Prisons or Problem-Solving: Does the Public Support Specialty Courts?

ABSTRACT

Recently, “problem-solving” courts have been developed as an alternative to imprisonment. They are often called “specialty” courts because they process and divert into treatment programs offenders who are seen as different from the general criminal population, such as those with mental health or drug problems, those who are homeless or veterans, and those who engage in domestic violence. Based on a 2017 national survey of 1,000 respondents, the current study examines overall public support for rehabilitation as a goal of corrections and then focuses specifically on support for different types of specialty courts. The analysis reveals that the American public endorses not only the rehabilitative ideal but also the use of problem-solving courts. Further, with only minimal variation, strong support for these courts appears to exist regardless of political orientation and sociodemographic characteristics.     

From discourse to policy: US policy communities’ perceptions of and approaches to climate change and security

ABSTRACT

Increasingly, a diverse set of policy communities, including those with defence, development and environmental mandates, frame climate change as a security threat. Most often this discursive formation labels climate change as a ‘threat multiplier’. This framing, however, is vague, linear and leaves many questions unanswered regarding how institutions can develop and implement policy that addresses the joint challenges of climate change, conflict and security. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, and grounding data collection in US policy communities, this article examines how policy actors and institutions integrate climate-security discourses into policy processes. The objective of this research is to provide direct insight into how the discourses and technical understandings of climate-security transition into policy priorities and implementation realities. This research identified three common approaches to climate-security: (1) A challenge of adaptation and resilience; (2) A potent political argument; and (3) An issue of limited importance and feasibility. These approaches, however, are inconsistent across sectors and within organisations, suggesting a lack of cohesion and considerable challenges in identifying and responding to climate change as a ‘threat multiplier’.     

论我国征收立法中公共利益的规范模式

“公共利益”是启动征收程序的前提性要件。在公共利益的规范模式上,我国物权法应采折衷主义立法例,不应明文禁止商业征收,但应明文规定公共利益的决策和形成机制,并建立相应的行政和司法救济途经。     

建国初期陕西旧有学校的接管与改造

接管旧有的教育是中国新民主主义革命的一项重要任务。建国初期,陕西省完成了接管旧的公立学校、接收私立学校、接办教会学校,为建立陕西省社会主义的新教育奠定了基础。     

对新公共管理的几点反思

新公共管理是公共行政在新形势下的发展，它的一些理论和方法是值得我们借鉴的。但是，新公共管理是否能够成为一门独立的新学科，政府和政府官员是否是利己的，政府是否一定低效以及顾客导向等理论，是值得深入研究的。     

构建和谐社会要努力搞好社会保障工作

构建和谐社会,需要搞好社会保障工作。共产党对构建和谐社会与搞好社会保障工作进行了理论探索,我们研究社会保障工作实践中的问题,提出解决问题的思路、对策,有助于构建和谐社会。     

中国民间组织研究中的概念矛盾分析

国内关于社会组织研究在主体概念的使用上存在一些矛盾 ,导致学术界的现有研究面临诸多困境。解决概念使用和研究效用的矛盾 ,要在兼顾逻辑顺畅和边界清晰的前提下 ,慎用外来概念 ,对比研究时最好集中使用“非营利组织”概念 ,国内研究统一使用“民间组织”概念 ,把“官办”、“半官办”的社团组织及“公办民助”的事业单位概括为“准民间组织” ,以与纯粹的民间组织相区别。     

美国的公共服务改革及其启示

公共服务民营化是美国近年来公共服务改革的核心措施。从美国的经验来看,能否处理好民营化与竞争、民营化与社会公正、民营化与公众安全的关系,以及民营化与政府监管的关系直接关系到公共服务改革的成效。     

论过失危险行为应当犯罪化

传统的过失犯罪都是实害犯,而随着科技的迅猛发展和现代化器械的广泛应用,过失犯罪危险化已受到学者的关注,本文论证了过失危险行为犯罪化的理论基础不仅仅是主观过错,更在于其所具有的社会危害性;过失危险行为犯罪化的现实意义在于实现刑罚的目的。另外,过失危险行为犯罪化只应存在于危害公共安全的犯罪中,在设置刑罚时应遵循谦抑原则。     

刑事法治语境中的民愤与审判——在刑事法学与社会心理学的边缘处思考

在我国刑事司法实践中,民愤与审判之间一直存在着难以避免的紧张关系。民愤的发生发展有其独特的心理机制,而两面性则是其固有的基本属性。因此它对罪责刑相适应原则、对刑罚的道德目的和实用目的甚至对整个刑事法治的影响都是利弊同存的,简单地肯定或否定民愤在审判中的作用都是不足取的。理性的态度应当是审慎地进行制度上的设计与完善,以让民愤扬长避短,帮助实现审判的公正。