Marcos Sanso-navarro (p), María Vera-Cabello

This paper proposes to study the socio-economic determinants of terrorism at country level using nonparametric estimation methods. In doing so, we will be able to simultaneously account for four relevant empirical issues in this context: (i) the uncertainty regarding the variables that should be included as regressors, (ii) their possible nonlinear influence, (iii) their heterogeneous influence across countries (Henderson et al., 2012 Economic Journal), and (iv) the presence of spatial dependence in both terrorist attacks and their determinants (Sanso-Navarro and Vera-Cabello, 2015 Papers in Regional Science). Last, but not least, the presence of heterogeneity and nonlinearities will be exploited to discuss optimal counter-terrorism policies in a counterfactual estimation setup (Cohen-Cole et al., 2012 Journal of Macroeconomics; Henderson et al., 2013 European Economic Review). The analysis will be based on the information provided by the Global Terrorism Database and an updated version of the data set constructed by Gassebner and Luechinger (2011 Public Choice).

Celia Melguizo (p), Raúl Ramos

The effect of minimum wages on the labour market has been a topic extensively analysed from both economic theory and empirical perspectives. The great recession has reopened the debate on the effect of minimum wages on unemployment and, particularly, for those groups with higher unemployment rates, such as youth. In Spain, unemployment has doubled during the recession, while at the same time, wages have significantly reduced. In this context, nominal minimum wages have remained constant, although they have been rising when compared to the median wage. This paper aims to explore the influence of minimum wages on the unemployment rates of a collective that has specially suffered the economic downturn: the youth population. In order to do so, we consider a panel composed by the Spanish regions. The identification strategy is based on the fact that national minimum wage is fixed by the government with no regional differentiation, although regional price differentials are very marked. After testing the panel properties, we estimate the relationship between the Kaitz Index and youth unemployment rates by gender taking specifically into account the dynamic behaviour of employment regional heterogeneity. The analysis is extended by considering the effect of spatial spillovers in the considered relationship and comparing the results for youth with those observed for the adult population.

Kamila Borsekova (p)

Electronic monitoring is a relatively new tool in the field of criminal justice. Although the concept of electronically monitored offenders was established in the late 60´s of the 20th century, its implementation has become a reality until about 20 years later (Nellis, 1991). For the first time in Europe, electronic monitoring was implemented in the UK at the end of the 80´s. Since then, electronic monitoring is used in countries around the world, including several jurisdictions of European countries.
Despite the growing importance and utilization rate of electronic monitoring there are quite a few scientific studies and research on this matter. Most of the contributions is not based on empirical research but only describes the application of electronic monitoring in different countries or is dedicated to electronic monitoring in terms of their effectiveness as a method of punishment (for more information see for example DeMichele, 2014; Lilly, 2006; Mair, 2006; Nellis 2013; 2009; 2006). Important are also issues relating to supervision, or control of electronically monitored people, ethical principle of this approach (see for example Nellis, 2013), but also institutional and social-economic aspects of this approach. Implementation of electronic monitoring impact the whole society and several institutions on national and regional level play a crucial role in this process.
The main purpose of the paper is to define and analyse the role of institutions in the functioning of the electronic monitoring of accused and convicted persons in Slovakia.
The first part of the paper is devoted to state of the art regarding electronic monitoring of accused and convicted persons and identification of relevant institutions and their status in the process of electronic monitoring. The next part of the paper is dedicated to methodological approach of implementation electronic monitoring system and analysis of practical utilization of electronic monitoring system from the institutional point of view. The role of institutions on the national and regional level is discussed in the last part of the paper and concluded by the institutional setting of the whole process of electronic monitoring of accused and convicted person in Slovakia. Policy recommendation are formulated as well.
The paper is one of the starting points for further investigation and implementation of extensive empirical research within the project of basic research APVV 15-0437 Interdisciplinary approach to electronic monitoring of accused and convicted persons in Slovakia.