The quality of written expert testimony in alleged child sexual abuse: An empirical study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to empirically evaluate written expert testimonies in cases of suspected child sexual abuse in Sweden. A total of 121 expert testimonies were rated with an instrument developed for the study, the SQX-12 (Gumpert et al., 2001) which is a 12-item checklist aimed to reflect consensus-established concepts of quality. Reports from different professional groups were compared, as were reports produced before and after the 1991 publication of national guidelines. The results suggested that the reports produced by professionals using statement analysis generally were of higher quality than reports written by professionals from child- and adolescent psychiatry. There was a slight increase in report quality, as measured by the SQX total score, over the studied years. However, it is concluded that the overall quality of written expert testimony on child credibility still does not reach the recommended level in Sweden.     

Pre-Appointment Scrutiny Hearings in the British House of Commons: All Bark,or Some Bite?

In 2007 British Prime Minister Gordon Brown agreed that House of Commons committees should start holding pre-appointment hearings for key public appointments. This was initially welcomed by MPs, who viewed it as an important step towards limiting executive power and strengthening the role of parliament. However, following the appointment of the Children's Commissioner against the advice of the relevant select committee, many MPs became disillusioned with the hearings. Based on extensive interviews with those involved in the appointments process, this article argues that while committees may lack formal veto power over appointments, they do have considerable influence. Most candidates said they would not have taken up their appointment against the advice of the select committee. So pre-appointment hearings should not be dismissed as pointless, but rather seen as an important mechanism through which committees can exert influence over public appointments. This tells us two important things about the powers of legislatures. First, it confirms that legislative influence is far more subtle than the simple exercise of veto powers, as scholars have long noted. But second, it also demonstrates that even the most central actors in the process (the MPs) may not appreciate this fact.     

Bargaining Through Arguing: An Empirical Analysis Based on Speech Act Theory

In a recent debate in political science, the terms "bargaining and arguing" have been construed as semantic opposites. The present article rejects this dichotomy and offers a new theoretical approach to clarify the logical and pragmatic relationship of bargaining and arguing as modes of the resolution of conflicts through communication. On the basis of speech act theory, a method for the empirical analysis of bargaining and arguing is developed and demonstrated with an example of conflict resolution by mediation. Four conclusions can be drawn. First, in empirical processes of communicative conflict resolution, in almost all cases both arguing and bargaining will be present. Second, only in the rare cases of pure conflicts over solely facts or values will arguing appear. Third, within the context of an interest conflict, arguing is not an alternative to bargaining, but a means for bargaining. Fourth, although bargaining and arguing have the potential to resolve certain types of conflicts, their success is difficult to predict and cannot be taken for granted.     

Types of knowledge utilization of regulatory impact assessments: Evidence from Swiss policymaking

Ex ante policy appraisals, such as Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs), are promoted because they are expected to inform decisionmakers and, thus, to lead to better quality regulation. Such instrumental use is not the only possible use of RIAs. Ex ante policy appraisal can affect the policy process in various ways. However, a consolidated theory on the conditions for utilization of RIAs in the policy process has yet to be developed. In order to explore these conditions, we analyze three case studies of Swiss decisionmaking processes and apply concepts from knowledge utilization literature. In conclusion, we find that policy arenas matter more than the institutional context and design of RIA procedures. In line with previous literature, political use seems to be a prevalent type of utilization. Yet we find that, under specific conditions, RIAs also provide a basis for the optimization of policy designs (instrumental use), help improve interagency relations (policy‐process use), and may change how a policy issue is understood (conceptual use).     

家庭暴力的防范与价值观培育

家庭暴力是影响社会发展的毒瘤,严重危害着人们的身心健康,是构建和谐社会必须解决的重要问题。家庭暴力产生的根本原因是由于正确价值观的缺位所造成的。为从根本上预防和消除家庭暴力的发生,就必须引导人们树立正确的价值观,正确认识各种家庭关系;树立正确的家庭文明观,家庭伦理观,并在全社会培养一种关怀意识。     

论罪责刑相适应原则之实现

罪责刑相适应原则是刑法的一项重要的基本原则,是我国刑法实现立法公正和司法公正所必须遵循的原则。其实现需通过对制刑、量刑、行刑阶段的全面规范。     

课堂教学：大学生思想政治教育的着力点

充分发挥课堂教学在大学生思想政治教育中的主导作用 ,正确处理思想政治教育与知识教育的关系 ,改进思想政治理论课教学、进行思想政治学科建设、加强思想政治教育工作队伍建设和培育良好的思想政治教育环境     

经济全球化条件下外国仲裁机构在中国仲裁及其影响

外国仲裁机构到中国仲裁,主要是指由外国仲裁机构管理的适用该外国仲裁机构仲裁规则在中国境内进行的仲裁。这对于我国境内的仲裁机构而言,既是挑战,也是机遇。作者认为,建立一支高素质的、为国内外当事人所信赖、能够公正地解决国际商事争议的仲裁员队伍,是我国各仲裁委员会赖以生存与发展的生命线。     

民事案件审理中情与法冲突的利益衡量

情与法冲突案件具有普遍性,由于司法方法的缺失,审理此类案件存在较大困难。利益衡量是解决民事案件中情法冲突最为重要且有效的司法方法。在民事案件审理中,利益衡量的操作规则为实质判断加法律依据。实质判断的抽象标准是情理,现实标准则是利益的位阶;寻找法律依据的路径是法条的灵活适用、法律的解释、法律原则的运用等。     

知识经济对传统会计的冲击与会计创新

21世纪已迈入知识经济时代。知识经济的特征必将对传统会计的会计目标、假设、原则、核算内容以及会计报告等方面产生一定的冲击和影响。因此,尽快建立新型会计模式,将人力资源会计纳入会计管理系统,增强财务会计报告的及时性与充分性等,是创新会计业务,迎接知识经济挑战的需要。