Inter-Organizational Coordination and Corruption in Urban Policy Implementation in Bangladesh: A Case of Rajshahi City Corporation

This article provides an overview of the state of inter-organizational coordination and corruption in urban policy implementation in Bangladesh. Based on a study carried out in one of the seven large cities in Bangladesh, the available data illustrate that there are major coordination problems between the Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) and other government departments. This is due to a lack of formal coordination mechanisms, partisan leadership, and a fragmented organizational culture of patron-clientage, which dispenses undue favor and involves nepotism. These pathologies breed corruption and seriously impede inter-organizational coordination. Ordinary citizens suffer as a result.     

认知脑电位检测在目击证人心理面孔重建中的应用

检验目击证人对犯罪嫌疑人面孔记忆的正确性是一项困难的工作。在证人面孔记忆的语义提取过程中,严格遵守完形原则,尽量减少影响证人记忆和再认的因素,把握细节,可以提高目击证人心理面孔重建的质量。认知脑电位检测法可以通过对记忆反应的脑电图成分、潜伏期、波幅等指标的测量,有效判断证人对列队辨认中的面孔是否存有记忆。本文对脑电位检测在目击证人心理面孔重建中的研究和应用进行综述,希望能为相关研究和实践提供参考。     

智能型物证管理系统的应用

加强物证保管工作,是推进执法规范化建设的迫切需要,是适应法制建设的迫切需要,是提高我国公安机关执法办案质量的迫切需求。本文针对当前国内刑事科学技术工作中物证保管存在的问题,研究并建立了智能型物证管理系统,对加强新时期刑事科学技术工作具有指导意义。     

Identifying and measuring juror pre-trial bias for forensic evidence: development and validation of the Forensic Evidence Evaluation Bias Scale

Abstract

Previous research has provided support for the impact of juror pre-trial bias on judicial decision making, particularly in cases where the evidence presented at trial is of weak or ambiguous probative value. In an effort to identify whether a pre-trial bias for forensic evidence exists, the Forensic Evidence Evaluation Bias Scale (FEEBS) was developed and tested. The results of a principal components analysis suggested that two distinct constructs were being measured, corresponding to a pro-prosecution and pro-defence bias toward forensic evidence. In a second validation study, scores on these two subscales were compared with other existing juror bias measures (Juror Bias Scale and Belief in a Just World) and in a mock juror decision making task only the pro-prosecution subscale of the FEEBS predicted the perceived strength of forensic evidence. A partial mediation model is presented which explains the relationship between this bias and verdict preferences. The implications of this potential juror bias are discussed in the context of real juries, the CSI Effect (which refers to anecdotal claims that jurors are biased by the popularity of fictional representations of forensic science on television) and peremptory challenges, as well as future research directions.     

开展动物法医学研究的必要性与可行性

动物资源对于人类社会的生存和发展有着不可估量的价值。加强对动物的保护是有序利用动物资源的前提和保证,动物司法鉴定技术手段能够为动物资源的保护提供有效的技术支撑,动物司法鉴定技术手段的确立和完善有赖于动物法医学的开展及研究。从动物法医学技术本身及其研究论述动物保护方面的必要性及可行性,期望在动物资源保护以及提高动物的福利等方面发挥出积极作用。     

论循证视角下的证据科学

循证以“遵循证据”进行实践的时代精神成为多个学科实践领域共同关注的方法论.我国的证据科学在循证视角下观之,存在重结果轻视证据使用的过程.循证入证据科学可以提供一种整合多元化方法论的有效途径,提高证据使用的高质高效;可以架起证据理论与实践沟通的桥梁,发挥各自的优势;可以增加一种对权力行使的制约与监督,减少权力的随意性、无序化、封闭性;循证也体现了协作、高效、透明、民主等时代精神.     

Low-cost direct PCR for aged and processed wildlife sample analysis

Direct PCR has been used successfully in wildlife forensic DNA analysis from several types of biological samples using specialized, commercial direct PCR kits. This is attributed to the proprietary chemicals provided in the kits such as pre-PCR buffer and modified DNA polymerases. These reagents can be expensive, thereby limiting their widespread adoption in developing countries, where wildlife crimes are often encountered. We report on a study to evaluate the possibility of using low-cost direct PCR assay for degraded and processed wildlife sample analysis. Phire^® and Q5^® polymerases were used, due to their relatively low cost, for direct amplification of six aged and processed sample types (dried skin, 30-year old hair, muscle tissue, bone, trace blood mixed in vodka, and dried soft antler). The result indicated that Phire^® Hot Start II DNA polymerase and Q5^® DNA polymerase performed similarly to commercially available direct PCR kit. The low-cost amplification could efficiently identify species origin from all aged and processed samples. We observed a rate of more than 80% amplification success and high PCR product concentrations sufficient for further sequencing. The assay proved to be cost effective and robust; thus, we expect it to be adopted by wildlife forensic laboratories in developing countries.     

A 1-year time course study of human RNA degradation in body fluids under dry and humid environmental conditions

Blood, saliva and semen are some of the forensically most relevant biological stains found at crime scenes. mRNA profiling is a reliable approach for the identification of the origin of an evidentiary trace. A stable set of markers and the knowledge about the effects of RNA degradation under different environmental conditions is necessary for the determination of an unknown biological stain. The aim of this work was to compare RNA degradation for human blood, semen and saliva at three different concentrations during a 1-year time period and exposed to dry and humid conditions. Also, this study addressed the question whether there are relevant differences in the efficiency of two RNA extraction methods.     

Multiplex high resolution melt (HRM) messenger RNA profiling assays for body fluid identification

Traditional body fluid identification methods use a variety of technologically diverse techniques that do not permit the identification of all body fluids. Definitive identification of the biological material present can be crucial to a fuller understanding of the circumstances pertaining to a crime. Thus definitive molecular based strategies for the conclusive identification of forensically relevant biological fluids need to be developed. Messenger (mRNA) profiling is an example of such a molecular based approach.Current mRNA body fluid identification assays typically involve either capillary electrophoresis (CE) or quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) platforms, each with its own limitations. Both platforms require the use of expensive fluorescently labeled primers or probes. CE-based assays require separate amplification and detection steps thus increasing the time required for analysis. For qRT-PCR assays, only 3 or 4 markers can be included in a single reaction since each requires a different fluorescent dye. To simplify mRNA profiling assays and to reduce the time and cost of analysis, we have developed multiplex high resolution melt (HRM) assays that provide an identification of all forensically relevant biological fluids and tissues.     

Genetic polymorphisms of 20 STR loci in Chinese Han population in Tianjin,North China

The PowerPlex^® 21 System PCR Amplification Kit was a new PCR Amplification Kit developed for forensic laboratories, but there was a lack of data about this kit in Chinese people in Tianjin, North China. This kit contained 20 STR loci, D3S1358, D1S1656, D6S1043, D13S317, Penta E, D16S539, D18S51, D2S1338, CSF1PO, Penta D, TH01, vWA, D21S11, D7S820, D5S818, TPOX, D8S1179, D12S391, D19S433 and FGA. In order to evaluate this kit and to get basic population data for its use in forensic practice in Chinese Han population, 360 unrelated Chinese Han individuals from Tianjin were typed using the Kit. Allele frequencies of the 20 STR loci and further population forensic genetic parameters were obtained. The observed genotype frequencies and expected genotype frequencies were evaluated by χ² test. No significant deviation from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was observed in the population sample for the 20 STR loci. The population data in the present study can be used for routine forensic practice in Tianjin, North China.