The Effect of Image Quality and Forensic Expertise in Facial Image Comparisons

Images of perpetrators in surveillance video footage are often used as evidence in court. In this study, identification accuracy was compared for forensic experts and untrained persons in facial image comparisons as well as the impact of image quality. Participants viewed thirty image pairs and were asked to rate the level of support garnered from their observations for concluding whether or not the two images showed the same person. Forensic experts reached their conclusions with significantly fewer errors than did untrained participants. They were also better than novices at determining when two high‐quality images depicted the same person. Notably, lower image quality led to more careful conclusions by experts, but not for untrained participants. In summary, the untrained participants had more false negatives and false positives than experts, which in the latter case could lead to a higher risk of an innocent person being convicted for an untrained witness.     

Good Governance and Bermuda’s Public Access to Information Act

Abstract

This paper examines the context surrounding, and debates concerning, freedom of information-type legislation in the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. It situates the law within a wider push by the British Government for good governance in the British Overseas Territories. It explores the expectation for more ‘open and transparent’ government held by international government organisations, the British Government, and the Bermudian electorate. It analyses the resultant political debates, which are framed by traditions of governance that encouraged secrecy and legacies of distrust between political parties formed soon after universal suffrage was introduced in the 1960s. It investigates the implementation of the Act in response to global, metropolitan and local pressures.     

Taking Freedom of Information into the Commonwealth: The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative at Work

Abstract

This article outlines the commitment of the Commonwealth and its institutions to a public right to official information, its promotion of the enactment and effective implementation of freedom of information (FOI) legislation, and progress to date in member states. It identifies obstacles to more widespread introduction of access to information laws, and describes the work of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative through years of advocacy for the adoption of such laws, the training of bureaucrats, lawyers and parliamentarians from around the Commonwealth, and collaborations with civil rights organisations, coalitions and activists. It stresses that engendering a regime of transparency is more complicated than merely enacting an FOI law. Citing successes of the Indian grass-roots movement in promoting the right to information, and successfully encouraging the use of enacted statutes through the dissemination of information about its provisions and usage, it calls for capacity building in both civil society and the media to work towards successful outcomes elsewhere in the Commonwealth.     

我国反恐怖爆炸防控机制的建构

当前我国诱发恐怖爆炸的国际国内因素广泛存在,袭击目标向涉及国计民生的重点要害单位及重要交通枢纽转移,已经严重威胁我国的安全和稳定。我国应建立反恐怖爆炸的紧急处置机制,加强爆炸物的监管,建立健全反恐怖爆炸的情报信息研判机制,加强内部基础防范建设,构建全方位的反恐防控体系。     

地理信息系统在应急指挥系统(110)中的应用

地理信息系统(GIS)作为一门新兴学科,在国民经济建设的各个领域发挥着越来越重要的作用。应急指挥作为一种空间性很强的工作,需要GIS的参与。本文以乐山市五通桥区警务GIS为例,介绍了GIS在应急指挥系统(110)中的应用,重点探讨了系统通信、报警点定位、最短路径、案发地周围环境获知几个关键问题,对以往的最短路径处理思想进行了拓展。实际应用情况表明,采用以GIS为核心的辅助决策系统的方法与传统的应急方法相比,提高了调度的准确和响应速度,为应急指挥工作赢得时间,并且明确工作思路,使应急指挥工作在有条不紊的指导下进行。在前人工作成果的基础上,结合警务应急指挥系统实际情况,作者提出了因地制宜发展GIS应急指挥系统的思路。     

“熊猫烧香”案的刑法相关问题探析

“熊猫烧香”案是一起典型的网络犯罪案件，其所涉及的刑法学问题主要是对此案的犯罪嫌疑人是否应以破坏计算机信息系统罪和盗窃罪定罪量刑，对此刑法学界和司法实务界持有不同的观点。因此有必要由最高司法机关对如何认定“后果严重”以及对网络虚拟财产的刑法保护问题作出相应的司法解释，以更加有效地打击网络犯罪行为。     

侦查信息的几个基本问题

侦查信息是近几年刑事侦查理论与实践研究较多的问题,侦查信息化建设正在如火如荼地向前推进。笔者通过研究探讨了侦查信息的几个最基本的问题,以“三论”为基石研究侦查信息的理论基础;借鉴法学和犯罪学的研究成果,从侦查角度重新界定了侦查信息的基本概念;从侦查对策体系和刑事案件侦查应用体系入手研究了侦查信息在刑事债查中具体运用。     

论杀人碎尸案件的网上侦查途径

近年来,杀人碎尸案件不断增多,影响了社会的安全稳定。传统侦查手段的局限性日益明显,在很大程度上制约了这类案件的侦破效率。开展杀人碎尸案件的网上侦查,能够突破案件地区管辖的限制,实现情报信息资源的高度共享,在有效降低侦破成本的同时,提高案件侦破效率。杀人碎尸案件的网上侦查途径通常包括网上查找尸源、网上串并案件、网上摸底排队、网上追逃、网上案情分析及犯罪地理画像等。     

政策目标在执行中的置换与回归——基于委托代理理论的分析

文章利用委托代理理论系统分析了政策选择性执行的表现与内在原因，提出通过建立绩效激励和监督机制等理路来实现政策目标回归的帕累托改进路径。     

试论科学发展观指导下的大众教育机制设计——关于学有所教之于生活方式创新的思考

生态价值观的理解与认同是一种有利于和谐社会构建的“社会资本”积累，价值的普遍认同和机制的成熟高效能使成本更低、效率更高。大众传媒之于大泉教育载体的开辟对于生态知识的普及与生活方式的变革具有可行的实践意义，提高人们的生态意识乃当务之急。