Evidence- Based Research on Criminal Cases Appealed by People＇s Procuratorates From Perspective of the Criminal Cases Appealed by Haidian People＇s Procuratorate during the Past 5 Years

本文依托北京市海淀区人民检察院近五年来的抗诉实践,在比较借鉴国外部分国家刑事抗诉制度的基础上,对我国目前的刑事抗诉制度及实践中存在的问题进行梳理,进而提出了完善我国的刑事抗诉制度的合理化建议。     

The Role of Mitigating Factors in Capital Sentencing Before and After McKoy v. North Carolina

In 1990, the United States Supreme Court ruled that capital jurors do not have to be unanimous in deciding whether or not to accept any particular mitigating circumstance presented to them by the defense during the penalty phase of a capital murder trial. This study examines whether this shift in procedure may have altered the role of mitigation in predicting capital sentencing outcomes by comparing death sentencing predictors before and after the McKoy decision with data from an extensive sample of capital cases in North Carolina tried between 1977 and 2002. The results indicate that (1) both the number of aggravating and mitigating circumstances accepted by capital jurors had statistically significant and substantial effects on capital sentencing outcomes both before and after the McKoy decision; (2) the number of mitigating circumstances presented to and accepted by capital juries in North Carolina doubled during the post‐McKoy period; and (3) the influence of mitigating circumstance on capital sentencing outcomes was attenuated in the post‐McKoy period. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

量刑事实证明问题研究

2012年《刑事诉讼法》将量刑事实和量刑证据纳入法庭审理程序,量刑事实的证明成为量刑程序的核心问题,确立量刑事实的证明规则才能适应量刑程序改革的需要。量刑证据的可采性规则与定罪证据有所不同,具有盖然性的关联性的材料即可成为量刑证据。对量刑事实中的非犯罪构成的犯罪事实应进行严格证明,而非犯罪事实则适用自由证明法则。非犯罪构成的犯罪事实的举证责任由控方承担,并达到排除合理怀疑的证明标准;非犯罪事实由主张者承担举证责任,只需达到优势证据的证明标准。     

量刑情节本质研究——从《人民法院量刑指导意见(试行)》切入

"规范裁量权,将量刑纳入法庭审理程序"是中央确定的重要司法改革项目.也是当前刑事审判改革的热点问题之一。《人民法院量刑指导意见(试行)》中缺少对量刑情节本质的界定乃一大缺憾,量刑情节在司法实践中的适用也极其混乱。鉴于此,应从量刑情节词义的考究、基本要素的组成、内在结构的构造等角度来探究量刑情节的本质内涵,以期对量刑规范化改革的实施有所裨益。     

我国社区矫正制度的构建

目前,我国社区矫正的总体发展水平较低,表现为相关立法不够完善,社区矫正刑罚的适用率偏低,执行机制不健全等。文章对管制、缓刑、假释、监外执行、社区服务刑罪犯提出了适用社区矫正的方法,并提出社区矫正量刑改革的具体方案。     

我国量刑建议制度的建构

量刑建议制度的实行有利于发挥检察机关的审判监督职能,拓展庭审的辩护空间,约束法官的自由裁量权。完善我国的量刑建议制度应规范量刑建议的提出主体,量刑事实的调查取证,严格掌握量刑建议的具体幅度,规范量刑建议的提出程序,并加强内部监督,避免量刑建议权的滥用。     

量刑建议权监督机制的构建

建立对量刑建议权的监督机制,保证量刑建议权的合法、公正和有效行使,可借鉴英美法系、大陆法系主要国家的先进经验和做法。构建我国的量刑建议权,应形成检察机关的内部监督、诉讼主体的外部监督和公众参与的社会监督的监督机制。     

量刑建议工作机制研究

量刑建议作为我国刑事诉讼领域的一项改革措施,日益受到司法机关及社会公众的关注。文章对量刑建议的价值、提出原则以及具体制度操作等方面进行了分析论证,以求进一步促进我国量刑建议制度的完善。     

Whither the Prosecutor? Prosecutor and County Effects on Guilty Plea Outcomes in Wisconsin

Abstract

By most accounts, the prosecutor is the most powerful person in the courtroom, with discretion to dismiss cases, reduce charges, and offer noncustodial sentences in exchange for guilty pleas. Yet, little is known about the effects of individual prosecutors or community contexts on case outcomes. Relying on data from 318,000 felony and misdemeanor cases in Wisconsin, the present study examines the impact of several prosecutor and county characteristics on case dismissal, guilty plea to lesser charges, and the imposition of a noncustodial sentence following a guilty plea. The authors find that prosecutor caseload composition is associated with variations in guilty plea outcomes, but that neither prosecutor experience nor prosecutor caseload pressure affect other case outcomes. The authors also find that defense counsel and change in defense counsel exert significant influence on guilty plea outcomes. These findings are discussed in relation to focal concerns and courtroom communities perspectives.     

未成年人刑事案件社会调查报告之法律属性探析

未成年人刑事案件社会调查制度一方面体现了刑罚的教育感化功能,另一方面也符合我国一直坚持的＂教育、感化、挽救＂的少年司法指导方针。若要使该制度发挥其优越的法律和社会效果,关键是明晰社会调查报告的法律属性。只有将定罪程序与量刑程序相分离,以独立的量刑程序为研究视角,结合社会调查报告所记载之内容,才能准确界定其属于量刑证据材料。