民事再审程序的修订:问题与探索——兼评《修正案(草案)》对再审程序的修订

抗诉的事由与申请再审的事由不宜完全同构化.在申请再审与请求抗诉问题上,应实行法院优先原则.由上一级法院管辖再审申请有利有弊,原审法院管辖加上诉或许是更优的方案;对再审申请,可从申请期间与除斥期间两方面作出限制.当法院决定再审时,撤销原裁判比中止原裁判是一种更好的选择.对伪证、枉法裁判,将来应通过先行程序确认后才允许申请再审.检察机关的调阅案卷权,宜在法律中明确规定.     

沈家本修律与传统法律思想的改易

以儒家法律思想为主的封建传统法律思想自汉朝以来在中国法律史上一直处于独尊独尚的地位。清末,由沈家本主持进行的变法修律,第一次对这一传统法律思想进行了改易。尽管这些改易是有限的,但它毕竟冲破了两千多年来封建传统法律思想垄断统治的樊篱。从此,中国法律开始接纳西方资产阶级法律思想,逐步迈上了新的历史轨道。     

纹面为美:美学哥德巴赫猜想题解之一

自由创造美的行为是建立在两大基本需求基础之上的,那就是“两种生产”,即生活资料的生产与人类自身的生产。在美和艺术起源探讨上,我们以往注意了解决人类生存的物质生产,而比较忽略危及人类生存的自身生产。在美的概念产生之前,人们对一切违反乱伦禁忌的行为,都视为“丑恶”。纹面符号最早成为婚姻集团和级别制度的标志。这种因禁忌带来的更大的诱惑力和意志力,极大地刺激了婚姻禁忌标志的制作和美的创造。在母系氏族社会内,女性优先获得这种创造美的自由。“美”就是一个由“人”和鱼蛙纹纹面符号“︽︽”组成的合体象形文。“美在健康、和谐、愉悦的婚姻关系”,这是从亘古到当今的人类一直不懈的追求,它能带给我们关于“以人为本”的许多美的启示。     

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION POLICY REQUIRING LICENSURE,REGULATION, AND MONITORING OF PRIVATELY OPERATED RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITIES FOR AT‐RISK CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Well‐meaning parents send an estimated 10,000 to 14,000 at‐risk children each year to unregulated private residential treatment facilities, which for as much as $3,000 to $5,000 per month promise to modify troublesome behaviors and make bad kids good. The facilities that compose this booming, billion‐dollar business are generally not regulated, licensed, or monitored by state or federal governments; too many aspects of this alternative care system for youth are rife with mistreatment, including physical, sexual, and mental abuse by facility staff. This American Bar Association policy resolution urges state, territorial, and tribal legislatures to pass laws that require the licensing, regulating, and monitoring of residential treatment facilities that are not funded by public or government systems but offer treatment to at‐risk children and youth for emotional, behavioral, educational, or other problems or issues.     

刑法的修改：轨迹、应然与实然兼及对刑法修正案(八)的评价

以往刑法的修改，显示出增设新罪、加重法定刑与限制有利于犯罪人的制度的适用三大轨迹，标示着严刑始终是指引刑法修改的主旨。然而，立足于刑法的效益、公正与人道三大基本价值的要求，以严刑为主旨的刑法修改，在很大程度上是非理性的。业已通过的刑法修正案(八)，虽因表面看来已开始摆脱严刑思想的支配而备受热捧，但是，实际上严刑仍是其主宰，因而承续了以往刑法修改的诸多非理性因素。相应地，修正案(八)只不过是刑法的再一次忧多于喜的修改。     

Investigation into the merits of infrared imaging in the investigation of tattoos postmortem

Infrared imaging has a history of use in the forensic examination of artwork and documents and is investigated here for its wider use in the detection of tattoos on the human body postmortem. Infrared photographic and reflectographic techniques were tested on 18 living individuals, displaying a total of 30 tattoos. It was observed that neither age, sex, age of the tattoo, nor, most significantly, skin color affected the ability to image the tattoos using infrared imaging techniques. Second, a piglet carcass was tattooed and the impact of the decomposition process on the visibility of the tattoos assessed. Changes were recorded for 17 days and decomposition included partial mummification and skin discoloration. Crucially, the discoloration was recorded as greatly affecting the image quality using conventional photography, but was insignificant to the infrared recording of these tattoos. It was concluded that infrared reflectography was beneficial in the investigation into tattoos postmortem.     

司法实践中查处职务犯罪“12小时”讯问的弊端及立法建议

司法实践中,检察机关查处职务犯罪＂12小时＂的讯问暴露出种种弊端,有必要对此进行深入地调研和分析,以引起司法界和立法者的注意和重视,以期对检察机关的侦查工作有所促进。     

精神卫生法中司法鉴定的若干问题——评《精神卫生法（草案）》有关司法鉴定的规定

《精神卫生法（草案）》征求意见是我国卫生法治的一大进步，其有关精神障碍司法鉴定的内容还存在与鉴定规律、证据制度、诉讼制度相矛盾、冲突的地方，需要在立法中进一步完善与调整，保障其与现有的司法鉴定制度相衔接。     

Taphonomic Effects of Vulture Scavenging*

Abstract: From July through September 2007, three pig carcasses (Sus scrofa), weighing between 27 and 63 kg were placed outside in a grassy area in central Texas. A surrounding fence prevented entrance by terrestrial scavengers, while allowing avian scavengers unrestricted access. A fourth pig carcass served as a control for the rate of decomposition and was placed in a cage that prevented terrestrial and avian animal access. Modification of the carcasses was recorded through the use of two motion‐sensing digital cameras and daily on‐site observations. American black vultures (Coragyps atratus) and turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) waited c. 24 h before beginning to scavenge and completely skeletonized the carcasses in 3 to 27 h of feeding, leaving scratches on the bones. The accelerated rate of decomposition and the signature markings on the bones should be considered when interpreting taphonomic events and determining an accurate postmortem interval at vulture‐modified scenes.