Prison visitation as human ‘right’ or earned ‘privilege’? The differing tales of England/Wales,and Scotland

Prison visitation has been widely recognised as an important feature of a just and humane prison system, providing important benefits for prisoners and their family in maintaining ties. However, emphasis on maintaining prisoner–family ties over the sentence has remained a low priority for the prison service in England and Wales, with prison visits ideologically framed as a ‘privilege’ rather than a ‘right’ for prisoners. This paper contrasts England and Wales with Scotland where a diverging approach to supporting visitation and family contact has been implemented. In Scotland, a strong focus on human rights as a justification for these policies has occurred, in tandem with more palatable historical context of penal welfarism. This paper assesses differences between the two governmental approaches to prison visitation, situated in discussion of some of the broader resettlement outcomes which may be garnered via these policy responses.     

Preferences and agreement in legislative parties: testing the causal chain

This research note focuses on two specific dimensions of legislative cohesion: the homogeneity of preferences within a party and party agreement. Although these two dimensions have often been considered as synonyms, it is argued that these two concepts refer to different realities. The authors therefore develop distinct measurements for these two concepts. The authors then examine their statistical relationship, putting to the test the widespread assumption that heterogeneous preferences increase the probability of disagreement. The authors do so by testing the effect of different measures of a member of parliament’s ideological distance to her/his party on her/his self-reported frequency of disagreement with her/his party. It is demonstrated that the causal chain linking both concepts is only verified in the case of a conscious ideological distance. The results have crucial theoretical and methodological implications for future research on party cohesion and party unity.     

HMP/YOI Holloway: a lament but also a call to arms

Abstract

London’s oldest women’s prison is to close in 2016. The unexpected speed of the UK Government’s closure plans and the lack of alternatives for London women are a cause for concern but also an opportunity. Ironically, this announcement came at a time when both the prison and its health care were evaluated as better than ever before. Staff constitute a vital source of knowledge and expertise. Good care for women who offend relies on these ingredients. Learning from the last decade should be salvaged and further developed.     

CURRENT TRENDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHINESE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

The Law on the Protection of Disabled Persons is the first social security legislation in China, with more than 50 laws directly related to the legal protection of the rights of persons with disabilities and career development for people with disabilities. In terms of employment protections for people with disabilities, it is important to focus on effective legal implementation, utilizing legal rulings to limit employment discrimination against people with disabilities. Educational protections are an important precondition for enabling people with disabilities to live with dignity; it should be guaranteed that people with disabilities are provided “reasonable accommodation” in educational conditions. A barrier-free environment is a necessary condition for social integration of people with disabilities. At the same time, it also benefits other members of the society such as the elderly. Through rehabilitation and exercise, most people with disabilities can return to the society to a significant degree. China should gradually expand the legislative scope of rehabilitation service fee reductions and legal categories of auxiliary appliances, issuing guiding documents that provide specifications for the relevant “dormant” legal provisions.     

关于律师为振兴东北老工业基地提供法律服务的思考

在振兴东北老工业基地中 ,律师作为民主与法制建设及“振兴”的重要力量 ,应充分发挥职能作用 ,选择好服务定位 ,处理好的各种复杂的法律关系 ,努力提高执业能力 ,以适应现实需要和长远发展。     

从国际法视角看和平崛起

中国的和平崛起战略是在长时间地学习、适应国际法之后提出来的,具有充分的合法性。和平崛起符合国际法的基本原则,是对国际法的历史性突破,它势必推动国际法的创新,加快国际政治、经济新秩序的建立,对维护世界的和平与发展具有重大的意义。     

保持共产党员先进性是党的先进性建设的基础工程

保持共产党员先进性是实践“三个代表”重要思想,提高党的执政能力,全面建设小康社会,巩固党的执政地位的迫切需要。保持党员先进性必须努力提高思想理论素质和能力,坚定理想信念,模范遵守党纪国法,在本职岗位创一流业绩,建立保持先进性长效机制。     

春秋时期山西境内北狄的华夏化及其对华夏族的影响

春秋时期,北狄是山西境内少数部族中的重要一支,在与华夏族的交往中,晋国通过通婚、和戎和启土政策、结盟与兼并战争的策略促使北狄华夏化完成;受华夏族影响,北狄在政治、经济、文化上得以进步,同时对华夏族也产生了一定的影响。     

韦伯中国命题与东亚资本主义的发展

韦伯一个世纪前提出的新教伦理与资本主义精神的关系在东亚资本主义发展过程中具有相当的关切性,它体现在韦伯中国命题的相关内容中.自从韦伯命题诞生以来,出现了大量研究东亚现代化的学者对韦伯命题的解释和回应,但这些观点却并不足以完全否证韦伯命题.韦伯命题中包含的合理内核依然是我们理解东亚传统文化与现代化之间关系的重要路径.