bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Probation versus Imprisonment for Similar Types of Offenders
Authors: Babst Dean V. , Mannering John W.
Published: March 2007

This pilot study compares male offenders who were imprisoned with similar types who were placed on probation, to determine which program produces less subsequent criminal activity. It is based on 7,614 Wisconsin cases statistically comparable in origi nal disposition, county of commitment, type of offense com mitted, number of prior felonies, and marital status.

Of the first felony offenders, those on probation had lower vio lation rates than those imprisoned and then paroled. For proba tioners and parolees with one prior felony, rates were about the same. For those with two or more prior felonies, violation rates were higher for probationers than for parolees.

The frequency with which judges sentenced offenders to proba tion rather than incarceration varied directly with the extent to which the offenders were likely to violate. That is, judges tended to place those offenders with low violation rates on pro bation, the major exception being assault cases, where imprison ment was more frequently used.
MMPI Pattern Changes in Female Prisoners
Authors: Warman Roy E. , Hannum Thomas E.
Published: March 2007

Some concern has been expressed that personality test results obtained shortly after admission to prison may change after the initial shock of incarceration has lessened. To check this possibil ity the MMPI was administered to fifty female prisoners shortly after admission to prison and again six months later. No signifi cant differences in test-retest scores or profiles were found, al though there was a significant reduction in the variability of the D, Hy, and Mf scales. In this female sample, the concern about the effects of the initial period of incarceration on personality test results was seen to be unfounded.
Sound an Alarm
Authors: Smith Gerald W. , Wilkins Leslie T.
Published: March 2007

Considerable research is conducted which fails to examine the problems associated with non-sampling bias—a bias introduced by loss of information due to non-coverage or observation error. It is extremely important for the researcher to analyze his data for possible bias as well as to assess the possible effect a discovered bias might have on the results. This paper demonstrates how a relatively small loss of information caused by a 9.3 per cent loss of data from a total sample of nearly 20,000 cases effectively re duced the power of the sample to less than 2,000 cases. The assumption that a loss of information does not result in serious bias is not justifiable. Too few researchers realize that a very large, carelessly chosen sample that contains a bias for which it is difficult to adjust is not preferable to a smaller, carefully con trolled random sample. The latter frequently costs less and may yield more valid and reliable results.
The Assessment of the Social Climates of Correctional Institutions
Authors: Moos Rudolf H.
Published: March 2007

This article describes the development of a Social Climate Scale, which differentiates between the social climates of correc tional institutions. An initial form of the scale was given to resi dents and staff in sixteen correctional units, including educational and vocational training schools, juvenile halls, and boys' camps. The second form of the scale consists of items which significantly differentiated between units for residents and for staff. This form includes twelve subscales—e.g., spontaneity, support, affiliation, aggression, variety, and autonomy—each of which measures the emphasis on one dimension of institutional climate. Profiles that compare the average resident perceptions of different units were constructed. The importance of developing measures of psycho logical environments and implications relating to the individual- environment fit are discussed.
Relative Occupational Anticipations and Aspirations of Delinquents and Nondelinquents
Authors: Fredericks Marcel A. , Molnar Martin
Published: March 2007

This study examines the levels of occupational aspirations and anticipations of a group of delinquent and nondelinquent boys in relation to their fathers' occupation. The two groups were controlled in respect to sex (only boys), age (only seventeen- year-olds), race (only whites and Negroes), and social class. The delinquent sample comprised sixty-one boys confined to a mid western training school. The control was made up of seventy boys from upper working-class and lower middle-class neighbor hoods in the Chicago area.

The study findings include the following: (1) Almost three of every four nondelinquents anticipate higher occupations than those of their fathers; (2) Negro delinquents hope to obtain occupations above the level of their fathers; and (3) Negro boys appear to be most motivated to rise above the occupational levels of their fathers. However, so far as relative goal discrepan cy is concerned, the lower-class Negro in the sample study reflects the lowest degree of confidence.
Success and Failure of Adult Probationers in California
Authors: Landis Judson R. , Mercer James D. , Wolff Carole E.
Published: March 2007

This paper reports the findings of a study that related a series of background and treatment variables to the likelihood of success or failure on probation for 791 California adult offenders. Thirteen variables on which the 415 probation successes and the 376 failures differed significantly were divided into three catego ries: social background, antisocial behavior, and conditions of probation. The greatest differences between the two groups were in the antisocial behavior category. Probationers with a past history of disciplinary problems in the mililary, a juvenile record, or an adult record were much more likely to fail on probation. The type of crime the failures commit (property: auto theft, check offenses, forgery) suggests elements of career offenders. In terms of social background, the failures were more likely to come from disadvantaged circumstances: lower educa tional level and lower socio-economic status. They are also more unstable, as reflected in a high incidence of marital instability and a greater tendency to move from job to job. Finally, certain conditions of probation, especially the ordering of restitution, were more prevalent in the case histories of the failures than of the successes.
Change Through Participation (And Vice Versa)
Authors: Toch Hans
Published: March 2007

Police officers who are experienced in violent involvements can contribute to police professionalization while undergoing personal change and development. These officers can be enlisted in work aimed at the promotion of more effective and constructive police- civilian contacts. Participation in such efforts produces both indivi dual and organizational change.

The Oakland Police Department contains a Violence Prevention Unit, composed of patrolmen and a sergeant. This unit is concerned with research and action programs in training and communication, related to violence.

The project started with seven patrolmen, who met (part time) in the summer of 1969. Among the achievements of this group was the creation of a violence tape library, the completion of a critical inci dent survey, and the design of a new training officer program for the department.

In the summer of 1970, the 1969 group trained seventeen other officers, who engaged in projects such as family crisis intervention research, and self-analysis interviews.
Personality Factors in Delinquent Boys: Differences Between Blacks and Whites
Authors: Cross Herbert J. , Tracy James J.
Published: March 2007

One hundred and nineteen boys who were either institution alized or in active contact with the juvenile court were interviewed and classified into interpersonal maturity categories. Internal- external locus of control, future time perspective, legal status, socioeconomic status, intelligence, age and five aspects of guilt were assessed. Interpersonal maturity was directly related to internal locus of control for the whole sample, while future time perspective and guilt were not. When these variables were analyzed with respect to race of the delinquents, a different pattern of relationships emerged. The interpersonally mature Blacks are more external and have a shorter time perspective, whereas inter personally mature Whites are more internal but their time per spective is no different from immature boys. These and other results suggest that the acquisition of interpersonal maturity is related to the expectation of rewards (opportunities) and sup pression by society, and that these have differentially damaging effects on Black and White male delinquents.
Pathology and Disruptiveness among Prison Inmates
Authors: TOCH HANS , ADAMS KENNETH
Published: March 2007

This article explores the relationship between mental health problems of prison inmates and the inmates' involvement in custodial violations. We find that mentally ill inmates have a higher rate of disciplinary infractions than other inmates, controlling for differences in social and criminal history. There are also indications that the rate of disciplinary infractions varies with the nature, severity, and chronicity of inmate mental health problems. We discuss these findings from a perspective that views disturbed and disruptive behavior as related manifestations of an impaired ability to cope with social situations.
The Broken Homes Model of Delinquency: Analytic Issues
Authors: WELLS L. EDWARD , RANKIN JOSEPH H.
Published: March 2007

Despite a sizable body of research extending across various academic disciplines, the question of the causal connection between broken homes and delinquency remains unresolved and ambiguous. A major weakness of this literature is the absence of any systematic conceptual specification of the broken home as a sociological variable. Although it appears intuitively simple, the broken home concept includes a number of distinct and variable issues that cannot be reduced to a simple dichotomy (broken/intact). Our intention here is analytic, aimed at constructing a conceptual/theoretical foundation for subsequent empirical analyses. We identify the variety of theoretical perspectives implicit in the research literature that have been used to explain broken home effects, focusing on different functional effects of the family and postulating different causal dynamics. We also consider the various ways that the broken home is measured in extant research, the problems with such measurements, and special difficulties in the measurement of delinquency in this substantive area.
The Diversion of Incarcerated Offenders to Correctional Halfway Houses
Authors: BONTA JAMES , MOTIUK LAURENCE L.
Published: March 2007

Two studies were undertaken to (1) evaluate an attempt to divert inmates to correctional halfway houses, (2) cross-validate earlier research with the Level of Supervision Inventory (LSI) on a broader offender sample, and (3) explore improved methods of prediction by increased sampling of the criterion variable. In Study 1, the LSI was used to identify potential targets for diversionary intervention. Over two-thirds of the inmates assessed by the LSI as suitable candidates for correctional halfway houses were instead transferred to institutions. In Study 2, LSI scores were used to refer inmates directly to a halfway house review board for possible community placement. The results showed that inmates were transferred to the halfway houses earlier in their sentences, thus increasing the average length of stay in the houses with no increased risk to the community. Despite the use of the LSI to identify potential halfway house candidates, a large proportion of minimum-risk inmates were still transferred to institutions. The results from both studies suggest a tendency to overclassify inmates and that the use of an objective classification instrument can serve to minimize overclassification. In addition, the studies demonstrated predictive validity for the LSI with a representative sample of inmates and improved prediction with increased sampling of the criterion behavior.
Community Problems, Problem Communities, and Community Policing in Toronto
Authors: MURPHY CHRISTOPHER
Published: March 2007

The current development of “community”-based policing as the new reform model of urban policing has been characterized by vague conceptualization and limited empirical testing. A series of propositions derived from the community policing model are examined using the findings from a recent community policing project in Toronto. The results of this analysis suggest that the community policing model needs further conceptual and empirical elaboration, despite its apparent public popularity.
Police Officer Job Satisfaction and Community Perceptions: Implications for Community-Oriented Policing
Authors: GREENE JACK R.
Published: March 2007

Much of the current interest in community-oriented policing seeks to overcome tension between police officers and community residents, as a symbolic component of this new policing strategy. Similarly, many community-oriented policing programs seek to improve individual police officer attachment to the police occupation, generally by improving job satisfaction through some form of job enlargement or job enrichment. The current analysis examines a sample of 210 Philadelphia police officers participating in a program of police and community education as to components of job satisfaction and attachment, and their effects on perceptions of the quality of community and police interaction. Assessments of job satisfaction using job diagnostic instruments are examined in relation to perceptions of community conflict and support for the police, and greater police and community interaction. The implications of these findings for community-oriented policing are then discussed.
Predicting Rearrest for Violence among Serious Youthful Offenders
Authors: LATTIMORE PAMELA K. , VISHER CHRISTY A. , LINSTER RICHARD L.
Published: March 2007

This article presents the results of an analysis of the risk of arrest for a violent crime for a cohort of youthful parolees. The sample consists of 1,949 individuals paroled by the California Youth Authority between July 1, 1981, and June 30, 1982. Results of a multivariate competing hazards analysis suggest that prior criminal history and socioeconomic variables are powerful predictors of both the timing and the charge of first arrest following parole. In comparison to results from a model predicting rearrest for any crime, rearrest for violence is significantly influenced by prior arrests for violence and several family pathology variables, including evidence of family violence and parental criminality. Prior gang involvement and heavy use of alcohol and illicit drugs have little predictive ability for violent recidivism among our sample. The results indicate that prediction of rearrest for violence among a group of serious youthful offenders may be practical if criminal history, institutional behavior, and personal background characteristics are all taken into account.
Gender Inequality and Rates of Female Homicide Victimization Across U.S. Cities
Authors: BREWER VICTORIA E. , SMITH M. DWAYNE
Published: March 2007

This study adds to a growing body of literature that explores patterns and correlates of homicide among specific populations within the United States. Seeking to improve our understanding of correlates of female homicide, the authors explore the possibility that female victimization rates are influenced by conditions of sex-based inequality. Using data from 177 central cities of the United States, they develop a model that tests separately, and in combination, the effects of seven sociodemographic variables and six measures of differences in male and female socioeconomic status. The authors find that the social-structural model is neither altered nor improved by inclusion of the inequality variables. Further, no single inequality variable is found to be a statistically significant predictor of female homicide rates when controlling for social-structural effects. Based on these results, they find little support for a gender inequality/female homicide connection.
Policing Spousal Assault
Authors: KLINGER DAVID A.
Published: March 2007

The claim that police officers are less likely to arrest for spousal assaults as compared to other types of violence is one of two fundamental assertions undergirding recent laws and policies encouraging officers to arrest in cases of spousal assault. A review of relevant literature, however, discloses no evidence that bears directly on this claim. Data from an observational study of police behavior are used to test the thesis that arrest is less likely for spousal violence. The findings do not support the thesis. Rather, they indicate that although officers are unlikely to arrest in spousal assault cases, they are equally unlikely to arrest in other types of violence. The implications of the study are discussed.
Go Directly to Jail and Do Not Collect? A Long-Term Study of Recidivism, Employment, and Earnings Patterns among Prison Releasees
Authors: NEEDELS KAREN E.
Published: March 2007

Traditional human capital models suggest that age, race, and education affect individual labor market opportunities and levels of participation in crime. A unique data set containing 17 years of criminal activity and 9 years of earnings records for 1,176 men released from Georgia prisons was used to examine which demographic and criminal history characteristics affect labor market patterns among prison releasees. The examination yielded 3 main results. First, labor market participation rates and earnings levels were extremely low. Second, traditional findings on the effects of race and education on earnings levels were supported for this criminally active subset of the population. However, race and education did not affect employment rates. Employment rates of older individuals were especially low, even after controlling for characteristics expected to affect labor market attachment. Third, the amount of time incarcerated did not significantly affect earnings in the community, conditional on any employment.
Welfare and Homicide
Authors: DeFRONZO JAMES
Published: March 2007

This study analyzes homicide rates for 141 cities for which data on homicide, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), cost of living, household status, and other social and economic variables were available. Cost-of-living-adjusted AFDC payment per recipient person was found to have an independent, direct negative impact on homicide rates and a separate indirect negative relationship to homicide rates through its association with household status. The results provided support for both strain theory and Sampson and Wilson's social disorganization-strain perspective.
Placing Equity Front and Center
Authors: Nieto Sonia
Published: March 2007

This article explores what it means for teacher education programs to place diversity front and center. Using a social justice perspective on teacher education, the author argues that schools and colleges of education need to radically transform their policies and practices if they are to become places where teachers and prospective teachers learn to become effective with students of all backgrounds in U.S. schools. Specifically, she suggests that teacher education programs need to take a stand on social justice and diversity, make social justice ubiquitous in teacher education, and promote teaching as a life-long journey of transformation. The author provides several examples of how to do this.
Generalizations in Teacher Education
Authors: Gitomer Drew H. , Latham Andrew S.
Published: March 2007

The authors contend that the temptation to generalize about the problems and potential solutions facing teacher education are often simplified to the point of being misleading. Sensible policy decisions based on research findings require that attention be given to the complex profile of supply and demand and teacher ability; these issues should be explored in consideration of local demand and specific content-area needs. The authors posit that the academic ability of teachers is not adequately characterized by broad generalizations; teachers who achieve licensure in specific content areas appear to have much stronger academic profiles than those who achieve elementary, physical, and special education licenses. The mere act of raising passing standards for teacher licensure tests will not achieve desired effects unless serious attention is given to the recruitment and retention of highly qualified candidates, with particular emphasis on actions necessary to develop a demographically diverse teaching force.
Understanding Preservice Teachers' Perspectives on Diversity
Authors: Ross Dorene D. , Smith William
Published: March 2007

Case studies of six preservice teachers were conducted to assess their emerging perspectives about the problems that confront diverse learners in classrooms, their commitment to teaching diverse learners, and their beliefs about the causes of failure for diverse learners. Students' perceptions of the influences on their perspectives including the course work, their background experiences, contrasting field experiences, and their entering perspectives are discussed.
“Aggregative” and “Deliberative” Decision-Making Procedures: A Comparison of Two Southern Italian Factories
Authors: BACCARO LUCIO
Published: March 2007

By comparing developments in two southern Italian factories, this article contrasts “aggregative” (vote on alternative options) and “deliberative” (vote preceded by discussion) procedures in trade unions. In one of the plants, the preferences of some of the workers appear to have been changed by deliberation. The process of rational persuasion seems to have required, however, more than sheer circulation of information. Based on this evidence, the article argues that when a potential conflict of interests is involved, speakers need to provide evidence that they are animated by a “communicative” rather than “strategic” intent. This implies validating their implicit claim to sincerity of communication.
Free-Splitting Revisited: Concealing Surplus Value in the Temporary Employment Relationship
Authors: GONOS GEORGE
Published: March 2007

Based on a historical study of fee regulation in the employment agency business, the claim that temporary help agencies charge “no fees” to workers is challenged. It is found that the claim rests on technical changes in the statutory definitions of fee and employment agency won through industry lobbying efforts, changes that simply mask traditional fee-charging methods. The article traces the evolution of fee-charging practices in the post-World War II period and points to a new version of “fee splitting” as a prevalent wage setting practice in the staffing industry. The implications of these developments for wage depression and income redistribution are explored.
An Analysis of Obliqueness in Student Writing
Authors: Chandrasegaran Antonia
Published: March 2007

When required to use knowledge in a given source to answer a question, many student writers reproduce content information from the source without restructuring it to address the focal demand of the question. The result is an oblique answer. This paper analyses obliqueness as a writing problem from the perspectives of cognitive process writing theory and Halliday's functional grammar, using from the latter the concepts of Theme/Rheme (Halliday, 1985, 1994). A cognitivist study of oblique answers suggests that the lack of fit between answer and question arises from limitations in the mental processes of task interpretation and rhetorical goal setting. The student writer interprets the task posed by the teacher's question as an information recount task and consequently the writing is driven by goals that are essentially content- and sentence-based. A Theme/ Rheme analysis of oblique answers reveals that inappropriate choice of information for Theme position in sentences contributes towards the gap between an oblique answer and the question. Analysing obliqueness in students' texts from a cognitive as well as a thematization perspective uncovers insights about students' composing processes that have implications for the academic writing classroom.
Integration of Process and Product Orientations in Efl Writing Instruction
Authors: Kamimura Taeko
Published: March 2007

This study investigated whether product-oriented knowledge and composing process skills are both necessary or whether either one of the two is sufficient in order for EFL students to become skilled writers in EFL. Thirty-five Japanese college EFL students participated in the study as subjects. First, they wrote an argumentative essay, and immediately after finishing it, they were given a retrospective questionnaire designed to probe their composing process strategies. They also took a form-based test which assessed their knowledge of English academic texts. The students were classified into two groups, skilled and unskilled, according to the holistic scores given to their essays. The two groups were compared in terms of the behaviors shown in the questionnaire and the scores on the test. The results showed that the skilled writers possessed more developed knowledge of formal aspects of English academic writing as well as more sophisticated composing process strategies. It was also clarified that both the form-oriented knowledge and process-oriented skills are necessary to function as successful EFL writers. The study suggests that L2 writing instruction should maintain a balance between process and product orientations to meet the needs of various L2 writers who come from non-English discourse communities.
Teachers' Attitudes Towards Disputable Usages
Authors: Lee Jackie F. K.
Published: March 2007

Some previous studies have found that teachers are sensitive to traditional prescriptions such as the use of whom rather than who in object function, and between you and me rather than between you and I. This paper aims to examine whether Australian teachers as native speakers of English and Hong Kong teachers as non-native English speakers still display such conservative attitudes towards disputable usages these days. Data were collected via two elicitation tests. In the first survey, 34 Australian teachers and 37 Hong Kong teachers were invited to participate in a judgement test. Their responses were compared with those of students. In the second survey, 73 Australian teachers, 70 Hong Kong teachers, 207 Australian students and 188 Hong Kong students were presented with a proofreading test. The findings showed significant differences between teachers and students towards disputable usages. Both Australian teachers and Hong Kong teachers had a higher tendency to reject and replace items such as different to, less + plural noun and final prepositions. This suggests that tolerance diminishes with involvement in teaching and familiarity with prescriptive rules. Pedagogical implications of these findings are also discussed.
Specificity and Esp Course Design
Authors: Basturkmen Helen
Published: March 2007

English for specific purposes (ESP) courses are often discussed in terms of a two-way distinction between 'wide-angled' and 'narrow-angled' designs. The term 'wide angled' is used to refer to courses for learners targeting a broad work place, professional or academic field. The term 'narrow angled' is used to refer to courses for learners targeting one particular work place, professional or academic environment. Often wide-angled course designs are based on the premise that there is a set of 'generic' skills and linguistic features that are transferable across different disciplines and professional groups. Proponents of narrow-angled designs argue against this premise (Hyland 2002). This paper illustrates a number of narrow- and wide-angled course designs in ESP and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the options.
An Instance of American and Chinese Politeness Strategy
Authors: Nash Thomas
Published: March 2007

This paper reports on a small-scale investigation of the polite ness strategies used by American and Chinese subjects improvising the same situation. In the terms of Brown and Levinson (1978), Americans favored negative politeness and Chinese preferred positive politeness. These preferences are in accord with the American indivi dual-centered and the Chinese situation-centered ways of life dis cussed by Hsu (1981). However, inasmuch as some researchers have argued that the United States has a positive politeness culture, the results of the study argue against the crude classification of cultures into politeness types, suggesting instead that politeness strategies are more situation-specific.
Factors Affecting Guessing Vocabulary in Context
Authors: Liu Na  , Nation I.S.P.
Published: March 2007

Low frequency words at two different densities in a text were replaced by nonsense words. The subjects were asked to guess the meanings of these words by using context clues. The results were analysed to see what factors affected difficulty of guessing. Words in the low density text (1 unknown word in 25) were easier to guess than words in the high density text (1 word in 10). Verbs were easier to guess than nouns, which were easier than adverbs and adjectives.

The subjects were divided into proficiency levels according to their success at guessing. Groups of learners at high proficiency levels could successfully guess 85% to 100% of the unknown words. The group of learners at the lowest proficiency level tested guessed be tween 30% and 40% of the unknown words.

From the results, it seems that learning the word guessing skill is best done by the class as a whole rather than individually. At first learners should work on verbs and nouns with plenty of understand able context.

Research needs to be done on the effects of repetition on guessing, the types of words that learners need to guess, and the effect of teaching on improvement of the guessing skill.
Does Class Size Really Make A Difference? — Exploring Classroom Interaction in Large and Small Classes
Authors: Kumar Karuna
Published: March 2007

This paper reports an attempt to explore the question whether it is class size which makes a difference in the language learning oppor tunities made available to learners. Classroom interaction data from traditional and activity-based English classes of different sizes is compared in terms of the opportunities made available to learners to interact meaningfully. It is found that in these classes, it is the nature of the teaching-learning activities and the teacher's role and attitude which influences the nature of learner participation and the patterns of interaction rather than class size per se. The study highlights the need to carry out detailed investigations of interaction in different types of large classes.
How Useful Is Eap Vocabulary for Esp? a Corpus Based Case Study
Authors: Sutarsyah Cucu , Nation Paul , Kennedy Graeme
Published: March 2007

This study compares the vocabulary of a single Economics text of almost 300,000 running words with the vocabulary of a corpus of similar length made up of a variety of academic texts. It was found that the general academic corpus used a very much larger vocabulary than the more focused Economics text. A small number of words that were closely related to the topic of the text occurred with very high frequency in the Economics text. The general academic corpus had a very large number of low frequency words. Beyond the words in West's General Service List and the University Word List, there was little overlap between the vocabulary of the two corpora. This indicates that as far as vocabulary is concerned, EAP courses that go beyond the high frequency academic vocabulary are of little value for learners with specific purposes.
A Cross-Cultural Perspective On the Pragmatics of Small-Group Discussion
Authors: Jones Jeremy F
Published: March 2007

Among Australian tertiary teachers and researchers there has been appreciable debate in recent years about the reluctance of a good many international students to participate actively in tutorials and seminars. The explanation cannot lie simply in low competence in English. The approach of this study is to contrast these students' culturally based perception of the classroom as a place of quiet learners and respected teacher with the Australian view of it as relatively informal, the teacher promoting equal participation. Pragmatic analysis of two informal discussions, one between a group of Australian students and the other between a group of Vietnamese students (in English), reveals that the differences in managing conversation are not in fact wide and that the international students have a potential for active and equal participation in small-group academic discussion. The conclusion suggests a pedagogical direction that EFL teachers and advisers could follow to help their students realise this potential.
Using Texts To Sequence the Introduction of New Vocabulary in an Eap Course
Authors: Worthington Denice , Nation Paul
Published: March 2007

This paper examines the feasibility of allowing the texts that are used in a course to sequence the target vocabulary of a course, in this paper the vocabulary of academic study as represented by the University Word List. It was found that such an approach would only allow the learners to meet a little over half of the 836 word vocabulary and that a three-step sequencing procedure would be needed to effectively meet all of the wanted vocabulary. The three steps would involve (1) using adapted texts to gradually introduce the very common academic words, (2) using unsimplified texts to meet the next 200-300 words, and (3) relying on extensive reading and planned decontextualised learning to meet the remaining lower frequency items.
From Text Revision To Text Improvement: a Story of Secondary School Composition
Authors: Sengupta Sima
Published: March 2007

The relationship between revision and text improvement was explored as part of a study investigating the effect of systematic revision instruction on L2 writing. Students in two Form Four/Five classes in a Hong Kong secondary school were taught to revise their first drafts for six writing tasks completed over one academic year. A selection of 30% of student original and revised texts were analysed for revision changes. This analysis showed that all revised texts were longer containing more elaboration. Six student writers were then interviewed to examine how they interpret the influence of their revisions on their texts. These interviews indicated a common belief that text 'improvement' was beyond the writers' capabilities as it entailed 'more' accurate texts.
Returning Full Circle: a Survey of Efl Syllabus Designs for the New Millennium
Authors: Hadley Gregory
Published: March 2007

As the linguistic attention of the ELT academic community continues to move away from the concerns of second language syllabi designs found in CLT or Task-based learning, there are questions among many as to what form the current paradigm shift will take as we approach the next century This paper reviews several of the issues currently surrounding today's second language syllabus designs, and offers a forecast of language syllabus designs expected to nse and fall in the years to come. It is felt that, by reviewing where we have been, important clues may be found as to where we may be going in the next few years as an academic community.
De la Violence à la Religion: Aller-retour
Authors: MEYER Jean
Published: March 2007

The author takes a historian's approach to the currently accepted theory that religion, especially monotheism, is responsible for renewed violence in the contemporary world (both civil wars and international conflicts) after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. While recognizing the historical presence, to a greater or a lesser degree, of the religious factor among the causes of violence, the author defends the position that religion is not the only, or even the principal cause of that collective violence. Taking examples from the Christian world, he argues that the Balkan wars of 1991-2001 were not religious wars, and that here the role of religion is at most an assertion of identity.
Human Rights Through a Religious Lens: a Programmatic Argument
Authors: SPICKARD James V.
Published: March 2007

Human rights ideals may be subjected to religious analysis in contemporary global society, in two senses. First, they constitute a system of sacred symbols, which moreover accurately represent the existing social order. Civil and political rights sanctify the individual, which matches the importance of individuation for a globalized socio-economy. Economic and social rights enshrine mutual responsibility. The call for group rights reflects an antisystemic localism that fills the cultural void left by structural globalization. Second, human rights claims are not just symbolic; they are also moral. Their relationship with globalized society opens the possibility of grounding them in something more secure than positive law. First- and second-generation rights concretize the key practical principles that make globalization possible: individuation and a worldwide division of labor. Third-generation rights can be similarly, though less securely, based in the distributed decision-making required of an information-age economy.
Criminality and religion
Authors: Nagel W.H.
Published: March 2007

Après avoir passé en revue les diverses thèses sur les rapports entre l'incroyance et la criminalité, et avoir analysé la criminalité des catholiques aux Pays-Bas. l'A. s'attache plus particulièrement à certaines formes de criminalité où l'expérience religieuse est plus direc tement concernée et en définit les caractéristiques. Il conclut aux liens intimes qui existent entre toute crimi nalités. d'une part, et la religion considérée comme une réaction totale de l'homme devant la vie, d'autre part.
The parish priest as a subject of criticism
Authors: Schreuder O.
Published: March 2007

Les catholiques ne manquent pas aujourd'hui de criti quer largement le clergé paroissial en général et les cures en particulier. Cette critique provient pour une bonne part de conceptions différentes des rôles, entre le clergé d'une part et les diverses catégories de fidèles d'autre part. Le heurt entre ces diverses conceptions est en relation avec la complexité du rôle du cure, et avec les divergences dans la sélection des sous-rôles parmi le clergé et parmi les fidèles. Pour comprendre ces tensions, il est nécessaire de se livrer à une analyse rigoureuse des mécanismes de la critique, tant dans le chef du clergé que dans celui des fidèles.
Pluralisme religieux et chrétienté
Authors: Goddijn W.
Published: March 2007

Protestantism is habitually seen by the catholic against the background of pluralism, whereas to the pro testant, catholicism is monolithic. The author on the contrary, seeks to show the profound unity which animates protestantism, compared with the diversity of catholicism. It is especially concerned with the operation of this plurality of forms throughout the unity of religion, as also with the tendency to institu tionalise the religious phenomenon whereby church and sect appear as phases. Herein lies a very rich field of development for religious sociology, in the sphere of theory no less than at the practical level.
The sociology of religion in Western Europe and America
Authors: Moberg D.O.
Published: March 2007

Dès l'origine, peut-on-dire, les courants de la sociologie de la religion en Europe et aux U.S.A. se sont différenciés à plusieurs points de vue. En simplifiant on pourrait présenter ce phénomène sous la forme des dicho tomies suivantes où la caractéristique propre de l'orientation européenne fait chaque fois l'objet du premier terme: historique-contemporaine; phi losophique-non-philosophique; intuitive-empirique; qualitative-quantita tive ; théorique-pratique etc.

Aujourd'hui cependant, on doit admettre qu'il s'agit là davantage de 'continuums' aux nombreuses gradations plutôt que de catégories qui s'excluent mutuellement. La plupart des ruptures actuelles dans tous les pays se situent quelque part entre les extrêmes, encore que dans l'ensem ble on pourrait observer que les tendances propres aux recherches euro péennes se situent, en gros, sur le segment 'traditionnel' de l'échelle, tandis que les recherches américaines appartiennent plutôt à l'autre moitié de celle-ci.

Toutefois, une certaine uniformisation se dégage de la lecture des publi cations récentes; un grand nombre d'articles et de livres publiés en Europe se rapprochent du type américain et vice-versa. Tant en Europe qu'aux Etats-Unis, on voit se développer des recherches qu'on peut ranger à l'un ou l'autre des niveaux de développement d'une science tels que Lundberg les a définis: observation non dirigée; exploration systé matique de vastes thèmes; tests d'hypothèses particulières et recherches s'inscrivant dans une théorie élaborée systématiquement. Enfin, dans tous les pays, le développement de la sociologie de la religion apparaît lié à un enrichissement résultant d'une compénétration des trois niveaux d'intégration suivants: international, interconfessionnel, interdisciplinaire. Parmi les problèmes qui se posent universellement dans cette discipline, il faut relever: la nzise à jour des théories, la réduction des obstacles à une meilleure communication entre la sociologie fondamentale de la reli gion et ses branches appliquées; les difficultés de l'intégration croissante aux trois niveaux de compénétration mentionnés plus haut; les problèmes de la recherche interculturelle et enfin, la nécessité de clarifier les con cepts fondamentaux et de développer les instruments de recherche les plus adéquats.

Des progrès sensibles sont cependant réalisés dans la solution de ces problèmes.
Socio-religious research as a professional role in the institutional Church
Authors: Dhooghe J.
Published: March 2007

La recherche socio-religieuse en tant qu'activité professionnelle fait partie de l'Eglise comme institution. Dans son rôle professionnel elle présente une série de caractéristiques communes aux autres professions. Ces carac téristiques sont modifiées par l'engagement dans l'Eglise où le rôle est intégré au niveau des valeurs et des normes. Le groupe professionnel des sociologues constitue un premier groupe de référence pour la recherche socio-religieuse. Mais il n'est pas un groupe de référence positif en ce sens qu'il ne fournit que peu de sanctions positives au chercheur socio- religieux dans l'accomplissement de son rôle. La recherche socio-religieuse s'est constituée en in-group professionnel c'est-à-dire que les autres groupes de recherche sociologique ne fonctionnent pas comme groupe de référence professionnel.

En tant que profession la recherche socio-religieuse est caractérisée par un engagement par rapport à des valeurs de l'Eglise plus que par une référence aux valeurs professionnelles. Il serait inexact de dire que les seuls problèmes du rôle du chercheur socio-religieux sont la tension entre son caractère professionnel et l'aliénation due à une dépendance à l'égard de la bureaucratie de l'Eglise. Certains problèmes sont la consé quence de l'engagement vis-à-vis de l'Eglise. Dans des conflits de nature idéologique à l'intérieur de l'Eglise, une intervention qui se veut profes sionnelle est perçue comme étant de nature idéologique; de ce fait la recherche socio-religieuse risque d'être idéologisée davantage, au détri ment du caractère professionnel de son rôle.
Religion and Socio-Economic Development : the Case of Japan. A Study in the Sociology of Development
Authors: Fuse Toyomasa
Published: March 2007

Après sa défaite et sa destruction totale, le Japon est réapparu de nou veau comme une des plus grandes puissances industrielles du monde. L'industrialisation rapide du Japon a toujours attiré l'attention des spé cialistes des sciences sociales, précisément parce qu'il s'agit d'un des rares pays qui aient atteint un tel niveau de développement sans l'aide des capitaux étrangers. Il semble naturel de rechercher des facteurs du développement socio-économique du Japon ailleurs que dans le domaine purement économique. Suivant l'inspiration de Max Weber, cet essai examine les implications théologiques de la religion japonaise telles qu'elles ont été mises en évidence par les études de Hagen et Bellah. Il apparaît clairement que le Japon possède une « alternative fonction nelle » à l'Ethique Protcstante. Une étude minutieuse des religions ja ponaises (le Bouddhisme, le Confucianisme et le Shintoïsme) montre que, de la même façon que la foi protestante en Europe, elles passent par des stades de « modernisation » tels que la rationalisation, la trans formation en éthique et la sanctification du travail. Bref, la religion ja ponaise, comme la foi protestante, fournit l'orientation éthique sécu lière hautement propice à valoriser le développement de l'industrialisation. En outre, l'étude du cas du Japon, met en lumière un autre point impor tant : la mise en valeur du politique. Le Japon est parvenu à son stade d'industrialisation grâce à une vigoureuse contrainte politique (par op position à la dimension économique saillante en Occident), qui permet d'entrevoir un modèle de développement socio-économique pour les so ciétés non-occidentales.
Belief, Ritual and Experience: the case of Methodism
Authors: Turner Bryan S.
Published: March 2007

L'auteur part de la constatation que la sociologie de la religion a manqué de bases théoriques dans ses développe ments récents. S'inspirant de R. Stark, il met en valeur l'im portance de l'expérience religieuse comme un des éléments constituants du fait religieux. Il distingue l'expérience reli gieuse, confirmant une croyance de l'expérience de type « révélation ». Il note la relation entre l'intensité du premier mode d'expérience et le degré d'encouragement de la société ou du groupe religieux.

Il y a une relation entre l'expérience et les deux autres éléments d'une religion : le rituel et les croyances. Le rituel fonctionne comme une invitation à rencontrer le sacré, et une certaine expérience en est attendue. Cependant, le rituel est aussi une contrainte sur l'individu. En cas de changement social rapide, l'expérience déborde les frontières du rituel. Rituel et expérience sont, selon l'auteur, deux dimensions universelles, partiellement en harmonie et partiellement en tension.

Les croyances peuvent être créatrices d'anxiété (par exem ple, dans la conception calviniste du salut). Cette anxiété peut être résolue par la croyance dans l'élection divine ou par une expérience religieuse confirmant cette faveur divine. L'auteur remarque que la routinisation de la religion tend à séparer croyances et expérience. L'expérience sera donc plus impor tante dans les sectes que dans les dénominations.

L'auteur entame ensuite une vérification de cette hypothèse en l'appliquant au cas du Méthodisme en Grande-Bretagne. Il en retrace brièvement l'historique, montrant l'éclosion du mouvement et son déclin avec le processus d'industrialisation. Il y a actuellement déclin rituel et déclin des croyances. L'ex périence religieuse chez les membres est générale, mais de type non-exubérant (sauf des exceptions).

En conclusion, l'auteur estime que l'élément expérience est fondamental pour l'explication de la religion. C'est l'élément le plus dynamique. La sociologie de la religion a été handica pée dans son progrès théorique, parce qu'on s'est limité à la perspective de Durkheim, qui définissait la religion en fonc tion seulement de deux de ses dimensions : croyances et prati ques, en tant que fondement de la communauté morale que forme le groupe religieux. Or un équilibre religieux ne peut exister que lorsque les trois éléments se rencontrent.