The Deterrent Effects of Automobile Insurance and Tort Law: A Survey of the Empirical Literature

One of the central issues in the debate concerning no-fault insurance is the question of whether tort damages can deter accidents. Although a large, scientific literature exists which could cast light on this question, the participants in the debate have made little reference to that literature. In an attempt to rectify this omission, the following paper surveys a large segment of the statistical results, and comments on the implications which those results have for the no- fault debate.     

CRIME AS AN OCCUPATION

Students of crime have traditionally stressed the uniqueness of the criminal world and have developed special concepts in their attempt to explain the functioning of this “special” domain. In contrast, others in the field have asserted that the concepts used to investigate the coventional world can also be employed to provide insight into its criminal counterpart. This sentiment has been particularly evident among those who have utilized the concept of “occupation” to analyze criminal behavior. Building on the “crime as work” perspective, this research illustrates that, similar to conventional occupations, criminal work is stratified by prestige and stereotyped by sex. Further, the data suggest that Davis and Moore's (1945) functional theory may be a useful explanation not only of the stratification of conventional work but of criminal occupations as well.     

No Blues in Beijing

Foreign acts are coming to play - and stay - onChina's vibrant music scene. THERE was a time whenWestern music in Beijingwas provided by a hardcore of Filipino coverbands and the odd part-time collective of embassy staff andforeign journalists. Today, however,foreign acts are coming to Beijing toplay - and stay. Many hotels in the citycontinue to hire Filipino groups butacts have increasingly been comingfrom more diverse places. Trained atone of Bulgaria's most prestigiousuniversities, Ir…     

The Seriousness of Crime Revisited: Have Attitudes Toward White-Collar Crime Changed?

Social commentators have often observed that the public is indifferent to white-collar criminality. However, the growing attention that white-collar crime has received in recent years raises the possibility of changes in the public's perceptions of such violations. By replicating Rossi et al.'s survey in 1972 of the seriousness of 140 offenses, the present research presents data indicating that white-collar crime has increased in seriousness more than any other offense category, but that it is still viewed as less serious than most other forms of illegality. When different types of white-collar crime were analyzed, we found considerable variation in ratings, with high a degree of seriousness attributed to offenses involving physical harm. Further, while all categories of white-collar criminality increased in seriousness, attitudinal changes have been particularly apparent toward two types, Violent and Corporate Price-Fixing.