Student Weapon Possession and the “Fear and Victimization Hypothesis”: Unraveling the Temporal Order

Using longitudinal data from nearly 4,000 students across 113 public schools in Kentucky, we attempt to unravel the direction of the relationships between student weapon carrying and various objective and subjective school‐crime experiences, including victimization, perceived risk of school victimization, and fear of school victimization. Overall, we found little support for the idea that fear and victimization increase weapon carrying, controlling for other theoretically important predictors, including delinquent offending. While 7th‐grade victimization was modestly associated with increased non‐gun weapon carrying in 8th grade, high perceptions of individual victimization risk in 7th grade decreased both subsequent gun and non‐gun weapon carrying. Fear of criminal victimization in 7th grade did not predict either type of subsequent (8th‐grade) weapon carrying. Though fear, risk, and victimization were inconsistent predictors of gun and non‐gun weapon carrying, we found strong and consistent support for the effects of weapon carrying on subsequent fear, risk, victimization, and offending. However, contrary to the implications of fear and victimization hypotheses, both gun carrying and non‐gun weapon carrying in the 8th grade increased fear of school crime, perceived risk, and actual victimization in the 9th grade. Implications of these findings for the applicability of a “weapons” or “triggering” effect are discussed.     

Functioning and Effectiveness of Electronic Control Devices Such as the TASER® M‐ and X‐Series: A Review of the Current Literature

Abstract: Conducted electrical weapons (CEWs) such as the TASER^® M‐ and X‐series deliver short high‐voltage, low‐current energy pulses to temporarily paralyze a person by causing electrical interruption of the body’s normal energy pulses. Despite many scientific publications, which classify the health risks of an appropriate use of the TASER device as minor, there still is a continuous uncertainty about possible side effects with human application. Based on a literature search of the National Library of Medicine’s MEDLINE database’s PubMed system of current publications, the following article describes the mechanisms by which the device operates and discusses possible pathophysiological consequences. The majority of current human literature has not found evidence of clinical relevant pathophysiological effects during and after an exposure of professionally applied CEWs. However, to be able to exclude possible health risks, a medical checkup of people who have been exposed to CEWs is essential.     

A Tale of Two Presumptions

This article examines the use of presumptions of intent within the law of murder, and some of the problems of analysis to which they give rise. It is argued that much of the confusion in the modern law is caused by the failure of the courts to grasp the different functions of different kinds of presumption in the law of evidence, and that this has led to presumptions of a particular kind being used in the present context for a purpose for which they are not really suited. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

清代法律和司法实践对共同谋杀之首犯与从犯的认定

根据清律＂谋杀人＂条,按照其在共同谋杀中的作用,共同谋杀的犯罪人被分为首犯和从犯两类,其中从犯又分为加功者、不加功者和从而不行者三种。同时,清律中所附的明代万历十五年条例对区分各共同犯罪人特别是从而加功者与从而不加功者作了严格的限定,即＂助殴伤重者＂方以加功论。但是这一认定加功的标准在司法实践中并未得到遵守。官员们认定加功与否的标准多与清初律学家沈之奇的观点一致。道光五年对万历十五年条例中规定的加功的认定标准进行了修改,即将＂助殴伤重＂改为＂下手助殴＂。直到清末的《大清现行刑律》,该条例中规定的造意与加功的认定标准等未再改变。需要指出的是,清律中总则部分＂共犯罪分首从＂条与分则部分＂谋杀人＂条中关于首犯与从犯的区分标准及处罚原则不统一的情形并非孤例。而自民国以来,我国刑法中关于共同犯罪人的区分与处罚原则又各有变化。     

渐进牌照式训练考核体系——我国警察武器使用训练新模式的构建

进入新世纪以来,警察武器使用训练及考核有了更新的需要。为适应这种变化,对国内警察武器使用的训练模式进行了深入的调查研究,参考国际上先进的武器使用训练理念,提出了以安全理念和安全操作规范为核心,以实战需求为目的,以武器操作为主要训练内容的渐进牌照式训练、考核系统,为国内警察武器使用训练模式创新提出了更为符合时代发展的构想。     

Less‐Lethal Hybrid Ammunition Wounds: A Forensic Assessment Introducing Bullet‐Skin‐Bone Entity

Abstract: Agencies all around the world now use less‐lethal weapons with homogeneous missiles such as bean bag or rubber bullets. Contusions and sometimes significant morbidity have been reported. This study focuses on wounds caused by hybrid ammunition with the pathologists’ flap‐by‐flap procedure. Twenty‐four postmortem human subjects were used, and lesions caused on frontal, temporal, sternal, and left tibial regions by a 40‐mm hybrid ammunition (33 g weight) were evaluated on various distance range. The 50% risk of fractures occurred at 79.2 m/sec on the forehead, 72.9 m/sec on the temporal, 72.5 m/sec on the sternum, and 76.7 m/sec on the tibia. Skin lesions were not predictors of bone fracture. There was no correlation between soft and bone tissue observed lesions and impact velocity (correlated to distance range). Lesions observed with hybrid ammunition were the result of bullet‐skin‐bone entity as the interaction of the projectile on skin and bone tissues.     

论系列杀人案件侦查的三大要略

侦破系列杀人案件是侦破命案工作的重中之重。要推进系列杀人案件的侦查,必须从侦查思路、侦查管理、侦查分析等三方面入手。     

An Analysis of the Effects of Subjective and Objective Instruction Forms on Mock-Juries' Murder/Manslaughter Distinctions

Defendants' emotions at the time of their crimes may potentially serve as mitigating circumstances in murder/manslaughter cases. The present study examined whether differences between two forms of instructions given juries in such cases affected mock-juries' murder/manslaughter distinctions. Jurors' reasons for their verdicts and definitions of murder and manslaughter were also compared. In addition, three factors found to be predictive of murder/manslaughter distinctions in previous research were evaluated. It was found that, though instruction forms affected jurors' stated reasons for their verdicts and their definitions of murder and manslaughter, they did not significantly affect murder/manslaughter distinctions. Defendants were most likely to be convicted of murder if they had a history of violence with the victim and dwelt upon their emotions. We suggest jurors likely construe instructions given them to fit their a priori understandings of murder, manslaughter, and the potentially mitigating role of defendants' emotions.     

变态杀人案件的十大特点

近年来 ,我国的暴力犯罪呈上升趋势 ,其中不可忽视的一类案件就是变态杀人案件。对变态杀人案件的特点进行分析 ,是侦破此类案件的必要前提。     

论家庭成员间的杀人犯罪

家庭成员间的杀人犯罪是最为严重的家庭暴力犯罪。当前在农民家庭发生多、中老年作案多、夫妻间发生多及犯罪呈上升趋势等特点。造成家庭成员间杀人犯罪发生的原因有 :家庭矛盾不断激化、婚姻危机、迷信及邪教诱惑、封建家庭纲常伦理影响、赌博以及家庭教育方式不当等。预防家庭成员间杀人犯罪的发生应当从 :使全社会都重视家庭问题 ;树立健康向上的婚姻家庭观 ;构建化解家庭矛盾机制 ;建设家庭文化健全家庭教育功能四方面入手综合治理