广西边境旅游发展战略研究

边境旅游作为一种特殊的旅游形式,是依托相邻国家边境线上的自然、人文资源发展起来的一种新兴旅游方式,是国内旅游的延伸。它不仅可以繁荣边境地区的经济,还可以促进边境地区人民之间的友谊,巩固边疆的稳定,而且对整个国家的对外开放和国际经贸合作都起着非常重要的作用。广西作为全国少有的沿边、沿海省区,旅游资源得天独厚。但与其他边境地区相比,广西边境旅游发展仍然落后。文章在借鉴国内外发展边境旅游经验的基础上,结合广西边境地区旅游发展现状和存在问题,提出了广西边境旅游的发展对策。     

Researching counterterrorism: a critical perspective from the field in the light of allegations and findings of covert activities by undercover police officers

The article addresses some of the key issues that are raised for researchers engaging with counterterrorism police officers and initiatives, when undertaking research. A significant area to explore in this context is, in fact, the issue of relationships with counterterrorism police officers who may themselves directly have been covert police officers in the past and/or who may be continuing in their current, apparently more open, role (wittingly or otherwise) as agents of broader state strategies of exploiting trust for intelligence-gathering purposes. This article suggests that it is important for researchers to understand that working within the counterterrorism field involves degrees and shades of risk in the service of trust-building, sensitivity and the empowerment of communities, and that researchers themselves can (wittingly and unwittingly) be part of wider strategies instigated by security-minded individuals or groups of counterterrorism police officers. Reflecting upon the research that we have undertaken individually and collectively over the last number of years, in the light of the most recent spate of allegations about counterterrorism police officers infiltrating activist and political protest groups, having sexual relationships, and indeed, on occasion, children, with women whilst undercover and of potentially working to entrap vulnerable individuals into planning terrorist acts, this article raises questions around trust, credibility, legitimacy, the prevalence and near unavoidability of dysfunctional agendas and the implications of all of the above for community-based approaches to counterterrorism.     

为什么我们没有“新闻法”———反思我国新闻传播立法研究

我国改革开放以来的新闻立法历经30多年至今未果,无论法治社会的内在要求还是传媒领域的现实发展,都表明了迫切的新闻立法诉求。在“新闻法”尚不能出台的众多复杂原因中,学术研究的偏颇却总是被忽略,研究方法的迷失带来学理探讨的浅尝辄止,宏观研究的乏善可陈,以及学科之间的壁垒隔膜。其背后透露出不容回避的学术勇气的不足和技术细节研究的缺乏。基于新闻传播法学理论建设的推进和现实新闻传播立法的需求,应首先在思想和理论上明确：新闻自由是谁的自由,谁可以办报,如何协调采访报道和国家公权力的关系等问题,同时必须关注新闻传播立法技术的研究,如舆论监督的规范体系,为新闻来源保密的规则归属等细节问题。     

“交通肇事逃逸”责任认定实务问题研究

在我国道路交通事故中,交通肇事逃逸事故所占比重一直较高。交通肇事逃逸行为使受害者得不到及时救助而处于危险境地,更有甚者因失去救助机会而死亡。交通事故因现场证据的变动或消失而难以得到准确的认定和处理,各地出台的条例对逃逸事故认定的极端性以及出现同一类型的交通肇事逃逸事故因发生的辖区不同而出现截然不同的处理结果等问题都是导致受害者家属得不到及时赔偿而不断信访投诉的原因。结合自身多年处理交通事故的实践经验,研究分析了"交通肇事逃逸"事故责任认定现存的缺陷,提出了完善"交通肇事逃逸"事故责任认定的建议和意见。     

美国性犯罪者登记制度的实证研究及反思

对性犯罪者进行登记是美国等西方国家普遍采用的用于遏制性犯罪的做法。但不少研究表明,性犯罪立法在控制性犯罪和减少再逮捕率方面并没有起明显作用,相反,性犯罪者登记制度给相当一部分性犯罪分子带来了诸多负面影响。关于性犯罪者登记制度需要进一步的研究,研究内容包括性犯罪者登记法是否能够减少性犯罪行为,谁来对登记程序进行监管,该制度对性犯罪者及其家庭的影响,以及实施登记法律的成本。     

The intersection of race and gender: an examination of sentencing outcomes in North Carolina

This study examines the intersection of offenders’ race and gender in the sentencing process using data on felony cases sentenced in North Carolina. Analyses examine the likelihood that charges were reduced in severity between initial filing and conviction, the likelihood of imprisonment, and the length of sentence imposed, and test whether race affects punishment similarly for men and women. Results indicate that status characteristics predict both reductions in charge severity and the severity of the final sentence, and that racial disparity is conditional on gender. However, the results are not entirely consistent with predictions derived from the extant literature. Gender significantly predicts case outcomes at each stage, but black men were not uniformly disadvantaged, and black women received the least severe treatment in two out of four analyses. Theoretical implications for the intersection of race and gender in sentencing theories are discussed.     

Examining the prevalence and correlates of a ‘senior citizen discount’ in US federal courts

Few studies focus on age as a factor influencing judicial decision-making, in spite of the widespread use of age as a control variable. Although the limited research to have done so is inconsistent, most scholars agree that age may be race- and/or gender-graded in a manner that produces more severe sentences for certain race–gender–age combinations, especially for young males who are Black or Latino. Less consensus exists with regard to whether older defendants are granted more leniency in the sentencing process and, if so, if the effects of older age are also race- and/or gender-graded. The present study examines this question by examining data from the United States Sentencing Commission. The data presented reveal three noteworthy findings. First, a ‘senior citizen discount’ exists insofar as judges afford more leniency in sentencing to older offenders than their younger counterparts. Second, compared to older males, older females were treated with greater leniency by judges. Finally, whereas Latinos 60 and over were treated with greater severity at the stage of incarceration compared to similarly situated Whites, Blacks received shorter sentence lengths on average. These results are analyzed within the framework of the focal concerns perspective.     

Using EHRs to design drug repositioning trials: A devolved approach to data protection

One area where the application of data protection law has proven complex is in relation to the secondary usage of health data in EHRs for medical research. Here the tension between the privacy interests of patients and the risk of harm if such sensitive data are compromised, and on the other side, the potential societal value of utilizing the data for the benefit of medical science, is especially striking. In this paper, we consider the applicable provisions of the EU Data Protection Directive, and outline a general approach to patient data handling for research, which we believe to be compatible with relevant legal and ethical requirements. We then illustrate and apply this by reference to a specific EU FP7 project, involving EHR data processing to select patients for clinical pharmaceutical trials. After introducing the project (PONTE), we explain the ‘devolved’ data protection architecture it employs and provide a legal evaluation.     

IMPACT OF VICTIMIZATION ON RESIDENTIAL MOBILITY: EXPLAINING RACIAL AND ETHNIC PATTERNS USING THE NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMIZATION SURVEY

Criminal victimization is known to influence households’ moving decisions, but theories suggest that the processes leading to a moving decision can vary across racial and ethnic groups. Drawing from current literature, we hypothesized that victimization would have a stronger effect on moving decisions for Whites than for Blacks or Hispanics, and that racial/ethnic residential segregation would moderate the impact of victimization on mobility. Using a longitudinal sample of 34,134 housing units compiled from the National Crime Victimization Survey for the 40 largest metropolitan areas in the United States (1995–2003), we found results that both support and contradict the hypotheses. Specifically, White residents display consistent evidence that victimization is a significant predictor of household mobility. Blacks and Hispanics, in contrast, are more varied in their moving behavior after victimization. In addition, significant differences exist among these groups in responses to victimization and in how mobility is influenced by residential segregation. Higher levels of residential segregation play a part in the victimization–mobility relationship among Blacks in a way that is more complex than we hypothesized.     

Community Wise: Paving the way for empowerment in community reentry

Theoretical approaches traditionally applied in mental health and criminal justice interventions fail to address the historical and structural context that partially explains health disparities. Community Wise was developed to address this gap. It is a 12 week group intervention informed by Critical Consciousness Theory and designed to prevent substance abuse, related health risk behaviors, psychological distress, and reoffending among individuals with a history of incarceration and substance abuse. This paper reports findings from the first implementation and pilot evaluation of Community Wise in two community-based organizations. This pre–posttest evaluation pilot-tested Community Wise and used findings to improve the intervention. Twenty-six participants completed a phone and clinical screening, baseline, 6- and 12-week follow-ups, and a focus group at the end of the intervention. Measures assessed participants' demographic information, psychological distress, substance use, criminal offending, HIV risk behaviors, community cohesion, community support, civic engagement, critical consciousness, ethnic identification, group cohesion, client satisfaction, and acquired treatment skills. Research methods were found to be feasible and useful in assessing the intervention. Results indicated that while Community Wise is a promising intervention, several changes need to be made in order to enhance the intervention. Community Wise is a new approach where oppressed individuals join in critical dialogue, tap into existing community resources, and devise, implement and evaluate their own community solutions to structural barriers.