IMMIGRATION AND THE RECENT VIOLENT CRIME DROP IN THE UNITED STATES: A POOLED,CROSS‐SECTIONAL TIME‐SERIES ANALYSIS OF METROPOLITAN AREAS*

A good deal of research in recent years has revisited the relationship between immigration and violent crime. Various scholars have suggested that, contrary to the claims of the classic Chicago School, large immigrant populations might be associated with lower rather than higher rates of criminal violence. A limitation of the research in this area is that it has been based largely on cross‐sectional analyses for a restricted range of geographic areas. Using time‐series techniques and annual data for metropolitan areas over the 1994–2004 period, we assess the impact of changes in immigration on changes in violent crime rates. The findings of multivariate analyses indicate that violent crime rates tended to decrease as metropolitan areas experienced gains in their concentration of immigrants. This inverse relationship is especially robust for the offense of robbery. Overall, our results support the hypothesis that the broad reductions in violent crime during recent years are partially attributable to increases in immigration.     

WHERE OFFENDERS CHOOSE TO ATTACK: A DISCRETE CHOICE MODEL OF ROBBERIES IN CHICAGO*

Why do robbers choose a particular area to commit an offense? Do they rob close to home? Do they search for areas with suitable and attractive targets? What keeps them away from certain areas? To answer these questions, a model is developed of how robbers choose target areas. The model draws on various theoretical and empirical traditions, which include environmental criminology, journey to crime research, gang research, and social disorganization theory. Testing the model on cleared robbery cases in Chicago in the years 1996–1998, we demonstrate that robbery location choice is related to characteristics of target areas, to areas where offenders live, to joint characteristics of the resident and target areas, and to characteristics of the offenders themselves. The presence of illegal markets and other crime generators and crime attractors make areas attractive for robbers, whereas collective efficacy seems to keep them out. Distance as well as racial and ethnic segregation restrict the mobility of offenders.     

Developing a Spatial-Temporal Method for the Geographic Investigation of Shoeprint Evidence

Abstract:  This article examines the potential of a spatial-temporal method for analysis of forensic shoeprint data. The large volume of shoeprint evidence recovered at crime scenes results in varied success in matching a print to a known shoe type and subsequently linking sets of matched prints to suspected offenders. Unlike DNA and fingerprint data, a major challenge is to reduce the uncertainty in linking sets of matched shoeprints to a suspected serial offender. Shoeprint data for 2004 were imported from the Greater London Metropolitan Area Bigfoot database into a geographic information system, and a spatial-temporal algorithm developed for this project. The results show that by using distance and time constraints interactively, the number of candidate shoeprints that can implicate one or few suspects can be substantially reduced. It concludes that the use of space-time and other ancillary information within a geographic information system can be quite helpful for forensic investigation.     

量刑与定罪互动论:为了量刑公正可变换罪名

现行刑法理论中定罪与量刑的关系被扭曲了,刑法理论把准确定罪置于至高无上的地位,司法机关把大量精力耗费于准确判断罪名,定罪决定量刑、量刑不可能影响罪名成为刑法公理。但是,判断罪名意义上的定罪,并非刑法的目的;对被告人和社会最有意义的是量刑,判断罪名只是为公正量刑服务的;因此,如果常规判断的罪名会使量刑失当,就可以为了公正量刑而适度变换罪名。     

中国内地与香港特区侵犯著作权犯罪刑法立法比较研究

本文对中国内地与香港特区侵犯著作权犯罪的立法模式、罪名体系、主观要件、客观要件、法律后果等方面进行了全面的比较和分析,并相应指出其差异及优缺点,以期为两地著作权刑事立法的相互吸收和借鉴以及合作打击跨境侵犯著作权犯罪提供理论上的支持。     

涉外腐败犯罪刑事管辖权冲突问题研究——以中国为视角的思考

主权的独立性决定国家的属地管理权具有一定程度的排他性。而各国在长期的司法实践中所形成的诸多刑事管辖原则,在适用于涉外腐败犯罪时又必然会引起管辖冲突。这种刑事管辖的局限和管辖权的冲突,决定各国在追诉涉外腐败犯罪时不得不谋求与其他国家的合作,中国当然也不例外。     

Gambling on compliance with the new 2005 Act: Do organisations fulfil new regulations?

Gambling is not a new phenomenon. Indeed gambling has been seen to be omnipresent throughout history and culture. However gambling has taken a new path. Online gambling is fast becoming a major pastime for many of society. The ease of access and convenience of play has led to an increase in the numbers of people gambling, and not just online. Within the increase of online gambling there has also been an increase in the regulation surrounding this industry. This paper explores the regulatory approach to online gambling within the UK. The researchers explore the Gambling Act 2005 (UK) and provide an empirical analysis of the UK major gambling organisation to determine what regulatory aspects they adopt and what safety measures they have in place to protect minors and to protect against financial crime. The researchers finally looks at policy implications for UK governments when regulating future online gambling.     

互易毒品行为的刑法性质评析

贩卖毒品罪中的卖出行为本质上以买卖关系为基础,互易毒品行为与之存在着性质差别。有偿性交付毒品和买卖毒品是不能划等号的,有偿性只是贩卖毒品的一个特征,而不是买卖行为的独自属性。将互易毒品行为认定为贩卖行为在逻辑上存在着大前提的判断错误。以毒品代物清偿同样不属于贩卖毒品。一概视为贩卖毒品罪违背了罪刑法定原则。只有通过完善立法,将提供毒品行为立法入罪,才能从根本上解决问题。     

论行政刑法规范的适用与罪刑法定原则

行政刑法规范是规定对违反行政上义务的行为予以相应刑罚处罚的法规,在我国仍然是基于刑法上明确规定的罪名而予以制裁的法规。它并不是独立于刑法的其他的特别部分,而是刑法固有的一部分。因而对于违反行政法规的行为,在刑法规定有可以不适用刑法总则的特别规定时,适用该特别规定,而在有关犯罪以及刑罚的基本原则方面仍应适用刑法典的规定。至于空白行政刑法规范,由于犯罪构成事实的基本轮廓以及刑种与刑度已经有明确规定,而只是将其一部分构成要件授权其他法律或行政命令补充,因而并不违反罪刑法定原则的基本要求。     

罪刑法定主义的哲学视域

对刑法基本原则的深刻理解来自于探寻其生命源泉。英国1215年《大宪章》与罪刑法定主义之间的联系被过分夸大了。罪刑法定主义的道德基础是个人主义的道德观,其政治条件一个是政教分离,一个是王在法下。罪刑法定主义仅仅立足于民主主义是不够的,还须立足于立宪主义,其根基在于人的尊严和自治,而其前提是商品经济的发展。