Juvenile Justice in Scandinavia

The main issue is the legal protection of children and juveniles suspected of or convicted for crime. The age of criminal responsibility is 15 years in the countries concerned. Particular juvenile justice systems do not exist in Scandinavia. There are, however, exceptions from the general system in order to maintain needs, interests and rights of children and juveniles. Some common characteristics are described, for instance diversion of juveniles from prison into social welfare measures and the prohibition of placing children in jail. Individual characteristics are pointed out as well. Introduction of secure social institutions as an alternative to imprisonment in Sweden and Denmark is one, mediation processes with children as parties in Finland and Norway is another. It is argued that from the point of view of legality the demands for legal rights are of greatest importance in prosecution and punishment matters, whereas social welfare support is not to the same degree concerned about such questions. Furthermore it is argued that in spite of good intentions the Scandinavian countries challenge the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, by not definitely prohibiting the possibility of a juvenile serving a prison sentence together with adults. It is stated that the distance between constructive pragmatism and destructive loss of principles as legality, equality and proportionality may be short. Crime trends are not linked to the politics: there is no relation between crime rates and political attention to crime. Juvenile justice has increasing political attention these years while the crime rates tend to be stable. In relation not solely to the economy and the Convention but first and foremost in the interest of children and juveniles more thought should be given to scientific experiences about early and appropriate prevention.     

Childhood poverty and evidence-based policy engagement in Ethiopia

This article explores efforts to bridge multi-disciplinary research and policy engagement to tackle child poverty in the contexts of developing countries, based on the experiences of Young Lives, an international longitudinal policy-research project. It focuses on a case study involving the application of research evidence on child poverty to shape policy debates concerning Ethiopia's second-generation Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (2006–2010). The discussion is situated within theoretical literature on the interface between knowledge, policy, and practice, which supports the conceptualisation of policy making as a non-linear dynamic process. It pays particular attention to the importance of understanding the political and policy contexts of Southern countries, rather than assuming that they should simply import Northern-derived models of advocacy. It concludes by identifying general lessons for translating research into social-policy change.     

加强暂住人口管理对策研究

人口流动是现代化经济建设中出现的必然现象。本文从当前我国暂住人口的基本情况分析入手,指出了当前流动人口暂住管理中存在的主要社会问题,对全面建设小康社会中"暂住人口现象"进行了有益的探讨。     

对公安机关执法公开若干问题的思考

《公安机关执法公开规定》的出台,是公安机关顺应服务型政府理念下政府职能转变趋势,尊重和保障人权,加强社会管理创新的又一创举.要加强公安机关执法公开工作就必须从规范部门职责权限、提高公众参与度、建设信息公开网络平台入手,同时注意处理好公开与保密的关系、完善相关配套机制、实现警民双向沟通等一系列问题.     

试论刑罚的社会责任

刑罚是犯罪的后果。但同时又是社会运行和社会存在的一部分。如果刑罚没有得到社会公众的认可,没有得到罪犯的诚服,那么刑罚的社会责任就无从谈起。刑罚的功效也会大打折扣。罪犯实质意义上的重返社会也是不可能的,更有甚者。有的终其一生把犯罪作为自己的职业,疯狂地报复社会。刑罚构制的原则思想应当是在打击犯罪和尊重人权的基础上,贯穿功利性与人道性的理性思维下,科学预测,合理配置,兼顾社会性和法律性,做到发挥出刑罚功效的最大化。在社会转型期尤为重要。     

法教义学的基本功能:从刑法学视域的思考

中国法学界系统地研究法教义学之功能的专门作品目前尚很少见。研究法教义学的功能,旨在回答法教义学的服务对象问题。若其功能不明,则必然会引发立场、方法与主体性之争,导致法教义学成为一种无底盘的游戏。法教义学乃是法学家针对规范适用、规范评价、规范塑造展开的理论建构与知识储备,具有司法与立法两个基本面向。其中,司法面向的法教义学具有三重功能:个案的妥当性解决、案件处理之间的协同性与理清社会发展的理想。立法面向的法教义学则是通过教义分析,明确法规范中存在的矛盾之处、有违明确性原则之处或处罚漏洞等,从而促进立法改进,确保法律良善。     

论社会治安防控体系建设的原则和发展方向

社会治安防控体系的建设是统领各项社会治安工作的系统之举。把握原则,明确发展方向是建设治安防控体系的前提和基础。要使社会治安防控体系真正发挥作用,提高驾驭社会治安局势的能力,必须遵循坚持法治的原则、科学高效的原则、整体协调的原则、与时俱进的原则;并且要有效适应动态社会环境的需要,把握好系统化、社会化、市场化、创新化、地域化的建设方向。     

生态城市环境要素的哲学思考

生态城市建设是涉及到自然、经济、文化、社会等多方面的要素的一个复杂、庞大的系统工程,其中自然环境生态化是生态城市建设的基础,文化环境生态化是生态城市建设的灵魂,经济环境和社会环境生态化则构成生态城市建设的重点和关键。     

中国农村贫困状况与最低生活保障制度的建立

随着我国农村贫困人口的大幅度减少和贫困率的下降,剩余的农村贫困人口呈现出了明显的家庭和个人特征:绝大多数贫困人口是因残疾患病等因素导致劳动力完全丧失的人口,他们很难继续从开发式扶贫中获得有效的帮助。近年来,中央政府对建立农村最低生活保障制度高度重视,在全国范围内迅速推开了一系列针对困难农户收入和医疗保障需要的社会救助制度。本文利用2005年的农村住户调查数据对农村贫困人群的贫困状况进行了描述和分析,在此基础上提出了建立农村社会保障制度的政策建议。     

社会工作教育及专业社会工作关系的透视

从前线专业社会工作者以及实务对象的角度分析,当前社会工作专业教育存在冲突与限制。中国文化处境下,专业社会工作的关系是多重和多种关系的融合。社会工作专业教育以及社会工作教育者必须在策略、内容、实践等环节进行调适,以推动社会工作专业教育的本土化发展,建构本土化的关系模式和知识,进而推动中国社会工作专业化和职业化的发展。