Global Peace Index ranks New Zealand as the world's most peaceful country, Iraq as least peaceful

By Dan Van Ness

The Global Peace Index is an annual publication from the Institute for Economics and Peace. It ranks countries based on 23 indicators that are divided into three broad categories: (1) measures of ongoing domestic and international conflict, (2) measures of safety and security in society, and (3) measure of militarization.

Jul 13, 2009 Region:Europe, Region: Pacific, Region: Europe, Correspondent:Dan Van Ness, Region: North America and Caribbean, Region:Middle East, Region: Asia, Region: Africa, Region: Latin America

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Proportionality in Sentencing and the Restorative Justice Paradigm: ‘Just Deserts’ for Victims and Defendants Alike?

From the paper by Tyrone Kirchengast: The doctrine of proportionality seeks to limit arbitrary and capricious punishment in order to ensure that offenders are punished according to their ‘just desert’. Proportionality goes some way toward achieving this ‘balanced’ approach by requiring a court to consider various and often competing interests in formulating a sentence commensurate with offence seriousness and offender culpability. Modification of sentencing law by the introduction of victim impact statements or the requirement that sentencing courts take explicit account of the harm done to the victim and community has generated debate, however, as to the extent to which offenders may be now subject to unjustified, harsher punishments.

Jul 06, 2009 Conceptual, Country:Australia, Region: Pacific, Theory

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