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Political Symbolism In Juvenile Justice: Reforming Florida's Juvenile Detention Criteria, C. Aaron Mcneece, Mark Ezell

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A recent reform in Florida's juvenile detention criteria was over-turned during the subsequent legislative session. This paper describes both the initial reform and its reversal and suggests that symbolic political rewards may often be more important than the actual consequences of a policy. Recommendations are made for accomplishing policy reform in a traditional political culture.

State And Regional Politics: Introduction, Timothy W. Lause

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The policy decisions of the states have become increasingly important to social welfare in recent years. In that sense, it is an opportune time to introduce an interdisciplinary collection of articles which has as its principal focus the circumstances and the processes of policy at the state level. With one exception, the articles which address regional concepts do so in the context of comparative or case studies of one or more state policy decisions.

Disinnovation In The American States: Policy Toward Health Systems Agencies, Keith Mueller, John Comer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Requiring the states to involve consumers in health planning through local health planning boards (HSAs) was an attempt by the federal government to control health care costs. Elimination of this requirement more recently has meant some states have discontinued the program. The elimination of HSAs can be considered a case of policy disinnovation. Drawing on the innovation literature, the following variables were expected to correlate, although negatively, with elimination of HSAs: value added to manufacturing, average acre value of farms, per capita income, population living in metropolitan areas, and party competition. All were found to correlate negatively. Predisposition to spend …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 10, No. 2 (June 1983)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• State and Regional Politics: Introduction - TIMOTHY W. LAUSE
• Welfare Spending in the American States: A Comparative Perspective - W. JOS HEFFERNAN
• Disinnovation in the American States: Policy Toward Health System Agencies - KEITH MUELLER, JOHN COHER
• Policy Traditions in American State Politics - ROBERT L. SAVAGE
• The Intersection of Political Culture and Fiscal Federalism: State Block Grants in Alabama, DAVID SINK, NICHEL. WILSON
• Political Symbolism in Juvenile Justice: Reforming Florida's Juvenile Detention Criteria
• C. AARON McNEECE, MICHELE WILSON
• Legislative Evaluation of Social Welfare Programs: The Processes and Consequences - PATRICIA K. FREEMAN, WILLIAM LYONS
• Staff Activities …

Legislative Evaluation Of Social Welfare Programs: The Process And Consequences, Patricia K. Freeman, William Lyons

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Program review has increased substantially in recent years. There has been concern that the upsurge in policy evaluation would be detrimental to social welfare programs, where data is often unavailable, little agreement exists concerning specific goals and documenting success is often virtually impossible. In this analysis we compared the program evaluation of social welfare programs with non-social welfare programs. The review process differed substantially as did the recommendation made as a result of the review. Social welfare programs faced more criticisms than non-social welfare programs. However, the criticisms were less serious. Changes prior to the publication of the evaluation report …

Staff Activities In The Texas House Of Representatives, David F. Prindle, James Burshtyn

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In this study multivariate analysis is applied to the allocation of staff time among members of the Texas House of Representatives. Ideology of the representative is found to be an important factor in explaining differences in staff behavior. Chief staffers serving liberal Democrats and Republicans report spending less time on constituency service, and more time on policy research, than do staffers serving conservative Democrats. There are differences between the parties, but not between the ideologies, on time spent with lobbyists. Other variables, such as urban population of the district, and the years a legislator has served in the House, show …

An Advocacy Approach For More Effective Program Delivery And Coordination: A Case Study Of Maine's Housing Rehab Techs, Kenneth K. Ahn, James F. Horan, G. Thomas Taylor

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A detailed case analysis of the Maine Housing Rehabilitation Project provides an exploratory observation of the innovative use of human resources at the federal, state and regional levels through an evolutionary development process of housing rehabilitation technicians. Functioning largely as advocate planners and human service delivery administrators through self-expanded roles, these individuals were able to promote change in the context of this intergovernmental environment. The analysis presented here reveals findings of intrastate regional differences between the urban and rural areas. Low income citizens appear to be the main beneficiaries of a proactive style of leadership that was performed by the …

Regional Planning Of Mental Health Services: An Illinois Case Example, Wynne Sandra Korr

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Now that Reagan has ended a twenty-year pattern of federal involvement in setting mental health policy priorities, states must develop models for implementing and maintaining services to the mentally ill. The Illinois model of regional offices which plan and monitor programs is described. A case example showing how one such office developed services in a minority community is given. Examples of the work of other offices illustrate the flexibility of this model in meeting special community needs.

Alternative Service Delivery Strategies: Factors In States' Decision Making, Harold W. Demone Jr., Margaret Gibelman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article focuses on the range of choices and factors affecting state level decision making about how human services are to be delivered. In light of the dual thrusts of decentralization and privatization, the viability of public-private partnerships through contracting for services is explored. Among the significant factors affecting decisions about alternative forms of service delivery are: political and fiscal preferences; the strength of organized labor; the role and availability of the private service sector and history with purchase of service. The advantages and disadvantages attributed to a contracting model for delivering services are unlikely to be argued from an …

The Impact Of Women Legislators On Introduction Of Social Legislation Into A Southern State House, Marjorie A. Baney

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The study investigated the interest of male and female legislators in social legislation as measured by the number of bills each group introduced. Legislators included in the study were the entire female population of the North Carolina General Assembly House of Representatives serving between January and July 1981, and an equal number of their male colleagues randomly selected. Comparisons of the female and male legislators in the study criteria such as number of legislative terms served, relative power of committees on which they served, number of committee chairpersonships and independent rankings and effectiveness by colleagues, lobbyists and the media revealed …

Black Appalachian Families, Arthur J. Cox

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The black family in America has been subjected to social change more than the family of any other racial or ethnic group. An overview of its adjustment through successive crises of African transplantation, slavery, sudden emancipation, migration to cities and the vicissitudes of second-class citizenship help in understanding the black family's contemporary forms. The black family of Appalachia faces yet another problem - (INVISIBILITY)

The Sunset Review Of A Social Work Board Of Examiners: A Case Example, Stephen R. Block

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The author reviews the events following the passage of Colorado's pioneer Sunset Review Legislation in 1976. The experiences of the 36 states which passed Sunset Legislation have been varied. Lobbying efforts in addition to costs have played a significant role in the review process and outcome. A case analysis of the Sunset Review of the Colorado Social Work Board of Examiners illustrates the tenacity of a group of professionals determined to maintain legal regulation of the social work field. The group's success was a result of political organization and the technical expertise required to influence policy makers.

The Service Orientations Of Social Service Administrators: Towards A Normative Model, Walter Lamendola, Patricia Yancey Martin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The service orientations of 28 administrators of social service agencies are examined as part of a normative model of service delivery. Six service issues are identified, and their interrelationship is described and examined. The service orientation issues include: effectiveness, efficiency, responsiveness to constituency interests, agency autonomy, community involvement, and services integration. In part, the results show that, as a group, the executives rank effectiveness (or the setting and achievement of programmatic goals) as of greatest concern. Community involvement and responsiveness follow in importance. Efficiency ranks fourth and autonomy, fifth. Services integration is of least concern. Service orientation is examined in …

Adult Foster Care: Its Tenuous Position On The Care Continuum, Ruth E. Dunkle

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Frequently any move away from independent living for an elderly person is viewed as a downhill road to the nursing home and ultimate death. Adult foster care has been viewed as one such step closer to institutionalization. Service provision to the elderly needs to be viewed on a continuum where the elderly are seen as being capable of moving in and out of supportive living arrangements when the need arises. Barriers to providing this care are identified with future needs highlighted.

Social Workers Who Left The Profession: An Exploratory Study, James Herrick, Calvin Y. Takagi, Robert Coleman, Linda Jewell Morgan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Why professional social workers leave the field of social work for other types of employment has implications for social work practice and education. The study suggests that economic advantage is but one of the factors involved in choosing other employment.

Variables Influencing Publication In The Field Of Social Work, John S. Wodarski, Michael Brenner

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The manuscript presents a descriptive summary of variables influencing professional publication in four major journals: Social Work, Social Service Review, Social Casework and Clinical Social Work Journal. Data were drawn from a random sampling of the years 1960 to 1976. The following descriptive variables were analyzed: degree, sex, occupation, organizational affiliation, and geographic location of author; topic of article; and single VS multiple authorship. Implications the data have for the production of knowledge in social work and future research questions are briefly educidated.

Reaganism And The Poor Family: Life On Afdc After The Budget Cuts, Norman L. Wyers, Robert C. Holloway

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Recent changes in federal and state welfare policies have had negative consequences for public welfare recipients. This paper summarizes a study which focused on the impact of these policy changes on the AFDC population in the most populous region of Oregon. Of particular importance are the changes in income levels, employment, and social service utilization of recipients. Personal reactions of recipients are also reviewed, as are expectations for the future. The differential economic impact of the policy changes on various categories of recipients is stressed.

Racial Change Or Racial Stabilization: Policy And Process At A Neighborhood Level, John D. Morrison

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Housing segregation and integration are areas of great concern to all citizens. Public policy in the past favored segregation, and while formal policy now favors integration, relatively little is done to implement this policy.

Social science data in the area of residential integration have often been used to foster the status quo by misinterpretation or selective use. This paper reviews some of these data and suggests some principles for practitioners who wish to enhance the potential for integration.

A comprehensive view of a neighborhood should be taken rather than examining only racial factors. Families choose to enter or leave a …

A Comparison Of Social Service Workers' And The Public's Views Of Nursing Home Characteristics, Lucinda Lee Roff

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using the determinant attribute model, this study examined and compared the criteria which 277 social service workers and 842 members of a general population would employ in selecting a nursing home. The results suggested substantial differences between the two groups in selection criteria. Implications of these results and of the use of the determinant attribute model as an aid to practice are discussed.

Qualitative Methodology, Hypothesis Testing And The Needs Assessment, John W. Murphy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The qualitative methodologist argues that data have meaning only when they are verified experientially. In order for this type of verification to take place, program evaluators must utilize a "responsible" methodology when conducting research. In this paper a definition of responsible methodology is advanced, while the proper operationalization of this type of methodology is illustrated. In particular, it is shown how key needs assessment strategies can be used in a responsible manner, so as to capture the experiential significance of data.

Will A Private War On Poverty Succeed? The Case Of The St. Louis Provident Association, Robert H. Lauer, Jeanette C. Lauer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In view of the current emphasis on private approaches to social problem resolution, it is instructive to look at private efforts of the past. The St. Louis Provident Association was a private effort to deal with poverty. It was organized in 1860 to provide relief for the "needy and distressed." Data on the volunteer leaders of the association and on the people who were actually helped show a number of things about the 19th-century effort to deal with poverty. First, the volunteers were upwardly- mobile business and professional men who were concerned about the stability of their society. Second, the …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 10, No. 1 (March 1983)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Reaganism and the Poor Family: Life on AFDC After the Budget Cuts - NORMAN L. WYERS, ROBERT C. HOLLOWAY
• Will A Private War on Poverty Succeed? The Case of the St. Louis Provident Association - ROBERT H. LAUER, JEANETTE C. LAUER
• Racial Change or Racial Stabilization: Policy and Process at A Neighborhood Level - JOHN D. MORRISON
• The Service Orientations of Social Service Administrators: Towards a Normative Model - WALTER LAMENDOLA, PATRICIA YANCEY MARTIN
• Adult Foster Care: Its Tenuous Position on The Care Continuum - RUTH E. DUNKLE
• Social Workers Who Left the Profession: An Exploratory Study …

Going Among Them: The Evolution Of The Home Visit, Terry Holbrook

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The methods, motives and objectives of home visiting have been ignored by most social work historians, while the profession of social work has become almost universally associated with this practice by the public. This paper examines the historical, social, and political implications of home visiting from the founders of the profession to the present day, suggesting a revitalization of this taken for granted practice for the purpose of collecting "social evidence" to be used for social reform.

Book Reviews, Samuel R. Friedman, Gary P. Freeman, Susan Meyers Chandler

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

• The New Class War: Reagan's Attack On The Welfare State and Its Consequences by Francis Fox Piven and Richard A. Cloward. Reviewed by SAMUEL R. FRIEDMAN
• Social Service Politics In the United States and Britain by Willard C. Richan. Reviewed by GARY P. FREEMAN
• Mothers At Work: Public Policies In the United States. Sweden and China by Carolyn Teich Adams and Kathryn Teich Winston. Reviewed by SUSAN MEYERS CHANDLER