Income Inequality and Crime: The Case of Sweden

The degree of income inequality in Sweden has varied substantially since the 1970s. This study analyzes whether this variation has affected the crime rate using a panel of Swedish county-level data for the period 1973–2000. We consider various measures of income inequality to evaluate which part of the distribution that matters most in determining crime rates. Our results indicate that there is a statistically significant positive effect of the proportion of the population with an income below 10 percent of median income on the incidence of property crime. Moreover, the unemployment rate has a positive effect on the incidence of the number of overall crime, auto thefts and robberies. The results look different for the violent crime category assault.crime; income inequality; panel data

Inside the Corporate Veil: The Character and Consequences of Executives’ Duties

This paper is based on a keynote address to the 2006 annual workshop of the Australian Corporate Law Teachers\u27 Association on The Pathology of Corporate Law. The paper\u27s thesis is that fuller understanding of many corporate malfunctions requires examination of organizational structures and patterns of interaction below the level of the board within a corporation\u27s hierarchy. The paper argues that there is merit to mandating duties of skill and care at the executive level, drawing on examples of executive conduct in recent corporate fiascos. The paper also explores the application of the business judgment rule to officers. As conventionally formulated, the rule\u27s prototypical subject appears to be a board of directors that, exercising original and undelegated power, makes discrete decisions about particular transactions or other matters. The paper questions the rule\u27s applicability to the work done by officers, many of whom may be appointed on the basis of a reasonable belief that they will diligently bring relevant skills to bear in an ordinarily careful manner

Crime, Unemployment and Labor Market Programs in Turbulent Times

We exploit the exceptional variation in municipality-level unemployment and spending on labor market programs in Sweden during the 1990s to identify the impact of unemployment and programs on crime. We identify a statistically significant effect of unemployment on the incidence of overall crime, burglary, auto-theft and drug possession. A calculation suggests that the sharp reduction in unemployment during the later 1990s may have reduced burglary and auto-theft with 15 and 20 percent, respectively. After addressing several specification issues, we conclude that there is at best weak evidence that labor market programs ­ general ones and those specifically targeted to the young ­ help to reduce crime.crime; unemployment; labor market programs; panel data

Crime, unemployment and labor market programs in turbulent times

We exploit the exceptional variation in municipality-level unemployment and spending on labor market programs in Sweden during the 1990s to identify the impact of unemployment and programs on crime. We identify a statistically significant effect of unemployment on the incidence of overall crime, burglary, auto-theft and drug possession. A calculation suggests that the sharp reduction in unemployment during the later 1990s may have reduced burglary and auto-theft with 15 and 20 percent, respectively. After addressing several specification issues, we conclude that there is at best weak evidence that labor market programs – general ones and those specifically targeted to the young – help to reduce crime.Crime; unemployment; labor market programs; panel data

Are Traditional Cooperatives an Endangered species? About Shrinking Satisfaction, Involvement and Trust

Several researchers, who have observed that traditional cooperatives have difficulties in modern markets, mention a number of behavioral concepts characterizing the members. This study attempts to empirically test these concepts. It is based on a survey among members of a large traditional Swedish cooperative. The members perceive the cooperative to be so large and complex that they have difficulties understanding the operations. Hence, they become dissatisfied and uninvolved, and they mistrust the leadership. Moreover, they do not believe that the cooperative can be remodeled to strengthen member control. The findings support the behavioral explanations presented in prior studies.agricultural cooperative, property rights, satisfaction, involvement, trust, Consumer/Household Economics,

Transit, Transition Excavating J641 VUJ.

In July 2006 archaeologists from the University of Bristol and Atkins Heritage embarked on a contemporary archaeology project with a difference. We ‘excavated’ an old (1991) Ford Transit van, used by archaeologists and later by works and maintenance teams at the Ironbridge Museum. The object: to see what can be learnt from a very particular, common and characteristic type of contemporary place; to establish what archaeologists and archaeology can contribute to understanding the way society, and specifically we as archaeologists, use and inhabit these places; and to challenge and critique archaeologies of the contemporary past. In this report we describe our excavation and situate it within a wider debate about research practice in contemporary archaeology

Peptide-tagged proteins in aqueous two-phase systems

This thesis deals with proteins containing peptide tags for improved partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems. Qualitatively the peptide-tagged protein partitioning could be predicted from peptide data, i.e. partitioning trends found for peptides were also found for the peptide-tagged proteins. However, full effect of the tag as expected from peptide partitioning was not found in the tagged protein. When alkyl-ethylene oxide surfactant was included in a two-polymer system, almost full effect of the tag was obtained. This indicates an improved exposure of the tag to the phase components in the surfactant-containing systems. The most efficient amino acid residue for partitioning towards a phase rich in random copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide (EOPO) was tryptophan. The second most efficient amino acids were tyrosine and phenylalanine. The tag efficiencies were higher for proteins with tyrosine/proline tags compared to proteins with tryptophan/proline tags. The reason can be that the tyrosine residues are more exposed to the solution and phase-forming components, since tyrosine is more hydrophilic than tryptophan. The partitioning coefficient of cutinase wild-type was calculated from peptide partitioning data combined with surface studies with the computer program GRASP. The calculated partitioning coefficient agreed relatively well with the experimentally determined partition coefficient. Thus, it is possible to obtain an approximate partitioning coefficient of a protein before starting a purification procedure and thereby save time in finding an optimal partitioning system. The fluorescence emission maximum wavelength for free peptide was longer than for peptide tag in tryptophan-tagged cutinase, indicating larger exposure of free peptides. However, all maxima were obtained at wavelengths corresponding to a polar environment and thus indicating solvent exposure of the tryptophan residues in both free peptides and tags. The emission maximum of the tryptophan tag was moved to longer wavelength when a spacer was introduced between protein and tag. This correlates with results obtained in aqueous two-phase partitioning where a spacer between tag and protein resulted in increased partitioning towards an EOPO copolymer phase

Separation and Extraction of Proteins and Polysaccharides from the Seaweed Palmaria Palmata using Enzyme Digestion

Vetenskapliga artiklar föreslår att xylan är delvis bundet till proteinerna i dulse. Detta kan leda till minskad tillgänglighet av proteinerna och leda till svårigheter att smälta dessa i tarmen. Denna rapport har för avsikt att hitta och optimera metoder för extraktion av proteiner och metoder för att separera de proteiner och polysackarider som förekommer i dulse. Metoderna som används är hydrolys med proteaser och hydrolys av xylan med xylanase. De analytiska metoderna som används för att utvärdera näringsinnehållet i proverna är SDS-PAGE, Bradfordmetoden, fenolsvavelsyrametoden, TLC och HPEAC-PAD. Hydrolys med proteaser hade begränsad framgång, endast en liten ökning i proteininnehållet i provet erhölls (totalt 46.6%) när hydrolys med Umamizyme utfördes. Hydrolys med xylanase visade sig ha bäst potential med en proteinkoncentration på 53.4% i provet. Vidare optimering av denna metod, kan bidra med värdefull kunskap inom mat- och foderindustrin.Seaweed has a great potential within human food and animal feed industry. Palmaria palmata (P. palmata) or more commonly dulse, is a type of red seaweed which has a high protein content (8-35%), rich in minerals such as iodine and iron and contain high levels of dietary fibers. The main polysaccharide in dulse is xylan. It has been suggested that the xylans are linked to the proteins in the seaweed. This may decrease the accessibility and the digestion of the proteins present in dulse. This paper intends to find and optimize methods for extraction of the proteins and separation of the proteins and polysaccharides in dulse. The methods used to treat dulse, includes protease hydrolysis, hydrolyse of xylan with xylanase. The analytical methods to analyze the nutritional content includes SDS-PAGE, Bradford assay, phenol-sulfuric acid method, TLC and HPEAC-PAD. Hydrolysis with proteases showed limited success, only a small increase in protein content (total 46.6%) was found when hydrolysing with Umamizyme. Hydrolysis with xylanase showed greater success with a protein concentration of 53.4%. Hydrolyse with xylanase showed best potential when separating polysaccharides from proteins and extracting proteins in dulse. Further optimization of this method could generate valuable knowledge which can be utilized within human food and animal feed industries

The right to compensation for victims of racial discrimination

This thesis analyses the question of the right to compensation for victims of racial discrimination. The purpose is first of all to determine whether or not victims of racial discrimination have a right to compensation under international human rights law and to establish the content and limits of such a right. In order to achieve this purpose four specific questions are examined, namely: 1. Is there a right to compensation for victims of racial discrimination under international human rights law? 2. Who is the holder of such a right? 3. Who is the part liable for compensation? and 4. What kind of damage is compensated? After a brief presentation of the practise of racial discrimination today and its legal definition follows a comprehensive analysis based mainly of jurisprudence examined according to the judicial method and on studies undertaken by Theo van Boven, expert and member of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. I conclude that at least art 6 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination entitle victims of racial discrimination a right to reparation, including compensation in appropriate cases. It is further the individual victim who is the holder of this right. The party liable for providing reparation is primarily the direct perpetrator, which in turn could be either the state or a private actor. In cases where the direct perpetrator is a person acting in his or her own capacity but where the victim is denied reparation because of failure on behalf of the state to provide an effective remedy can the state be held responsible for reparation. A reasonable interpretation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination means that pecuniary and physical harm and suffering shall be fully compensated. Regarding mental suffering is an affirmative judgement on the merits considered a form of reparation and jurisprudence is restrictive regarding additional relief. States further seem to have a margin of appreciation to require certain level of gravity of harm. This might be a consequence of the fact that art 6 is primarily a right to seek and obtain reparation in accordance with national law as long as national legislation or enforcement is not in conflict with international standards, and such international standards are still very vague