bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a Pilot Project in Service Coordination
Authors: Forster Christina L. , Evans Brian , Fisher Ronald J.
Published: March 2007

Research indicating a need for increased coordination of mental health services in a small Canadian city impelled the design of a 6-month, service coordination pilot project. The project aimed to improve service effectiveness and increase service provider and client satisfaction. Client-chosen service coordinators attempted to increase the amount ofinformation sharing and joint treatment planning among service providers for individual clients. Because few projects of this kind have been adequately evaluated, comprehensive process and outcome evaluations were incorporated in the design. Following a 1-month baseline data collection period, clients were randomly assigned to coordination or control groups. Project implementation and out come were monitored using daily service coordinator reports and pre-post data from clients, service coordinators, and service providers. Results indicated that the project was neither implemented as intended, nor did it meet its objectives. Discussion focuses on the effectiveness of the present evaluation design and future implementations of such ventures.
The Role of Evaluation When Electric Utilities Get Financial Incentives for Their Dsm Programs
Authors: Hirst Eric
Published: March 2007

Electric utility demand-side management (DSM) programs affect the efficiency and timing of customer electricity use. As the number and cost of these programs increase, evaluations will become increasingly important. A key challenge is the role of evaluation in determining the amount of financial incentive that a utility earns for its DSM programs. Most regulatory incen tives for DSM programs depend on the net benefits provided by these programs. The total benefit is the reductions in electricity use and demand multiplied by the appropriate avoided costs (energy or capacity). The net benefit is the difference between total benefit and program cost. Evaluations determine the total benefits of DSM programs. This article presents a hypothetical example of problems that might arise when evaluations are subject to litigation, a likely occurrence when utility earnings depend on evaluation results. A hypothetical illustration is used because such incentives are so new that they have yet to be tested in regulatory proceedings. Possible resolutions to the problems raised by the hypothetical example are discussed.
The Effects of Displacement On Measures of Reemployment Bonus Impacts
Authors: Dynarski Mark
Published: March 2007

Evaluations of the impacts of government employment and training programs on workers have generally followed a strategy whereby the labor market outcomes of workers who receive program services are compared with the outcomes of workers who do not receive program services. Differences in outcomes are then attributed to the effects of receiving services. This article examines the problem of measuring the impacts of reemployment bonuses when treatment group members and control group members interact in the labor market. It is shown that the conventional measure of bonus impacts — the difference in average time spent unemployed of the treatment group and control group — may significantly overestimate the net impact of the bonus offer, and that measuring the net impact correctly requires the presence of another control group that is not affected by the bonus program. It is also shown that measured impacts from previous bonus experiments may have been due entirely to displacement, but the designs of these experiments were not statistically adequate to detect displacement. The implication is that the results of previous bonus experiments should be treated with considerable caution.
"If You Can'T Say Something Nice"
Authors: Johanson George A. , Gips Crystal J. , Rich Charles E.
Published: March 2007

Analysis of several data sets suggests that when "don't know" is used as an option in an evaluation of others, the number of omitted items may correlate negatively with the summated evaluation. When present, this variation of social desirability or nonrandom tendency toward item nonresponse has the potential to bias results. Measures are suggested to both detect and control for this tendency.
Cumulative Versus Stabilizing Effects of Methadone Maintenance
Authors: Powers Keiko Ichikawa , Anglin M. Douglas
Published: March 2007

The present study apphed a quasi-experimental design to examine whether methadone mainte nance treatment demonstrates cumulative (i.e., rehabilitative) or stabilizing effects on behavior of narcotics addicts over multiple treatment episodes. Nearly 1,000 addicts in Southern Califor nia methadone maintenance clinics were interviewed to obtain retrospective self-report infor mation on their addiction histories. Nine measures, including use of narcotics and other drugs, crime involvement, and employment, were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of vari ance. The observed patterns of behavioral changes clearly indicated stabilizing effects for most of the measures, but no indication of cumulative effects were observed.
Impact Assessment
Authors: Ormala Erkki
Published: March 2007

In Europe, impact assessment is an essential element of evaluation. Impact cannot usually be measured directly but has to be explored in view of a set of both quantitative and qualitative impact dimensions. The impact needs also to be placed in the relevant context. At present, a range of established methods is available for use by evaluators. The methods can be grouped into three categories: those providing framework for assessment, those concerned with data collection, and those concerned with data analysis. Panels are used extensively to complement the other methods. European evaluations have so far been mainly concerned with quality and direct impact. Assessments of the medium- or long-term impact are still rare.
Improving Program Targeting Through Simulation
Authors: Gardiner Richard C.
Published: March 2007

Statistical identification of employees with unusual sick leave usage patterns can result in false positive identifications. Such misidentifications weaken confidence in detection methods and may increase reluctance of supervisors to pursue reported unusual sick leave use. A computer simulation model was used to evaluate alternate methods and parameters of unusual sick leave detection. Results of the simulation were used to refine identification parameters and to modify supervisory follow-up procedures.
The Persuasive Impact of Two Evaluation Reports On Agricultural Extension Administrators From Two Countries
Authors: Russon Craig , Wentling Tim , Zuloaga Alberto
Published: March 2007

During the last 30 years, the amount of aid and technical assistance given to developing countries has increased tremendously. Because of the increased aid, cross-cultural evaluation has become more common. This study sought to determine whether culture has an influence on evaluation. The researchers accomplished this by conducting a simulation experiment designed to explore the persuasive impact of a qualitative and a quantitative evaluation report on high- and mid-level agricultural extension administrators from central Mexico and northern central United States. A doubly multivariate repeated measures MANOVA yielded the following results: (a) subjects from Mexico rated the evaluation reports significantly higher than did the U.S. subjects, (b) subjects rated the quantitative evaluation report significantly higher than the qualitative evaluation report, and (c) there was a weak interaction between culture and the methodological approach of the reports. The results are discussed and recommendations are made for international evaluators.
Mandatory Seat Belt Laws in the States
Authors: Houston David J. , Richardson Lilliard E. , Neeley Grant W.
Published: March 2007

This study examines the impact of mandatory seat belt laws on fatal and incapacitating injury rates in the states. Annual data for all 50 states for the period 1975-1991 are used. Pooled time series analysis is employed. The general conclusion that emerges from this analysis is that seat belt laws significantly impact state fatal injury rates. Primary enforcement and all-seat coverage provisions appear to be particularly effective in reducing fatality rates.
The MHSIP Mental Health Report Card
Authors: Teague Gregory B. , Ganju Vijay , Hornik John A. , Johnson J. Rock , McKinney Jacki
Published: March 2007

Health care report cards have been endorsed as a mechanism for efficiently comparing key quanttfiable aspects of performance across a range of health systems or plans. There are challenges in determining what to measure; how to gather and analyze data; and how to report, interpret, and use findings. Mental health has received little attention, and a consumer perspec tive is typically not included. The proposed MHSIP mental health report card (MMHRC) addresses these concerns. General issues for report cards are discussed, and the MMHRC is described in terms of content, data sources and quality, and analysis and reporting.
Multidimensional Indexes of Occupational Segregation
Authors: Watts Martin
Published: March 2007

The properties of three multidimensional measures of occupational segregation by gender and race are compared-namely, the generalizations of the Karmel and Maclachlan and Gini indexes and Goodman and Kruskal's τb. The generalization of the Gini index is shown to be flawed. Calculations are undertaken for the other two measures, using unpublished U.S. Department of Labor employment data for six gender/race groups for the period 1983 to 1992. It is concluded that, if correctly decomposed, Silber's generalization of the Karmel and Maclachlan index is the superior measure for tracking trends over time of occupational segregation by gender and race.
The Impact of a Written Parental Consent Policy On Estimates From a School-Based Drug Use Survey
Authors: Dent Clyde W. , Sussman Steve Y. , Stacy Alan W.
Published: March 2007

The authors examine differences between mean, variance, and correlation parameter estimates derived from afull school-based sample and subsamples restricted by the provision of parental consent. A total of 1,607 students at 21 continuation high schools and 1,192 students at 3 traditional high schools completed a survey containing variables related to socio demographics, drug use, mental health, and veolence. The employment of a researcher-initiated home-telephone-call procedure substantially increased the parental response rate over a student-/ school-assisted consent method. The subsamples restricted by the written consent criterion showed some small biases in estimates of sociodemographic variables but little or no biases on measures related to mental health, drug use, or violence measures. The augmentation of the written consent samples with verbally consented students reduced observed biases.
Folklore Linked to Pregnancy and Birth in Nigeria
Authors: Okafor Chinyelu B.
Published: March 2007

As a part of a safe motherhood project implemented in eastern Nigeria between 1992 and 1996, in-house interviews were conducted with rural women and traditional birth attendants in the seven states of eastern Nigeria. The overall project was designed to contribute toward the reduction of maternal mortality and morbidity through the involvement of community leaders and women’s organizations in women’s health activities in rural Nigeria. It also focused on identifying and addressing some of the underlying cultural factors in maternal mortality and morbidity in Nigeria. Findings from the interview show that women in rural eastern Nigeria still hold many folklore beliefs about pregnancy and childbirth, and some of these beliefs lead to delay in the referral of complications to hospitals.
Violence, Risk, and Survival Strategies of Street Prostitution
Authors: Williamson Celia , Folaron Gail
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the risks and responses of street prostitutes to customer-related violence. Thirteen female street prostitutes, aged 18 to 40, were recruited from a moderate-size, midwestern city in the United States. Eight were non-Hispanic White and five were African American. Respondents participated in individual interviews to identify perceptions of work-related violence, personal risk, and self-protective survival strategies. The constant comparative method was used to analyze data.
Differential Predictors of Emotional Distress in HIV-Infected Men and Women
Authors: van Servellen Gwen , Aguirre Marylynn , Sarna Linda , Brecht Mary-Lynn
Published: March 2007

Changes in the AIDS epidemic in many areas of the United States require information about the experience of the growing segment of women afflicted. This study compared patterns of emotional distress between men and women with symptomatic HIV and examined potential predictors of different levels of vulnerability. A sample of 126 low socioeconomic men and women seeking care from HIV treatment centers was surveyed using measures of physical and psychological well-being. Women had more HIV symptoms, poorer functioning, and greater disruptions in physical and psychosocial well-being. Physical health status and optimism were primary predictors of emotional distress in both men and women. More than 50% of men and women had scores indicative of clinical anxiety. Approximately 1 out of 10 had clinically relevant scores for depression. Gender differences may provide potentially useful information for tailoring assessment interventions for emotional distress in people infected with HIV.
Toward a Cross-Cultural Perspective of Family Caregiving
Authors: Phillips Linda R. , Luna Isela , Russell Cynthia K. , Baca Gloria , Lim Young Mi , Cromwell Sandra L. , de Ardon Esperanza Torres
Published: March 2007

This article is partofa symposium that explores the issues involved in developing cross-culturally equivalent conceptualizations and measures for studying family caregiving. The examples used are from the instrument development phase of an ongoing program of research designed to generate and test a theory that explains the quality of family caregivingforfrail elders at home. This article provides the backgroundfor the symposium by introducing the symposium's unifying theme: cross-cultural equivalence. The process described is based on the experiences of the cross-cultural research team and Berry's model for developing cross-culturally equivalent research.
An Oral Contraceptive Perception Scale for Female Adolescents
Authors: Hanna Kathleen M.
Published: March 2007

This study sought to develop the initial psychometric properties of a female adolescent oral contraceptive perception scale. Based on qualitative data, a 39-item scale of perceived benefits and barriers was developed, reviewed by adolescence experts and adolescents, and voluntarily completed by 407female adolescents enrolled in family planning clinics. After item analysis, 15 items were deleted. Maximum likelihood factor analysis with varimax rotation yielded two barrier (relationship-oriented and oral contraceptive regimen) andfour benefit (relationshiporiented, pregnancy prevention related to self pregnancy prevention related to others, personal responsibility) factors that accounted for 53% of the variance. The scale had acceptable reliability (alpha coefficients rangedfrom 0. 71 to 0.87). The scale should be beneficial tofurther research in this area.
HIV-Infected Women's Decisions to Take Antiretrovirals
Authors: Misener Terry R. , Sowell Richard L.
Published: March 2007

Despite the potential benefits of antiretrovirals, HIV-infected women may not be accepting or adhering to recommended drug therapies. To help women make informed decisions surrounding antiretroviral therapy, health care professionals need insight into how HIV-infected women decide to take or not to take antiretroviral drugs. The purpose of this study was to describe the influences affecting decisions made by women in the southern United States to accept and adhere to antiretroviral therapy. Focus group data with subsequent dimensional analysis were used to discover themes surrounding antiretroviral decisions among 22 women in two predominantly rural, southeastern states. The focus groups included some women who were currently taking antiretrovirals, some who had taken them in the past, and some who had never taken them. The analyses revealedfour overarching themes that influenced women's decisions regarding antiretrovirals: health professionals, beliefs about antiretrovirals, side effects, and attitudes of peers and family.
Heterosexism and Gay Couples with HIV Infection
Authors: Powell-Cope Gail M.
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to explain the dynamic interplay between gay couples who were infected/affected by HIVinfection and theirsocial environments, as defined by heterosexism. Descriptive and analytic methods were used. The sample consisted of nine couples in which at least one man was diagnosed with symptomatic HIV infection or AIDS. Although study participants explained their experiences using the term "homophobia," their experiences as afamily based on interpersonal commitment could also be understood in the context of heterosexism. Interpersonal commitment was a means to resist the constraints imposed by heterosexism.
Where Politicians Fear to Tread: Advertising for Internet Security
Authors: Jordan John W.
Published: March 2007

As Congress continues to struggle to create effective means for governing the Internet, some software companies have sidestepped civic processes and taken the debate into the commercial sphere. To sell their software security products, computer companies recast Internet security strictly as private, not public, concerns, in a way that generates as much fear as the ads claim to eliminate. This article examines the rhetoric advertisements employ to persuade customers that the Internet is a hostile anticommunity through which only well-protected individuals can navigate safely.
The Underground Press in America (1964-1968): Outlining an Alternative, the Envisioning of an Underground
Authors: Lewes James
Published: March 2007

This article examines, through a detailed study of editorials and statements of purpose published in American underground newspapers, the underground press newsworkers' visualization of their press as a communicative tool. This model departs from more traditional models of communicative interaction developed by communication scholars to describe the relationship between the press and its public. For the underground press newsworkers, their relationship with the audience was dynamic and symbiotic.
Feminist Contributions to Communication Studies: Past and Present
Authors: Ardizzoni Michela
Published: March 2007

Based on the conviction that communication cannot be thoroughly analyzed and theorized without taking into account feminist ideologies, this article focuses on the investigation of and the search for feminist communication studies. An overview of the status of the feminist contribution to the field will be followed and exemplified by a more specific analysis of the articles centered on feminist theories, which were published in the journal Critical Studies in Mass Communication. In the conclusion, the author provides a reflection on the ways in which the collaboration of communication and feminist studies can become an indispensable tool for the analysis of social and cultural practices as expressions of concretely lived experiences.
Learning to Be a Journalist: A Feminist Disability Critique of Cyborgs, College Newsworkers, and RSI Work Culture
Authors: Marston Cathy
Published: March 2007

The goal of this article is to provide a theoretical and historical context and argument for the necessity of studying college newsworkers. The author examines feminist disability and cyber theories to articulate the need to understand the cultural context of technology within a society that constructs unrealistic and damaging limits for what constitutes “able” bodies and workers. The author situates this project within American journalistic work culture, which she refers to as RSI work culture because cultural factors are implicated as causes of occupational injuries such as repetitive strain injuries.
Social Administration, Social Policy and Socialism
Authors: Deacon Bob
Published: March 2007

This paper develops from the marxist critique of social policy under capitalism a speculative picture of socialist social policy. It draws its ideas from:

(a) socialist theory of the state, human nature, family life, and the relationship between need and resources

(b) 'socialist' countries such as Russia and Cuba

(c) struggles about welfare policies under capitalism.

It attempts to answer a number of questions posed by the discipline of social administration about the nature of socialist social policy.
Sick Hospitals: the Service Crisis of Health Care in New York City
Authors: Rayner Geof
Published: March 2007

This article examines the medical care sector in New York City in the wake of that city's fiscal crisis. Against a changing national background of medical care politics, it describes existing inequalities and distortions in the medical care system, a system whose inequities are partially reinforced by federal and state intervention. The process of subordination of the 'place-of-last-resort' public sector is defined. Although attention on this sector is justified, the service crisis of the medical care sector is more correctly to be seen as one afflicting all those services used by minorities and the working class. The policy of retrenchment in New York is seen as a prelude to Reagan's austerity programme, and calls for reassessment of current health activism.
Adult learning in social work education: towards liberation or domestication?
Authors: Humphries Beth
Published: March 2007

Higher education, along with other strands of the welfare state, is under going revolutionary change under the Thatcher government. This article argues that traditional liberal values on which education is based are not adequate to withstand the nex right assault, suggests elements of a pro gressive radical education, and re-examines notions of academic freedom It focuses on values underpinning the process of learning in social work, but suggests a wider application to policies within higher education prac
One step back, two steps forward: community care and mental health
Authors: Tudor Keith
Published: March 2007

In the light of the government's decision to delay the implementation of its Community Care' programme the author argeous for the de-institutional isation of psychiatric hospitals before psychiatric patients are discharged into hostile communities and before those communities thernselves become hospitals. Drawing on his experience and study in holy the author reviews the legislative, historical and theoretical aspects of the Italian exper ience of psychiatric reform and suggests that by having to take on e forced step back in the implementation of policy we can take two steps forward in the right direction for the development of a genuinely community-based mental health policy.
Interleukin-2: the public and professional face of rationing in the NHS
Authors: Freemantle Nick , Harrison Stephen
Published: March 2007

This paper examines a recent rationing crisis in the UK National Health Service (NHS) in which a patient was denied treatment for a life threatening illness on the basis of cost. Rationing is inevitable in health care, as resources which can be allocated to health are finite and demand is essentially infinite. The new managerial relationships which constitute the purchaser/provider split contribute to rationing becom ing more explicit. The NHS is socialist in that it socialises the financial risk of illness.

Questions about the form which rationing should take are funda mentally political rather than empirical. Yet the media purvey a version of reality which is best understood as myth. The paper con cludes by raising these crucial questions in the context of the politics of the left.
Public-private boundaries and the transformation of the NHS
Authors: Ruane Sally
Published: March 2007

This article uses an examination of the changing boundaries between the public and the private in health-care to argue that developments of a transformative character are taking place in the NHS. Rather than fo cusing on principles such as comprehensiveness and universality, it con siders the collectivism of funding and the production of health-care to be the central features of the NHS in 1948. It is these which are now being eroded. This exploration does not confine itself to policy measures but considers the changing political dynamic within and around the NHS and its changing culture to be significant factors in current and potential change.
Scrimping, saving and schooling
Authors: Standing Kay
Published: March 2007

The growth of market forces and the rhetoric of 'choice' in education ignores economic and cultural differences between parents, especially the implications for lone mothers on low incomes, by assuming everyone has equal access to resources. Social, economic and education policies com bine to constrain and limit the involvement and 'choice' lone mothers have in their children's education. This article explores some of the struc tural and moral constraints placed upon lone mothers on low incomes in relation to their children's schooling, while acknowledging that lone mothers work within these constraints to create opportunities for their children in education.
Supporting the family: lone mothers, paid work and the underclass debate
Authors: Edwards Rosalind , Duncan Simon
Published: March 2007

Lone mothers are often portrayed as one of the basic components of the 'underclass', with supposedly deviant cultural norms and a reliance on state benefits. In this article we draw on data from both in-depth inter views with different social groups of lone mothers and representative sta tistical data from the 1991 Census Household Sample of Anonymised Records. We show that those groups of lone mothers who are most likely to rely on state benefits in fact hold a particular 'gendered moral ratio nality' that is in line with dominant British norms about motherhood. In contrast, those groups of lone mothers who are likely to support them selves through paid work—such as Black lone mothers—are more likely to hold gendered moral rationalities that deviate from mainstream social norms. We also show that issues of patriarchy and ethnicity are primary in relation to those of class in these rationalities. In conclusion, we argue that any government attempts to 'bring back' traditional family values will work against another government objective—getting lone mothers off state benefits and into the labour market.
The Denial of Racism
Authors: Barnes Brendon , Palmary Ingrid , Durrheim Kevin
Published: March 2007

Informed by discursive psychology, this study aimed to identify and explicate those rhetorical maneuvers that function to introduce the issue of race into conversations in the presence of an interracial couple (the first two authors) in the “new South Africa” and to negotiate “race talk” in their presence while distancing the speaker from inferences of racism. Over a period of 2 months, conversations of people with whom the first two authors came into contact were tape-recorded in a variety of social settings without their knowledge. The study revealed that humor, personal experience, and self-censorship were rhetorical maneuvers drawn on extensively in conversations about race. Two possible reasons for this are suggested. First, the conversations involved the interracial, heterosexual couple and other persons of different races, rather than only White speakers, as in many previous studies. Second, unlike previous studies, conversations occurred in naturalistic settings and not in contrived settings.
Linguistic Context and Social Perception
Authors: ter Doest Laura , Semin Gün R. , Sherman Steven J.
Published: March 2007

This article considers the role of linguistic context in social memory and social judgment. Two experiments compared perceivers’ responses to person descriptions formulated at a high level of linguistic abstraction (adjectives/traits) versus a low level of linguistic abstraction (action verbs/behaviors). Based on the linguistic category model, together with prior empirical findings in psychology and linguistics, traits as compared with behavioral descriptions of a social target were hypothesized to elicit lower attention, poorer recall, and more expectancy-consistent impressions. Support for these hypotheses was obtained for a social target consisting of an individual as well as a nonentitative group. These results suggest a moderating role of linguistic context in inconsistency processing. Whereas concrete (behavioral) person descriptions elicited relatively deep, systematic processing, abstract (trait) person descriptions elicited more cursory, heuristic processing guided by the perceiver’s expectancies regarding the target person. It is concluded that the methodological and substantive implications of linguistic context deserve greater attention in social psychological research.
Social Mobility and Language Use in an American Company in Japan
Authors: SanAntonio Patricia M.
Published: March 2007

This paper is based on a year of ethnographic research in an American company in Japan. The company, a high-tech computer firm, has a policy of requiring English to be used in all overseas offices. Like most other foreign companies in Japan, this company has difficulty attracting high quality Japanese employees. They need to hire Japanese managers who have both business experience and English language skills. At the same time the company attempts to compete with the Japanese business community by hiring new college graduates, overlooking the English language requirement. As a result, there is considerable variation in the English language abilities of Japanese employees. This causes problems because the American managers insist on the use of English for meetings, classes, and any interactions involving foreigners. English facility and the ability to deal with Americans socially becomes a source of power for English proficient Japanese employees. The use of English and Japanese in the company becomes an important means of restricting access to information as well as a source of power and advancement to a subset of employees. Ethnographic examples of language use in the company as it relates to the issue of power brokerage and employee advancement in the company are presented in the paper.
Beliefs about Language Performance
Authors: Hummert Mary Lee , Garstka Teri A. , Shaner Jaye L.
Published: March 2007

Stereotypes of the elderly may lead to beliefs about their communication competence. Yb test this hypothesis, the Language in Adulthood Questionnaire (LIA) (Ryan, Kwong See, Meneer, & Trovato, 1992) was used to assess beliefs of young, middle-aged, and elderly adults about their own language skills and those of four elderly targets. Targets represented two positive (Golden Ager, John Wayne Conservative) and two negative (Despondent, Shrew/Curmudgeon) stereotypes of older adults. As expected, elderly respondents reported more language problems than did the middle-aged and young. However, contrary to expectations, middle-aged respondents reported no more problems than the young, and elderly respondents showed no advantage in skills shown to improve with age. Assessments of the targets supported the hypothesis that beliefs about language skills vary with the characteristics of older individuals and do not derive solely from their categorization as elderly.
The Language of Defense
Authors: Schütz Astrid , Baumeister Roy F.
Published: March 2007

To investigate how defensive motivations would affect patterns of language use, the authors compared narratives of personal transgressions (about hurting someone) against a set of narratives about making someone happy. Compared to the happy stories, transgression narratives were more likely to describe actions occurring without deliberate guidance or intention. Length in word count did not vary, but transgression narratives had shorter sentences, especially in the sections describing the transgression and its consequences. They had longer introductions, presumably to explain background and mitigating circumstances. Transgression narratives featured the emotions and thoughts of the narrator significantly more than did narratives of making someone happy (which focused heavily on the target’s feelings), and they used more adverbs and similar words to emphasize the narrator’s emotions. Transgression narratives had fewer specific details but more (ostensibly) exact quotations.
Managing Self-governing Primary Schools in the Locally Maintained, Grant-maintained and Private Sectors
Authors: Bell Les , Halpin David , Neill Sean
Published: March 2007

Les Bell is Professor and Head of the School of Education and Community Studies at Liverpool John Moores University; David Halpin is a Professor at the Department of Educational Studies at Goldsmiths' College, London; and Sean Neill is at the Institute of Education of the University of Warwick. In this article they report upon research in which they have been jointly involved which, inter alia, examines the extent to which management practices vary systematically between primary schools that enjoy different degrees of institutional autonomy.
Leadership for a New Century
Authors: Bhindi Narottam , Duignan Patrick
Published: March 2007

This article proposes a framework for authentic leadership based on: authenticity in leadership actions and interactions; vision derived from the good intentions-intentionality-of committed people; spirituality which is built from engagement in meaningful relationships and from a sense of being connected to something larger than self; and from sensibility to the feelings, aspirations and needs of others, with special reference to the multicultural settings in which many leaders operate, and in the light of the increasing globalization trends in life and work. The authors argue that authenticity in leadership can help restore human, ethical, moral and spiritual dimensions to organizational relationships, thus making organizations better places in which to work, both in terms of productivity and quality of life.
The Future of Public Education
Authors: Caldwell Brian
Published: March 2007

This paper draws on themes in two forthcoming books. One is the third in a trilogy with Jim Spinks entitled Beyond the Self-Managing School, in which changes in school education are placed on three `tracks', with the creation of self-managing schools being one. Activity in the years ahead will lie mainly on the other two tracks, especially in respect to an unrelenting focus on outcomes for students. The second is The Future of Schools: Lessons from the Reform of Public Education, co-authored with Don Hayward, who was Minister for Education and architect of the Schools of the Future initiative in Victoria. A policy framework for lasting reform is proposed, with 15 elements reflecting four key concepts: public, entitlement, contribution and design.
The Nazi Eye Code of Falling in Love
Authors: Travers Andrew
Published: March 2007

The treatment of eye brightness in Tolstoy's Anna Karenin is read to reveal a centuries-old Western eye code of love. This eye code is then used as a test of interaction theories essayed by Mead and by Goffman and of subjectivities left faceless by Foucault, Mulvey, Sartre and Lacan. The implications of Tolstoy's eye code are followed through to the conclusion that a woman in love (such as Anna Karenin) is a Nazi in the image of Hitler.
Probation With Antabuse
Authors: Brewer Colin
Published: March 2007

Dr Brewer proposes that the supervised administration of Antabuse as a condition of a probation order may offer hope for the sobriety of habitual drunken offenders. Such studies as there have been, including the author's own, suggest that there are few, if any, dangers or disadvantages.
Making Community Service into Service for the Community
Authors: Richards Norman , Maull Gerald
Published: March 2007

Community service can be relevant both to the offender and the community. Here the authors describe the operation of a CS scheme which underlines the importance of positive thinking and related practice.
Does Mediation Work in Practice?
Authors: Smith David , Blagg Harry , Derricourt Nick
Published: March 2007

NAPO opposes the diversion of existing probation resources to the development of reparation schemes, believing that it is of marginal importance to the criminal justice system and the treatment of offenders. Meanwhile, the Home Office is funding four experiments in different approaches to reparation, with grants ranging from £ 15,000 to £30,000. In some Probation areas money set aside for special projects is being used to try out these ideas. But can such schemes live up to the promise of conflict resolution and negotiated settlements between victims and offenders, and what are the prospects for influencing the ethos of the criminal justice system? The authors report on the initial period of the South Yorkshire special project and conclude that it is a worthwhile and important experiment on the feasibility of mediation.
A Matter of Trust
Authors: Bryant Malcolm
Published: March 2007

Jasmine Beckford died while in the care of her local authority. The subsequent report of the panel of inquiry makes compelling and at times disturbing reading; it demands our attention and deserves a response. The author highlights fundamental issues of statutory supervision, public accountability and social work training, and identifies lessons for the Probation Service. How do we define 'the client', and who owns social work?
Drug Abuse and Criminal Justice in the Netherlands
Authors: Roorda P.A.
Published: March 2007

An account of the partnership between drug treatment agencies and criminal justice authorities in Holland. The author concludes that although the 'success' rate figures are modest, the quality of care and concern is encouraging, and could offer inspiration to other penal systems.
'He'll Be Back': Tracking Parolees after Dartmoor
Authors: Freegard Margaret
Published: March 2007

A prison-based teams's initiative to research the parole success and after-care of discharged prisoners. Over 90% didn't 'come back' in their licence period.
Drug Abuse: Community Sentencing Needs Community Teamwork
Authors: Hyland Jayne , Underdown Andrew
Published: March 2007

How one area got to grips with a perplexing and dramatic rise in drug abuse to create an effective service for clients and courts, with improved assessment, greater support and training, enhanced facilities, more positive SIR proposals and less custodial sentences.
IAPB: VISION 2020 - The Right to Sight
Authors: Foster Allen , Gilbert Clare
Published: March 2007

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) categories of visual impairment, the available data suggest that there are currently approximately 50 million people in the world who are blind, i.e. visual acuity in the better eye of less than 3/60 (WHO, 1998). Approximately 8-10 million people become blind each year and it is estimated that approximately 6-8 million people who are blind die each year. The result is a net increase of 1-2 million blind persons per year. The increase in blindness is due to an increasing world population and increased life expectancy, with more people in the world living beyond the age of 60 years. The current estimates also suggest that there are an additional 135 million people with visual impairment, and an even larger number with significant uncorrected refractive errors, including presbyopia.
Tactile graphics in school education: perspectives from pupils
Authors: Aldrich Frances K. , Sheppard Linda
Published: March 2007

Graphic literacy is increasingly expected of all school leavers. This is particularly demanding on blind and visually impaired pupils who access graphically displayed information by touch. Through focus group discussions with 40 primary and secondary pupils in special schools, we sought to learn about their perspectives on the design and use of tactile graphics. The findings emphasise the challenges involved, not only for the users themselves, but also for their teachers and for specialist designers of tactile graphics.
Tactile graphics in school education: perspectives from teachers
Authors: Sheppard Linda , Aldrich Frances K.
Published: March 2007

Teachers are uniquely placed to comment on the design and use of tactile graphics in school education. It is surprising then that their opinions on this topic do not appear to have been sought previously. A postal questionnaire was used to gather the perspectives of 24 teachers working with visually impaired children, in special or mainstream schools, at primary or secondary level. The questionnaire allowed the teachers themselves to put forward those issues they considered important. Some very positive and enthusiastic remarks about tactile graphics were received but the general emphasis was on the difficulties of using tactile graphics in the classroom, such as the labour-intensiveness of production, problems of information overload within a graphic, and the challenge of making tactile graphics meaningful to learners.
An investigation into the mobility and independence needs of children with visual impairment. Part 2: The delivery of the mobility and independence curriculum
Authors: Douglas Graeme , Pavey Susan , McLinden Mike , McCall Steve
Published: March 2007

This paper, the second of two, summarises findings of a recent research project looking at the mobility and independence (M&I) needs of children with visual impairment who are educated in mainstream schools. The first paper (Pavey, Douglas, McLinden & McCall, 2003) outlined the development of a mobility and independence curriculum framework recommended to be the basis of provision by services in the UK. This second paper suggests ways that these mobility and independence skills could be delivered to children within and beyond mainstream education by outlining a number of recommendations intended for agencies and professionals involved in providing such a service (either directly or in managing the service). These particularly focus upon issues of funding, development of service delivery and policy documents, management of people and agencies, and the training of professionals.
Tactile picture books: their importance for young blind children
Authors: Norman Jackie
Published: March 2007

A mother of a blind four-year-old brings out the pleasure and the information gained by her daughter from tactile picture books. The comparison is made with the girl's eight-year-old brother as he grabs the new picture book his mother has bought. The argument is made that books with pictures are both a source of joy and learning in themselves as well as a precursor and stimulus to the reading of text. The mother makes a persuasive case for tactile books being given a higher priority by publishers, especially the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB).
What is rehabilitation?
Authors: Raffray Monique
Published: March 2007

The forum consisted of three talks on rehabilitation followed by discussion. The subject was considered from three points of view: medical and psychological; social service provision; and consumer approach.
Juvenile Battens disease
Authors: Gayton Romayne
Published: March 2007

This article outlines the results of tests on children which formed part of a study, including case histories and observations, on the education and care problems of children suffering from juvenile Battens disease. These tests appeared to show that these children follow a de inite pattern of deterioration but that the hard work required to prolong their active life for as long as possible is certainly worthwhile.
The end of a partnership: the reactions of guide dog owners to the end of a working partnership with their guide dog
Authors: Nicholson Jill
Published: March 2007

What follows is a summary by Monique Raffray of Jill Nicholson's paper on this subject published in The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association technical review, issue No. 4.
Developing services for visually impaired children: a community paediatrician's perspective
Authors: Keen Daphne
Published: March 2007

Recent evidence points to serious gaps in services for families of visually impaired children; and clinical experience in assessment of childhood handicap suggests that the visually impaired child's very complex developmental needs are not always well understood. These two areas are examined in this article from the perspective of a consultant community paediatrician. The experi ence of setting up a 'vision team' in Doncaster suggests that most small districts are likely to have the existing resources to develop a fully integrated multi-agency and multi-disciplinary service that addresses the two main areas of deficiency that have been identified.
The 1993 Education Act and visual impairment: some changes and challenges
Authors: McCall Steve , Arter Chris , Pitchers Ben
Published: March 2007

The 1993 Education Act became law at the end of July 1993. Described by the Government as a "blueprint for the next 25 years", it is a complex and lengthy piece of legislation. It is concerned largely with advancing Government policies to increase autonomy in schools through the option of Grant Maintained status. This article attempts to identify the critical points of the Act, to speculate on the issues which are likely to be of specific concern for those involved in the education and welfare of children with visual impairments (VI), and to gauge some of the reactions to the Act from various parts of the field.
Accessing an assessment of social support needs: perspectives on the process
Authors: Powell Jackie , Lovelock Robin
Published: March 2007

This paper reports on the second phase of a study examining the accessibility to visually impaired people of appropriate assessment and social support in the context of the implementation of the National Health Service (NHS) and Community Care Act 1990. It draws upon interviews with visually impaired people who have recently experienced an assessment, with relatives or other people giving them significant informal support and with front-line workers who assessed their needs.
Towards an Inclusive Model of Literacy for People who are Blind and who have Additional Learning Difficulties
Authors: McCall Steve , McLinden Mike
Published: March 2007

In this Paper we relate contemporary theories of literacy to the population of people who are blind and who have additional learning disabilities; we argue for a more inclusive model which is appropriate for considering the literacy behaviours within this population; and we propose that, rather than debating whether literacy is an appropriate goal for this population, educators need to consider how literacy is to be defined in relation to it.
Office Task Lighting: A user study of six task lights by five workers with low vision
Authors: Wright Michael , Hill Sarah , Cook Geoffrey
Published: March 2007

This paper makes a subjective assessment of six task lights in an office environment. Five people with low vision used each task light for a week in their workplace and completed a questionnaire. The main findings suggest tha people prefer a light source that does not get hot and on a flexible mount that produces an even area of illuminance. If the source is too close to the task then unevenness and heat are likely to be a problem. People appear willing to pay up to three times as much for a fluorescent task light on a 92 cms long jointed mount with an adjustable head as for a hot tungsten or tungsten halogen bulb in a small shade on a short (40 to 60 cms) inflexible mount.