Most in Need But Least Served: Legal and Practical Barriers to Special Immigrant Juvenile Status for Federally Detained Minors

Abused, neglected, and abandoned immigrant youth face numerous obstacles to physical safety, including potential repatriation (deportation) to abusive caretakers from whom they fled. In recognition of the special needs of abused children, Congress enacted Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) to provide a previously unavailable child welfare defense to deportation. The remedy is contingent upon a State court declaration that the youth is, in fact, in need of protection. However, unlike their counterparts in foster care or guardianships, youth detained by the federal government face numerous practical and legal roadblocks to accessing the necessary State court declarations. This article identifies several gaps in State laws which impede detained youths' access to State court declarations, and proposes several remedies which would enable the States to carry out Congress' intent that detained youth have access to SIJS, regardless of detention status.     

Palatal rugae pattern in a Portuguese population: a preliminary analysis

Palatal rugae have been related with specific racial groups and are said to be useful in sex discrimination. This work aimed to characterize the palatal rugae patterns in a Portuguese population. Fifty plaster casts were examined for first and third rugae shape evaluation; shape, frequency, and association with sex were studied. In females, the most prevalent first rugae were the straight type on the right and the curve type on the left; in males, the straight type was the most prevalent on both sides. The most frequent third rugae type was sinuous on both sides, in both sexes. No significant sexual dimorphism in rugae shape was found (p > 0.05). When comparing these results with those from other investigations, it was clear that a particular rugae pattern could be established for different ethnic groups. However, the small sample size justifies further work in larger samples to validate these findings.     

Public investment in private problems: legal aid and the family justice system

This paper examines findings from the Legal Aid Board Research Unit's Case Profiling Study in the light of the current reform programmes for both legal aid and family law. The findings relate to over 650 legally aided family cases including divorce, separation, ancillary relief and Children Act 1989 applications. The main aim of the study was to gain a better understanding of what is currently funded by the legal aid fund. Costs have been related to stages of cases and to the strategies employed by solicitors. Finally, I comment on the future role of legal aid in family law, suggesting that, to a large extent, public investment will be maintained. Remuneration of service providers will evolve as systems of contracting are introduced in January 2000. There will be continued emphasis on family mediation as an alternative method of dispute resolution. However, cases involving issues relating to children and their welfare will remain within the scope of public support. Domestic violence and other emergency issues will also merit high priority. Although there will be extensive changes in other areas of legal aid, family law appears to remain relatively unscathed.     

The Obligations and Expectations of Couples Within Families: Three Modes of Interaction

What kinds of family structures emerge after a couple relationship is formed? How are obligations perceived towards the family of origin and the family of the partner? How are obligations perceived towards the older generation and towards children? How are conflicts of interest approached or resolved? How are the obligations arising from these personal relationships affected by gender, ethnicity, culture and religion? This paper reports some findings from a qualitative study of 39 men and women aged 25–40 which investigates the social context for the legal regulation of couple relationships; whether marriage, cohabitation or civil partnerships.     

我国CFO应如何面对新挑战

本文探讨了CFO的起源及作用;分析了我国CFO的现状、存在的主要问题和成因;针对我国CFO在新形势下面临的新挑战,提出了解决问题的对策。     

印度尼西亚政府克服贫困的新举措——家庭希望计划(PKH)

印度尼西亚政府于2007年建立了家庭希望计划,该计划属于有条件现金转移支付项目,它要求受助家庭把获得的救助金用于家庭中儿童的人力资本发展,因此,相应条件的设定主要集中在教育、营养和健康方面,体现了明显的促进发展的功能。虽然该计划还存在一定问题,但计划已初见成效,印度尼西亚的贫困问题尤其是儿童贫困问题通过该计划的实施得到了缓解,这对中国社会救助的发展完善具有一定的启示意义。     

晚清领事保护的发展及其局限

对于领事保护的推动,就融合有政治与人权双重因素。当然,这一双重因素的影响又是随着历史的发展而有所不同的。尽管世界最早的领事保护实践可以追溯至古希腊城邦时期,而中国最早的领事保护实践却只能追溯至晚清时期。当时的清政府迫于内外压力,逐步转变对华侨的"叛民"、"罪民"和"弃民"等观念,从而展开了"立约保护"、"领事机关的调查与交涉"等形式(甚至还包括军舰巡航等军事方式)的领事保护。晚清政府领事保护的发展是与其华侨观念及政策的转变密切相关的。清政府华侨政策和领事保护的变化,根本上还是以巩固和发展清朝的统治为出发点的,政治因素在其中居于主导地位。这也就是"家国一体"型国家的局限性所在。     

家事诉讼中法院证据调查制度研究——以我国诉讼模式的转换为背景

在我国立法和司法实践中,并没有明确家事诉讼与一般民事诉讼的区别,缺乏对家事诉讼的特殊性的考虑,尤其是在证据调查领域。在当事人主义诉讼模式下,当事人在举证不能或者遇到困难时,缺乏救济的方式和途径,法院也严格遵循一般民事纠纷的举证原则,不予主动调查。同时,法官的依职权介入容易被指责为职权主义的回归,从而有违法官中立的原则。在我国民事诉讼模式转型的背景下,家事诉讼中法院证据调查权不仅从实质正义的视角出发促进了中立原则的实现,而且弥补了当事人主义诉讼模式存在的缺陷。     

亲属拒证权制度与亲属伦理结构关系研究

亲属拒证权制度因有助于维护良好的亲属伦理秩序而得到世界各国的普遍认可,这一制度与社会亲属伦理结构之间存在紧密联系。亲属拒证权制度是社会主流亲属伦理观在刑事证人制度中的体现;亲属拒证权制度的制度设计对社会伦理结构具有引导作用,二者之间是一种决定与引导的互动关系。应当根据我国当前亲属伦理结构现状完善亲属拒证权制度,亦应当利用亲属拒证权制度确立的契机引导良好亲属伦理结构的巩固与完善。     

试论以人民为中心的发展思想

以人民为中心的发展思想充分体现了中国共产党对"价值行动与价值宗旨"的集体智慧,是对新时代我们党治国理政的"为了谁、依靠谁"的精辟总结。文章主要从中华优秀传统文化、马克思主义唯物史观、中国共产党人百年追求等角度来深刻阐述这一重要思想的背景渊源;从以人民为中心的发展思想的根本目的、发展原则、力量源泉、价值取向来把握其思想内核;从丰富了中国特色社会主义发展理念的理论内涵、为我们党的治国理政提供了行动指南、汇聚为伟大复兴中国梦的奋进之力等方面来正确认识以人民为中心发展思想的价值意蕴。