Suchergebnisse

"Der USA Patriot Act war kurz nach den Ereignissen des 11. September 2001 innerhalb von wenigen Wochen von der Bush-Regierung vorgelegt und ohne ausreichende Debatte vom Kongress verabschiedet worden. Die Bestimmungen dieses Gesetzes erleichtern den staatlichen Ermittlungsbehörden die Überwachung und den Zugriff auf Beweismaterial in einer Weise, dass die verfassungsrechtlich geschützten Freiheitsrechte erheblich beeinträchtigt werden können. Weitere Versuche der Regierung, diese Vorschriften weiter zu verschärfen, wurden jedoch abgelehnt, was insbesondere auf intensive Informationskampagnen einer Reihe einflussreicher privater Organisationen, die die Bewahrung von Bürgerrechten und des Rechtsstaates zum Ziel haben, zurückzuführen ist. Ende 2005 sollte die Gültigkeit einiger besonders umstrittener und zeitlich begrenzter Regelungen des Patriot Act auslaufen. Nach intensiven Debatten im Kongress und zum Teil auch in der Öffentlichkeit wurden diese Bestimmungen mit dreimonatiger Verspätung und einigen Einschränkungen auf weitere vier Jahre verlängert. Damit bleibt der Patriot Act eine verfassungsrechtlich bedenkliche Regelung, die die Freiheitsrechte von US-Bürgern und insbesondere von Ausländern erheblich beeinträchtigen könnte - einer der Gründe, weshalb die Debatte weiter anhält. Gleichzeitig sind die Reaktionen auf den Patriot Act ein Beispiel für den Umgang einer demokratischen Gesellschaft mit kontroverser Gesetzgebung - auch wenn die Ergebnisse bisher wenig zufrieden stellend sein mögen." (Autorenreferat)

An effective and efficient justice system is essential for sustained economic growth. In a well-functioning, independent, and efficient justice system, decisions are taken within a reasonable time and are predictably and effectively enforced, and individual rights, including property rights, are adequately protected. Among other objectives, the efficiency of the judicial system is important for creating a good business climate, attracting foreign direct investment, securing tax revenues, and supporting economic growth. Research has shown that weak contract enforcement, for example, raises the cost of borrowing and shortens loan maturities, with a resulting negative effect on investment and GDP. Weak court enforcement systems have also been linked to late payments, which can lead to liquidity issues for companies and increase insolvency. Since the publication of the World Bank's World Development Report 2005, the importance of well-functioning courts to strengthening the investment climate and ultimately to reducing poverty and boosting shared prosperity has been brought to the forefront and become internationally recognized. Indicators of commercial court performance, and business community perceptions of and trust in the courts, are a part of the World Bank Group's (WBG) country-level investment climate assessments and its influential Investment Climate Surveys and Doing Business reports. Court performance has also become an element of European Union (EU) and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) accession. Helping countries to improve commercial court operations and ensure improved accessibility and effective delivery of services are important components of the development assistance provided by the WBG. The Commercial Court and Enforcement Assessment Tool has been designed to assist assessment teams and client agencies in this effort.

"Die polizeilich registrierte Kriminalität steigt. Das Sicherheitsgefühl der Bürger sinkt. Mehr und mehr Bürger haben Angst, Opfer eines Verbrechens zu werden, und diese Angst wendet sich auch gegen 'Fremde im eigenen Land', gegen Ausländer und Minderheiten. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt wird die Gemeinde als Ausgangspunkt für kriminalpräventive Maßnahmen wieder entdeckt. Das Scheitern des strafrechtlichen Präventionsgedankens und der Versuche, durch Strafe zu 'resozialisieren', läßt die Frage aufkommen, ob es überhaupt sinnvoll sein kann, unter Einbeziehung einer bürgernahen Polizei kommunale Kriminalitätsprävention zu betreiben." Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird der Versuch unternommen, deutlich zu machen, warum eine bürgernahe Polizeiarbeit nötig ist, was sie konkret bedeutet und welche Konsequenzen daraus erwachsen müssen. Dazu wird zunächst erörtert, was die Polizei leisten kann und was nicht. Im Anschluß daran wird ein Konzept der "bürgernahen Polizeiarbeit" vorgestellt, das der Idee einer gemeinwesenbezogenen Polizeiarbeit entspringt. Der Autor kommt zu dem Schluß, daß "bürgernahe Polizeiarbeit einhergehen muß mit veränderten Organisations- und Managementstrukturen bei der Polizei. Sie muß aber auch begleitet sein durch eine kritisch-solidarische Unterstützung aller, denen das Wohl der Bürger wichtig ist." (psz)

Crime and violence impede development and disproportionally impact poor people in many countries across the world. Though crime and violence represent serious problems in many countries, less-developed countries experience particular concentrations, especially those that are characterized by fragile or less-trusted government institutions and pervasive insecurity. Under such circumstances, human, social, political, and economic development suffers. Research across the globe has shown that holistic approaches that focus on the entire spectrum of a government's crime response chain, ranging from crime prevention to enforcement, tend to have better outcomes than isolated interventions involving only the police or other individual government agency. To date, most of the Bank's investment in efforts to reduce crime have focused on crime prevention in the form of urban and social development programs. Investment and policy lending that support the improvement of police operations to reduce crime and develop stronger neighborhoods are more limited. To assist country teams and client counterparts in their efforts to develop effective, holistic responses against crime that include the police, justice reform staff in the Governance Global Practice teamed up with internationally recognized experts to compile evidence-based good practice information for developing effective police responses to crime. The resulting three part publication, titled Addressing the Enforcement Gap to Counter Crime: Investing in Public Safety, the Rule of Law and Local Development in Poor Neighborhoods outlines the impact of crime and violence on development and the poor in particular and explains a proven three-pronged approach to creating police agencies that work in collaboration with communities and other government and private service providers to identify crime problems, develop holistic and inclusive solutions the apply a restorative justice approach. The publication also outlines how such approach can be integrated into Bank projects and client country reform plans.

Crime and violence impede development and disproportionally impact poor people in many countries across the world. Though crime and violence represent serious problems in many countries, less-developed countries experience particular concentrations, especially those that are characterized by fragile or less-trusted government institutions and pervasive insecurity. Under such circumstances, human, social, political, and economic development suffers. Research across the globe has shown that holistic approaches that focus on the entire spectrum of a government's crime response chain, ranging from crime prevention to enforcement, tend to have better outcomes than isolated interventions involving only the police or other individual government agency. To date, most of the Bank's investment in efforts to reduce crime have focused on crime prevention in the form of urban and social development programs. Investment and policy lending that support the improvement of police operations to reduce crime and develop stronger neighborhoods are more limited. To assist country teams and client counterparts in their efforts to develop effective, holistic responses against crime that include the police, justice reform staff in the Governance Global Practice teamed up with internationally recognized experts to compile evidence-based good practice information for developing effective police responses to crime. The resulting three part publication, titled Addressing the Enforcement Gap to Counter Crime: Investing in Public Safety, the Rule of Law and Local Development in Poor Neighborhoods outlines the impact of crime and violence on development and the poor in particular and explains a proven three-pronged approach to creating police agencies that work in collaboration with communities and other government and private service providers to identify crime problems, develop holistic and inclusive solutions the apply a restorative justice approach. The publication also outlines how such approach can be integrated into Bank projects and client country reform plans.