Offenders' lies and truths: an evaluation of the Supreme Court of Sweden's criteria for credibility assessment

Abstract

The criteria used by Swedish courts for assessing credibility of plaintiffs' accounts were for the first time scientifically evaluated. Furthermore, unlike much previous deception detection research, we used offenders as participants instead of college students. False and truthful confessions by 30 offenders were analysed, and few significant effects were obtained. Truthful confessions were rated as having a higher degree of clarity than false confessions. Women's truthful confessions were rated as more credible than their false confessions. The offenders who were most experienced in being interviewed by the police gave a stronger impression of talking about something self-experienced in their false than in their truthful confessions; hence, it seems that offenders with more police interview experience have developed a kind of expertise in telling a convincing lie about crime. Overall, the criteria for credibility assessment used by Swedish courts had very limited usefulness in discriminating truthful and false confessions. A critique of the current status of evaluating statements in Swedish courts is provided.     

Rationalism in Public Law

Rationalism is ‘the stylistic criterion of all respectable politics’. So lamented political philosopher Michael Oakeshott in a series of essays published in the 1940s and 1950s. Rationalism, for Oakeshott, is shorthand for a propensity to prioritise the universal over the local, the uniform over the particular and, ultimately, principle over practice. It culminates in the triumph of abstract principles over practical knowledge in a manner that erodes our ability to engage in political activity. Although Oakeshott's critique was made with the practice and study of politics in mind, it has a wider relevance. Rationalism, as we see it, has become the dominant style in public law. We draw upon Oakeshott's critique to elucidate the risks associated with rationalism in public law and call for a renewed engagement with practical knowledge in the study of the constitution.     

水牛瘤胃细菌及纤毛虫孕酮受体分析

本实验采用放射受体分析测定水牛瘤胃细菌及纤毛虫孕酮受体(PgR),其量用fmol/mg蛋白表示,作Scatchard图求其解离常数Kd。结果为:水牛瘤胃细菌PgR和纤毛虫PgR的最大结合容量分别是412.61±35.60和39.84±8.66fmol/mg蛋白;而其Kd值分别等于2.79±0.33×10~(-9)和8.46±0.50×10~(-11)M;此两种来源的受体与孕酮的结合表现出明显的专一性并随配基浓度的增加出现饱和。纤毛虫PgR的Scatchard曲线上凸,提示其与配基的结合较为复 杂,可能存在正协同效应;而细菌PgR与孕酮的结合较为均一,表现为其Scatchard曲线典型。竞争结合分析结果显示17β-雌二醇,皮质醇及睾酮与细菌PgR无交叉反应,醛固酮对之有微弱的竞争结合作用;纤毛虫PgR对皮质酮和醛固酮均有一定程度的竞争结合能力,但不结合17β-雌二醇和睾酮。     

气-质联用法（EI．PCI．NCI）在系统毒物分析中的应用

本文应用电子轰击质谱(EI),正、负化学电离质谱(PCI.NCI)技术,建立了315种常见毒,药物的气一质联用系统分析方法。并建立了 EIMS、PCIMS、NCIMS 质谱图谱库。司法鉴定实践表明使用气相保留指数,特征碎片和 EI、PCI、NCI 图谱库检索等多指标的系统分析方法,是未知物鉴定的强有力的工具。     

东北亚区域分工协作的走向——日本产业结构调整意图评析

中国经济高速增长 ,使东北亚日益成为世界关注的焦点 ,作为发达国家的日本 ,其经济和产业结构调整必然会对该地区的分工协作的发展产生重要影响。 1997年东南亚金融危机过后 ,除日本以外 ,东北亚各国和地区受贸易和投资的牵引 ,经济获得了较快的恢复和发展 ,贸易与投资格局也发生了变化。东北亚各国和地区具备开展分工协作的坚实基础 ,但同时也面临着诸多困难和障碍。作为东北亚惟一的发达国家日本 ,也正在积极推进产业结构调整 ,力争在今后本地区的分工协作中掌握主导权 ,但发展的现实和趋势说明 ,日本的这一企图是徒劳的     

美国对俄罗斯投资的发展现状及特点分析

俄罗斯与美国作为世界的两个大国 ,双方的经济合作关系及其发展状况备受世人关注。特别是 90年代以来 ,俄美出于各自的需要 ,积极努力推动双方在投资领域的合作 ,取得了一定成效。从目前走势来看 ,美国经济将步入增长性衰退期 ,投资收益率的下降使得美国资本向外转移的可能性增大 ,这为俄美在经贸、投资等领域的进一步合作提供了契机