The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of Public Broadcasting? The Case of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation

The purported capacity of the digital age to solve the problem of market failure in the broadcasting sector was widely expected to further compromise the already fragile status of public service broadcasting in advanced democracies. The proliferation of niche media content made possible by convergence led to speculation that publicly funded broadcasters would be rendered redundant. However while public service broadcasting in Australia and in comparable states remains under financial pressure, many signs point to a renewed government commitment to the sector. Using the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as our case study we argue that the digital era has contributed to the renaissance of the sector in unexpected ways.     

Organizational Readiness for Change in Correctional and Community Substance Abuse Programs

Significant needs exist for increased and better substance abuse treatment services in our nation's prisons. The TCU Organizational Readiness for Change (ORC) survey has been widely used in community-based treatment programs and evidence is accumulating for relationships between readiness for change and implementation of new clinical practices. Results of organizational surveys of correctional counselors from 12 programs in two states are compared with samples of community-based counselors. Correctional counselors perceived strong needs for new evidence-based practices but, compared to community counselors, reported fewer resources and less favorable organizational climates. These results have important implications for successfully implementing new practices.     

No Place Like Home？

IT was in January 1961 that I first fell in love. I had already been traveling for four years by then. Our family preferred the "paquebots," or ocean liners-Ferdinand de Lesseps and Jean Laborde of the French Messageries Maritimes line, and would ride the steamers from Mombasa, through the Suez Canal or round the Cape of Good Hope to Marseille.     

司法改革的目标——使司法成为公平正义的有效防线

我国新一轮司法改革已经启动。党的十八届三中全会为这新一轮司法改革确定了方向、目标及具体任务。对研究者来说,需要在正确认识这一轮司法改革的方向的基础上,首先研究这次司法改革所设定的目标,以便理解和落实司法改革的具体方法、步骤,顺利推进司法改革。基於司法能否成为社会公平正义的有效防线,对司法改革的整体目标的实现,具有十分重要的意义,而这个目标的实现,不仅需要对司法体制进行改革,而且需要其他相关制度的改革与之配套。因此,我们将以正在进行的信访制度改革为重点,探讨这次司法改革,如何进一步保障司法成为我国社会公平正义的有效防线,以切实推进法治中国建设。     

行政复议委员会试点五年情况回顾

自1999年行政复议法颁布实施以来,全国人大常委会於2013年首次检查该法的实施情况。统计结果显示,中国每年受理的行政复议案件数量与行政诉讼的一审案件数量基本持平,部分地方的复议案件还多于一审行政诉讼案件,而多数的行政复议案件涉及土地．房屋拆迁、劳动和社会保障、卫生、城市规划等与群众利益密切相关的领域。作为化解行政争议的第一道防线,国务院在推动行政复议法修改的同时,在实践中也积极探索建立专业、便民、高效、权威的行政复议体制．整合多头行政复议办案机关,部署行政复议委员会试点是其中一项有益探索。本期特选取国务院法制办公室行政复议司副司长方军的文章,全面解读行政复议委员会试点工作开展五年以来的实效及未来走向。     

再次修改《商业银行法》的制度创新

《中华人民共和国商业银行法》於1995年5月10日第八届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第十三次会议通过,2003年12月27日第十届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第六次会议通过了《板於修改〈中华人民共和国商业银行法〉的决定》,对该法进行了部分条款的修正。2013年3月全国人民代表大会期间,多位银行界代表提出再次修改《商业银行法》的议案,《商业银行法》再次修改工作将列入立法机构和银行业有关机构的工作日程。     

Whatever Happened to the Australian Role in the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership?

In 2003, Iraq was invaded, ostensibly to remove a nuclear threat, by a coalition led by George W. Bush. At the same time select allies were invitited to participate in Bush's Global Nuclear Energy Partnership which aimed to limit the spread of nuclear enrichment and reprocessing. This came as climate change gave emphasis to the development of nuclear energy, especially in Asia. With an abundant supply of uranium and strict nuclear safeguards, Australia was well placed to provide a site for the full suite of nuclear services. The recent AUKUS nuclear submarine agreement has underscored its failure to do so. This article makes the case for the adoption of nuclear power as a necessary step in the development of advanced manufacturing; the provision of a domestic capability to fuel nuclear attack submarines and other naval craft; and as a contribution to global nuclear non-proliferation.     

Changing contexts: A quasi-experiment examining adolescent delinquency and the transition to high school

In a quasi-experiment, we examine whether changing schools during the transition from 8th to 9th grade influences adolescent delinquency, using a sample of more than 14,000 students in 26 public school districts (PROSPER study). The dataset follows students for eight waves from 6th through 12th grade and facilitates a unique, direct comparison of students who change schools with those who remain in the same school during this period. Results show that students who transition between schools report significantly less delinquency after the shift than those who do not, and that this difference persists through 10th grade. This decline is most pronounced when adolescents from multiple middle schools move to a single high school (i.e., multifeeder transitions). Students who transition between schools have fewer delinquent friends and participate in less unstructured socializing following the change in school environment, which partially mediates their reduced delinquency. Results provide some support for theories of differential association and routine activities. Our findings highlight the role of a crucial, yet understudied, life transition in shaping adolescent delinquency. The results from this quasi-experiment underscore the potential of alterations in social context to significantly dampen juvenile delinquency throughout high school.