Real-world assignments for restorative justice education

Academic coursework on restorative justice is rapidly emerging in professional schools. As members of applied disciplines entrusted to serve the public good, students must be readily able to transfer classroom-based learning into real world application. This paper describes a weekend intensive, multidisciplinary graduate school course and how three ‘real world’ assignments are used to integrate restorative justice values, principles, and practices. The assignments include interviews with criminal justice representatives, group projects that propose restorative justice practices for addressing social issues and legal cases, and participation in community-based programs. The assignments use processes grounded in experiential learning theory to underscore various dimensions of restorative justice. They also convey and deepen the understanding of restorative justice principles and practices while at the same time develop a sense of moral agency in students.     

Audit Committees and Accountability in Local Government: A National Survey

Abstract

Financial scandals in city governments have received increased publicity in recent years. Audit committees have been suggested as a way review and improve standards and procedures for financial accountability. Audit committees assist local government managers in overseeing and monitoring the financial accounting and auditing process. They provide a communication link between elected officials, municipal managers, and independent auditors. This study relies on national survey data to examine the prevalence, role, and composition of audit committees in cities with populations over 65,000 and the conditions affecting their use and effectiveness. Interviews and a brief case study supplement survey data to provide richer detail regarding the performance of audit committees in ensuring improved accountability.     

The French Constitutional Law of 23 July 2008 as seen by MPs: Working or Talking Parliament?

The French constitutional law of 2008 is, with the modification of 47 articles, the most important revision of the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, at least in quantitative terms. Surprisingly, there have been few attempts to evaluate the effects of the reform, whose official aim was to improve the status of the role of the (traditionally weak) French parliament. The purpose of this contribution is to analyse how MPs themselves judge this reform and its effects, especially on the role of the parliament and its everyday work. To do so we make use of the data of the LEGIPAR research project (September 2009–January 2011): 227 MPs answered closed and open questions about their perception of parliamentary work in face-to-face interviews. The data of the project DEPASTRA (2005–6) allow for a comparison with MPs' positions before the vote of the constitutional revision of 2008.     

切实加强职代会建设进一步深化国企改革

促进《天津市人民政府关于进一步深化国有企业改革的意见》的顺利实施,离不开相关企业职代会作用的发挥,同时离不开职代会民主程序的认真履行。     

中国人权意识现状及其培养略谈

人权意识是尊重人权,保护人权和人权保障的前提.从黑窑事件可见中国社会人权意识淡薄,尤其人格尊严和人格平等意识长期缺失,独立自主的主体人格难以建立,导致人权建设发展缓慢,因此,应加强对人权意识的研究、宣传和培养,以全面提升全社会的人权意识,促进社会主义社会人权事业的发展.     

司法改革背景下审委会制度的再思考

审委会改革是司法改革的重要环节。由于制度设计和运作程序上存在诸多问题,审委会制度“瑕疵”日益凸显,因此必须顺应司法改革的时势,遵循司法审判的规律,对现存审委会制度进行改革。     

论国际奥委会的法律地位:一种国际法学的分析

对国际奥委会的法律性质的研究主要集中在国际人格、国际法律人格(国际法主体)、国际组织以及非政府组织等几个方面。国际奥委会是可以永久存在的国际性、非政府、非营利的组织,具备国际人格,但不是国际公法主体。《奥林匹克宪章》只能是体育运动领域的国际习惯,是国际体育法的渊源,但不具备习惯国际法的性质。     

Winnowing in Environmental Policy: Jurisdictional Challenges and Opportunities

While scholars developed an understanding of the processes moving issues from the systemic to the institutional agenda, we know little about the inner workings of the institutional agenda. Winnowing theory addresses this gap by examining the leadership, bill sponsor, and contextual factors helping bills move through the institutional agenda. By expanding winnowing theory to incorporate a fragmented policy domain, the environment, we find that multiple referral status actually helps a bill's chances of receiving attention and passing through the committee.     

试论审判委员会制度的改革和完善

审判委员会制度是我国独具特色的一项司法审判制度。随着我国民主法制建设的不断深入 ,其缺陷也日益暴露出来。主要表现在 :审判委员会履行法定职责不够全面 ;审判委员会制度与现代诉讼制度的基本原则相矛盾 ;审判委员会组织的行政化难以保证审判质量 ;审判委员会制度不利于落实错案追究制度。改革审判委员会制度必须立足于当代中国的国情和政情 ,准确界定重大、疑难案件的范围 ,严格控制提交审判委员会讨论案件的数量 ,转变审判委员会的职能 ;规范审判委员会讨论案件的程序 ,建立委员间接听审制度、回避制度、审判委员会讨论案件的时限制度、说明理由制度及记录签阅制度 ;改革司法权行政化模式 ,实行审判委员会委员精英化。     

中国行政诉讼举证责任分配机制研究

行政诉讼举证责任是在双方当事人举证能力穷尽,而案件的证明仍处于"悬案"状态下所启用的一种司法推测机制。最大程度的获得贴近客观现实的司法推测,是司法公正的集中体现。行政诉讼举证责任的分配,其实质是当事人之间诉讼利益的风险分担。单一的举证责任分配原则,是无法适应复杂的行政诉讼实践需要的,以公民权对抗行政权的行政诉讼,其诉讼宗旨注定了行政诉讼举证责任分配原则的确立,应在坚持保障人权和司法公正的法律理念指导下,建立起一个以请求权人承担权利形成要件的证明责任为基础、以遇有疑问时有利于自由民等标准为补充的多层次综合分配体机制。