Re-calibrating,re-visioning and re-thinking self-regulation in Canada

Several jurisdictions, most notably Australia and the United Kingdom, have recently abandoned a regime of self-regulation of the legal profession. In this paper the authors review recent developments in Canada to argue that there has been a significant increase in the regulatory vigour of law societies and suggest that, at least in part, this is driven by the fear of losing self-regulation. In the latter part of the paper the authors then attempt to assess whether defensive self-regulation is working and propose an evaluative scheme and series of metrics by which to assess effectiveness and efficiency of a regulatory regime. They conclude by suggesting an innovative institutional mechanism that would have the legitimacy and capability to perform such an assessment.     

Psychoactive drugs in the road traffic in the legal and consultative aspects—Experience gained by the Forensic Medicine Department, Silesian University of Medicine, Katowice

Introduction

In the years 1997–2007 in the Forensic Medicine Department, Silesian University of Medicine, Katowice a total of 785 blood samples collected from drivers being the perpetrators of road accidents was tested for the presence of psychoactive drugs.

Methods

The studies took advantage of FPIA (Abbott), ELISA (Neogen), LC–MS and GC FID.

Results

21% of tested samples were positive. In the blood of the driver cannabinoids, amphetamine and its derivatives were most frequently found. Moreover, individual opium alkaloids, their combinations with barbiturates, benzodiazepines or amphetamine, benzodiazepine derivatives (isolated cases), drugs of benzodiazepine group in combination with barbiturates, tramadol or tricyclic anti-depressants (isolated cases), carbamazepine, phenotiazine, cocaine, dibenzepine, benzene, toluene and acetone were determined.

Conclusion

The obtained results showed cannabinoids and amphetamine derivatives to be the most frequent whereas opium alkaloids, barbiturates and benzodiazepines rather rare psychoactive drugs found in the tested blood samples of the drivers involved in the road accidents. The authors suggest screening psychoactive drugs not only in drivers involved in road accidents but also those put through the routine road check procedures. While giving opinions on the influence of the above mentioned drugs on the psychophysical efficiency of road traffic users, drugs and compounds which are not subject to legal control but have an effect on the human psychomotor efficiency and thus, enhance the risk of the road accident should be also taken into account.     

Disproportionate minority contact in the Dutch juvenile justice system

To examine whether disproportionate minority contact (DMC) exists in the Netherlands, the representation of minority youth was determined for all stages of the juvenile justice system. Using native Dutch youth as a reference group, the odds ratios (OR) to be registered and arrested as suspect, for alternative punishment and for incarceration, were calculated for the minority youth. In all stages of the juvenile justice system, the ORs for minority youths were considerably higher, except for alternative punishment, having lower ORs. This indicates that DMC exists in the Netherlands. DMC should be politicized and programs should be developed to eliminate this inequality.     

Whitewashing: How Obama Used Implicit Racial Cues as a Defense Against Political Rumors

Political Behavior - Although Barack Obama won the presidency in 2008, some Whites nevertheless penalized him because of his race. In part, these penalties involved persistent rumors about his...