Konsequenzen von Staatsreformen für die demokratische Steuerungsfähigkeit. Vergleichende Analyse zu vier Schweizer Kantonen

In the last decade the public body has undergone changes along the lines of New Public Management concepts in the context of the reform of state structures and processes. The consequences of such reforms for democratic steering capacities have been discussed controversially. On the one hand, scholars argue that NPM strengthens democratic steering capacities while critics on the other warn that NPM reduces just such capacities. Our research analyses this question in the context of case studies about reform activities in four Swiss cantons. The results provide evidence of neither an improvement in nor a reduction of democratic steering capacities through NPM reforms. On the whole, the observed changes in democratic steering capacities proved to be marginal, in either direction.     

Source Camera Identification for Heavily JPEG Compressed Low Resolution Still Images*

Abstract: In this research, we examined whether fixed pattern noise or more specifically Photo Response Non‐Uniformity (PRNU) can be used to identify the source camera of heavily JPEG compressed digital photographs of resolution 640 × 480 pixels. We extracted PRNU patterns from both reference and questioned images using a two‐dimensional Gaussian filter and compared these patterns by calculating the correlation coefficient between them. Both the closed and open‐set problems were addressed, leading the problems in the closed set to high accuracies for 83% for single images and 100% for around 20 simultaneously identified questioned images. The correct source camera was chosen from a set of 38 cameras of four different types. For the open‐set problem, decision levels were obtained for several numbers of simultaneously identified questioned images. The corresponding false rejection rates were unsatisfactory for single images but improved for simultaneous identification of multiple images.     

Bullet Trajectory after Impact on Laminated Particle Board

When reconstructing a bullet's trajectory prior to impact using the spatial orientation between two consecutive bullet defects (e.g., by probing), it is important to take the bullet's deflection into account. The (critical) ricochet angles as well as the vertical and horizontal deflection angles of eight cartridge types on laminated particle board have been studied. For all eight of the cartridge types combined, the critical ricochet angles lie between approximately 14° and 26°, while for the subgroup of the jacketed bullets, this range lies lower, between approximately 14° and 18°. The data from this study can be used to assess the accuracy and precision of the applied method. The results show that the highest deflection angles are seen near the critical ricochet angle. Generally speaking, vertical and horizontal deflection angles can almost be neglected above angles of incidence of 30° or 40° for handgun ammunition when shooting at laminated particle board.     

Medical experimentation concerning chemical and biological weapons for mass destruction

This article is the text of a speech originally presented at the Second World Conference on Medical Ethics at Gijon, Spain, on 2 October 2002 under the title "Medical Experimentation Concerning Chemical and Biological Weapons for Mass Destruction: Clinical Design for New Smallpox Vaccines: Ethical and Legal Aspects." Experimentation on vaccines such as smallpox is subject to the usual ethical rules such as the need for informed consent. However, the participants will not often be at risk of catching the disease but expose themselves by taking part in the experimentation. Professor Deutsch explores the implications of this, including the position of vulnerable groups such as children, those with mental handicaps, and those acting under orders such as the miliary, the policy and fire officers.     

Failed hospital mergers

The spate of hospital mergers in recent years has yielded both substantial increases in market power and many divestitures. These seemingly contradictory results stem from the pressures imposed by stakeholders of merging hospitals and the inability of those stakeholders to exert control over nonprofit institutions prior to the effectuation of a merger. This Article examines several recent mergers, analyses their failures, and recommends that the judiciary and state attorneys general look carefully at merging nonprofits so as to fill the void left by the lack of market control mechanisms.     

Reports of Intimate Partner Violence Made Against Police Officers

The purpose of this case control study was to compare police officers (n = 106) from a large urban police force, charged with committing intimate partner violence (IPV) with officers who were not charged (n = 105), in order to identify risk factors for IPV. We also compared the frequency, type, and final disposition of IPV reports filed against police officers before and after the enactment of the 1994 Violence against Women Act (VAWA). Officers accused of IPV were more likely to be members of a minority, on the force more than 7 years and assigned to a high crime district. No major differences on intake baseline MMPI scores were noted between cases and controls. A significant increase in reports of IPV was noted after the enactment of VAWA; the rate changed from 0.2/100 to 1.2/100 person years, although there were too few pre-1994 reports to compare further. Most of the final dispositions of the cases resulted in cases closed due to unsupported testimony from victims. An erratum to this article is available at .