Facts,power and global evidence: a new empire of truth

Abstract

What are the epistemological and political contours of evidence today? This introduction to the special issue lays out key shifts in the contemporary politics of knowledge and describes the collective contribution of the six papers as an articulation of what we describe as a ‘new empiricism’, exploring how earlier historical appeals to evidence to defend political power and decision-making both chime with and differ from those of the contemporary era. We outline some emerging empirical frontiers in the study of instruments of calculation, from the evolution of the randomized controlled trial (RCT) to the growing importance of big data, and explore how these methodological transformations intersect with the alleged crisis of expertise in the ‘post-truth’ era. In so doing, we suggest that the ambiguity of evidence can be a powerful tool in itself, and we relate this ambiguity to the ideological commitment and moral fervour that is elicited through appeals to, and the performance of, evaluation.     

Connecting research and practice: Perspectives on the role of manualized programs in youth work

While there is a strong movement in favor of the use of manual-based programs in the arena of social care, there is a view that such programs are not applicable in the more fluid setting of youth work, which operates informally, using dynamic and organic methods. A critical pedagogical approach to youth work engages young people by encouraging them to become inquisitive, to question why things are the way they are and to pose problems through which they can learn. For some, manualized or evidence-based programs are not seen as having a role in such contexts. However, to date, the international debate in relation to this issue has been limited by an absence of published studies focusing specifically on strategies to implement evidence-informed practice in youth work contexts. This article aims to address this gap in the literature. The Irish national youth organization Foróige, which works with more than 56,000 young people in Ireland on an annual basis, has developed a range of manualized evidence-informed resources to support its youth work over recent years. Drawing on research findings from a range of studies conducted with youth workers focusing on implementation of these resources, the article explores the benefits and tensions associated with the use of program manuals in a youth work context. The findings suggest that such resources have a valuable role to play in youth work if designed in collaboration with youth workers, showing respect for core youth work values and allowing for flexibility and adaptability in implementation.     

Murder in Mexico: are journalists victims of general violence or targeted political violence?

Journalists in Mexico face hundreds of attacks each year, ranging from online harassment and physical intimidation to outright murder. The official narrative typically claims that murdered journalists are the victims of general criminal violence. This article finds that despite the rampant violence in Mexico, the murder of journalists cannot be attributed to the country’s general criminal violence problem alone. Instead, the evidence points to the targeting, and even political targeting of journalists. First, journalists are at a much higher risk of being murdered than the general population. Second, the divergence between homicide rates among the general population and among journalists varies considerably between Mexican states. While recent scholarship has shown that subnational governments can successfully remain authoritarian despite democratization at the central or federal level, this literature has largely ignored the use of political killings in subnational undemocratic regimes. This article attempts to understand the murder of journalists not just as a problem of criminal violence, but also of political violence, and thereby connects the findings to the existing scholarship on subnational authoritarianism.     

全球化进程中法治基础的转变——以世界主义民主理论的全球治理为出发点

全球化进程使以主权国家为核心的世界秩序发生变化,以世界主义民主理论为基础的全球治理理论的兴起给传统法治理论提供了新的研究思路。在全球化背景下,从世界主义民主的视角来看待法治理论所面临的问题,就是要重新审视全球化背景下民族国家法治的政治基础问题,这也是中国法理学面临的重要问题。     

以科技侦查推动侦查模式的根本变革

现代社会,犯罪数量持续高发,犯罪类型不断衍生,犯罪手段不断升级,犯罪活动方式不断变化,给侦查工作带来了许多新的挑战。如果仍然以“人证为主”的侦查模式作为侦查工作的主导模式,必然导致侦查成本成倍增加,破案率大幅下降。侦查模式由“人证”向“物证”的转变势在必行。在实现刑事侦查模式的转化中,现代科学技术在实现现代“物证”的司法证明中发挥了巨大的作用。科学技术能客观、及时地提供科学证据,在未来的司法活动中将大显身手。     

论法治政府下行政立法听证制度的构想

法治政府是法治国家的必然要求。要建设法治政府,需要规范行政立法听证行为,我国《立法法》虽然对行政立法听证制度有明文规定,但条文过于简单,不具有操作性。因此,我国行政立法听证的范围、听证的物质保障、听证的主持人制度、参与人制度、笔录效力制度、运行程序制度都有进一步探讨的必要。     

论未成年人犯罪的法律道德原因

未成年人犯罪是社会面临的一大难题,其原因更是学者们关注的焦点。文章从法律和道德两个方面论及了未成年人犯罪的原因,并且提出要实行以“德治”为主、以“法治”为辅的方针来“教育、挽救、感化”未成年犯罪嫌疑人。     

程序的多重视角

程序是法学(法律)的一个独立范畴。由于语境不同,中西方对“程序”的理解有较大的差异,国内学者对法律程序进行解释时存在误读现象。完整地认识程序,需要完整的观察视角。只有从人权、法治、民主和经济等多元视角来诠释法律程序的价值和功能,才可能较完整地认识实体权利和程序权利的相互关系。     

指纹鉴定标准及鉴定结论概率化研究

指纹鉴定标准是指纹鉴定理论的核心内容之一.指纹鉴定理论和实践中形成的最低特征数量标准、质量—数量标准、面积—质量量化标准、拓扑学方法和标准、形态学方法和标准等均有其局限性.运用统计学理论和贝叶斯定理建立指纹鉴定结论概率化方法和评价标准,不仅在理论和实践上具有必要性和可行性,而且也可以避免指纹鉴定标准之争,使指纹鉴定从经验走向科学.通过统计每枚指纹平均细节特征数量和每类特征的出现率,可以计算出两枚指纹匹配的概率值,进而对概率结论的可靠性作出分析评断.     

非法证据排除中的“实质说理”与改革建议

关于非法证据排除规则,我国2012年《刑事诉讼法》确立了“非法言词与实物区别排除”,或者说,“强制排除与裁量排除相结合”的模式。当前,非法证据排除说理是整个刑事裁判文书说理的一个“短板”。在司法实践中,许多瑕疵证据、非法证据通过“补正”、“合理解释”被采纳,但缺乏“实质说理”。强化以审判为中心的诉讼制度改革,需要强化非法证据排除的“实质说理”。这一完善过程是艰巨的,涉及实体规则、程序规则、配套制度等方面的综合改革。从长远来看,有必要建构一独立自洽的针对证据合法性调查的“诉中诉”程序。