文部科学省科学研究費補助金 「新学術領域研究」 法と人間科学 LAW & HUMAN SCIENCES 平成23年度科学研究費補助金(新学術領域研究)【法と人間科学】領域設定期間:平成23年度~平成27年度

LAW & HUMAN SCIENCES

Grant‐in‐Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)

Humanities and Social Sciences

Title of Project

Law and Human Sciences

Makiko Naka (Hokkaido University, Graduate School of Letters, Professor)

 

      Purpose of the Research Project

      Content of the Research Project

      Expected Research Achievements and Scientific Significance

      Key Words

      Term of Project

      Budget Allocation

      Achievement

      Database for Young Researchers

purpose

Purpose of the Research Project

A few years have passed since the Saiban-in Seido (a mixed tribunal of professional judges and lay judges) started. The practice has shed light on the system’s strengths and weaknesses, and the citizens’ participation in the criminal procedures increased the public awareness of a wide range of problems, such as necessity of legal education, visualization of investigative processes, support for lay judges, treatment of inmates, prevention of recidivism, etc. Furthermore, many intriguing topics are identified such as, but not limited to:

  1. Basis of the criminal system: Citizens’ perception of law; legal education; philosophical and psychological issues on Japanese law and the legal system, etc.
  2. Investigative processes: Prevention of false confession, procedures to ensure accurate identification, special measures for the vulnerable, etc.
  3. Issues in court: Lay judges’ understanding of case and criminal procedures, effective questioning, psychological processes of legal decision making, etc.
  4. After-trial issues: Development and evaluation of effective treatment for offenders, defendants’ and victims’ view of sentences, etc.

In order to research into these topics, not only in vitro studies but also field research with interdisciplinary collaboration with practitioners is necessary. The goal of this project is to promote such “working together” with lawyers, social scientists, legal professionals, and those in related areas as well as supporting emergent researchers in the area.

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Content of the Research Project

We will form four fields with ten planned research groups and approximately eight newly recruited research groups. Followings are the brief description of planned research.

Basis of the criminal system and legal education: (1) Karasawa group focuses on psychological bases of blame and judgment of responsibility observed among lay people with regard to illegal acts. (2) Kawai group studies the relationship between lay peoples’ belief and scientific findings on the effectiveness of severe punishment. (3) Kuboyama group develops games that players can learn civil conflict and resolution.

Investigative processes: (4) Sato group develops software that visualizes statements elicited from repeated interviews. (5) Takagi group develops an interviewing method free from false confessions. (6) Itsukushima group develops the procedure to ensure accurate identification.

Saibanin-saiban (lay judge court): (7) Itoh group studies the influence of emotional materials on lay judges’ decision making. (8) Ibusuki group studies merits and demerits of recorded interviews with suspects.

Criminal procedures and social welfare: (9) Naka group develops and improves the methods of forensic (investigative) interviews with the vulnerable including child victims. (10) Ishizuka group studies the way of utilizing scientific findings in rehabilitation of inmates with PDD.

All the research groups follow the cycle of [basic research] > [sharing the findings with practitioners and citizens] > [receiving their feedback] in order to promote the research.

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Expected Research Achievements and Scientific Significance

The project is to establish the platform where lawyers, social scientists and practitioners work together to solve real-world problems as well as promoting interdisciplinary collaborative research. The cycle above will facilitate social implementation of scientific findings.

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Key Words

Social implementation of scientific findings refers to the utilization of scientific knowledge and evidence to solve real-world problems and to advance the society.

Term of Project

FY2011-2015

Budget Allocation

265,200 Thousand Yen

Achievement

Activity List

List of publications

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