Effect of History and Context on Forensic Pathologist Interpretation of Photographs of Patterned Injury of the Skin

In a previous study, a survey‐based analysis of pathologist diagnoses of patterned injury was performed. Subjects were provided with photographs of “classic” injuries and asked to diagnose the lesion in the absence of history or context. There was a relatively low diagnostic consensus among respondents. A second survey suggested that the disparate answers were not due to a strong belief in different diagnoses, but instead reflected how the respondents dealt with ambiguity. A third survey was created that asked participants to evaluate patterned injuries of the skin, but provided history and contextual information. The addition of history and contextual information increased consensus from a median of 80% to 98% on a per‐question basis. Confidence increased from a median of 56%–92%. These results demonstrate the importance of history and context in medical diagnosis of patterned injuries of the skin.     

Mapping current issues in administrative justice: austerity and the ‘more bureaucratic rationality’ approach

This article critically reviews recent developments in the administrative justice system; in particular, it considers three key themes: improving initial decisions; administrative review; and the future of tribunals. In each of these areas, some aspects of administrative justice work well, but austerity has presented acute challenges in ensuring the fair and just treatment of people through restrictions upon legal aid; the withdrawal of some appeal rights; and the expansion of administrative review. Consequently, the system is moving away from a ‘legal’ model of administrative justice to the ‘bureaucratic rationality’ model, which focuses upon accurate and efficient implementation. However, the reality does not correspond with the goals of the model. Rather than accurate and efficient implementation of policy, what we find is poor decision-making made by junior officials with insufficient quality controls. Digitising tribunals may have potential benefits in terms of increased accessibility. Nonetheless, the prospects for administrative justice are weak.     

Freedom in paradise: quality of conditional release reports submitted to the Hawaii judiciary

Annually thousands of insanity acquitees are released from mental hospitals when they are no longer determined to be dangerous. This research examined quality of post-acquittal Conditional Release (CR) reports submitted to the Hawaii Judiciary. Hawaii utilizes a “three panel” system for assessing trial felony competency, criminal responsibility, and conditional release, where typically two psychologists (one Department of Health and one community-based) and one community-based psychiatrist submit independent reports to the Court. One hundred fifty CR reports were rated using a 44-item report quality measure. Interrater reliability trials indicated good to excellent agreement between quality ratings. Overall level of report quality was poor regardless of examiners' professional discipline, employer, or board certification status. Concordance rates for CR opinions were poor. Level of agreement between the judicial determination and majority recommendations was also poor. Reasons for the poor quality and level of agreement are discussed with recommendations for report quality improvement, including standardization of procedures and use of forensic risk assessment instruments.     

公民参与政府决策的逻辑必然与现实对接——以广州番禺垃圾焚烧发电厂建设项目为视角

番禺垃圾焚烧发电厂建设项目引发的争论凸显出公民对政府决策参与的缺失。公共选择理论从经济人的逻辑起点出发,为公民参与政府决策提供了理论基础;现代决策环境的变化使公民参与决策变得非常必要;公民参与意识的兴起对政府决策提出了新要求。即公民参与到政府决策的全过程和每一个环节并有相应的制度保障,是实现政府决策与民意有效对接的重要途径。     

我国货币供应量与通货膨胀关系实证研究

近期物价上涨已成为人们普遍关心的热点问题,通货膨胀压力在进一步加大。本文选用了2007年-2010年的月度数据,对我国货币供应量M0、M1、M2与通货膨胀的关系进行研究,验证近期货币供应量与通货膨胀之间的具体关系。综合运用协整分析、因果检验以及误差修正模型来揭示我国货币供应量与通货膨胀的长期均衡及短期波动关系,结果显示,货币供应量M1、M2变化是通货膨胀率变化的重要原因。通过调整M1、M2,能够有效控制物价水平的上涨。     

论行政决策法治化与服务型政府建设的耦合

行政决策法治化是现代政府建设的重要内容。行政决策法治化的根本动力和价值追求是公众权利的实现与保障。行政决策法治化通过行政决策科学化和民主化与服务型政府建设在公众权利的实现与保障上达到耦合,耦合的基本要求是公众参与制度化、利益团体多元化、信息公开规范化、监督形式多样化及责任追究明确化。     

论侦查决策的两种基本思维方法——溯因思维和辩证思维

研究侦查决策中的思维方法,培养和运用良好的思维方法,对侦查决策效能的提升有现实意义。由于侦查活动的特性,溯因思维和辩证思维成为了侦查决策的基本思维方法。侦查决策中运用的溯因思维方法主要有：事件过程溯因、并案溯因、多元溯因。辩证思维方法主要有：归纳与演绎、分析与综合、抽象与具体、历史与逻辑。     

Emotional responsiveness in convicted fraudsters: a study on baseline activation of the anterior insula and its influence on moral decision-making

Low emotional responsiveness promotes utilitarian decision-making on moral dilemmas. Based on the assumption that fraudsters use their emotional competence to deceive their victims, their emotional responsiveness is not expected to be protective against utilitarian decision-making. The present study investigates the key role of emotional responsiveness in relation to moral decision-making in 11 imprisoned fraudsters, 10 imprisoned violent offenders, and 11 non-offenders. Participants’ neural baseline activation of bilateral anterior insula (AI) was used as an indicator for emotional responsiveness. Results indicate that fraudsters and non-offenders have a higher right AI baseline activation than violent offenders. Yet, fraudsters and violent offenders show a stronger tendency towards utilitarian decisions than non-offenders. The predictive power of AI baseline activation on moral decision-making reaches significance only for fraudsters. Results give evidence that fraudsters are highly sensitive to their emotional state of mind, which, contrary to our expectation, exerts a strong influence on their moral decisions.