The role of cognitive distortions in paedophilic offending: Internet and contact offenders compared

Abstract

Cognitive distortions are held to contribute to sexual offending against children in a number of theoretical explanations of such crimes. However, not only is there little or no direct evidence in support of the centrality of cognitive distortions in offending but recent research has questioned whether the concept has explanatory power. Cognitive distortions are variously seen as necessary for the offender to offend against children, as post-offending justifications for the offence, or as reflecting distorted patterns in the offender's upbringing. This paper explores the role of cognitive distortions in sex offending by comparing the distortions of contact sex offenders against children with Internet child pornography offenders without contact offences against children. A new cognitive distortions questionnaire was developed which was suitable for administration to Internet offenders who had no contact offences against children as well as being suitable for contact offenders. It was found that some cognitive distortions are frequently agreed with by sex offenders against children whereas others were seldom or never agreed with. Little support was found for earlier typological approaches to the cognitive schema of sex offenders against children. Contrary to the expectation that contact offenders would have more cognitive distortions, it was found that Internet offenders had more cognitive distortions that children are sexual beings. Furthermore, there were no differences in cognitive distortions justifying the offence. However, offenders with a previous history of offending were more likely to admit to cognitive distortions which justify their offending. It is accepted that cognitive distortions are readily recognized in interviews with sex offenders against children. Nevertheless, it is argued that there is a need for new research to stimulate a new understanding of the nature and role of cognitive distortions in sex offending.     

中国循证矫正的对象、问题与解决方案

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公安高等院校法学学术型硕士培养模式创新研究

公安法学教育是公安职业教育与法学教育相结合的特殊法学教育,是法学教育的重要组成部分。公安高等院校法学类硕士培养基本上紧随我国法学教育的发展趋势,但是要在学术型硕士培养上创新,就需要突出公安特色。在"卓越法律人才计划"的大背景下,法学教育"精英化"、"大众化"、"职业化"等的辨析日趋明确,各大高校法学硕士培养定位已经基本形成共识,即为研究做准备——学术型硕士。公安高等院校法学硕士定位同样应为学术型硕士,其要在同领域中具备"卓越法律人才"素质,就需在培养过程中强化公安实践上升为公安理论的能力,首先从招生数量上"精化",其次从课程设置上"简化"、"深化",再次从导师引导上"细化"、"学徒化",最后从准出门槛——毕业论文上"学术化"。公安高等院校法学硕士最终应能成为公安法学相关理论领域博士研究预备人才。     

Politics and the Price of Rice in Thailand: Public Choice,Institutional Change and Rural Subsidies

Despite the Thai state’s long record of rice market interventions, historically politicians failed to leverage rice subsidies in their pursuit of political support, notwithstanding the large number of farmers in the country. Since Thaksin Shinawatra’s election in 2001, though, each government has subsidised rice producers, although at varying degrees. What explains this change? This article traces the four-decade history of rice price support programmes. It is proposed that these policies be interpreted through the dual lens of institutionalism and public choice theory, demonstrating how political institutions have shaped incentives for politicians to cater to different constituencies. During the pre-1980 period, under authoritarian regimes, Thai leaders applied rice price policies to benefit urban consumers and the government. From 1979 through 2000, following implementation of the block-vote system, rice interventions were used to appeal to voting intermediaries like rice millers, as bargaining chips among competing parties and as stopgap measures to diffuse farmer protests. Since 2001, responding to the electoral system created by the 1997 constitution, politicians have appealed directly to the voting public, seeking broad-based support via subsidies. The analysis highlights the impact that shifting institutional incentives have on politicians’ actions and thus the emergent policies.     

浅议我国认证认可制度中的政府信用问题

目前,我国认证认可行业存在着严重的政府失信问题。认证有效性不足意味着认证认可得不到信任,不具备公信力,这与公民对政府的信任,即政府信用密切相关。政府信用是认证认可的根基,而认证认可是政府信用的具体表现。本文认为,在认证认可领域,政府失信主要表现为公共权力的使用不当、政府没有提供足够的公共产品以提升人们的福利水平及社会出现的严重不公正。     

论民事诉讼立案审查制度

在民事诉讼中,对于当事人的起诉,国外大多数国家实行立案登记制度,我国实行程序审查和实体审查相结合的立案审查制度。这种制度存在很多弊端,有人主张废除该制度,实行立案登记制度。这种观点值得商榷,对现行程序审查和实体审查相结合的立案审查制度进行改良而不是全盘否定,似乎更符合我国的国情。     

垃圾卫生填埋与北京市垃圾处理构想

城市用卫生填埋方式处理生活垃圾是适宜的。文章介绍北京市垃圾处理状况 ,分析了目前卫生填埋处理垃圾建设经验及存在的一些问题 ,并提出了在北京建设超大规模垃圾卫生填埋场的构想     

法庭科学DNA实验室认可与质量控制

法庭科学DNA实验室认可是整个实验室认可活动的一个组成部分,是对法庭科学DNA实验室的质量管理水平和技术能力的一种国家及国际间的正式承认。本文从文件体系建立、测量溯源、方法的确认、能力验证、质量控制等5个方面,对DNA实验室在认可中存在的主要问题进行了分析,对法庭科学DNA实验室认可与质量控制进行了探讨。     

我国海外投资保险制度法律关系主体的思考

本文从解析海外投资保险机构设置的立法体例入手,论述了我国海外投资保险机构的设置问题。认为我国应采取“德国式”的立法模式,即海外投资保险审批机构与执行业务机构相分离的立法模式。并对中国人民保险公司是否可作为我国海外投资保险业务的承保机构以及我国自然人及私营企业是否可成为合格投资者进行了论述。     

The making of an expert detective: the role of experience in English and Norwegian police officers’ investigative decision-making

Biased decision-making in criminal investigations can impede or arrest the progress of justice. Previous research has not systematically addressed the effects of professional experience on the quality of detectives’ decision-making. Using a quasi-experimental design, this study compared the quality of investigative decisions made by experienced detectives and novice police officers in two countries with markedly different models for the development of investigative expertise (England and Norway). Participants (N?=?124) were presented with two semi-fictitious cases and were asked to report all relevant investigative hypotheses and necessary investigative actions in each case. The quality of participants’ responses was gauged against a gold standard established by a panel of senior homicide experts. In the English sample, experienced detectives vastly outperformed novice police officers in the number of reported gold-standard investigative hypotheses and actions. In the Norwegian sample, however, experienced detectives did not perform any better than novices. We argue that English (vs. Norwegian) detectives may benefit more from professional experience due to their Professionalising Investigation Programme and a nationwide accreditation program, requiring them to engage in extensive standardized training, systematic evaluation and synchronized development. In contrast, Norway lacks such requirements. Methodological limitations and implications for police training and accreditation policies are discussed.