This study analyzed case and sentencing data from 632 capital cases involving Black and White defendants and victims, processed in North Carolina from May 1990 through December 2002. Logistic regression analysis of all cases and race-specific data allowed assessment of the variable effects of jury acceptance of statutory aggravating and mitigating factors on capital sentencing outcomes (death versus life). The purpose was to evaluate the role race plays in shaping jury use of legally defined factors in capital sentencing. Significant variance in the effect of jury acceptance of aggravators was observed between Black and White defendants. Black defendants pay a higher premium in terms of the risk of a death sentence than do White defendants whose crimes are comparably aggravated. There was no overall disparity in the effect of jury acceptance of mitigatory factors observed, although certain mitigators reduced the risk of a death sentence significantly more for Black or White. Overall, the aggravators had a statistically significantly stronger effect on sentencing outcomes than did the mitigators, regardless of race, and on cases involving Black defendants, regardless of victim race. Racial invariance was not shown.

Subject of the dissertation research – analysis of the body of murder without circumstances aggravating and mitigating its gravity provided for in Part 1 Art. 129 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania as well as analysis of theoretical and practical problems that arise upon qualifying these criminal acts. The goal of this research is to reveal a concept of murder without circumstances aggravating and mitigating its gravity where punishment is imposed in accordance with Part 1 Art. 129 of the CC of the Republic of Lithuania, to analyse attributes of this criminal act, to raise theoretical and practical problems of qualification of the analysed criminal act and to make proposals for solution of these problems. / Disertacijos tyrimo dalykas – nužudymo be jo pavojingumą didinančių ir mažinančių aplinkybių, numatyto Lietuvos Respublikos baudžiamojo kodekso (toliau tekste – LR BK) 129 str. 1 d., sudėties analizė bei teorinių ir praktinių problemų, kylančių kvalifikuojant šias nusikalstamas veikas, tyrimas. Disertacijos tyrimo tikslas – atskleisti nužudymo be jo pavojingumą didinančių ar mažinančių aplinkybių, už kurį kyla baudžiamoji atsakomybė pagal LR BK 129 straipsnio 1 dalį, sampratą, išanalizuoti šios nusikalstamos veikos požymius, iškelti nagrinėjamos nusikalstamos veikos teorines ir praktines kvalifikavimo problemas bei pateikti pasiūlymus šių problemų sprendimui.

En tant que concept social, la parenté peut influer sur les dispositions du droit pénal dans la mesure où certains textes pénaux spéciaux, tant français que libyens, la prennent en compte dans de nombreuses infractions, qu’il s’agisse d’atteintes aux biens (vol, par exemple) ou encore d’atteintes aux personnes (infractions sexuelles, parricide, infanticide…). De tels textes protègent parfois l’institution familiale en tant que telle, ce qui est le cas pour l’abandon de famille. Ils se rattachent à l’autorité parentale, la solidarité familiale, l’intimité familiale, l’affection ou encore la dignité… Le Code pénal, à la fois français et libyen, consacre ainsi un chapitre aux infractions d’atteintes à la famille. Cependant, il ne saurait être question de limiter le champ de notre étude aux seules infractions figurant au sein de ce chapitre. Notre étude s’intéressera à toutes les infractions que l’on pourrait qualifier de parentales, de même qu’à toutes les dispositions pénales concernant ces infractions. La parenté se présente à la fois comme un facteur de sévérité accrue et d’indulgence. Elle peut représenter un élément constitutif des infractions purement familiales ou de la responsabilité pénale du fait des enfants. Le Code pénal renforce alors la répression en aggravant la peine en matière d’atteintes à la vie ou à l’intégrité physique et d’agressions sexuelles si l’infraction est commise par une personne proche de la victime. À cet égard, le législateur français, par la loi n° 2006-399 du 4 avril 2006, la loi n° 2010-769 du 9 juillet 2010 et celle n° 2013-711 du 5 août 2013, a renforcé la répression des violences au sein de la famille. Au contraire, le lien de parenté peut représenter un obstacle à la répression, en constituer un fait justificatif, une condition de l’atténuation de la peine ou une entrave à la marche de la justice pénale surtout en matière de récusation de magistrat et de témoignage. / As a social concept, parenthood can influence the provisions of criminal law as some special criminal texts, either French or Libyan, include numerous offences, whether trespass to goods (theft, for instance) or violent crimes ( sexual offences, parricide, infanticide…). Such texts sometimes protect the family institution as such, which is the case for the desertion of the marital home. They are connected with the parental authority, family solidarity, family intimacy, love or even dignity… The criminal codes, both French and Libyan, devote a chapter to the family-related offences. However, the field of our study cannot be limited to the offences mentioned in this chapter only. Our study will deal with all the offences that can be linked to parenthood, as well as all the criminal provisions concerning these offences. Parenthood appears at the same time as a factor of greater severity and indulgence. It can represent a constituent element of the purely family-related offences or of the criminal juvenile liability. The Criminal code then reinforces the repression by increasing the penalty if it concerns lethal assaults or grievous bodily harm and sexual assaults provided the offence is committed by a close relative of the victim. In this respect the French legislator, by the law N2006-399 of April 4th, 2006, the law N 2010-769 of July 9th, 2010 and that N 2013-711of August 5th, 2013, reinforced the repression of family-related violence. On the contrary, the parental link may represent an obstacle to repression, may constitute a justifying element, a mitigating condition of the penalty or an interference with the functioning of criminal justice, especially concerning the challenging of magistrates or of witnesses.

Construction projects in developing countries may suffer from time overruns, which are associated with cost overruns. This research project investigated both time and cost overruns on high-rise building projects in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Surprisingly, preliminary data analysis showed negligible cost overruns in comparison to time overruns. So, further analysis o f cost overruns was not considered in this thesis. This research project also investigated how the causes o f time-overruns can be mitigated. 72 time-overrun and 22 cost-overrun variables were identified through a literature review. These variables were taken as parameters and a personal interview survey was conducted with developers, consultants, contractors and project managers using semistructured questionnaire. A similar second survey was conducted using 22 measures, which can mitigate time- overruns. Data analysis involved the relative importance index to rank the variables, factors analysis to reduce variables to factors with minimum loss of data, stepwise regression to find links among factors in successive stages of construction process and multiple regression to explain delays in terms of factors. The main causes o f time-overruns were ‘cash flow’, ‘planning and scheduling deficiency’ and ‘design changes’. A scree graph identified 31 important variables that caused delays but factor analysis reduced these to 14 factors. Stepwise regression found no strong links among the factors to identify them as reasons for delay in successive stages of the construction project. A multiple regression model explained about 85% of the variance of the delays using eight factors. The main individual measures mitigating time-overruns were ‘improvement of cash flow’, ‘improvement o f communication and coordination among project participants’ and ‘development o f robust planning and scheduling instruments’. Factor analysis produced ten representative factors. Stepwise regression could not find strong links among factors mitigating time-overruns in successive stages of the construction project.

O objetivo deste trabalho à estabelecer critÃrios para definir valores normais e extremos para a chuva no Estado do Cearà e verificar sua relaÃÃo com a ocorrÃncia de desastres naturais. Metodologias estatÃsticas (tÃcnica dos quantis e metodologia dos mÃximos de precipitaÃÃo) foram utilizadas no intuito de analisar eventos extremos no Estado na sÃrie histÃrica em anÃlise (1980-2013). A metodologia presente no banco de dados Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) tambÃm serviu de subsÃdio para identificar sinais de ocorrÃncia de desastres e sua relaÃÃo com a ocorrÃncia de eventos extremos (estiagens e inundaÃÃes) em diferentes regiÃes do Estado do CearÃ. Os resultados obtidos apÃs a aplicaÃÃo das tÃcnicas estatÃsticas permitiu pontuar e identificar vÃrios eventos de chuva extrema em diversas Ãreas do Estado, tanto na porÃÃo litorÃnea, como nos municÃpios mais interioranos. A maioria destes eventos foram registrados nos meses iniciais do ano e geralmente estavam associados a atuaÃÃo da Zona de ConvergÃncia Intertropical â ZCIT. Os fenÃmenos de estiagem tambÃm foram identificados a partir das tÃcnicas estatÃsticas que possibilitaram uma anÃlise do comportamento da chuva em diferentes regiÃes do Estado. A partir da identificaÃÃo dos eventos extremos, estes apresentaram alguma evidÃncia de impacto (nÃmero de atingidos, decretos de situaÃÃo de emergÃncia, etc.) que proporcionaram a deflagraÃÃo de um desastre natural. Os municÃpios interioranos, situados em Ãreas de ocorrÃncia da depressÃo sertaneja foram os mais afetados por estiagens. No entanto, as inundaÃÃes, quando ocorrem, nÃo se limitam somente Ãs porÃÃes litorÃneas ou serranas do Estado e acabam repercutindo inclusive em municÃpios localizados no sertÃo cearense. Evitar a ocorrÃncia de eventos extremos no Estado à humanamente impossÃvel. Contudo, a sociedade e o poder pÃblico devem adotar medidas que minimizem consideravelmente os impactos, possibilitando assim uma cultura de convivÃncia com os desastres naturais. / The aim of this study is to establish criteria for the definition of both normal and extreme values for the rain in the state of Cearà and check their relationship with the occurrence of natural disasters. Statistical methodologies (the quantile technique and the maximum precipitation methodology) were used in order to analyze extreme events in the State of Cearà in the time series in question (1980-2013). This methodology that is present in the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) also served as a subsidy to identify signs of disaster occurrence and their relationship with the occurrence of extreme events (droughts and floods) in different regions of the State of CearÃ. The results obtained after applications of statistical techniques allowed counting and identifying various heavy rainfall events in many areas of the state, both in the coastal part and in most provincial municipalities. Most of these events were recorded in the early months of the year and were usually associated with activities of Intertropical Convergence Zone - ITCZ. The dry season phenomena were also identified from statistical techniques that made possible an analysis of the rain behavior in different regions of the state. The extreme events, based on their identification, showed some evidence of impact (number of people affected, emergency decrees, etc.) that provided the outbreak of a natural disaster. The provincials municipalities, located in occurrence areas of depressÃo sertaneja were the most affected by drought. However, floods are not only restricted to coastal or mountainous parts of the state and end up impacting also in municipalities located in the SertÃo. It is humanly impossible to prevent the occurrence of extreme events in the state. However, the society and the government must adopt measures that significantly minimize the impacts, thus enabling a coexistence culture with the natural disasters.

Social media and online discussion forums have allowed people to hide behind a veil of anonymity, which has made the platforms feel unsafe for people with a different opinion than the majority. Recent research on robots and bots have found that they are a good option when it comes to inducing cooperation or acting as a conversation partner to encourage critical thinking. These robots and bots are based on an algorithm that is able to identify and classify comments, usually into positive and negative comments, left by users. The problem attended to in this thesis is to explore the possibility of creating an algorithm that can classify and pick out a minority opinion with an accuracy of at least 90%. The purpose is to create one of the vital algorithms for a larger project. The goal of this thesis is to provide a functioning algorithm with an accuracy of at least 90% for future implementations. In this thesis, the research approach is quantitative. The results show that it is possible to create an algorithm with the ability to classify and identify comments that also can pick out a minority opinion. Furthermore, the algorithm also achieved an accuracy of at least 90% when it comes to classification of comments, which makes the search for a minority opinion much easier. / Sociala medier och diskussionsforum online har tillåtit människor att gömma sig bakom sin datorskärm och vara anonym. Detta har gjort sociala medier till en osäker plats för människor som inte delar samma åsikt som majoriteten om olika diskussionsämnen. Ny forskning om robotar och sociala botar har funnit att dem är effektiva med att få människor att samarbeta samt att dem är en bra konversationspartner som framkallar mer kritiskt tänkande. Dessa robotar och sociala botar är baserade på en algoritm som kan identifiera och klassificera kommentarer, oftast till positiva eller negativa kommentarer som användare av sociala medier har lämnat. Problemet som avhandlingen försöker lösa är om det är möjligt att skapa en algoritm som kan identifiera och klassificera kommentarer, men även hitta och ta fram en åsikt som inte är en del av majoriteten med en träffsäkerhet på minst 90%. Ändamålet är att skapa en viktig byggsten för ett större forskningsprojekt. Målet med avhandlingen är att skapa en funktionerande algoritm för framtida undersökning som förhoppningsvis kan motarbeta partiskhet i sociala medier. Avhandlingens ståndpunkt är kvantitativ. Resultaten från avhandlingen visar att det är möjligt att skapa en algoritm som kan klassificera samt hitta en åsikt som inte är en del av majoriteten. Dessutom har algoritmen hög noggrannhet när det gäller klassificeringen vilket underlättar sökandet av en åsikt.

Mitigation is the modification of language in response to social or cognitive challenges (stressors) in contexts of linguistic interaction (Martinovski, Mao, Gratch, & Marsella 2005). Previous mitigation research has been largely from social perspectives, addressing the word or utterance levels of language. This dissertation presents an empirical study of mitigating language resulting from both a cognitive stressor (degree of uncertainty) and social stressor (degree of imposition) in Spanish discourse, and the impacts of mitigation on interaction and interlocutors. The tripartite approach includes a: (1) quantitative analysis of discourse markers associated with mitigation (speaker-discourse, speaker-listener, and epistemic markers); (2) qualitative discourse analysis, relying on concepts from the Conversation Analysis framework; and (3) qualitative analysis of interlocutors’ perceptions of mitigation, using metalinguistic conversations. The results are discussed considering prior research on mitigation, politeness theories, and Clark’s (2006) model of ‘language use’ to address information types, interlocutor roles, and mutual knowledge. In addition, Caffi and Janney’s (1994) ‘anticipatory schemata’ and Pinker’s (2007) social psychological perspective of indirect language inform the theoretical framework. Results indicate that: (1) Mitigation devices vary depending on contextual factors prompting mitigation, significantly fewer speaker-listener markers are shown as evidence of mitigation, and epistemic markers, which are commonly analyzed mitigation devices, are infrequent overall in these data. These results provide evidence against the assumption that mitigation is associated with increased use of linguistic devices; (2) Two mitigating discourse structures were found, depending on the degree of uncertainty. Within contexts of high-imposition, the Co-reconstruction structure (CRS) is found in contexts with uncertainty and the Non-linear structure (NLS) is in contexts with certainty; and (3) The listeners’ metalinguistic comments indicate that the CRS, compared to the NLS, is preferred. Also, the results indicate how interlocutors address cognitive, social, and emotional stressors in interaction. Considering all analyses, a unifying definition of mitigation in discourse is provided. This phenomenon is characterized as the postponement of both confirmed knowledge and negotiation of the interlocutor relationship. This research contributes the first experimental investigation of mitigation as the result of cognitive and social stressors, and also the first systematic analysis of mitigation in Spanish discourse. / text

Whether the capital sentencing statute in Texas provides a vehicle for jurors to give effect to mitigation evidence has been a critical factor when the United States Supreme Court has sought to determine its constitutionality. Unlike the majority of other American jurisdictions which maintain capital punishment as a penalty, Texas utilizes a particularly unique scheme which places an assessment of the defendant’s dangerousness at the center of the sentencing decision. Using data gathered from personally conducted interviews with forty-six former capital jurors and trial transcripts from each trial in which they served, this thesis demonstrates how the current sentencing scheme in Texas fails to provide jurors with an adequate vehicle for considering mitigation evidence. Beginning with an analysis of the process of jury selection this study examines the various ways in which the sentencing scheme is explained to potential jurors by the judge, prosecution, and defense attorneys. Of crucial importance is how the mitigation instruction is reconstituted by trial judges and prosecutors into an extension of the defendant’s potential future dangerousness. Emerging from this analysis is the central role that the interpretation of the sentencing statute by legal actors play in determining how jurors view the evidence presented throughout the trial, as well as what factors they believe they are legally permitted to consider in sentencing. The findings of this study strongly suggest that the focus of the sentencing scheme on the defendant’s dangerousness inhibits jurors’ ability to view mitigation evidence unrelated to the crime as mitigating. Thus, the Texas capital sentencing statute in its application appears to prevent jurors from giving effect to personal mitigation, an essential element of a constitutionally satisfactory death penalty statute.

The study analyzed a convenience sample of published accounts of death penalty cases and life without parole cases. The objective of the study was to explore factors that influence the selection of cases for coverage in books, think tank reports (e.g., Heritage Foundation), and periodicals and factors related to coverage of homicides resulting in a death penalty sentence or a life without parole sentence (often termed “America’s other death penalty”). Since this study was exploratory, hypotheses were not offered. However, prior research on the death penalty and on life without parole offered several clues. For example, since black offender/white victim homicides were more likely to result in a death penalty sentence, it was expected that such homicides would more likely to be covered. Since conservatives were more likely to favor the death penalty and liberals were likely to oppose it, it was expected that coverage would vary by how conservative or liberal the coverage source. For example, how the Heritage Foundation covered cases was expected to be different from coverage by Human Rights Watch. In summary, my study revealed opposite results of previous research studies. The results of my study are probably skewed because of the small sample size. A bigger sample size would more than likely resulted in more accurate and reliable results.

As questões do ambiente e da natureza como um todo, tais como, preservação, conservação de ecossistemas, florestas, rios, descartes de dejetos líquidos, gasosos e sólidos, a colocação de elementos poluentes no solo, ar e água, são temas de extrema e extensa divulgação e discussão na mídia, na academia e na sociedade como um todo. A preocupação da sociedade, sensibilizada e temerosa por esta questão, uma vez que ela própria tornar-se vítima do processo de degradação do ambiente, é cada vez mais latente. Pessoas e empresas, aos poucos, tornam-se mais conscientes de suas necessidades e exigências de participação no processo de degradação e preservação do meio em que vivemos o que faz com que todos observem com profunda atenção, suas atitudes. As empresas, pressionadas pela mídia e pela sociedade e por uma legislação cada vez mais restritiva, veem-se obrigadas a agir cada vez mais de forma precavida, coerente e preocupada em relação ao ambiente. Assim, elas adotam estratégias empresarias frente às questões ambientais sem que, por outro lado, desconsiderem a sua lucratividade e seus ganhos, essenciais numa lógica empresarial, inserida no contexto do modelo econômico capitalista. Essa pesquisa, visa entender, quais passos e normativas legais as empresas de Shopping Center estabelecidas na cidade de Porto Alegre, no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, mais precisamente o caso do Bourbon Shopping Wallig, necessitou seguir, para a implementação de seu empreendimento. Quais as medidas de mitigação e compensação aos impactos ambientais foram tomadas e baseadas em que normativas ou estudos. A pesquisa visa confirmar, também, se estas medidas tomadas, derivadas de sua implantação no local, desde sua construção - que alterou completamente a paisagem do local - até seus próprios elementos e suas técnicas de construção, seguiram as normas e exigências legais dos instrumentos utilizados para regrar esta obra. Além disso, se avalia quais foram efetivamente seus resultados na prática, analisando no empreendimento após sua conclusão, qual sua eficácia, seus resultados concretos e quais as manifestações que se obtém do mercado, na mídia e da sociedade em geral, frente a esta preocupação e às atitudes consideradas pró-ambientais. / The issues of the environment and nature as a whole, such as preservation, ecosystems conservation, forests , rivers, liquids, gases and solid waste discharges and the placement of polluting elements in the land, air and water are issues of extreme and extensive dissemination and discussion through out the media, at the academy and society as a whole. Because of the population concern about this issue, they are becoming sensitized and fearful about it. They eventually will become victimized by the environmental degradation that has had a latent increase as time goes by. People and companies gradually have become more aware of their participation in the process of environment degradation in which they are living. This is making everyone aware of their attitude towards the environment. Companies have been increasingly pressured by the media and society and more restrictive laws are finding themselves obligated to act very cautious, concerned and consistent about the environment. They are applying business strategies in order to comply with environmental issues without disregarding their profitability and earnings which are essential in the logistic of the capitalist business model. This research aims to understand which steps and legal ways the mall companies and stores established in the town of Porto Alegre , Rio Grande do Sul State, more precisely at the Bourbon Shopping Wallig were needed and followed by this enterprise implementation project. It also aims to understand the mitigation and compensation towards the environmental impact that they have caused, all based upon professional studies. Due to the complete landscape changed during the mall construction, this research also wants to prove if the construction techniques had followed all legal regulations and rules that are required by law. Furthermore , one should consider if the practical results of this enterprise had been achieved after completion. We should also evaluate the efficacy, the real results, media, market manifestations, opinions and in a grand spectrum if the environmental worries had been respected and fulfilled.