假设的因果关系

假设的因果关系肇始于不作为犯中不作为的原因力的解释。学界在对因果关系做一般性的论述中否定了假设的因果关系,但基于刑法目的性,在不作为犯的场合肯定了假设的因果关系。     

社区矫正的犯罪学依据

社区矫正作为宽容刑罚观的产物，其犯罪学依据主要在于人们对犯罪、犯罪人以及犯罪人如何重返社会的认识步步推进：首先，人类对犯罪本质、犯罪是否正常现象、犯罪与环境的关系认识趋于客观，为科学的刑罚观奠定了理论基础，也回答了“犯罪人应不应矫正”的问题；其次，随着人类对犯罪人是否正常人、犯罪人“到底能不能改变”等认识逐步丰富，更坚定树立了“犯罪人能够矫正”的基本信念；最后，随着重犯累犯现象增多，人类对犯罪人如何重返社会的思考更趋理性，认为如果让犯罪人在社区中接受矫正而非禁闭于监狱与世隔绝，有利于其顺利再社会化和回归社会。     

Mentally ill offenders in prison: the Belgian case

According to the EUPRIS-study on mental health in prisons (2007), available data on mental disorders in prison are scarce. Therefore, this study aims at summarizing and discussing the available knowledge on incarcerated mentally ill offenders concerning: (1) the screening and assessment for detecting mental health; (2) the psychiatric expertise in order to evaluate the mental status; and (3) the development and provision of forensic psychiatric treatment and care. These findings will be applied to the current situation in Belgium, which is a particularly interesting case. Belgium is currently facing difficulties concerning a large population of interned mentally ill offenders residing in correctional establishments.Implications with regard to the penal code, general or mental health legislation, screening, assessment, and treatment could deliver interesting viewpoints on how this problem could be tackled more effectively. Therefore, the findings will be discussed with reference to the international scientific and policy debate, focusing on ethical implications.     

Inevitable recidivism--the origin and centrality of an urban legend

This paper examines the pervasive conviction that sex offenders - particularly child molesters - will continue to re-offend. This belief in inevitable recidivism turns out to be absolutely essential to both the justification for, and the structure of, the sexually violent predator laws. When actual evidence of sex offender recidivism is examined, however, a huge gap exists between what is assumed and what the data actually show because most sex offenders do not in fact re-offend. Thus there is a galaxy of sexually violent predator laws and an entire branch of Supreme Court jurisprudence that is founded upon a demonstrable urban legend.     

Prospects for the international migration of U.S. sex offender registration and community notification laws

Sex offender registration and community notification laws have proved enormously popular in the U.S. This is so even though the avowed sexual violence preventive benefits of the laws remain largely untested and unproven; indeed, it remains an open question whether the laws actually have anti-therapeutic and criminogenic effect. This article examines why this data deficit has characterized the social and political evolution of the laws and considers the prospects for their migration to other nations.     

Knowing and Intelligent: A Study of Miranda Warnings in Mentally Disordered Defendants

A conservative estimate is that 695,000 mentally disordered offenders are arrested and Mirandized annually in the United States. Past research has focused almost exclusively on cognitive factors affecting the comprehension of Miranda rights. The current study broadens the scope by including diagnostic variables and by extending the investigation to basic elements of Miranda reasoning. A sample of 107 mentally disordered defendants was administered two research measures, the Miranda Statements Scale (MSS) and Miranda Rights Scale (MRS), in addition to standardized tests. Most defendants lacked good comprehension of all but the simplest (Flesch-Kincaid<6th grade) Miranda warnings. Defendants with the poorest understanding (i.e., comprehending about 25% of the warnings) had marked deficits in multiple domains including cognitive abilities (intelligence and comprehension) and general adjustment. Different background and clinical variables predicted defendants' abilities to generate reasons either to exercise or waive their Miranda rights.     

The Importance of Ecological Context for Correctional Rehabilitation Programs: Understanding the Micro- and Macro-Level Dimensions of Successful Offender Treatment

The resurgence of support for offender rehabilitation has led to an increased emphasis on correctional program integrity. Treatment programs are now being evaluated and tailored in accordance with the principles of effective intervention, which are rooted primarily in methods of individual behavior modification through a social learning approach. The problem with this exclusive focus on the individual is that it fails to recognize the importance of certain ecological factors that have been shown to be significant predictors of recidivism. The purpose of the current research, therefore, is to examine the impact of structural characteristics on both treatment program quality and effectiveness of halfway house programs in Ohio. Our results reveal that ecological context influences the magnitude of program treatment effects largely indirectly though its influence on program quality. The implications of these findings for correctional theory and practice are discussed.     

被告人供述笔录的证据效力

本文阐述了我国现阶段刑事诉讼证据中最常见的被告人的供述笔录基本特征。从立法上分析了我们对待被告人供述笔录的矛盾态度,分析了刑事诉讼中的认定口供证据效力的实践操作。提出构建我国被告人自愿性供述的规则,并对与之相关的问题进行了探讨。     

Insane Sex Offenders: Psychiatric and Legal Characteristics of Sexual Offenders Found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity

There is little known about sexual offenders hospitalized under forensic commitment statutes such as not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI). We conducted a chart review to delineate the demographic, clinical, and legal characteristics of NGRI sexual offenders (n = 68) committed to the California Department of State Hospitals—Napa, including 41 found NGRI for a sexual offense and 27 found NGRI for a nonsexual offense. The two groups did not differ significantly in their demographics, psychiatric diagnoses, victim characteristics, or recidivism risk as measured by the Static‐99R. Those found NGRI for a sexual offense were older at the time of their first criminal and first violent offense, younger at the time of their committing offense, and had fewer prior total convictions and sexual offense convictions. These findings may indicate that sexual offenders found NGRI for a sexual offense are less antisocial than those found NGRI for a nonsexual offense.