studied in non-offenders (controls), few investigations have examined offender samples. The aims of this study were: to study the influence of childhood abuse history on adulthood executive functioning in offenders, and to examine whether executive performance is affected differentially by different abusive events. It was found that in comparison with controls (n?=?17) and with non-abused offenders (n?=?22), the abused offenders (n?=?18) have poorer performance on psychomotor-cognitive processing speed and cognitive flexibility. In abused offenders, it was also found that physical abuse events primarily and significantly affected adulthood performance in these cognitive abilities. In conclusion, this study helps us to know, preliminarily, the neurocognitive profile of abused offenders and how different abusive events suffered in childhood (e.g. physical and emotional abuse) differentially affect executive functioning of this sample.     

Fat embolism syndrome associated with atraumatic compartment syndrome of the bilateral upper extremities: An unreported etiology

Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a potentially life-threatening condition that develops when fat embolism leads to clinical symptoms and multisystem dysfunction. The classic triad of respiratory distress, neurologic symptoms, and petechial rash are non-specific, and the lack of specific laboratory tests makes the diagnosis of FES difficult. Although FES is most common after long bone fractures, multiple conditions some of which are atraumatic have been associated with the development of FES. We report a case of FES that occurred in the setting of a non-traumatic compartment syndrome of the upper extremities. The pathologic and clinical findings, pathophysiology, diagnostic challenges, and pathologic methods to properly diagnose FES are discussed with a review of the relevant literature. This case highlights the importance of the autopsy in making a diagnosis of FES in cases where death could otherwise be incorrectly attributed to multi-organ system failure, shock, or sepsis.     

我国个人信息法律保护路径研究

我国现行法律体系中对于个人信息方面的法律规制仍显苍白,并未给予充分保护。为了充分保护个人信息权,规范信息流转制度,维护数字社会的信息安全,亟需深刻研究我国个人信息法律保护路径,构建健全的公民权利制度保障体系,推进实现信息化社会可持续发展。     

Are Voters More Likely to Contribute to Other Public Goods? Evidence from a Large‐Scale Randomized Policy Experiment

Voting has been described as a contribution to a public good. Are people who vote frequently therefore more likely to contribute to other public goods? Does partisanship affect how likely a person is to engage in these cooperative behaviors? Although surveys suggest that the answer to these questions is “Yes,” few empirical studies examine these questions using observed behaviors. We examine them in the context of a large‐scale, randomized controlled trial to induce voluntary action in a common‐pool resource dilemma. During a drought in the southeastern United States, pro‐social messages that encouraged water conservation were randomly assigned to 35,000 out of 106,000 households. Frequent voters in primary and general elections (1990–2008) were substantially more responsive to the messages, but there was no detectable difference in the responses of Republican and Democrat households. Our results suggest that internalized pro‐social preferences promote action for the public good across behavioral contexts.     

略论公安院校知识产权法课程的设置与教学

公安院校作为未来社会管理人的培育基地,对于未来警察的培养离不开知识产权意识的培育与养成。从提高公民知识产权意识和公安队伍执法能力看,公安院校具有开设知识产权法课程的必要性。针对目前公安院校存在的教学问题,应改革教学思路与方法,根据教学层次与专业方向设置知识产权法的教学课时,在教学中依据内容不同采取讲授法、图表法、练习法、比较法和案例分析法的教学方式,以提高学生分析和解决问题的能力。     

公安院校刑事侦查课程的教学改革探析

刑事侦查课程是公安院校的核心课程,虽然经过多年的改革,但在教学内容、教学模式和教学手段上还存在种种不足。为了适应新时期公安院校培养体制改革的需要,教学应贴近公安实战,注重核心能力的培养;真正发挥案例教学的优势;注重传统教学与现代教学手段的深度结合,以期培养适合公安工作需求的高端技术性人才。     

国际禁毒公约对我国禁毒刑事政策的启示

二十一世纪,毒品已成为一个国际性问题,对于全球政治、经济、文化构成了严重的威胁,我国毒品滥用及毒品犯罪的形势也日趋严峻。因此,有必要借鉴国际禁毒公约的理念和方法,结合我国具体国情,进一步完善我国禁毒刑事政策,以便更有效地遏制毒品滥用和毒品犯罪。