School-based Abuse Prevention: Effect on Disclosures

This paper focuses specifically on the analysis of disclosures and forms part of a wider study which evaluated the effectiveness of the Violence is Preventable program. Participants included a survivor group, grade 6 group, and a grade 7/8 group with equivalent waiting-list comparison groups. Lessons were delivered either by voluntary organization workers or class teachers. Disclosures were systematically recorded by presenters. Video was used to analyze interactions around disclosures. Substantial numbers of disclosures occurred when lessons were delivered by survivor organisation presenters. Video analysis suggested this was partly due to adult-student interactions characterized by low levels of adult control. Studies on a larger scale are needed particularly comparing outcomes from different presenters with an analysis of what leads to disclosure in and beyond the classroom.     

Fair Division: From Cake-Cutting to Dispute Resolution

Social Justice Research -     

The Agencies of Abuse: Intimate Abusers' Experience of Presumptive Arrest and Prosecution

Presumptive arrest and prosecution policies are designed to eradicate domestic violence by disrupting abusive relationships and transforming the subjectivities of victimized women and abusive men. Using in-depth interviews with 30 persons arrested and prosecuted for domestic violence, this article examines the power of presumptive policies by exploring how intimate abusers experience them. The study finds that while the police and courts are able to secure arrests and convictions on domestic violence cases, nearly all the respondents in this study understand their punishments as unfair sanctions meted out by an unjust local legal system rather than as the consequences of their own actions. These injustice claims emerge from abusers' group identities as well as the very practices through which the police and courts gain authority over them. These findings demonstrate that the power of the law as a force for social change may be more limited than some have claimed. In addition, they reinforce calls to reform society's response to intimate violence through procedures that can go further in empowering victims and having offenders recognize their responsibility for violence.     

Egocentric Perceptions of Relationships,Competence, and Trustworthiness in Salary Allocation Choices

This paper presents three experiments that investigate the effects of interpersonal perceptions on simulated monetary and salary allocations. Experiment 1 examined the effects of relationships on choices between interdependent monetary distributions for a sample of students. Experiment 2 examined the effects of relationships and competence on choices between interdependent salary allocations and on discretionary salary allocations in scenarios presented to a sample of working managers. Experiment 3 used a novel measurement of the social motives revealed by interdependent salary allocations and added a manipulation of trustworthiness for a sample of experienced MBA students. Egocentrism and judgments of incompetence or untrustworthiness had strong effects on participants' choices. Allocations also increased for liked others, even though allocators denied any effects for liking.     

'Immunity', 'Privilege', and 'Right': British Trade Unions and the Language of Labour Law Reform

A continuing debate exists among labour lawyers in the United Kingdom as to the most appropriate legal framework for the regulation of collective industrial action. Many have argued that a change in legal form will not in itself afford greater protection to union activity. Through an analysis of the changing approach of the trade union movement to the issue of 'immunities' and 'rights' during the Thatcher period, this article seeks to demonstrate that adoption of the 'rights' discourse in fact offered considerable strategic advantages. In consequence, any analysis of this question should not overlook the significant political role played by language.     

The impact of Māori cultural values on forensic science practice in New Zealand

Forensic science aims to serve society by advancing justice. It is accepted that some actions taken by the state in the interests of advancing justice, such as postmortem examinations, may impinge on values held by members of groups within society. Such actions have the potential to cause cultural offense. It is important that forensic scientists are aware of these issues and that as a profession we should take actions, where possible, to reduce any potential offense and consequently reduce unnecessary distress. This paper examines the impact of these issues on forensic practice in New Zealand, and, in particular, in relation to the cultural values of Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. Interviews and workshops were used to identify forensic practices involving a risk of cultural offense. Particular issues were identified in regard to crime scene attendance and examination, postmortem attendance and sample storage, disposal, and return. This paper describes the response developed by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited (ESR) to address these issues, including a cultural awareness training package and reference brochure.     

Climate Change: Legal Developments on Many Fronts

A dynamic set of diplomatic, political, and cultural forces is driving action on global climate change in many legal arenas. These include novel multi-state compacts to regulate certain emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), vigorous legislative initiatives by the new Congressional leadership, judicial actions seeking damages and injunctive relief, and private sector responses to the potential new liabilities and obligations associated with climate change. In this environment, pressure is mounting on the federal government to abandon its policy of encouraging voluntary reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and to adopt programs that will impose mandatory and uniform national emission requirements.     

Explaining the choice between alternative insolvency regimes for troubled companies in the UK and Sweden

Over the past 20 years UK and Swedish insolvency law has moved in the direction of company rescue rather than enforcing secured creditor priority. However, both countries show a low take up rate of rescue procedures. This paper uses a cost-benefit approach to examine the choices faced by key stakeholders using the now conventional transaction cost paradigm. The paper argues that it is predominantly the ex post indirect and time costs which explain the poor take up of customised rescue procedures. In both countries the ex ante cost of delay in filing also presents a tough challenge not fully addressed by policymakers. JEL Classification K22