Simple Rhetoric and Complex Punitiveness: Federal Criminal Justice Responses to White-Collar Criminality

Abstract

Though criminological literature shows that the manifestation of punitiveness in the criminal justice system is complex, it rarely differentiates between responses to different kinds of crimes. This constitutes a significant gap in knowledge, as it is widely believed that white-collar crimes are treated leniently. In light of the “heating up” of political rhetoric, the expansion of federal criminal law, and the increased maximum punishments on conviction, the article aims to explore whether prosecutorial and judicial responses to white-collar crimes have become more punitive, employing rarely used datasets from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) between 1996 and 2014. It is demonstrated that these responses are more complex and less consistently punitive than the rhetoric and policies advanced by politicians. It endeavors to capture the complexity of punitiveness in practice by measuring numerous variables and multiple points in the criminal justice process, studying punitiveness from multiple angles, using prosecution and sentencing data.     

论公安刑事侦查行为与公安具体行政行为的界定

从“没收空调案”谈起,提出正确界定公安刑事侦查行为与公安具体行政行为的问题,其关系到行政诉讼法受案范围。从理论上来讲,两者既有联系,又有区别,但在实践中两者又容易混淆。因此在具体的操作过程中,有必要利用各种方法正确把握两者的界定问题。     

试论刑事附带民事诉讼判决的既判力

我国《刑事诉讼法》在刑事附带民事诉讼的具体制度设计上存在诸多不合理之处。无论在立法还是司法实践中,对刑事判决和民事判决之间的冲突如何协调,均存在一定模糊性。应从挽回损失、补偿受害人的角度实行民刑分立,同时启动程序分别进行审判,更好地保护被害人的合法权益。     

附属刑法相关问题探讨

附属刑法是规定在非刑事法律中的刑法规范,它与刑法典之间的关系主要是补充与被补充、修改与被修改的关系,但它与刑法修正案、单行刑法等修改、补充刑法典的形式相比,具有较好衔接刑事责任与民事责任、行政责任以及节约立法成本的作用。附属刑法有依附型和独立型两种立法模式。对于补充、修改刑法典的附属刑法,只有全国人大及其常委会创制的非刑事法律中才能加以规定。刑法典的总则规范适用于附属刑法,除非附属刑法有特别规定。     

也论存疑不起诉的刑事赔偿:与陈华先生商榷

存疑不起诉是“疑罪从无”与“无罪推定”原则的体现 ;无论是在法理上还是在逻辑上 ,人民检察院对于已经批捕而又最终作出存疑不起诉决定案件中的被不起诉人 ,都应当进行赔偿。     

完善我国产品责任立法的几点建议

产品质量和产品责任问题已成为非常突出的社会问题,有必要借鉴他国产品责任立法,扩大"产品"的范围,明确产品"缺陷"的定义,确立严格责任原则,增设惩罚性赔偿制度,扩大产品责任义务主体的范围,扩大保护对象的范围,不断完善我国产品责任立法。     

Meeting the Offender Re-integration Challenge

In this article the author – member of the European Offender Employment Forum – gives his view on the problems of re-integrating ex-offenders. He describes the pan-European growth of the prison population, the vocational training offered in prisons and the demands of the labour market. He also discusses promising programmes and initiatives to counter the problems faced by ex-offenders. The 'solution' should be multi-dimensional, provide for continuity between pre-release and after-care and counter problems like employment, housing and finances. Governments must make it their business to ensure that the programmes they support are meeting the range of offenders' needs, are linking properly with the labour market and are providing continuity from sentence to community.     

网络盗窃的刑法问题研究

网络盗窃罪是一种常见的网络犯罪.当前,网络盗窃案件时有发生,但由于我国目前网络盗窃以及相关的法律规定不完善,司法界和学术界对网络盗窃的定性常常发生争议.从网络盗窃罪的概念问题、网络盗窃的犯罪构成问题、网络盗窃罪的司法认定问题,其中特别对电子资金或电子货币能否成为盗窃罪对象问题、盗窃计算机网络信息经营单位的有价信息服务问题、虚拟财产的认定问题、网络盗窃的数额认定问题、利用ATM自动取款机出错恶意取款的定性问题等进行分析研究.并提出立法建议.     

论法定量刑情节及其写作

法定量刑情节是指由刑法明文规定的影响量刑幅度的案情事实 ,其具有法律的规定性、情节的特殊性和量刑的制约性等特点。法定量刑情节可作三级分类 :一级分为从宽和从严两大类 ,二级分为应当和可以两小类 ,三级分为免除、减轻、从轻和从重四种。法定量刑情节的写作包括法定量刑情节的叙述和相关法条的引用两项内容     

案件请示制度之废除及其功能替代——以中级法院的运作为出发点

案件请示制度作为我国法院审判工作的惯例,由于违背司法的本质和规律,受到理论和实务界的众多批判。立足于中院近年来请示案件的运作,通过实证分析,认为这一制度在因过多的消极功能违背司法规律应予废除的同时,应当建立相应的制度替代其承载的积极功能——主要是法律统一适用的功能,而通过审级制度改革和建立中国式判例制度不失为理性的选择。