Forensic psychiatry in China

This article reviews the legal basis for the development of forensic psychiatry in China, the organization of clinical assessments, and training of forensic psychiatrists. Regulations for the management of patients in Ankang hospitals and the role of forensic psychiatrists within the Criminal Justice system are described. The primary role of forensic psychiatrists is to provide expert opinions on competence to stand trial and criminal responsibility in criminal cases. They are increasingly involved in civil court proceedings and tribunals at the request of a range of official agencies. The clinical cases assessed by Chinese forensic psychiatrists are very similar to those of their counterparts in Western countries, but the organizational and legal framework for these assessments reflects a very different system that has evolved independently.     

Utilizing Criminal History Information to Explore the Effect of Community Notification on Sex Offender Recidivism

While sex offender registration laws with notification provisions are now over a decade old, little is known about how these policies influence the prevention of sex offending. Very few studies have considered the impact of notification on sex offender recidivism or the effect of these laws on sex crimes, generally. This study considers the effectiveness of offender tracking and declaration at the state level through evaluation of current sex offender laws in Arkansas. Using a quasi‐experimental regression‐discontinuity design, this research evaluated the recidivism of the first three waves of sex offenders registered in the state (1997–1999) vs. a comparison group of sex offenders from a decade earlier (1987–1989). Findings indicate there is no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of recidivism. Policy implications are discussed.     

刑事和解实务的经济分析

我国新《刑事诉讼法》以立法的形式明确了刑事和解的基本程序和要求,为多年来司法实践中广泛开展的刑事和解工作提供了法律依据。刑事和解在贯彻宽严相济的刑事政策、创建和谐社会等方面有着重要的意义,同时其符合刑法民法化,构建多元纠纷解决机制等现代司法改革发展的方向。但实践中刑事和解开展更多是符合“成本收益”计算的经济学规律,我们应当充分认识和解过程中的经济运行原理,从而更有效地运用好刑事和解,使其为社会创造更多“福利”。     

罚金刑适用疑难问题探析

只有当犯罪分子行为时的经济情况能够作为犯罪情节之一的时候,才可以考虑其对罚金数额的影响。对未成年罪犯适用罚金刑,更有利于发挥刑罚的价值,但应尽可能地在罚金数额上予以减免。司法实践中虽然存在着不少先缴后判的做法,但该做法并不正当,缺乏明确的法律依据,甚至也缺乏司法解释的肯定。     

查验居民身份证的合法性根据考证及解析

查验居民身份证是警察法和居民身份证法赋予警察的一项法定权力,此权力的合法性以依法执行职务的特定警察,主观认定公民有违法犯罪嫌疑为事实和规范前提。如果将普通公民配合警察执法行为之举,视为经由查验而自证其清白,就是对所有公民的人格尊严的法定和事实性侵犯。因此,应将警察查验公民身份证件的权力,与认定公民有违法犯罪嫌疑的权力,在法理和法律上予以分开,将前者设定在公民有配合警察依法执行职务的法律义务中,后一项权力应以此义务为根基。     

公诉案件刑事和解制度再考察

刑事和解制度是一项发源于我国本土,有效解决社会矛盾,提高刑事司法效率的刑事案件解决方案。其在坚持国家追诉这一原则的基础上,兼顾被害人、犯罪人和国家三方利益,使被害人在刑事诉讼中的利益得到最大程度的保障,保证了刑事案件处理的结果实质公平。若要全面把握新刑诉法关于公诉案件刑事和解制度的规定,应从公诉案件刑事和解的范围、条件、主体以及刑事和解对刑事案件最终处理结果的影响等四个方面入手。     

刑事和解适用问题探析

刑事和解作为一项新的刑事司法制度,许多人还不甚所了解,在司法实务界尚处于试行阶段。此次刑诉法修正案对刑事和解进行了专章规定,但过于笼统。文本上的抽象性影响了实务上的操作性,因此有必要探讨引入刑事和解的法律依据,区分刑事和解与辩诉交易、调解、案件私了之间的不同,以及进一步分析刑事和解的具体适用。     

“被教唆的人没有犯被教唆的罪”之理解——兼与刘明祥教授商榷

如果体系性地考虑刑法总则关于共犯的规定以及分则关于拟制正犯的规定,就应该认为我国刑法对共同犯罪采用区分制而非单一正犯概念,共犯从属性说应该得到肯定。刑法第29条第2款规定的“被教唆的人没有犯被教唆的罪”,只能解释为教唆犯教唆他人犯罪,被教唆人已经着手实行犯罪,但没有达到既遂状态。如此解释既有助于维持共犯的实行从属性,坚持刑法客观主义,也不会放纵犯罪。对于教唆信息完全没有传递给被教唆人、被教唆人明确拒绝教唆、被教唆人虽接受教唆但尚未开始实施预备行为等情形,教唆行为对法益的危险仅仅停留在教唆者内心,不能成立非共同犯罪的教唆未遂。将上述教唆行为评价为教唆未遂,是对刑法第29条第2款的曲解,没有体系地解释刑法规范,有走向刑法主观主义的危险。     

PAROLEE RECIDIVISM IN CALIFORNIA: THE EFFECT OF NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY CHARACTERISTICS*

We studied a sample of reentering parolees in California in 2005–2006 to examine whether the social structural context of the census tract, as well as nearby tracts, along with the relative physical closeness of social service providers affects serious recidivism resulting in imprisonment. We found that a 1 standard deviation increase in the presence of nearby social service providers (within 2 miles) decreases the likelihood of recidivating 41 percent and that this protective effect was particularly strong for African American parolees. This protective effect was diminished by overtaxed services (as proxied by potential demand). We found that higher concentrated disadvantage and social disorder (as measured by bar and liquor store capacity) in the tract increases recidivism and that higher levels of disadvantage and disorder in nearby tracts increase recidivism. A 1 standard deviation increase in the concentrated disadvantage of the focal neighborhood and the surrounding neighborhoods increases the likelihood of recidivating by 26 percent. The findings suggest that the social context to which parolees return (both in their own neighborhood and in nearby neighborhoods), as well as the geographic accessibility of social service agencies, play important roles in their successful reintegration.