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Symbolic Politics: Government's War Against The Working Class, Warren Charles Gregory

Dissertations

Symbolism and substance are essential parts of any political system. In our system of government, we typically think of symbolism as serving substantive ends. Using a triangulation of _methods (Participant Observation, Archival Data, and Documentary Evidence), the paper examines two cases (Social Security and criminal justice) and concludes that the mix between substance and symbolism has changed dramatically in recent years with symbolism now assuming the central role.

The current debates over Social Security funding and criminal justice sanctions, for example, are less about the concerns of old-age security or making the public safer as much as they reflect a …

Perceiving Oppression: Relationships With Resilience, Self-Esteem, Depressive Symptoms, And Reliance On God In African-American Homeless Men, Jill Littrell, Elizabeth Beck

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Empowerment has been proffered as a desirable goal for many disadvantaged populations. The process of empowerment can include encouraging disadvantaged individuals to recognize the structural factors in society (e.g., discrimination, oppression, injustice) which contribute to disadvantaged status. Two studies sought to determine the impact that recognition of oppression has on a disadvantaged individual's (1) self-esteem; (2) level of depressive symptoms; (3) resilience which includes a sense of master y and optimism; (4) anger; and (5) reliance on God. These issues were investiga ted in a sample of African-American men seeking services at a soup-kitchen ministry. Perceptions of racial discrimination were …

Life After Foster Care: Services And Policies For Former Foster Youth, Madeleine R. Stoner

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article argues that interventions targeted to the needs of emancipated foster youth can prevent them from dependency, homelessness, and incarceration. It presents a profile of emancipated foster youth; focuses on their service needs; and, describes three program models addressing these. The data sources are a synthesis of previous research on independent living programs and findings about recently initiated programs. The data presented suggest policy changes to assure that emancipated foster youth continue to receive necessary service for self-sufficiency after they reach the legal emancipation age.

The Estimation Of Rape Prevalence: A Reflexive Account Of The Construction And Pretesting Of A New Questionnaire, Edith Marie Fisher

Masters Theses

A review of the rape literature and current assessment suggests that research done in this highly sensitive area is especially vulnerable to response effects. Comparisons between studies is problematic due to vast differences in the conceptualizations of rape, the wording and context of the questions used to solicit data as well as the method of data collection. I created a new rape prevalence questionnaire with the intent of decreasing response effects. I conducted 15 semi-structured pretest interviews with female Western Michigan University students and three pilot tests, in which 30 telephone interviews were completed, 30 personal interviews were completed, and …

Western News, Sept. 2, 1999, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: College of Aviation forges new hiring agreement with Mesaba, American Studies Program begins fall with revamped interdisciplinary curriculum, Millennium's role in religious theory and practice is focus this fall, Ethiopian researchers spend seven weeks working with WMU economists to explore agricultural issues, Kritzman named one of nation's top 10 business women by professional organization.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 26, No. 3 (September 1999)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• HATE CRIME LAWS AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION - Elizabeth P. Cramer
• AMERICANIZATION AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION IN SEATTLE'S SETTLEMENT HOUSE: A JEWISH ADAPTATION OF THE ANGLO-AMERICAN MODEL OF SETTLEMENT WORK - Alissa Schwartz
• WOMAN BATTERING AND WELFARE REFORM: THE VIEW FROM A WELFARE-TO-WORK PROGRAM - Lisa D. Brush
• A COMMENTARY: WHY CIVIL COMMITMENT LAWS DON'T WORK THE WAY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO - Philip D. Arben
• "HE'S NOT MR. RIGHT, HE'S MORE LIKE MR. NOW": PATRIFOCAL AND MATRIFOCAL DISCOURSES AMONG HOMELESS MOTHERS IN KENTUCKY - Joanna M. Badagliacco
• THE PLACE OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH IN SOCIAL WORK - Robert Fisher & …

Hate Crime Laws And Sexual Orientation, Elizabeth P. Cramer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article provides definitions for hate crimes, a summary of national data on hate crime incidents, and descriptions of federal and state hate crime laws. The author presents various arguments in support of and against hate crime laws, and the inclusion of sexual orientation in such laws. The author contends that it is illogical and a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to exclude sexual orientationf rom hate crime laws. The perpetratorso f hate crime incidents, regardess of the target group, have similar motives and perpetrate similar types of assaults; the victims experience similar physical and psychological harm. Excluding a class …

Creativity Or Collusion?: Representations Of Women In Music Videos, Jan E. Urbina

Masters Theses

There is a need in the field of sociology to expand our knowledge about how media-generated representations of women impact our lives. This research was designed to explore participants' perceptions of music video representations of women. Using a pre- test (survey), treatment (educational video) and post-test (survey), I analyzed participants' perceptions of how women were represented in music videos. The educational video exposed the techniques, which are used by the male-dominated music video industry, that present women in demeaning ways. The post-test proved useful in my attempt to determine whether the educational video impacted participants' understandings of the ways in …

A Policy Analysis Of Teen Courts: A Look At Teen Courts As A Viable Alternative To The Juvenile Court System, Jon P. Mathieu

Masters Theses

Teen Courts are rapidly emerging as one possible solution to the escalating juvenile crime problem in the United States. From the initial court, started over 20 years ago in Texas, Teen Courts are now in 30 states, with over 250 programs. As the crime problem grows within this population, a need for alternative methods to the Juvenile Court has emerged. Moreover, to date, no formal evaluation has been conducted between United States Teen Courts for a comparative study. Therefore, I sought to explore the following issues: (a) the need for Teen Court implementation, (b) a rationale for Teen Court existence, …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 26, No. 2 (June 1999)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• SOCIAL WORK AND DOWNSIZING: THEORETICAL IMPLICATIONS AND STRATEGIC RESPONSES - Samuel J. Rosenberg
• THE WILLINGNESS TO SEEK HELP: ITS ROLE IN SOCIAL WORKERS' PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENT - Ben-Zion Cohen
• HISTORICAL TRENDS IN STATE-LEVEL ADC/AFDC BENEFITS: LIVING ON LESS AND LESS - Sandra Wexler & Rafael J. Engel
• PROMOTING SOCIAL JUSTICE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MASS MEDIA - Edward A. Brawley & Emilia E. Martinez-Brawley
• PERCEPTIONS ABOUT POVERTY: VIEWS FROM THE GEORGIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY - Elizabeth L. Beck, Deborah M. Whitley & James L. Wolk
• E. FRANKLIN FRAZIER AND THE INTERFACING OF BLACK SOCIOLOGY AND BLACK SOCIAL WORK - …

Promoting Social Justice In Partnership With The Mass Media, Edward A. Brawley, Emilia E. Martinez-Brawley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Research on mass communications suggests that public understanding of social justice issues can be significantly enhanced by the appropriate use of the media. Indeed, without the access to the public that only the mass media can provide, social workers are unlikely to have much impact in the public's understanding of critical social justice issues and appropriate responses to these issues. Based on emerging research and practice, we identify opportunities for individuals, groups and organizations interested in addressing issues of social justice to engage in productive public communication activities through newspapers, radio and television.

Bridging The Divide: The Casework Policy Link, Peggy Pittman-Munke

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The professional history of social work in the United States of America is entering its second century. From this vantage point, it is possible to draw on. the past to develop ideas that will work for the future. Contemporary social workers often view the profession as dichotomized between those who deal with individual issues through counseling and private practice and those who are concerned with social change through policy reform. Mary Richmond, pioneer in the professionalization of social casework, offers a tightly integrated model which demonstrates how social casework and social reform can serve to reinforce and support one another …

Determining Cutoff Scores For The Mmpi-2 Substance Abuse Scales For An Inmate Population, Barbara A. Johnston

Dissertations

The current research project examined the psychometric properties of the substance abuse scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition (MMPI-2) with an inmate population. The scales of interest included the MacAndrews Alcoholism Scale Revised (MAC-R), the Addiction Potential Scale (APS) and the Addiction Acknowledgement Scale (AAS).

A total of 80 subjects were administered the MMPI-2 which resulted in 73 valid profiles. Of the valid profiles, 54 were chemically dependent and 19 were nonchemically dependent inmates. There were no differences between groups in regard to sociodemographic variables.

The data analyses indicated that the AAS and APS are efficient and …

Judicial Decision Making Under Michigan Sentencing Guidelines, Abel E. Ekpunobi

Dissertations

Many states and the federal judiciary have adopted sentencing guidelines as a mechanism of sentencing reform. This study used the bounded rationality model to investigate judicial decision-making under Michigan Sentencing Guidelines, and the effectiveness o f the guidelines in reducing or eliminating sentencing disparities — situations in which legally similar defendants receive dissimilar sentences.

A statistical and comparative analysis of a database sample of felony cases (n = 20,834), sentenced in four different-sized Michigan counties from 1992 through 1997, was examined with logistic and linear regression models. Logistic regression results indicate a significant association (p < .05) between incarceration and some legal and extralegal variables. Legal variables, such as prior felony convictions, sentencing guideline scores, offense type/severity, the defendant’s relationship with the criminal justice system, and extralegal variables, such as the defendant’s race and gender, year and county of sentencing, are important predictors of sentencing outcomes. Linear regression results indicate a significant association (p < .05) between the minimum term of imprisonment and prior felony convictions, sentencing guidelines and offense type/ severity, but not with extralegal variables. These results suggest that judicial decision-making remains a human/“bounded rationality” process.

The findings of this study …

Factors Influencing Prison Industry, Erik Dill

Masters Theses

Prison industry has a sporadic history in the United States. Interstate trade of prison made goods was banned from 1940 until 1979; business and labor opposed slavelike competition from early programs. This thesis studies competitive prisoner work, deemed prison industry, as different from state-use labor.

Formal theory on prison industry is inadequate. Rusche would suggest that unemployment directly effects incarceration, and prison industry develops to provide labor in economic upswings. Since 1980 prison industry expanded and unemployment fell, but incarceration did not decline. Therefore, this study focuses on theory genesis. Explanations for incarceration can assume prison is exploitative. Legal history …

Labyrinth: A Way In...A Way Out, Elaine A. Jayne, Judith M. Arnold

Gatherings: Friends of the University Libraries Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Western Michigan University Undergraduate Catalog 1999-2001, Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Course Catalogs (1904-present)

• Mission of The University
• Accreditation
• Admissions Policies and Procedures
• Tuition and Fees
• Financial Assistance and Scholarships
• Degrees, Certificates, and Undergraduate Curricula and Majors
• Graduation Requirements and Academic Advising
• Academic Policies and Procedures
• Registration, Records, and Regulations
• Lee Honors College
• College of Arts and Sciences
• Haworth College of Business
• College of Education
• College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
• College of Fine Arts
• College of General Studies
• College of Health and Human Services
• The Graduate College
• Division of Continuing Education
• Office of International Affairs
• Student Rights and Responsibilities
• University and Student Services
• Annual Security Report
• Glossary of Terms
• University Officers
• The Faculty …

Fact Book 1999-2000, Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Fact Books

No abstract provided.

Gatherings No. 20 Winter 1999, Friends Of The University Libraries

Gatherings: Friends of the University Libraries Newsletter

Complete issue of Gatherings no. 20. Edited by Laurel Grotzinger.