The Nigerian Constitution

The new constitutional arrangements in Nigeria have been consideredat some length in previous numbers of this Journal; but readersmay like to have the benefit of Sir Bernard Bourdillon's maturedviews on the subject, as delivered at a combined meeting withthe Royal Empire Society on the 30th January, Lord Harley inthe Chair.     

Parenting in Dependency Drug Court

The Dependency Drug Court (DDC) in Miami, Florida, addresses the needs of families affected by substance abuse through a comprehensive and therapeutic approach. The DDC works with community agencies to provide services that effectively treat the family as a unit. This article discusses the process of adapting a parenting program to meet the needs of families in the DDC.     

ESTIMATING INTERVENTION EFFECTS IN VARYING RISK SETTINGS: DO POLICE RAIDS REDUCE ILLEGAL DRUG DEALING AT NUISANCE BARS?*

This paper investigates the effectiveness of police raids in reducing drug dealing in and around nuisance bars. We examine effects of both dosage (number of raids) and duration (months) of the intervention, as well as the conditioning effects of land use and population characteristics in shaping the underlying risk levels of drug dealing in the target and surrounding areas. Results indicate that the police intervention suppresses levels of drug dealing during periods of active enforcement, but the effects largely disappear when the intervention is withdrawn. Also, the effects of the intervention are mediated by risk characteristics in target and surrounding areas. Target areas characterized by higher levels of risk are more resistant to intervention effects than those with lower levels of risk. Risk factors in nearby areas are also significant. Bars with high levels of risk arising from land uses in surrounding areas are easier to treat, while bars with high levels of population‐based risk in surrounding areas are harder to treat.     

THE SLIPPERY SLOPE: Jury Size and Jury Verdict Requirements—Legal and Social Science Approaches

We review six recent U.S. Supreme Court cases dealing with the constitutionality of decision-making by juries with fewer than twelve members or operating under verdict requirements less stringent than unanimity. For the issues raised in each of these cases, we contrast the views of Supreme Court justices with data drawn from social science research and from statistical models of group decision processes.