The Confession: The Best Weapon 被告人的供述:最好的武器 Admissions of guilt are essential to society’scompelling interest in finding, convicting, and punishing those who violatethe laws.—Moran v. Burbine (1986) 承认罪行是必要的,对于发现,指控,惩罚那些违法的人的社会需求而言。 Surpassing all other forms of evidence andreinforcing their support of the truth, the confession remains unique. 超越所有其他形式的证据以及加强这些证据对真相的证明力的这方面,自认供述的作用是独一无二的。 Unquestionably, the confession will promptimmediate deliberation of both advantages and disadvantages of a trial orplea-bargaining alternative. 毫无疑问,自认供述将会促成对开庭和控辩交易之间优劣势的考虑。 If a trial is warranted, a voluntary, admissibleconfession is undeniably paramount in considering the totality of theevidentiary presentation. 如果审讯被批准,一个自愿可以被接受的供述在考虑到总体的证据呈现的意义上是无可否认的重要。 The admissible confession will strengthen theintegrity of both the eyewitness account and the physical evidence whilefueling the synergistic effect of the prosecutorial arsenal. 被认可的坦白供述将完善目击者的证词和物证的完整性,也将和检查官的指控内容相联动。 A legal description of a confession iscontained in the following case proceedings:一个有效的供述必须遵循下列规则: “An accusedperson knowingly makes an acknowledgement that he or she committed orparticipated in the commission of the criminal act. 被告人明确意识到自己在犯罪过程中的行为。 This acknowledgement must be broad enough tocomprehend every essential element necessary to make a case against thedefendant” (James v.State, 1952). 这种认识必须是足够明了的理解犯罪过程中的每个部分以至于无法通过辩护开脱。 According to this legal description, aconfession should consist of基于以上的要求,一个供述应该包含如下内容 (1) an acknowledgment of the commission of orparticipation in a criminal act that对犯罪的足够认识 对犯罪有足够认识 (2) must be sufficiently comprehensive toinclude every element of the criminal act as defined by statute. 并且这种认识必须是全面的涵盖法律所规定的犯罪的构成要素。 To fully understand and implement the confession as described earlier, a review of burden of proof and the criminal act requirements and their implications is warranted.为了更全面的理解和让这样一份供述生效,对举证和犯罪构成的审查以及和他们的影响都是很有必要的。
A Framework for Defining the Worst ofCrimes 定义最严重的罪行的框架 Many of the aggravators noted denotebehavior that distinguishes a particularly unusual criminal at work.许多加重情节,指明了可以识别不寻常犯罪的行为。 As such, perpetrators who meet suchaggravators earn membership in a narrowed class of defendants. 同样的,那些符合这些加重情节的行凶者被列入了这一狭小的被告的范围。 Other aggravators, however, speak more tothe goals of society than the exceptional nature of the crime. 其他的加重情节,更符合社会普遍的认同,而不是犯罪本身的特质。 A police officer is armed, for example, andengages with criminals and in hazardous duty.例如,警察全副武装,每天和犯罪打交道,承担着危险的责任。 Society has an interest in protecting lawenforcement.社会上有一种倾向就是维护执法人员。 Yet when a perpetrator kills a policeofficer in attempting to escape, that clearly does not reflect an unusualcriminal mentality or ensure that such a crime was anything more than a spontaneous,if dramatic, choice.当一个人在试图逃跑的时候杀死了一个警察,并十分清楚的表明这反映了一种普遍的犯罪心理,并且完全是不具有期待可能性的行为,但其社会影响却非同寻常。 In other words, some aggravators, such askilling in the course of committing a felony, attach themselves to deterrenceissues, while others distinguish what are truly unusual, and the worst of theworst crimes.换句话说,一些加重情节,例如在一起重罪的过程中杀人行为,更多的是考虑对罪犯的震慑的作用,当其他因素来区别是否该犯罪是不同寻常的是严重恶劣的。
Table 4.2. Diagnoses Associated withCriminally Depraved Acts严重恶劣犯罪行为的诊断 Diagnosis (source)诊断(源头) Characteristics 特征 Antisocial Personality Disorder反社会人格障碍 History of Conduct Disorder in youth; 青年时期有行为障碍的历史 adult pattern of irresponsibility and rulebreaking; 成人模式的无责任感和打破规则; exploitativeness for money, sex, and otherprimitive needs 对于金钱,性,和其他基本需求的特权感 Conduct Disorder行为障碍 Childhood/adolescence of truancy, lying,fighting, destruction of property, fire setting, impulsivity, and cruelty toanimals儿童或者青春期的逃学,撒谎,打架,破坏财物,玩火,冲动,残害小动物 Narcissistic Personality Disorder自恋型人格障碍 Grandiosity, entitlement, haughtiness,envy, intense anger洋洋自得,幻想权利,傲慢,嫉妒,强烈的愤怒 Psychopathy 精神变态 Brazenness, manipulative, callous,self-centered, grandiose personality, plus antisocial behavior没有羞耻感,喜欢操纵,麻木无情,自我主义,洋洋自得,附加反社会行为。 Sexual Sadism性虐狂 Sexual arousal through coercion andcontrol, including through the infliction of pain 通过强迫和控制才能激起性欲,包括通过有疼痛感的施加物。 Sadism虐待狂 The desire to inflict pain regardless ofsexual satisfaction有施加疼痛的要求,但不属于性虐狂。 Necrophilia恋尸癖 Infatuation with death and decay迷恋死掉的和腐烂的 Malignant Narcissism恶性自恋 Antisocial behavior, sadism, paranoia, moreideological and more likely to attach to groups; experience others asthreatening enemies rather than merely objects to be exploited反社会行为,虐待狂,偏执狂,更容易在观念上和可能上形成群体,然后把别人当做有威胁的敌人而不是可以被了解的对象。 Antisocial Personality by Proxy反社会人格代理 Predator; physically or materially unableto carry out an antisocial impulse, so manipulates a vulnerable and lessinhibited person to do so控制者,身体上或者物质上无法释放反社会的冲动,所控制一个脆弱内向的人去做。