Trial Penalties in Federal Sentencing: Extra‐Guidelines Factors and District Variation

The guarantee of the right to a jury trial lies at the heart of the principles that underlie the American criminal justice system's commitment to due process of law. We investigate the differential sentencing of those who plead guilty and those convicted by trial in U.S. District Courts. We first investigate how much of any federal plea/trial sentencing differences are accounted for by substantial assistance to law enforcement, acceptance of responsibility, obstruction of justice, and other Guideline departures. Second, we investigate how such differences vary according to offense and defendant characteristics, as well as court caseloads and trial rates. We use federal sentencing data for fiscal years 2000–02, along with aggregate data on federal district court caseload features. We find that meaningful trial penalties exist after accounting for Guidelines‐based rationales for differentially sentencing those convicted by guilty plea versus trial. Higher district court caseload pressure is associated with greater trial penalties, while higher district trial rates are associated with lesser trial penalties. In addition, trial penalties are lower for those with more substantial criminal histories, and black men. Trial penalties proportionately increase, however, as Guideline minimum sentencing recommendations increase. We also supplement our analysis with interview and survey data from federal district court participants, which provide insights into the plea reward/trial penalty process, and also suggest important dimensions of federal court trial penalties that we cannot measure.     

Whither the Prosecutor? Prosecutor and County Effects on Guilty Plea Outcomes in Wisconsin

Abstract

By most accounts, the prosecutor is the most powerful person in the courtroom, with discretion to dismiss cases, reduce charges, and offer noncustodial sentences in exchange for guilty pleas. Yet, little is known about the effects of individual prosecutors or community contexts on case outcomes. Relying on data from 318,000 felony and misdemeanor cases in Wisconsin, the present study examines the impact of several prosecutor and county characteristics on case dismissal, guilty plea to lesser charges, and the imposition of a noncustodial sentence following a guilty plea. The authors find that prosecutor caseload composition is associated with variations in guilty plea outcomes, but that neither prosecutor experience nor prosecutor caseload pressure affect other case outcomes. The authors also find that defense counsel and change in defense counsel exert significant influence on guilty plea outcomes. These findings are discussed in relation to focal concerns and courtroom communities perspectives.     

Planned and unplanned complex suicides: a 5-year retrospective study

The notion of planned and unplanned complex suicides first appeared in 1974 by Marcinkowski and, since then, no systematic study of complex suicides has been published in the English forensic literature. Here, the authors present a 5-year retrospective study of complex suicides. Nineteen complex suicides were reviewed: five unplanned and 14 planned, including the first case of an unplanned complex suicide in a woman. All cases were analyzed in terms of gender, age, methods of suicide, the presence of a suicide note, and past suicide attempts, and statistically compared with a 50-case sample of simple suicides. A further comparison was established with compiled data from the literature. Similarities were revealed regarding incidence of complex suicides, male gender predominance, and types of methods used. In contrast, results showed a higher average age for planned complex suicide victims. Finally, the authors discuss the application of the complex suicide definition.     

开高健对《恐慌》主人公性格的设定及主题的彰显

作为日本战后文坛的一位重要作家，开高健不同于战后其他作家；他放眼社会，针砭时弊，给世人以深思及启迪，走出了一条与传统的“私小说”完全不同的道路。代表作之一的《恐慌》发表于1957年，正值日本经济高速增长的前夕。处于大动荡时期的日本社会亟需能够从正面直视并描写社会实态的作家，开高健的《恐慌》正好回应了这一时代要求。探讨主人公俊介的积极、妥协、抗争、精明等诸种性格因素，分析社会转型时期人们普遍存在的躁动不安、无所适从的心理特征，揭示作品的主题亦即集团中的个人和官僚体制的腐败，从而发现开高健作品所蕴含的鲜明时代特征和现实批判意义。     

论先进典型宣传的时代困境与应对

典型宣传作为我党政治工作中一道独特的实践图景承载着巨大的时代意涵,一方面它是引领人民群众发展进步的"助推器"与"方向盘",另一方面则是展现正面形象与弘扬社会主旋律的"重要窗口"。在多元价值并存的时代,典型宣传面临着巨大的冲击与挑战,其中既有社会大环境影响,更有宣传主体自身的原因。因此,维护典型人物的严肃性与可信性,提升宣传内容的可读性与生动性,关注受众群体的心理感受和加强不同媒体间的通力合作是提升先进典型宣传效果的实践路径。     

公安院校学生思想现状分析与突围——基于“路径依赖”的视角

公安院校思想政治教育,存在着理论与实践的双重困境。其中既有根植于传统价值观念与管理行为思维的内生困境,更凸显于学员个体差异与思想政治教育模式简单的外在表征。因此,提高公安院校学员思想政治教育的主动性、时效性与针对性,必须更新教育观念,创新教育形式,健全运行机制,真正消弭思想与行为之间的"路径依赖"。     

辩护权对构建刑事简易化审判程序的作用

刑事审判程序简易化构建蓄纳在权利与权力双向协调组合型的诉讼结构内,且以律师有效参与为权利保障的犯罪嫌疑人、被告人辩护权为核心的公民权利为优位价值。现代刑事简易化审判的程序意义首要的就是满足权利主体人性尊严的程序保障要求。     

论我国著作权犯罪的定罪和处罚及其刑法完善

诱于著作权所蕴含的丰富经济价值并随着文化市场的发展和繁荣,著作权侵权和犯罪逐渐增多,而我国刑法规定的不足和司法实践中的困惑影响了对这类犯罪的有效惩治.有鉴于此,对我国刑法规定的两种侵犯著作权犯罪的构成要件和认定及其处罚进行分析和论述,并剖析我国著作权刑事立法尤其司法实践中存在的主要问题及原因,进而提出完善建议.     

论我国的认罪案件简化审程序——以证明标准及证据要求的适用为视角

公正和效率是两项难以兼顾的司法价值追求。认罪案件简化审程序在分流案件，节约司法资源上有其重要的作用，认罪案件简化审程序如何在提高诉讼效率的同时，实现公正是一个值得关注的问题。通过对认罪案件简化审程序中采用的证明标准和证据要求进行新的构思、设计，可以最大限度的体现认罪案件简化审程序的公正和效率。     

86例鼻部复合性骨折的法医鉴定

目的探讨鼻部复合性骨折的认定、分型和损伤程度的法医学鉴定。方法对86例鼻部复合性骨折鼻骨CT片(轴扫 冠扫)和有关病历资料进行观察分析。结果将86例伤者按骨折种类分成鼻骨并发鼻部非鼻骨骨折(81例)和鼻部非鼻骨复合性骨折(5例)两类,然后再进一步细分。结论86例伤者中轻伤80例(93%),轻微伤6例(7%)。鼻部复合性骨折的损伤程度评定关键在于应按照《人体轻微伤的鉴定》(GA/T146-1996)和《人体轻伤的鉴定(试行)》的有关规定或标准认定和分型,这样鉴定结论才会准确可靠。