Rape Shield Laws and Sexual Behavior Evidence: Effects of Consent Level and Women’s Sexual History on Rape Allegations

Rape shield laws, which limit the introduction of sexual history evidence in rape trials, challenge the view that women with extensive sexual histories more frequently fabricate charges of rape than other women. The present study examined the relationship between women's actual sexual history and their reporting rape in hypothetical scenarios. Female participants (college students and a community sample, which included women working as prostitutes and topless dancers, and women living in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center) imagined themselves in dating scenarios that described either a legally definable act of rape or consensual sexual intercourse. Additionally, within the rape scenarios, level of consensual intimate contact (i.e., foreplay) preceding rape was examined to determine its influence on rape reporting. Women were less likely to say that they would take legal action in response to the rape scenarios if they had extensive sexual histories, or if they had consented to an extensive amount of intimate contact before the rape. In response to the consensual sexual intercourse scenarios, women with more extensive sexual histories were not more likely to say that they would report rape, even when the scenario provided them with a motive for seeking revenge against their dating partner.     

Charging children with child pornography – Using the legal system to handle the problem of “sexting”

No one would disagree that the purposes and aims of child pornography laws are legitimate and necessary. Recently, however, these laws, which have the ostensible aim of protecting children, are instead being used to punish children and dissuade the new phenomenon of “sexting” in the United States. “Sexting” refers to the use of mobile phones with built-in cameras to produce and distribute images of oneself in a sexually provocative or revealing position. The potential danger that this trend poses to minors is huge. Photographs produced by the use of “sexting” can be distributed to unintended third parties, often leading to embarrassment and harassment. Moreover, senders are also in danger of being charged with possession and distribution of child pornography, regardless of the fact that they are minors and the pictures are often of themselves. Not only is charging minors with child pornography a rather new phenomenon, it also appears to be a strategy that several states are adopting. This paper will look at the growing trend of charging minors who engage in “sexting” with child pornography charges by a case study of an actual prosecution, what the consequences of such a conviction entails in the United States, legislative responses, and an analysis of the appropriateness of using the legal system as a way of dealing with this problem.     

论行政调查中的不得自证己罪原则

不得自证己罪原则在行政调查领域的适用,在美国等西方国家,是一个宪法问题。在我国,从长远来看,不得自证己罪原则的适用,包括刑事诉讼领域和行政调查领域,是必然的趋势。在行政调查领域,适用不得自证己罪原则,应当考虑行政法本身的特点,与行政程序中的证据规则配合使用。     

精神障碍者刑事责任能力判定研究

为推介中国人民大学法学院博士培养成果,搭建论文品评乃至学术评价之平台,《法学家》专辟博文精萃一栏。该栏目由两部分组成:其一是论文要旨,由博文作者对其博士论文进行全面系统而重点突出的介绍,一般宜包括如下要素:论文的体系架构;论文每章节的主要内容;论文的主要特点;论文的主要创新和不足;论文所研究领域的课题展望。其二是论文评议,可以是答辩委员会的论文审查意见,或者评审专家的点评,具体宜包括如下要素:对论文的总体评价;对论文的体系及各章节的评价;对论文创新的评价;指出论文的不足以及进一步完善的方向。敬请关注并提出宝贵建议。     

暴力与屠杀:刑法上的“敌人”还是刑法上的“不人道”

法律对屠杀问题的回应,始终在两种模式之间徘徊:一种是以国家刑法为给养来源的刑法上的敌人模式,另一种是源于国际刑法的刑法上的不人道模式。后者更适合屠杀的定性标准,它暗示了在大量死难者面前,对人性的否定。建立刑法上的不人道模式需要回应三个方面的问题:第一,罪的含义;第二,归责;第三,惩罚的实质。首先,根据《国际刑事法院规约》第7条,我们至少可以认为反人道模式中被保护的人性包含着两个相辅相成的要素:每个人的特殊性,以及每个人都平等地归属于人类共同体。其次,在归责问题上,我们不能满足于只制裁处于权力链条最顶端的人,还必须考虑等级体系的所有级别。最后在惩罚实质上,我们不仅要在刑罚制裁上考虑惩罚的本质,而且还需要从修复以及协商的角度看待这一问题。文章最后指出,刑法上的不人道模式成为一个可以实现的、普世的理想,尚需国际法与国内法的合作以及各个学科之间的协力。     

刑事见证及其法律效力研究——诉讼证明中一个被忽视的问题

刑事见证一直被当作一个技术性问题而为我国诉讼法学界所忽视,其所蕴涵的监督制约价值和诉讼证明功能尚未被人们充分认识。我国现有的刑事见证规范不但内容粗疏,而且见证与否对相关的侦查行为及由此所取得的证据材料不产生任何法律效力,从而导致权力滥用和制度变形,这不但与程序正义相背离,而且妨害实体真实的发现。对公权力过分信任的政治哲学、＂重实体、轻程序＂的法律文化以及偏重于惩罚犯罪的诉讼目的等,都影响了制度的精细化设计及其应然功能的发挥。无论是顺应证明模式转型的发展趋势还是基于程序法定原则的内在要求,抑或是保障证据证明力及侦查程序正当性的要求,均需要我们重新审视刑事见证问题。只有把见证人见证作为一项独立的诉讼行为予以制度完善并赋予其一定的法律效力,刑事见证才能实现从技术到制度的转变。     

刑事证据制度发展中的阶段性进步——刑事证据两个规定评析

刑事证据两个规定针对司法实践中的重点与难点予以规范,初步确立了现代刑事证据法中的一些基本原则和规则,标示着我国刑事证据立法取得了阶段性进步。但是,从比较法的角度看,在两个规定中．对于正当法律程序、直接言词原则的体现并不充分;非法口供排除规则未能强调“任意性”标准,只是一种最低限度的排除;而对非法获得的实物证据采取宽容态度,不利于对公民财产权、隐私权的保护;大量的关于瑕疵证据可以进行补正和解释的规定,大大降低了刑事证据的可采性标准。目前有必要进一步完善具体的制度规范,积极改善司法环境,促进两个规定的贯彻实施．推动我国刑事法治向前发展。     

违法性认识若干问题研究

违法性认识的内容在理论界有众多分歧。违法性认识是指行为人对其行为违反整体的法制性、法规范的认识,认识的内容不应当是伦理道德等前法律规范,也不宜是某具体的法。而基于违法性认识认定的推理逻辑,对其存在性的认定应当侧重于反向推定即如果特定情形下存在法律认识的丧失那么就应当排除行为人的违法性认识,反之即存在违法性认识。从学界的研究来看,对违法性认识与犯罪过失的关注相对较少,就二者关系来讲,犯罪过失的成立不需要违法性认识。     

商业贿赂范围及数额司法认定疑难问题

具有市场价格且受贿人实际取得价值的礼券应当计入商业贿赂犯罪数额。将免费旅游界定为商业贿赂,并非意味着与免费旅游相关的费用一概认定为商业贿赂数额。收受银行卡案件应当区分不同情况计算犯罪数额。贿赂案件中特殊汽车牌照、特殊手机号码的费用应当记入犯罪数额。行贿方付出了金钱,虽然没有直接交付受贿方,但将金钱周转成通过特殊汽车牌照、特殊手机号码表现的现实利益或者享受资格。应当将以金钱为背景、体现贿赂犯罪权钱关系的性贿赂认定为商业贿赂。     

环境犯罪疑难问题探讨

近些年来,由于环境事故频发,如何借助于刑法对环境犯罪进行规制引起了刑法理论界的日益重视。对照国外环境犯罪的立法状况可以发现,我国的环境犯罪立法有许多方面需要进一步规范和完善。文章从环境犯罪的构成要件、刑事处遇、诉讼程序设计三方面入手,对存在的问题进行了解读,并提出了进一步进行完善的建议。