Reliability of Sexually Violent Predator Civil Commitment Criteria in Florida

The present study investigated the reliability of Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) civil commitment criteria under Florida's Jimmy Ryce Act. The purpose of the study was to determine if, independently, 2 evaluators would reach the same conclusions about the same client (n = 295). According to civil commitment criteria outlined by the United States Supreme Court (Kansas v. Hendricks, 1997), SVPs must display a mental abnormality predisposing them to sexual violence and a likelihood of future sexual violence. The interrater reliability of 8 DSM-IV diagnoses applied by evaluators to determine whether a client has a "mental abnormality that predisposes him to sexual violence" was found to be poor to fair (kappa = .23 to . 70). The interrater reliability of risk assessment instruments used to determine "likelihood of reoffense" was good (ICC = .77 to .85). The recommendations made by evaluators regarding whether or not to refer a client for civil commitment demonstrated poor reliability (kappa = .54). Implications for practice and policy are explored.     

系列案件中的犯罪思维定势

犯罪思维定势是系列案件作案人的犯罪思维活动中一个非常重要的内容.侦查人员为了能够识别和查找系列犯罪案件的作案人,必须对作案人的犯罪思维定势进行剖析.系列犯罪案件作案人的犯罪思维定势可以分为常态人格特征的犯罪思维定势和变态人格特征的犯罪思维定势.这两种犯罪思维定势在形式和内容上存在着较大的差别,前者在形式和内容上往往表现出某种程度的"稳定性"或"规律性"特征;后者往往表现出某种程度的"非稳定性"或"缺乏规律性"的特征.     

共犯与身份问题初探——兼与日本刑法之比较

日本刑法65条对共犯与身份作了规定,我国刑法总则中没有涉及这个问题。日本刑法65条同时体现了"身份的连带作用"和"身份的个别作用"这一对看似矛盾的概念,而从共同犯罪的本质出发,也没有办法解决。只能从违法身份的连带作用和责任身份的个别作用这个角度,来消除这个矛盾。     

我国现行共犯制度下片面共犯的困境及反思

片面共犯应否作为共同犯罪来处理,立法没有明确规定,理论界一直众说纷纭,进而导致片面共犯在刑法理论中一直没有合理的定位。应从共同犯罪的意思联络的角度来重新对片面共犯进行界定。既然共同故意须包含意思联络,则对于缺乏意思联络的片面共犯应当认为其缺乏共同犯罪故意,故而不能够成立共同犯罪。     

共同犯罪人分类模式的比较与优化

共同犯罪人定罪量刑的科学解决,有赖于刑法对其正确分类。由于历史文化传统的差异,导致各国刑法在对共同犯罪人分类上的不同。运用比较研究的方法,探讨各国在共同犯罪人分类上的优劣,倡导共同犯罪人分类的二元论立法结构模式,将有益于我国共同犯罪刑法立法的完善。     

限定刑事责任能力评定量表在暴力案件中的应用

目的研究《限定刑事责任能力评定量表》在暴力案件中的使用情况。方法对103例暴力犯罪案件中的被鉴定人分别使用《限定刑事责任能力评定量表》、《暴力作案刑事责任能力评定量表》进行评定,并同专家结论进行比较:使用BPRS对精神症状评分:对被评定为限定责任能力的案例进行三级划分。结果量表总分的组内相关系数ICC=0.9073:全量表同质信度Cronbachα=0.9572,分半相关系数分别为0.994和0.991,二者相关系数r=0.969。《限定刑事责任能力评定量表》总分和《暴力作案刑事责任能力评定量表》总分相关较高.r=0.946。量表结论与专家结论的一致性高,Kappa=0.95。限定责任能力案件得分与专家分级意见的一致性高:Kappa=0.97。《限定刑事责任能力评定量表》总分和BPRS总分相关性高,r=-0.797。结论《限定刑事责任能力评定量表》在暴力案件的鉴定中具有可用性。     

论我国未成年犯社区矫正的必要性及可行性

当前,我国未成年人犯罪数量快速增长,且再犯罪率很高,这表明传统的未成年犯矫正工作已不适应现在矫正工作的需要。对未成年犯进行社区矫正,是近年来世界各国刑罚执行制度的一个发展趋势。它彰显了人道主义和人文关怀精神,有利于对未成年犯的再社会化,能够有效地克服对未成年犯科以监禁刑罚所产生的弊端。从未成年犯社区矫正的基本概念入手,论述我国未成年犯适用社区矫正的必要性及可行性。     

So far away from me? The effect of geographical distance on representation

Legislators face numerous trade-offs with regard to how to spend their time. One factor is, however, beyond their control: the distance between their constituency and the legislature. A more distant constituency implies increased travel, which decreases the time available for activities within the legislature itself, while also raising the possibility of centre–periphery dynamics in representation. Previous work has found that as distance between constituency and legislature increases, so does constituency focus, but it has not established why this is. This article explores the impact of geographical remoteness on representational activity, analysing a dataset of parliamentary activity in the British House of Commons (2005–2015), showing that the more remote an MP’s constituency, the less likely that MP is to attend votes, while being more likely to sign Early Day Motions. The article further shows that this is most likely driven by a centre–periphery dynamic rather than simply being a response to longer travel time.     

Simple and simultaneous quantification of cyanide,ethanol, and 1-propanol in blood by headspace GC–MS/NPD with Deans switch dual detector system

Cyanide is a powerful and rapidly acting poison. In Japan, cyanide poisoning is rare, and regular cyanide testing can be costly and time consuming. In contrast, alcohol analysis is routinely performed in most forensic laboratories. In this study, we attempted to develop a method for the simultaneous quantification of cyanide and alcohols in blood using headspace gas chromatography (HS–GC). As nitrogen-phosphorus detection (NPD) is more sensitive to hydrogen cyanide than mass spectrometry (MS), a Deans switch was used to switch the detectors during a single run. The separation provided by three analytical columns, PoraBOND Q, CP-Sil 5 CB, and HP-INNOWax, was investigated, and PoraBOND Q was selected. The use of HS–GC–MS/NPD with a Deans switch enabled the simple and simultaneous quantification of cyanide, ethanol, and 1-propanol. Eighteen other volatile compounds were detected in the SIM/scan mode of the MS.     

共同犯罪中身份因素之探微

身份因素在共同犯罪的法律规定中前后存在矛盾,判断标准不一,现行法律、司法解释在司法实践中有较大的分歧,存在违反罪刑相适应原则的嫌疑;共同犯罪中"共同"的标准亦即共同犯罪的本质是犯罪共同说是妥当的,但"共同"之程度还有待刑法解释的进一步完善;大陆法系中所称之身份犯排除犯罪支配理论,而改用义务犯理论,无身份者不能成为有身份者之正犯,却可以成为有身份者之共犯;认定身份犯在共同犯罪中所起的作用依然不能脱离共同犯罪的本质,义务是确定身份犯在共同犯罪中所处地位之唯一标准。