Facts,power and global evidence: a new empire of truth

Abstract

What are the epistemological and political contours of evidence today? This introduction to the special issue lays out key shifts in the contemporary politics of knowledge and describes the collective contribution of the six papers as an articulation of what we describe as a ‘new empiricism’, exploring how earlier historical appeals to evidence to defend political power and decision-making both chime with and differ from those of the contemporary era. We outline some emerging empirical frontiers in the study of instruments of calculation, from the evolution of the randomized controlled trial (RCT) to the growing importance of big data, and explore how these methodological transformations intersect with the alleged crisis of expertise in the ‘post-truth’ era. In so doing, we suggest that the ambiguity of evidence can be a powerful tool in itself, and we relate this ambiguity to the ideological commitment and moral fervour that is elicited through appeals to, and the performance of, evaluation.     

Connecting research and practice: Perspectives on the role of manualized programs in youth work

While there is a strong movement in favor of the use of manual-based programs in the arena of social care, there is a view that such programs are not applicable in the more fluid setting of youth work, which operates informally, using dynamic and organic methods. A critical pedagogical approach to youth work engages young people by encouraging them to become inquisitive, to question why things are the way they are and to pose problems through which they can learn. For some, manualized or evidence-based programs are not seen as having a role in such contexts. However, to date, the international debate in relation to this issue has been limited by an absence of published studies focusing specifically on strategies to implement evidence-informed practice in youth work contexts. This article aims to address this gap in the literature. The Irish national youth organization Foróige, which works with more than 56,000 young people in Ireland on an annual basis, has developed a range of manualized evidence-informed resources to support its youth work over recent years. Drawing on research findings from a range of studies conducted with youth workers focusing on implementation of these resources, the article explores the benefits and tensions associated with the use of program manuals in a youth work context. The findings suggest that such resources have a valuable role to play in youth work if designed in collaboration with youth workers, showing respect for core youth work values and allowing for flexibility and adaptability in implementation.     

以科技侦查推动侦查模式的根本变革

现代社会,犯罪数量持续高发,犯罪类型不断衍生,犯罪手段不断升级,犯罪活动方式不断变化,给侦查工作带来了许多新的挑战。如果仍然以“人证为主”的侦查模式作为侦查工作的主导模式,必然导致侦查成本成倍增加,破案率大幅下降。侦查模式由“人证”向“物证”的转变势在必行。在实现刑事侦查模式的转化中,现代科学技术在实现现代“物证”的司法证明中发挥了巨大的作用。科学技术能客观、及时地提供科学证据,在未来的司法活动中将大显身手。     

非法证据排除中的“实质说理”与改革建议

关于非法证据排除规则,我国2012年《刑事诉讼法》确立了“非法言词与实物区别排除”,或者说,“强制排除与裁量排除相结合”的模式。当前,非法证据排除说理是整个刑事裁判文书说理的一个“短板”。在司法实践中,许多瑕疵证据、非法证据通过“补正”、“合理解释”被采纳,但缺乏“实质说理”。强化以审判为中心的诉讼制度改革,需要强化非法证据排除的“实质说理”。这一完善过程是艰巨的,涉及实体规则、程序规则、配套制度等方面的综合改革。从长远来看,有必要建构一独立自洽的针对证据合法性调查的“诉中诉”程序。     

专家证据的价值与我国司法鉴定制度的修改

随着科学技术的飞速发展,专家证据在诉讼中发挥着越来越重要的作用。在英美法系国家,专家证据制度在专家证人资格规定上的广泛性和选任上的自由性,使其在适用上具有灵活性和实用性的特点,其详细而完备的专家证据可采性规则,更是司法经验的积累与法官智慧的结晶。英美法系国家的专家证据制度和大陆法系的鉴定制度,在近些年的改革中呈现出共同的趋向,如启动程序的多样化、过错责任的严格化和庭审对抗的强化,这为完善我国司法鉴定制度、准确适用新刑诉法中有关专家辅助人的规定以及充分发挥专家证据的作用开启了新的思路。面对我国司法鉴定中依然相当混乱的鉴定主体问题,构建鉴定人、专家顾问和专家辅助人三位一体的司法鉴定主体格局,或许是一条比较合理可行的出路。     

玻璃破碎的物证分析研究

玻璃碎片及形态是案发现场常见的物证形式,开展对玻璃的物证分析研究,能够确定玻璃的来源与种类,推断玻璃破碎原因等,为案件的取证、重建和侦破提供线索和证据。简要介绍了常见玻璃的种类,分析了玻璃破碎的根本原因,总结了低速冲击和高速冲击下玻璃破碎的形态特征,还从玻璃碎片收集和检验两个方面探讨了玻璃实体物证的分析。     

测谎结论在证据网络体系中的价值解析——兼论测谎结论证据地位的发展趋势

测谎技术作为一项查明案件事实真相,揭露谎言的重要刑事技术在案件的侦查过程中发挥着越来越重要的作用,但国内外理论界对测谎技术的应用和测谎结论的法律地位却莫衷一是,争议颇多。因此文章在分析测谎结论证据资格以及目前法律地位的基础上,对测谎结论作为证据使用的可能性和未来发展趋势进行了诠释,以期进一步明晰测谎结论在证据网络中的价值。     

视频侦查技术工作的现状和思考

视频侦查技术是继刑侦、技侦、网侦之后的第四大侦查技术,给公安工作带来了新的破案技术支撑和增长点.视频侦查技术是强化社会治安控制的有效手段,对提高侦查机关打击犯罪的效能具有重大意义.尽快将这一新兴的侦查技术广泛应用到公安实战,发挥其巨大作用,是当前研究的重点.     

加拿大刑事司法相关制度对我国的启示

加拿大刑事司法相关制度颇具特色,对我国具有重要的借鉴意义。我们要逐步完善未成年犯罪人权利的特殊保护制度;完善警检协作关系;合理引入辩诉交易制度;建立健全证据开示制度。