Effectiveness of private finance initiatives (PFI): study of private financing for the provision of capital assets for schools

The study reported in this paper explores how effective Public Private Partnerships (PPP) have been as critical providers of capital assets within the state education sector in the UK. Specifically, the research investigates the impact on educational provision of the UK government's contentious £43 billion Private Finance Initiative (PFI). The inquiry focuses on 27 English Local Education Authorities (LEAs) currently or recently involved in PFI. The investigation examines the effect of PFI's on LEA decision‐making processes and discusses these authorities assessment of the UK government's current PFI strategy. An evaluation of PFI as a source of sustainable finance is reported as well as recommendations made for LEAs currently considering adoption of PFI. Through such analysis, this study seeks to de‐layer and ascertain the influence of complex external environmental influences and stakeholders that need to be taken into account in order to make PPPs work. The paper concludes by presenting the critical considerations for enhancing the working relationship between private and public sector partners. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Influence of Future Certainty and Contextual Factors on Delinquent Behavior and School Adjustment Among African American Adolescents

This study examined the ability of future certainty—an individual's perception of future stability, operationalized as the likelihood of certain life outcomes–to explain variance in delinquency and school adjustment, while controlling for economic, neighborhood, and family factors, among a cross-sectional sample of 1422 male and 1562 female African American adolescents drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Three kinds of future certainty were examined: future life certainty (e.g., life expectancy), marriage certainty, and college certainty. In hierarchical multiple regression analyses, future certainty and family functioning were stronger predictors than economic and neighborhood variables: neighborhood disorganization and family socioeconomic status. Future life certainty and expectations of attending college were stronger predictors of delinquency among males than females. Marriage certainty was the weakest predictor of the three certainty variables.     

欧盟宪法危机的成因、影响及出路

欧洲迎来了历史上前所未有的和平统一的机会,欧元的成功已进一步地把欧洲的经济融合到一起。政治上,欧盟宪法的起草也给人们以巨大的希望,人们希望看到一个统一、和平的欧洲出现。但在2005年,法国和荷兰先后在全民公决中,否定了《欧盟宪法》,这给欧洲统一的进程蒙上了阴影。本文尝试分析此次危机出现的原因,并进一步探讨危机出现可能带来的影响,以及预测今后欧洲一体化的前景。     

目前中国社区矫正的问题与前景

中国社区矫正目前面临着4个重要的问题:国家立法、经费来源、队伍建设和制度完善。尽管如此,中国社区矫正有良好的发展前景,因为社区矫正与中国国家领导人关于建立和谐社会的思想吻合,可以节约刑事司法经费,可以减轻监狱拥挤程度,也已经得到社会的广泛认可。     

中国行政法治30年

改革开放的30年就是中国行政法治发展的30年。平稳的动力机制之下，行政法治稳步推进。在对改革开放以来中国行政法治进行比较全面的考察基础上，总结经验、展望未来，可以引起学术界对中国行政法治更广泛和深入的思考，从而为21世纪中国行政法治的发展提供更多的智力支持。     

近期中韩经贸合作现状与前景分析

自2002年中国加入WTO后,中韩两国的经贸合作进入更加稳定高速的发展阶段,2006年双边贸易额已突破1 000亿美元,韩对华投资金额累计超过200亿美元,在几年前中国就已成为韩国第一大贸易伙伴和第一大对外投资对象国,同时韩国成为中国的第四大贸易伙伴。但也存在一些不容忽视的问题,双方应共同努力加以解决。今后,两国经贸合作发展潜力仍很大,前景看好。     

正义、文明传承与后代人：“代际正义的可能与限度”

代际正义是一种新的社会正义形式。现在法学各个学科后代人权利、代际公平原则、可持续发展等问题的研究,迫切需要使用语义分析的方法对于代际正义的概念、特征和要素进行明确的界定,以使法学研究能够在一个清晰和确定的学术范畴基础上展开,避免由于对代际正义理解不同而造成理论上不必要的争议。     

试论未来体育教学

建立在现代高速发展的未来社会，生活方式在不断变化。而体育运动则能满足人类对身体活动这一基本需要，并且在不断适应社会的需要中也在相应变化。积极研究未来体育发展的特点，设想未来体育课程的教学目标及课程类型，分析教师在未来体育发展中的职责，研究未来体育教学改革，将有助于未来体育的蓬勃发展。     

刑事政策研究的中国特色

中国的刑事政策研究基本与改革开放的进程同步,成就斐然,特色明显,问题也非常突出。总结刑事政策研究的中国特色,分析其形成的原因,对于进一步繁荣中国刑事政策研究,科学指导刑事政策实践,有效推进社会主义法治国家建设,意义重大。     

论邓小平哲学思维方法的特征

邓小平的哲学思想具有尊重实践、注重系统和关注未来的特征.尊重实践是对传统思维方法的反思与批判;注重系统是对辩证思维方法的丰富和发展;关注未来是对现代思维方法的构建和充实.