What do forensic analysts consider relevant to their decision making?

In response to research demonstrating that irrelevant contextual information can bias forensic science analyses, authorities have increasingly urged laboratories to limit analysts' access to irrelevant and potentially biasing information (Dror and Cole (2010) [3]; National Academy of Sciences (2009) [18]; President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (2016) [22]; UK Forensic Science Regulator (2015) [26]). However, a great challenge in implementing this reform is determining which information is task-relevant and which is task-irrelevant. In the current study, we surveyed 183 forensic analysts to examine what they consider relevant versus irrelevant in their forensic analyses. Results revealed that analysts generally do not regard information regarding the suspect or victim as essential to their analytic tasks. However, there was significant variability among analysts within and between disciplines. Findings suggest that forensic science disciplines need to agree on what they regard as task-relevant before context management procedures can be properly implemented. The lack of consensus about what is relevant information not only leaves room for biasing information, but also reveals foundational gaps in what analysts consider crucial in forensic decision making.     

‘Let's Win this Game Together’: Children's Rights Violations,Macro‐Securitisation and the Transformative Potential of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil

Sport's transformative potential is known to support marginalised children, to deal with traumatic experiences and instil positive values; yet hosting mega sporting events (MSEs) can have negative impacts. Drawing on participatory research with favela‐based children during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, this article argues that MSEs bring a macro‐securitisation of urban life, which causes considerable harm. This paper also suggests that the inclusion of children's voices in advocacy debates can challenge top‐down securitisation and might allow MSEs to foster further positive social transformation. Therefore, juxtaposed with causing harm, macro‐securitisations can open opportunities for children to take action and have their voices heard.     

“债随物走”规则的理论基础是什么——以企业转投资案例为焦点的实证研究

最高人民法院于2003年通过司法解释创造了"债随物走"规则。这一规则在实践中常适用于企业将其重大资产对外投资的交易。现有的相关研究大多认为这一规则是对法人财产独立制度的违反,主要以继受人责任和公司分立作为对该规则进行限缩解释的理论基础。针对这一规则,截至2018年9月的全样本实证研究表明,我国法院在企业对外投资情形下适用"债随物走"规则有其现实的考虑,其决定性因素包括债权人的类型与新设公司外部投资者的数量。现有相关研究并未意识到这些因素的重要性。与现有理论相比,资产分割理论可以很好地帮助人们分析"债随物走"规则的制度成本与收益,也更契合目前我国的司法经验,可以为这一规则未来的适用提供指导。根据法院的判决经验与理论分析,法院应仅在转移资产的企业之债权人明显缺乏自我保护能力,且资产受让公司外部投资者数量较少的情况下适用"债随物走"规则。     

论法官惩戒委员会的法律地位

设立法官惩戒委员会,并由该委员会对法官履职是否构成违法审判提供专业意见,是完善法官惩戒制度的重要内容和制度创新。对法官惩戒委员会的定位与职能,学界的建议与实际的制度建构并不完全一致。各地在设立法官惩戒委员会的过程中,因对其法律地位的理解不深、不透甚至存在偏差,导致其处于“无功能”的状态。作为一个全新的制度设计,在有域外先例可供借鉴的情况下,吸收其有益经验,再根据中国现实国情来建构,是制度建设的有效途径。当前,应根据修订后的我国《法官法》对法官惩戒委员会的相关规定,在明确法官惩戒委员会法律地位的基础上,在设立主体、委员构成、设立模式上下功夫,并做好与其他职能部门的衔接工作,确保法官惩戒委员会依法建构并保证制度得以顺利运行。     

Mobilising the Periphery: Brazil's My House My Life Programme and the Homeless Workers' Movement

Brazil's Movimento de Trabalhadores Sem Teto (MTST, Homeless Workers' Movement) has grown dramatically in recent years. This growth was partly provided for by the use of a large government housing programme, Minha Casa Minha Vida (MCMV, My House My Life), which allowed the MTST to construct housing for its members and swell its ranks with thousands of new members. Yet some have argued that the MCMV programme used by the MTST may compromise the autonomy of civil society organisations. This article, by contrast, argues that while the MCMV programme encouraged bureaucratic practices, it also helped to promote the cultural politics of the MTST.     

商标恶意抢注中特定关系“非特定化”之反思--《商标法》第15条的解释论

商标抢注是我国商标法司法实践中一个重要问题。我国《商标法》第15条专门规制发生在特定关系人之间的商标恶意抢注行为、划分特定关系的类型,但未对其含义做明确界定,导致司法实践中对特定关系的判定出现分歧,特定关系的范围因此不断扩大,呈现出“非特定化”趋势。特定关系的无序扩张,在法理上缺少必要性和正当性,既有碍适用《商标法》其他条款,又不符合效率原则、社会成本理论及诚实信用原则的应有之意。为防止特定关系无序扩张,应将契约关系作为解释特定关系内容的核心,法官适用该条款时不宜随意扩大特定关系的内容,应严格按照商标法及相关司法解释的规定进行判断。     

认罪认罚从宽制度的体系性反思与建构

虽然认罪认罚从宽制度是在我国《刑事诉讼法》中得以正式确立的,但《刑事诉讼法》中涉及此制度的具体规定又都是操作层面的。据此,认罪认罚从宽制度的合理性并不能得以阐释。而依据我国《刑法》,对认罪认罚从宽制度的合理性则可以从形式逻辑、实质逻辑以及价值理念三个维度予以充分证成。由此可知,认罪认罚从宽制度本质上系《刑法》中的一种刑罚裁量制度,认罪认罚本质上是法定的从宽量刑情节。在定罪层面,犯罪嫌疑人、被告人只需自愿承认不法事实系其所为,即构成"认罪",而无需准确评价自身行为的法律性质并准确识别具体罪名;在量刑层面,"认罚"考察的重点是犯罪嫌疑人、被告人的悔罪态度和悔罪表现。应当通过刑法立法的方式将认罪认罚从宽制度与自首制度、坦白制度部分重叠地整合在一起,以避免"概念混同""重复评价"的错误倾向。     

商标侵权惩罚性赔偿的制度构建

我国《商标法》2013年第三次修改时首次在知识产权领域引入惩罚性赔偿责任。实证分析表明,惩罚性赔偿在商标侵权诉讼中适用甚少且适用不规范的问题突出,未能充分发挥其遏制侵权行为的预期作用。究其原因,主要存在适用条件不明确、赔偿基数难确定、程序保障不充分等问题。为规范适用,充分发挥惩罚性赔偿的作用,需要从以下四个方面完善其制度构建:一是强化程序保障;二是明确适用条件;三是完善赔偿数额的计算;四是厘清惩罚性赔偿与法定赔偿的关系。     

全面从严治党背景下的农村基层党组织建设——基于陕西省延安市索洛湾村的调研

加强农村基层党组织建设是坚持和加强党对农村工作全面领导的必然要求,是巩固基层政权的迫切需要,是巩固党在农村执政基础的应然选择。但是,部分农村基层党组织软弱涣散,党员结构不平衡,在党意识不强,农村干部本领恐慌,管理制度、监督机制不健全。需要通过选优配强带头人,提升党员队伍素质,增强服务效能,提升乡村治理能力,落实主体责任等路径,推动农村基层党组织全面进步、全面过硬,促进全面从严治在农村落地生根。     

Citizen aid,social media and brokerage after disaster

Abstract

In a crisis, aid providers deliver humanitarian relief across a hierarchy of organisations where influence and capacity map to their scale of operations. On the front lines of crises, ‘citizen aid’ is what small, local and informal groups offer to fellow citizens. These citizen aid groups are well-networked in place and tend to work through longstanding personal relationships. In the Philippines, citizen aid groups frequently support their activities by documenting their work with photos of beneficiaries to solicit donations from within the country and around the world across social media platforms. This paper builds on recent debates on brokerage through a case study of citizen aid in the relief effort after Typhoon Haiyan (2013–2017). Using this case-study approach, we demonstrate how social media has produced novel forms of brokerage shaped by circulating images online. This new kind of brokerage involves a layered network of brokers that both shapes citizen aid efforts and creates new channels for localising aid, enhancing the control of citizen groups in the Global South over aid.