IT PFI Projects: TECHNOLOGY OBSOLESCENCE AND PFI-AN UNEASY UNION?

Failed IT projects cost the taxpayer millions every year and consequently there is an increasing recognition that IT projects must be sufficiently flexible to deal with the never-ending revolution in the field of information technology. This article explores the issues involved.     

Are Property Rights Ever Basic Human Rights?

Stealing from someone is not as bad as torturing, killing or raping them. But is the difference between theft and these fundamental violations simply a difference in degree (of severity)? I begin this article by outlining several ways in which the moral grounds for property rights differ in kind from those for basic human rights, differences that underpin and explain the difference in severity. I go on to ask whether, despite these differences, there might be some property rights that we should still classify as basic human rights.     

Disclosure and enablement: the House of Lords clarifies the law on novelty

In this important decision on the law of novelty, the Houseof Lords has reformulated, without significantly changing, theGeneral Tire test for a novelty-destroying prior disclosure,confirming that the requirement of enablement is distinct fromthat of disclosure.     

Predicting the effectiveness of treatment for pedophilia

Assessment of progress in a treatment program for pedophiles and the prediction of risk of future offenses are based upon change along four parameters: decreased objective sexual arousal to child stimuli based on negative conditioning and penile tumescence monitoring, decreased emotional congruence with children, improvement in meaningful adult relationships, and effective therapy for disinhibiting factors. The latter three are measured by rating scales completed by both patients and staff. Although statistical analysis of recidivism is in progress, it may not reflect the true frequency of reoffenses. The ability to predict successful treatment is still limited to theoretical and subjective indices.     

An analysis of compliance officer: Attitudes towards insider dealing

Influenced by the work of Edwin Sutherland and followers, this case study focuses upon the attitudes of the Compliance Officers employed by the British financial services industry in the aftermath of the Financial Services Act of 1986. The Act sought to provide an all-embracing series of rules for the conduct of investment business, pollced by specially appointed officials. A survey of Compliance Officers establishes that there is considerable similarity in viewpoints between officers and practitioners. The Officers have weak positions in their organisations and do not appear likely to provide a sufficient degree of regulatory oversight to enable insider dealing to be efficiently detected, investigated and prosecuted.