IMMIGRATION POLICY,BORDER SECURITY,AND MIGRANT DEATHS: AN IMPACT EVALUATION OF LIFE‐SAVING EFFORTS UNDER THE BORDER SAFETY INITIATIVE*

Subsequent to U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) efforts to control illegal immigration throughout the 1990s, concern arose over an apparent increase in deaths of illegal migrants as they began to undertake more treacherous routes to enter the United States from Mexico. In response, the Border Safety Initiative (BSI) was created to increase safety along the southwest border. Using multiple data sources, including the USBP BSI Incident Tracking System, this study evaluated the impact of life‐saving efforts performed under the BSI program. Results indicate that there has been no overall reduction in the rate of migrant deaths since BSI has been in operation. However, an evaluation of BORSTAR search and rescue teams and the 2003 Lateral Repatriation Program (LRP), which returned apprehended migrants from Tucson sector to less hazardous places along the border, were found to be effective in preventing migrant deaths. Policy Implications: Critics of U.S. immigration policy claim that the only way reductions in migrant deaths along the U.S.‐Mexico border can be achieved is through liberalization of immigration policy and relaxing of border security. Yet, for more than a decade, U.S. policy makers have increased restrictions on immigration and have tightened security at the borders. Considering this, alternative means must be deployed in order to save migrant lives in the near term rather than waiting for a reversal of immigration policy. This study suggests that proactive life‐saving measures implemented through a harm‐reduction strategy can have some impact on saving migrant lives.     

论死刑不引渡原则

死刑不引渡原则是现代引渡制度的产物,是随着人权观念的兴起逐步形成和发展起来的。但在实践中,对于死刑的界定却存在着争议,并且请求国与被请求国也常常对是否需要判处死刑存在不同的看法,这些都会对死刑不引渡原则的适用产生影响。另外,死刑不引渡原则是否构成了国际习惯法也没有定论。由于我国现阶段不可能会完全废除死刑,所以在同废除了死刑的国家进行引渡合作时就有可能产生纠纷,为此,我国《引渡法》也应引入死刑不引渡原则。     

我国死刑制度重刑化倾向及原因分析

我国 1 997刑法典仍存在重刑化倾向 ,表现在 :控制死刑适用未有重大突破 ,死刑罪种没有大幅度削减 ,绝对确定的死刑规定有增无减 ,死刑量刑幅度过大。我国刑法中死刑过多 ,与国际轻刑化趋势不相符合 ,不利于我国刑罚目的的实现 ,死刑不仅有较大的副作用还可能在刑事诉讼上造成难以弥补的损失。我国死刑居高不下的主观原因有封建重刑思想、传统价值观和刑罚观的影响 ,现阶段我国经济不发达、社会治安状况严峻和刑事立法体制的制约是其客观原因。     

故意杀人罪的死刑裁量基准——“丁汉忠案”的文本梳理和法理审视

目前我国有关故意杀人罪中死刑裁量因素的审查难有真切、统一的基准,而在司法实践中对相关刑法条文含义的理解和阐释较为草率;最高人民法院的指导性案例体现的裁判趣旨未得到充分领会;各量刑因素的作用莫衷一是、标准不一,“估堆”量刑的困境萦绕其间,因而须探索故意杀人罪中相对合理的死刑裁量基准。具体而言,须区分各量刑因素的轻重、位阶,建构以责任刑为主、预防刑为辅的死刑裁量基准。至于是否入围死刑圈主要是仰仗责任刑阶段的判断。若责任刑阶段均是从严因素,基本会入围死刑圈的审查。死刑圈内的三种准刑种如何抉择,取决于对行为人的人身危险性判断。在预防刑阶段若均是从宽因素,一般死缓的判决即可满足要求;若从宽因素和从严因素交错,死缓限制减刑的判决基本可满足要求;若只有从严因素,则有判决死刑立即执行的可能。     

Death and Us

As Leon Kass has noted, the conquest of illness and death has long been “the unstated but implicit goal of modern medical science.” But it is unstated no more. Since the late 1990s, a new generation of scientists and enthusiasts has emerged to proclaim the feasibility and desirability of radical life extension. What they promise is not just longer life, better health, and heightened vitality, but a transformation of ourselves into the sort of beings we have long wished to be, but have repeatedly failed to become: beings who are completely fulfilled and living in perfect harmony with others. Despite the obvious and profound appeal of such a fantasy, attempts to realize it, even if successful scientifically, might prove to be disastrous culturally, for reasons that go beyond concerns about the alteration of existing social structures. Ultimately, as Freud argued, life might well become stagnant, “shallow and empty,” while the fear of death might become all the more crippling.

对海德格尔和列维纳斯死亡概念的比较分析

死亡是哲学的永恒主题。海德格尔将死亡定义为一种不可能的可能性。与此相反,列维纳斯将死亡界定为“可能性的不可能性”。海德格尔给“不可能性”以优先性,对他来说,作为此在的我们面对的死亡是一种无法超越的可能性。我们也可以说,海德格尔从死亡的角度观察生命。而列维纳斯则是将死亡与生命的观点一起考虑,因为他觉得只有生命才能为我们打开可能性;从生命的视角看,死亡是所有可能性的终结,即不可能性。     

略论死刑复核中“发回”案件的重新审判

在重新审判＂发回＂死刑案件的司法实践中,对被告人容易存在有罪推定的倾向、依据补强证据再次适用死刑的倾向和漠视侦控行为合法性的倾向。为此重审法院应杜绝片面依据侦控机关提供的不利于被告人的存疑补强证据,对被告人再次适用死刑;对＂事实不清、证据不足＂发回的死刑案件,如果经过重审认定的案件事实没有发生重大变化,一般也不宜对被告人再次适用死刑。     

死刑司法控制的程序性路径分析——以死刑复核权之回归为视角

对死刑进行司法上的控制可以分为两种途径:一是实体上的司法控制,就是通过对犯罪人严格适用刑事实体法的有关死刑的规定,以最大限度地减少死刑的实际适用;二是程序上的司法控制,就是通过严格执行刑事程序法有关死刑案件的程序性规定,在客观上达到进一步减少死刑适用的实际效果。从某种意义上而言,后者对于死刑的司法控制具有更为重要的作用。文章以死刑复核权的回归为视角,探寻对死刑进行有效司法控制的程序性路径。     

关于人体器官捐献的立法思考

人体器官捐献是伴随着医疗技术的发展和社会的进步而出现的 ,国外已制定了相应的立法。采纳“脑死亡”标准是进行人体器官捐献立法的前提 ,这在世界各国已经成为通例。我国应顺应时代潮流 ,对人体器官捐献进行相应的立法规范。     

利用积温和昆虫发育历期推测死亡时间的研究

目的积累尸食性蝇类虫态发育历期和积温的资料。方法采用动物尸体作诱饵,分别对自然飞到诱饵上繁殖生长的6种尸食性蝇类的虫态发育历期和积温进行观察研究。结果经过观察,取得了棕尾别麻蝇、丝光绿蝇、紫绿蝇、宽丽蝇、巨尾阿丽蝇、大头金蝇等6种尸食性蝇类的虫态发育历期和积温的基础数据。并采用倒计积温的方法推测实际案例中死者死亡时间,破案后证实推测时间与实际死亡时间一致。结论本文数据可为利用尸食性蝇类虫态育历期的积温推测死亡时间提供依据。