THE EFFECT OF GENDER ON THE DECISION TO INCARCERATE BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF SENTENCING GUIDELINES*

The present study explores the relationships between gender and imprisonment decisions in Minnesota before and after the introduction of sentencing guidelines. Results from a series of logistic regression models indicate that gender alone did not have a significant impact on the likelihood of imprisonment, but women with dependent children were significantly less likely to be imprisoned before sentencing guidelines and in the years subsequent to their implementation. The findings suggest that despite the introduction of sentencing reforms, court officials tend to return to issues of substantive justice, and they appear unable to shed their individual or organizational ideas of fairness in sentencing.     

Determination of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in human amniotic fluid using high flow solid-phase extraction columns and HPLC.

A new solid-phase extraction procedure for the determination of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in amniotic fluid, using high flow co-polymeric sorbents is reported. The recoveries of cocaine and benzoylecgonine within the range 0.1-1 mg/l were 95.7% and 50.3%, respectively. The use of high-flow sorbents allowed the easy extraction of amniotic fluid regardless of sample viscosity or physical nature. The use of these solid-phase columns provided many advantages over the more commonly used solvent extraction, including an increase in extraction speed and efficiency, reduced operator time, reduced solvent use and disposal volumes and exceptional extract quality. Further, the determination of amniotic fluid obtained from pregnant cocaine users may provide important information about handling of cocaine by the fetus at various gestational ages. The procedure was successfully applied to amniotic fluid from suspected cocaine abusers.     

ENTER THE DRAGON: INSIDE CHINESE HUMAN SMUGGLING ORGANIZATIONS*

This paper examines the inner workings of Chinese human smuggling organizations. Contrary to widely held conceptions about Chinese organized crime, most alien smugglers are otherwise ordinary citizens whose familial networks and fortuitous social contacts have enabled them to pool resources to transport human cargoes around the world. They come from diverse backgrounds and form temporary alliances to carry out smuggling operations. With the exception of a shared commitment to making money, little holds them together. The smuggling organizations mostly resemble ad hoc task forces and are assembled for specific operations. These organizations have clear divisions of labor with limited hierarchical structures. We discuss the theoretical implications of their unique organizational characteristics.     

对南京农村集体经济产权制度变迁的研究报告

产权制度对资产的运营效率具有重要影响。近些年来,农村集体经济的产权制度变迁有加速之势,其深层次原因是承包制产权安排的效率不足和利益集团的利益获取动机强化,并因此而形成的博弈。由此,农村集体经济产权变迁的方向将是处置权的明晰化。     

关于做好新生代华侨华人工作的调查和思考

新生代华侨华人迅速崛起并呈现显著特点,海外统战工作就此进行新的探索,取得成效。要认清形势,提高对新生代华侨华人工作重要性和紧迫性的认识,依托载体,扩大宣传,推进华文教育,维护正当权益,促进华侨华人资源可持续增长。     

高校实践教学法律问题探析

高校的实践教学面临着高校、实习单位与学生之间权利义务关系的确定,实习期间学生的权益保护、学生和实习单位的人身或财产损害纠纷的解决等法律问题。从保护学生权益和平衡学生与实习（实训）单位利益关系的角度考虑,实践教学不仅应由教育法和民法调整,而且应将学生参加校外实习遇到的工伤问题、实习补贴、劳动安全、工作时间以及争议解决等突出问题纳入劳动法调整范围。此外,国家应完善高等教育立法和劳动立法,制定有关高校实践教学法律制度;高校应完善实践教学管理制度,建立高校实践教学风险防范机制。