Digital Commons Network^™

Review Of This Changes Everything: Capitalism Vs. The Climate. Naomi Klein. Reviewed By Sheila D. Collins., Sheila Collins

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Naomi Klein, This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate. (2014). Simon & Schuster. $30 (hardcover), 576 pages.

Review Of The Black Power Movement And American Social Work. Joyce Bell. Reviewed By Wilma Peebles-Wilkins., Wilma Peebles-Wilkins

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Joyce Bell, The Black Power Movement and American Social Work. (2014). Columbia University Press. $50.00 (hardcover), 256 pages.

Review Of It's Not Like I'M Poor: How Working Families Make Ends Meet In A Post-Welfare World. Sarah Halpern-Meekin, Kathryn Edin, Laura Tach, & Jennifer Sykes. Reviewed By Vanessa D. Wells, Vanessa Wells

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Sarah Halpern-Meekin, Kathryn Edin, Laura Tach, & Jennifer Sykes, It’s Not Like I’m Poor: How Working Families Make Ends Meet in a Post-Welfare World. (2015). University of California Press. $29.95 (paperback), 304 pages.

Review Of Flawed System/Flawed Self: Job Searching And Unemployment Experiences. Ofer Sharone. Reviewed By Randall P. Wilson, Randall Wilson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Ofer Sharone, Flawed System/Flawed Self: Job Searching and Unemployment Experiences. (2013). University of Chicago Press. $85 (hardcover), $27.50 (paperback), 240 pages.

Review Of Becoming Bureaucrats: Socialization At The Front Lines Of Government Service. Zachary W. Oberfield. Reviewed By Edward U. Murphy, Edward U. Murphy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Zachary W. Oberfield, Becoming Bureaucrats: Socialization at the Front Lines of Government Service. (2014). University of Pennsylvania Press. $59.95 (hardcover), 236 pages.

Review Of Out In The Union: A Labor History Of Queer America. Miriam Frank. Reviewed By Ann S. Holder., Ann S. Holder

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Miriam Frank, Out in the Union: A Labor History of Queer America. (2014). Temple University Press. $54.50 (hardcover), $29.95 (paperback), 240 pages.

An Examination Of The New York State Workers' Compensation Reform Act Of 2007, Julia Ostrov

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Workers' compensation, a critical safety net for injured and ill workers in the form of medical care and wage replacement benefits, emerged on the heels of the Industrial Revolution as the first extensive social insurance program in the United States. Over the past two decades, workers' compensation policy in New York State has followed a national trend of severe retrenchment in benefits to workers. This paper takes as its focus an examination of the most recent workers' compensation reform legislation in New York, and provides a discussion of the important role social workers can play in promoting social justice within …

Reframing New Frontiers For Indigenous Peoples, Hilary N. Weaver

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper examines colonial and Indigenous perspectives on frontiers. The United States context is used to further focus on the historic impact of the frontier on Native Americans. This is followed by a discussion of how boundaries and frontiers might be reframed in more balanced ways that respect the sovereignty of Indigenous nations. Examples are presented from child welfare and casino gaming to illustrate contemporary interactions across boundaries.

Social Work Advocacy: Professional Self-Interest And Social Justice, Mary Ellen Brown, Michelle M. Livermore, Annahita R. Ball

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study employed an analysis of the advocacy-related resources and materials available through the 50 NASW state chapter websites. Results revealed that a large number of states had no information about advocacy on their websites (42%). One third of the mission statements reviewed contained language indicating that advocacy was part of the chapter mission, while nearly as many included no content related to advocacy or social justice on their homepages. Nearly two thirds of the websites contained no resources, tools or links to help with advocacy practice, promotion or education. Thirteen advocacy themes emerged, which represented policy issues within the …

Who's Left Out: Characteristics Of Households In Economic Need Not Receiving Public Support, Vincent A. Fusaro

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The American welfare state is often referred to as a social safety net, yet many in economic need do not receive public benefits. This article examines the characteristics of low-income households in the United States that do not participate in any of several public cash or near-cash support programs. Using the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) 2008 panel—a representative sample of U.S. households—households below the federal poverty threshold but not participating in any of eleven different income support programs were identified. Over a third (38.02%) of households in poverty did not receive any assistance from the examined programs. …

Applying Sen's Capability Approach To Understand Work And Income Among Poor People In India, Mahasweta M. Banerjee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Applying Sen's capability approach, this paper explores income poor individuals' capabilities—abilities, skills, resources, and opportunities at personal, inter-personal, and structural levels—for work and income. It reports on data collected from 92 individuals identified through purposive sampling and interviewed face-to- face. The study found that 11% of respondents had varied work capabilities and earned a relatively high income; 49% of respondents had some work capabilities and were in the medium income bracket; 40% of respondents had few work capabilities and remained below the poverty line; and 8% of respondents with even fewer work capabilities were not working. Implications include expansion of …

Relationship-Based Justice For Gender Responsive Specialty Courts, Margaret H. Lloyd

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Family drug courts (FDCs) have existed in the U.S. since 1994. Since that time, dozens of studies have found evidence that FDCs improve child welfare outcomes compared to traditional dependency courts. The level of sophistication of this research has stalled, however, arguably because the theoretical foundations of the approach are underdeveloped. The social psychological theory of procedural justice can predict and explain outcomes in treatment courts better than therapeutic jurisprudence. However, in light of evidence suggesting that gender impacts treatment court outcomes, procedural justice alone falls short as the mechanism of change in family drug courts, because women constitute the …

Race–Gender Differences In The Impact Of History Of Heavy Drinking On Current Alcohol Consumption During The Transition To Adulthood, C. André Christie-Mizell, Whitney Laster Pirtle, Benjamin D. Tyndall, David M. Merolla Phd

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

American youth transitioning to adulthood consume more alcohol than in any other period of the life course. This high level of consumption can result in serious consequences, including lost productivity, death and disability, sexual assault, and addiction. Nevertheless, relatively little is known, especially by race and gender, about how prior history of heavy drinking (e.g., in late adolescence) impacts drinking in young adulthood. Utilizing data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1994-2004) for African Americans, Latinos, and Whites (N = 2,300), we found that Whites and Latinos drink more than African Americans, and men report drinking more than women. …

Review Of Reconciling Work And Poverty Reduction: How Successful Are European Welfare States? Bea Cantillon And Franz Vandenbroucke (Eds.), And Activation Or Workfare? Governance And The Neo-Liberal Convergence. Ivar Lødemel And Amilcar Moreira (Eds.). Reviewed By James Midgley, James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Bea Cantillon and Franz Vandenbroucke (Eds.), Reconciling Work and Poverty Reduction: How Successful are European Welfare States? Oxford University Press (2014), 464 pages, $40.00 (hardcover). Ivar Lødemel and Amilcar Moreira (Eds.),

Activation or Workfare? Governance and the Neo-liberal Convergence. Oxford University Press (2014), 384 pages, $59.99 (hardcover).

Review Of All I Want Is A Job: Unemployed Women Navigating The Public Workforce System. Mary Gatta. Reviewed By Joyce Bialik., Joyce Bialik

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Mary Gatta, All I Want is a Job: Unemployed Women Navigating the Public Workforce System. Stanford University Press (2014), 168 pages, $19.95 (paperback).

Review Of The Power Of The Past: Understanding Cross-Class Marriages. Jessi Streib. Reviewed By Mary Ann Kanieski, Mary Ann Kanieski

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Jessi Streib, The Power of the Past: Understanding Cross-Class Marriages. Oxford University Press (2015), 290 pages, $24.95 (paperback).

Review Of Failure To Flourish: How Law Undermines Family Relationships. Clare Huntington. Reviewed By Mark E. Courtney, Mark Courtney

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Clare Huntington, Failure to Flourish: How Law Undermines Family Relationships. Oxford University Press (2014), 352 pages, $45.00 (hardcover).

Review Of Can’T Catch A Break: Gender, Jail, Drugs, And The Limits Of Personal Responsibility. Susan Starr Sered And Maureen Norton-Hawk. Reviewed By Brandy Henry, Brandy Henry

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Susan Starr Sered and Maureen Norton-Hawk, Can’t Catch a Break: Gender, Jail, Drugs, and the Limits of Personal Responsibility. University of California Press (2014), 216 pages, $29.95 (paperback).

Review Of Ghettoside: A True Story Of Murder In America. Jill Leovy. Reviewed By John Decarlo., John Decarlo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Jill Leovy, Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America. Spiegel & Grau (2015), 386 pages, $28.00 (hardcover).

Is Community-Based Work Compatible With Data Collection?, John W. Murphy, Berkeley A. Franz, Karen A. Callaghan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Although community-based projects have introduced a successful model for addressing many social problems, less consideration has been given to how such projects should be evaluated. This paper considers whether the philosophy underlying community-based practice is compatible with data collection. Specifically at issue is whether empirical indicators are helpful to summarize a project. Although having valid knowledge is important, this paper makes a distinction between merely collecting data versus understanding the course of a project. The key point is that community participation requires a unique perspective on how knowledge is negotiated and interpreted.

Impact Of Community Investment In Safety Net Services On Rates Of Unsheltered Homelessness Among Veterans, Ann Elizabeth Montgomery, Jamison Fargo, Thomas H. Byrne

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Unsheltered homelessness among veterans has declined rapidly since 2009; however, more than one-third of veterans experiencing homelessness stayed in places not meant for human habitation during 2014. Research has identified a negative relationship between federal spending on the social safety net and community level rates of homelessness, but not specifically for veterans. The present study assessed whether investment in veteran-specific safety net resources predicted changes in the rate of unsheltered veteran homelessness. Increases in Veterans Affairs (VA) medical care expenditures were significantly associated with a decline in unsheltered veteran homelessness, perhaps explained by additional VA resources aimed at identifying and …

Ebb And Flow: A Multiple Streams Analysis Of Change In Kansas Domestic Violence Policy, Emily Bell-Sepulveda, Juliana Carlson, Sara Rust-Martin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

State domestic violence legislative interventions shape the way states define and respond to domestic violence. In 2010, Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson signed into law Substitute House Bill 2517, which included a strategy to track domestic violence offenders from the time of arrest through the court system, and an expansion of the statutory definition of domestic violence. The following policy analysis uses a multiple streams framework to examine this policy change, including the motivations and actions of key policy entrepreneurs. We also discuss the implementation of the bill as passed and implications for domestic violence victims and policy activists in other …

Can People Experiencing Homelessness Acquire Financial Assets?, Allison De Marco, Molly De Marco, Alexandra Biggers, Maggie West, Jonathan Young, Rachel Levy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Through an innovative Individual Development Account (IDA) program run by the Community Empowerment Fund (CEF), individuals at risk for or experiencing homelessness receive financial education, access matched savings accounts, and have saved a total of $89,831.55. This is notable as low-income individuals often lack access to the means to build assets, which can moderate financial distress. In this mixed-method study we examine the program's impact through administrative data, surveys, and qualitative interviews. Of the 17 interview participants, 15 opened an account, saving an average of $1,356.24 toward housing, emergency savings, cars, education, and computers. Few U.S. IDA programs have served …

A Heated Debate: Theoretical Perspectives Of Sexual Exploitation And Sex Work, Lara Gerassi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The theoretical and often political frameworks of sexual exploitation and sex work among women are widely and enthusiastically debated among academic and legal scholars alike. The majority of theoretical literature in this area focuses on the macro perspective, while the micro-level perspective regarding causation remains sparse. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the philosophical, legal, and political perspectives pertaining to sexual exploitation of women and girls and addresses the subsequent controversies in the field.

Roles Of Government And Community Support, Flood Experience, And Flood Education In Livelihood Resilience, H. R. Tewari, P K. Bhowmick, Melinda Mccormick

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Flooding is a perennial problem in the state of Bihar, India with devastating impact on the livelihood of people. In spite of the government's measures of flood mitigation, households continue to live with suffering on account of severe damage to their material and non-material assets. In this background, the objectives of the study are: (1) to explore the differential role of the community and government support in livelihood resilience; (2) to assess the impact of flood experience and flood education in livelihood resilience; and (3) to explore the impact of level of education, reflected in average years of schooling of …