Victim's scalp on the killer's head. An unusual case of criminal postmortem mutilation

A case of unusual postmortem mutilation of a victim's body is presented. After killing his father, the son decapitated his body and dissected the scalp free, forming a mask of the father's head and neck. The young man wore the scalp-mask over his own head to imitate the father. The motive of the murder was revenge, and the postmortem mutilation was the realization of the perpetrator's fantasies, symbolically representing a penalty for the reprehensible past life of his father.     

Campaign‐Style Enforcement and Regulatory Compliance

This article examines the recoupling mechanism of campaign‐style enforcement and its effects on environmental regulatory compliance. Drawing on the policy implementation literature and institutional theory, the authors develop a conceptual model of campaign‐style enforcement in which both resource mobilization and power redistribution are theorized to address decoupling problems in regulatory compliance. The two‐pathway recoupling mechanism is evidenced by an empirical investigation of the implementation of China's energy conservation and emission reduction policy as part of that country's 11th Five‐Year Plan. Findings suggest that campaign‐style enforcement can effectively improve regulatory compliance when it addresses the efficiency/legitimacy conflict by providing policy incentives and reorganizing a clear hierarchy of political authority. The article concludes with a discussion of the strengths and limitations of campaign‐style enforcement.     

Patronage,politics and performance: radio call-in programmes and the myth of accountability

The role of media in promoting political accountability and citizen participation is a central issue in governance debates. Drawing on research into the interactions between radio station owners, journalists, audiences and public authorities during Somali radio call-in programmes we argue that these programmes do not simply offer a new platform for citizens to challenge those who are governing but that they are also spaces where existing power structures reproduce themselves in new forms. We identify the ways the programmes are structured and the different motivations the audience has for participation. Three types of programmes are identified and their relationships with patronage, politics, and performance are examined. Rather than focusing on normative assumptions about the media as a tool of accountability, the article emphasises the importance of understanding radio programmes in their social and political environment, including the overlapping relationships between on-air and off-air networks.     

‘Developmental’ policies and rent: comparing Russia and Sub-Saharan Africa

The article evaluates the concept of ‘developmental’ policies, comparing post-communist Russia and Sub-Saharan African (SSA) states. Asian ‘developmental state’ policies have been identified as developmental because of successful industrial policies and leaders’ ability to implement them. The comparison shows that while these features have been absent in SSA, notably due to the trapping effects of commodity dependence, Russia exhibits an original dualistic model where the negative impact of commodity dependence (such as the creation of rents) is compatible with developmental industrial policies. The evidence presented demonstrates the importance of constraints that stem from both economic and political structures, in turn explaining variations in developmental policy effectiveness.     

What Happens the Morning After? The Costs and Benefits of Expanding Access to Emergency Contraception

Emergency contraception (EC) can prevent pregnancy after sex, but only if taken within 72 hours of intercourse. Over the past 15 years, access to EC has been expanded at both the state and federal level. This paper studies the impact of those policies. We find that expanded access to EC has had no statistically significant effect on birth or abortion rates. Expansions of access, however, have changed the venue in which the drug is obtained, shifting its provision from hospital emergency departments to pharmacies. We find evidence that this shift may have led to a decrease in reports of sexual assault.     

A Multilevel Framework for Effective Interagency Collaboration in Mental Health

The difficulty of coordinating service provision in interagency programs is a challenge for many working in public policy. We reflect on lessons learned through evaluating two inter‐agency supported housing programs for people with mental illness and propose a framework outlining components needed for well co‐ordinated service provision. We specify collaborative mechanisms at the policy, agency, service and client level. The key component is the role of an ‘integration coordinator': a person who is able to facilitate relationships and ensure effective information flows. Relationships need to be actively maintained to meet the inevitable challenges that will arise in complex interagency systems. The framework is relevant to policymakers across the public sector, including mental health, drug and alcohol, aged care, and policing.     

Zu den verfahrensrechtlichen Implikationen der Kompetenzverteilung zwischen der EG und den Mitgliedstaaten im Bereich der Außenbeziehungen

Grundsätzlich finden in Bezug auf die Kompetenzverteilung zwischen EU und Mitgliedsstaaten für die Verhandlung völkerrechtlicher Verträge und den Erlass von „Durchführungsbestimmungen“ im Rahmen völkerrechtliche Vertragsreihe die allgemeinen Grundsätze der Kompetenzverteilung im Bereich der Außenbeziehungen Anwendung. Diese sind aber mit Blick auf die spezifische Problematik von Verhandlung und Durchführung völkerrechtliche Verträge einer Reihe von Präzisierungen zugänglich, die im Folgenden entwickelt werden. Diese Fragestellung ist allgemein im Recht der Außenbeziehungen von Bedeutung; im Umweltbereich ist sie aber wegen der Fülle völkerrechtlicher Verträge der Gemeinschaft und ihrem Charakter als i.d.R. gemischte Verträge besonders relevant. Astrid Epiney ist Professorin für Europarecht, Völkerrecht und Öffentliches Recht an der Universität Fribourg (CH) und geschäftsführende Direktorin des Instituts für Europarecht der Universitäten Bern, Neuenburg und Fribourg. Domènique Gross ist wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin des Instituts für Europarecht.* Der Beitrag wurde im Zusammenhang mit einem vom Schweizerischen Nationalfonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung mitfinanzierten Projekt über die Kompetenzverteilung im Außenbereich zwischen EG und Mitgliedstaaten im Umweltbereich verfasst.