Feasibility of Integrating Mental Health Screening and Services Into Routine Elder Abuse Practice to Improve Client Outcomes

This study examined law enforcement and prosecution involvement in 71 cases of elder abuse where pure financial exploitation (PFE), physical abuse (PA), neglect (Neglect), or hybrid financial exploitation (HFE) (financial exploitation co-occurring with physical abuse and/or neglect) occurred in a domestic setting. Victims of elder abuse and assigned Adult Protective Services (APS) caseworkers were systematically interviewed. Law enforcement officials were involved in 54% of the cases, and 18% of the cases were prosecuted. PA was significantly more likely to trigger a law enforcement response and to be prosecuted than Neglect or PFE. HFE involved prosecution for assault rather than financial exploitation. Generally, the victims of elder abuse were not receptive to criminal justice involvement, which appears to have a significant impact upon the level of this involvement. The reasons for this reluctance are discussed, as well as the challenges and limitations of criminal justice system involvement and related implications for policy and practice.     

日本起诉犹豫制度及对我国的借鉴意义

在日本,检察官在决定是否适用起诉犹豫制度时,不受犯罪轻重的影响,而是综合考虑到各种因素后所做出的决定。起诉犹豫制度在日本的司法实践中得到了广泛的运用。通过对比我国目前正在积极探索的暂缓起诉制度,起诉犹豫制度在犯罪嫌疑人的人权保障、节约司法资源、人身自由、提高诉讼效率、实际效果等方面更加具有借鉴的意义和价值。因此,我们需要在立法上明确规定起诉犹豫制度和建立相关的配套设施。     

侦查监督的制度困境及其突破——兼论最高人民检察院“四项改革规定”

侦查监督是检察机关履行法律监督的重要内容,但目前侦查监督的运行状况却存在不平衡、不及时及监督不力的问题.导致侦查监督制度困境的原因主要是侦查监督与公诉的关系、侦查监督与侦查的关系定位不适当,从而影响了侦查监督的动力与能力.最高人民检察院的“四项改革规定”对改善侦查监督有促进作用,但由于受现行制度框架的限制,仍然存在不足,未来的制度改革应该继续从理顺侦查监督与公诉、侦查的关系人手,着力于提升监督的动力与能力.     

域外检察机关执法公信力建设及对我国的启示

域外检察官自诞生之日起,便处于不被社会信任的尴尬境地。200余年来,检察官为争取社会的信任进行了不懈的努力,通过恪守中立原则、推行阳光检务、加强伦理建设、完善考核机制等措施,以＂公正＂＂公开＂＂公德＂＂功绩＂提升执法公信力。我国检察机关要提升执法公信力,需要进一步解决检察官的角色定位、检察权的独立性与检察一体化的关系、检察官的权能及考核考评机制等问题。