The Fox and the Hunters: How IC Technologies Change the Crime Race

The article deals with the impact of new technologies on crime. Specifically, the analysis develops two aspects: an analysis of how new technologies are reshaping criminal typologies, dynamics and trends; and an analysis of the most important challenges that legislation, law enforcement and science have to face in order to prevent and combat Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)-related crime. From the methodological perspective, each section opens with a specific question and develops by trying to find a suitable answer. The paper starts by analysing what impact new technologies have on society and crime. It continues by examining how criminal patterns are changing (How does ICT facilitate the commission of new and traditional crimes?) and who these criminals are (Are criminals really going cyber?). It ends by focusing on the other side, on how crime is prevented and combated (How are technologies reshaping the approach and the fight against crime at legal, law enforcement and scientific levels?). The analysis and the results achieved show that new technologies are valuable means in the hand of both criminals and institutions involved in the fight against crime. There is thus an urgent need to improve knowledge about the phenomena, and develop new paradigms and theories together with best practices.     

Potential impact on birth rates of reforms in laws governing contraceptive marketing

This article attempts to estimate the potential impact on birth rates of relaxing various legal restrictions on the marketing of contraceptives and to identify countries offering particular potential for such policies. The approach is through a quasi-experimental cross-sectional analysis of various configurations of laws in 82 countries. Results indicate that relaxation of a complex of interrelated restrictions offers the potential to lower birth rates and hence population growth by a full percentage point. The estimates are made in context of an analysis of covariance in which other key determinants of birth rates (measures of economic, demographic and health status) are also considered. While the cross-sectional design does not allow assessment of time frame for the impact of such changes, some guidance is available from the experience of two countries.