Metric forensic anthropology decisions: Reliability and biasability of sectioning-point-based sex estimates

Subjective decisions make human cognitive processes more susceptible to bias and error. Specifically, research indicates that additional context biases forensic anthropologists’ morphological analyses. To address whether metric analyses are also subject to bias, we conducted a pilot study in which 52 experienced osteologists measured a difficult-to-classify human femur, with or without additional contextual information. Using a metric sectioning-point sex-estimation method, participants provided a sex estimate for individual skeletal element(s) and, when given multiple elements, the combined skeletal assemblage. Control group participants (n = 24) measured only the femur. In addition to the femur, bias group participants (n = 28) either measured a female humerus and viewed a female-biasing photograph (n = 14) or measured a male humerus and viewed a male-biasing photograph (n = 14). We explored whether the experts in the different groups would differ in: (1) femoral measurements; (2) femoral sex-estimation conclusions; and (3) final sex-estimation conclusions for the skeletal assemblage. Although the femoral measurements and femoral sex estimates were comparable across groups, the overall sex estimates in the female-biased group were impacted by contextual information—differing from both the control and male-biased groups (p < 0.001). Our results demonstrate that cognitive bias can occur even in metric sex-estimation conclusions. Specifically, this occurred when the metric data and single-element sex estimates were synthesized into an overall estimate. Thus, our results suggest that metric methods are most vulnerable to bias when data are synthesized into an overall conclusion, highlighting the need for bias countermeasures and comprehensive statistical frameworks for synthesizing metric data to mitigate the effects of cognitive bias.     

Lethal small bowel obstruction due to pica

Up to 25% of institutionalized patients with cognitive deficiencies display pica-like behavior, with an estimated annual incidence of small bowel obstruction of 2%. We present a case based on the forensic autopsy of a 41-year-old woman who died as a result of a missed diagnosis of small bowel obstruction after ingesting a foreign body. The case underlines the importance of precaution when treating patients with cognitive deficiency and/or language deficits and gastrointestinal symptoms. In such cases, it is important to employ a liberal threshold for radiological investigations and, if possible, obtain a medical history from a person close to the patient.     

认罪认罚从宽制度的体系性反思与建构

虽然认罪认罚从宽制度是在我国《刑事诉讼法》中得以正式确立的,但《刑事诉讼法》中涉及此制度的具体规定又都是操作层面的。据此,认罪认罚从宽制度的合理性并不能得以阐释。而依据我国《刑法》,对认罪认罚从宽制度的合理性则可以从形式逻辑、实质逻辑以及价值理念三个维度予以充分证成。由此可知,认罪认罚从宽制度本质上系《刑法》中的一种刑罚裁量制度,认罪认罚本质上是法定的从宽量刑情节。在定罪层面,犯罪嫌疑人、被告人只需自愿承认不法事实系其所为,即构成"认罪",而无需准确评价自身行为的法律性质并准确识别具体罪名;在量刑层面,"认罚"考察的重点是犯罪嫌疑人、被告人的悔罪态度和悔罪表现。应当通过刑法立法的方式将认罪认罚从宽制度与自首制度、坦白制度部分重叠地整合在一起,以避免"概念混同""重复评价"的错误倾向。     

李步云与当代中国法哲学

李步云既是当代中国颇有成就的法理学家和宪法学家 ,又是“新时期”最早“自觉”到“法哲学”的法学家。他是从当代中国法理学和宪法学的“局限性”意识出发 ,而提出其法哲学主张的 ,其法哲学体系是围绕法的唯物论与认识论、法的辩证法与发展观而构筑并加以逻辑展开的 ,是对法理学问题的既深入又超出。为中国法理学研究提供基础、方向和标准 ,是李步云法哲学研究的根本目的所在     

论科学发展观视野中的地方政府绩效评价体系的优化

科学发展观的提出受到各界的普遍关注并得到了高度的评价。为确保科学发展观的贯彻落实,地方政府绩效评价体系的优化显得尤其重要。首先,要按照科学发展观的要求,构建科学的评价指标体系;其次,要完善评价主体结构;再次,要开发利用科学的评价技术与方法;最后,必须制定完善的法律法规,规范地方政府绩效评价活动。     

大型公用建筑火灾时人员应急疏散评价模型研究

应急疏散措施的优劣是评价大型公用建筑安全水平高低的重要标准之一。本文通过分析影响大型公用建筑应急疏散措施有效性的主要因素,参照相关法规及大型公用建筑应急疏散时各指标因素的层次,建立了大型公用建筑应急疏散评价模型。将该模型应用到某高校图书馆的应急疏散评价过程中,验证了模型的准确性,为建筑物火灾人员应急安全疏散提供了切实可行的参考依据。     

知识产权刑事司法鉴定若干问题研究

知识产权刑事案件中,司法鉴定尚存在很多亟待解决的问题,这些问题不仅阻碍了诉讼活动的顺利进行,有的也违背了司法鉴定的基本规律。从长远的角度来看,知识产权刑事诉讼,很多司法鉴定问题更宜转化为专家证人的形式加以解决。     

警察心理素质测评对于执法水平提高的作用

警察执法水平全面提高的制约因素很多 ,而决定因素在于警察的主体素质状况。其中 ,警察个体能力状况、个性心理健康状况是关键性的因素。它通过警察心理素质测评途径进行量化 ,不仅可以现实地评估警察高水平执法的心理素质标准 ,也可以具体地评析造成执法水平不高的主体心理原因 ,还可以理论地预测警察执法水平潜能的高低。这对于执法工作考核 ,强化公安队伍建设都是非常有益的。     

科学发展观——我国公共政策评估的首要标准

公共政策评估标准是开展公共政策评估的前提。为了更有效、更科学地开展公共政策评估活动,应设立正确的首要标准。科学发展观标准应当成为我国公共政策评估的首要标准。科学发展观标准是对以往我国公共政策评估标准的纠正和完善,符合我国社会主义国家公共政策的本质要求,顺应公共政策的发展趋势。坚持科学发展观作为我国公共政策评估的首要标准能有效提升我国公共政策质量,推进我国社会主义和谐社会建设进程。     

Key longitudinal-experimental studies in criminology

Following the tradition of Joan McCord's work, this paper reviews longitudinal-experimental studies in criminology with community samples of at least 100 persons, follow-up periods of at least 5 years, personal interviews, and measures of offending. The main advantages of such studies are in investigating both the natural history of development (including the effects of risk/protective factors and life events) and the impact of interventions on offending. This paper also reviews advantages and problems of prospective longitudinal surveys, randomized experiments, and longitudinal-experimental studies in criminology. Four key longitudinal-experimental studies were conducted by Joan McCord, Richard Tremblay, Lawrence Schweinhart and David Olds. Other studies have been conducted, or are currently under way, but no criminological study has yet been published with several years of personal data on participants both before and after an intervention.Joan McCord Award Lecture given at the American Society of Criminology, Toronto, Canada.