Growth curves of deviant behavior in early adolescence: A multilevel analysis

Multilevel growth curve models provide a means of analyzing individual differences in the growth of deviance, allow a number of theories to be integrated in a single model, and can help to unify research on deviant/delinquent/criminal careers at different stages of the life cycle. Building on the distinction between population heterogeneity and state dependence as alternative explanations of persistent individual differences in deviance (Heckman, 1981; Nagin and Paternoster, 1991), we show that models with two levels can be used to represent and analyze a variety of criminological theories. The first level (level 1) uses repeated measurements on individuals to estimate individual-level growth curves. The second level treats the level 1 growth curve parameters (e.g., slope, intercept) as outcome variables and uses time-invariant factors to explain variation in these parameters across individuals. We illustrate this approach by estimating a model of growth in deviance drawn from Gottfredson and Hirschi's deviant propensity theory. An innovative feature is the assumption that adolescents' expected growth curves of deviance follow a classical Pearl-Verhulst logistic growth model (Pearl, 1930). The results suggest that five risk factors—parental psychiatric problems, lack of parental support, living arrangements with zero or one parent in residence, low family income, and male gender—have strongly positive effects on deviant propensity. For example, adolescents with no supportive parents, and no other risk factors, have expected asymptotic levels of deviance (peak levels attained at about age 18) that are about twice as high as those of adolescents with no risk factors. Yet more than two-thirds of the individual-level variability in growth curves is unexplained by the five risk factors. This unobserved heterogeneity would remain hidden in analyses using conventional structural equations models and the same explanatory variables.     

Microgeographic variation of Y-chromosome haplotypes in Italy

Within an Italian collaborative exercise on the extended haplotype of the Y-chromosome, 1288 subjects were typed by the AmpFlSTR YFiler Amplification Kit (AB Applied Biosystems) and other 526 were typed by the PowerPlex Y^® System (Promega). The sampling scheme included either a “regional” or a “local” recruitment, the first referring to individuals born in the region of the participating lab, the second referring to individuals coming from small villages. Total sample sizes were N = 954 and 860, respectively. A significant decrease of haplotype diversity was found in the local samples. The results may be of interest in forensic applications of the Y-chromosome.     

Privacy and personal data protection in China: An update for the year end 2009

This paper explores developments in privacy and data protection regulation in China. It argues that, since China is an emerging global economic power, the combination of domestic social economic development, international trade and economic exchange will encourage China to observe international standards of privacy and personal data protection in its future regulatory response.     

Exploring the social organisation and structure of stolen data markets

As consumers are increasingly using the Internet to manage their finances, there has been a concomitant increase in the risk of theft and fraud by cybercriminals. Hackers who acquire sensitive consumer data utilise information on their own, or sell the information in online forums for a significant profit. Few have considered the organisational composition of the participants engaged in the sale of stolen data, including the presence of managerial oversight, division of labour, coordination of roles and purposive associations between buyers, sellers and forum operators. Thus, this qualitative study will apply Best and Luckenbill's framework of social organisation to a sample of threads from publicly accessible web forums where individuals buy and sell stolen financial information. The implications of this study for criminologists, law enforcement, the intelligence community and information security researchers will be discussed in depth.     

从不可见数据获得计算机犯罪证据和线索

有经验的犯罪分子都会尽可能地销毁在系统中留下的痕迹，他们使用的方法通常是删除系统日志和相关文件。因此取证工作往往需要从不可见数据中获得证据和线索，通过特定的技术手段进行分析还原电子证据的真实形态，为案件提供证据支持。     

Microgeographic genetic variation of Y chromosome in a population sample of Ravenna's area in the Emilia-Romagna region (North of Italy)

The analysis of the genetic structure of regions with a complex demographic history shed light on the various topographic, linguistic and historical influences which form the present genetic landscape of Europe. In the Emilia-Romagna region (North of Italy) Ravenna is a geographical area with a historical complex background: it was an important seaport on the Mediterranean sea, the capital of the Ostrogothic kingdom of Italy and the seat of the Byzantine governor of Italy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the microgeographic variation of Y chromosome haplotypes of the area of Ravenna by analyzing 17 Y-chromosome short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) in 122 unrelated males. 100% of all haplotypes were different. A comparison with neighbouring Italian as well as with European and Levante root populations was done by AMOVA and visualized by a phylogenetic tree. The two main haplogroups found in this area were R1b and E3b1. The results of the present study add to the data for the forensic databases and can be useful also for anthropological studies.     

美国行政法法官集中使用制度研究

行政法法官是美国行政法中颇具特色的制度,上世纪40年代,加州试验将部分行政法法官集中合署办公,由此掀开地方行政法法官集中使用制度的序幕。行政法法官集中使用制度的理论、地方实践、成功经验和推行行政法法官集中使用制度的前景,对行政法法官制度乃至美国行政法的这一新发展更深入地了解,对完善我国有关行政法律制度将会有所借鉴和帮助。     

加强基层公安材料工作之我见

当前县级公安机关普遍存在的整体书写水平不高、材料意识不强、文秘工作滞后的状况 ,与公安面临的形势、任务、要求极不相称 ,与新时期人民警察素质要求相差甚远。必须加强基层公安材料工作 :思想上高度重视 ,确定材料工作的“向导”地位 ;认真搞好材料基本功的培训 ,练好选题功、调研功、写作功、综合功、开发功 ;不断增强政治敏锐性和工作责任心 ,关注国内外斗争形势 ,勤于思考 ,跟踪报道 ,迎难而上 ;把握好材料的质量、效用 ,求新、求精、求实、求快 ;正确处理材料与工作的关系 ,努力工作 ,认真总结 ,通过材料争取地位和作用。     

电子合同中数据电文的形式要求探析

各国相关立法和国际立法均对电子合同中的数据电文做了特殊的形式要求。这种特殊形式要求主要是"功能等同原则",即数据电文满足一定条件即可实现纸质记录的功能,而不是简单地数据电文等同于纸面记录。文章对相关立法对电子合同中数据电文的形式要求进行了比较分析。     

Y chromosome microsatellite genetic variation in two Native American populations from Argentina: Population stratification and mutation data

Two Native American populations from North and northwest regions of Argentina (Toba and Colla) were analyzed for 17 Y chromosome short tandem repeat loci (Y-STRs), namely, DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS385, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635 and GATA H4.1. Over 357 allele transfers, two one-step mutations could be detected at DYS456 and GATA H4.1 loci. A new 16.1 ‘micro-variant’ allele was observed for DYS385, characterized by an insertion at the fifth GAAA repeat. We also observed two alleles at the DYS448 locus in three samples (two from Toba and one from Colla). A total of 34 and 16 different haplotypes were detected for Toba and Colla, respectively, the former with a haplotype diversity value of 0.9769 ± 0.01, whereas 0.9497 ± 0.02 for the latter. Significant population differences were observed between Colla and Toba, at least in part, due to a more prevalent European input in the Colla. In agreement with this observation is the fact that the genetic distances between Colla and Iberian populations are lower than those observed between Iberian and any other Native American population. The results of multiscaling dimensional analysis and genetic distances (Rst) among Native American population samples also reflect this fact. The data show the existence of clear population stratification in the Argentina, a fact that should be taken into account in forensic casework.