DSM-III diagnoses and offenses in committed female juvenile delinquents

The relationship between juvenile delinquency and psychiatric disorders remains poorly understood. However, it is becoming more apparent that the spectrum of psychiatric illness present in juvenile delinquents is broader than once believed. Fifteen female juvenile delinquents committed to a residential treatment program were assessed for DSM-III diagnoses, using a structured diagnostic interview, the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents (DICA). A search of the literature revealed no other reports using the DICA in female juvenile delinquents. A broad spectrum of current and past diagnoses was discovered, including conduct disorder (100%), substance abuse/dependence (87%), major depression (67%), and anxiety disorders (47%). The average number of lifetime diagnoses per subject was 4.7; current diagnoses averaged 3.4 per subject. Additionally, criminal and status offense records were obtained for each subject. No significant relationship was noted between diagnoses and categories of offense. These results add further evidence for the presence of frequent and severe psychiatric disturbances in this population, and the need for increased clinical and research efforts by the psychiatric community.     

Statistical tests of discrimination in punishment

A method, adopted from the labor econometrics literature, is proposed for detecting discrimination in punishment. The method requires the separate estimation of time served and punishment probability equations for, say, whites and blacks. The coefficients from the white equation are used to predict the punishment blacks would receive if treated like whites. A test of no discrimination against blacks is a test that the black punishment predicted by the black equation is equal to the punishment predicted by the equation using the white coefficients but the black endowments or characteristics. A further test is proposed that evaluates the economic efficiency of disparities in punishment. The test is restricted to measuring the recidivism effect of equality of treatment in punishment. The discrimination test and the efficiency test are illustrated using the U.S. Board of Parole data for 1972. Statistically significant racial disparities in punishment are uncovered and are found to be economically inefficient.     

我国民事强制执行模式变革论——以回应当事人“执行难”责难为归宿

执行案件从制约其权利实现程度的客观因素看,可分为＂执行不了＂、＂执行得了＂两类案件。以权利实现为本位的现行民事强制执行模式,由于未能对不同类型案件采取不同目标定位和应对措施,在相当程度上不能有效回应当事人对法院＂执行难＂的责难。而＂程序公正在先＂之执行思路却显得过于激进。为此,在民事强制执行模式改革上,探索＂权利实现与程序公正并重＂之混合式执行模式,对不同案件不同对待：对＂执行不了＂类案件,强化程序公正、突出执行服务理念,强调以＂理＂服人来化解申请执行人对权利未能实现的不满与怨言;对＂执行得了＂类案件,强化实体公正、突出执行威慑力、强制力,强调以＂力＂服人来迫使被执行人履行义务而实现申请执行人的权利。     

Macroscopic observations of the effects of varying fresh water pH on bone

Little is known about the decomposition of remains in aquatic environments of varying pH, and even less is known about the specific effects of these environments on bone. Bovine bones were placed in solutions of pH 1, 4, 7, 10, and 14 and observed over a period of 1 year. All solutions eventually removed or dissolved the soft tissues from the external surface of the bone. The pH 7 and pH 10 solutions had little effect on the bone, but the other solutions affected the bone to varying degrees. Extreme pH levels were the most destructive, while more moderate pH levels had lesser but significant and interesting effects. Empirical data on postmortem aquatic changes may be extremely useful in forensic contexts for both improving time since death estimates and also for providing better information to underwater recovery experts thereby potentially increasing the quantity and quality of remains recovery.     

Evaluation of pediatric skull fracture imaging techniques

Radiologic imaging is crucial in the diagnosis of skull fracture, but there is some doubt as to whether different imaging modalities can accurately identify fractures present on a human skull. While studies have been performed to evaluate the efficacy of radiologic imaging at other anatomical locations, there have been no systematic studies comparing various CT techniques, including high resolution imaging with and without 3D reconstructions to conventional radiologic imaging in children, we investigated which imaging modalities: high-resolution CT scan with 3D projections, clinical-resolution CT scans or X-rays, best showed fracture occurrence in a pediatric human cadaver skull by having an expert pediatric radiologist examine radiologic images from fractured skulls. The skulls used were taken from pediatric cadavers ranging in age from 5 months to 16 years. We evaluated the sensitivity and specificity for the imaging modalities using dissection findings as the gold standard. We found that high-resolution CT scans with 3D projections and conventional CT provided the most accurate fracture diagnosis (single-fracture sensitivity of 71%) followed by X-rays (single-fracture sensitivity of 63%). Linear fractures outsider the region of the sutures were more identifiable than diastatic fractures, though the incidence of false positives was greater for linear fractures. In the two cases where multiple fractures were present on the same anatomical skull location, the radiologist was less likely to identify the presence of additional fractures than a single fracture. Overall, the high-resolution and clinical-resolution CT scans had the similar accuracy for detecting skull fractures while the use of the X-ray was both less accurate and had a lower specificity.     

刑事救济法律监督机制的构建

在实现刑事司法公正的过程中，救济程序扮演着重要角色，科学严密的救济程序作为刑事诉讼活动的有机组成，能够有效地预防和纠正冤、假、错案。无监督则无公正，刑事救济同样需要检察机关的监督。对包括审前程序在内的刑事诉讼活动全过程中存在的刑事救济程序进行研究，查找存在的突出问题，结合域外相关理论、实践特别是我国检察机关法律监督的具体情况，提出改革我国刑事救济法律监督程序的基本构想，为刑事司法救济程序的研究以及实践打下良好的基础，通过检察机关法律监督的视角阐明检察机关对刑事救济法律监督的具体对策措施。