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We Are Family: Using Diverse Family Structure With Children, Deanna Peterschick Gilmore, Kari Bell

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The structure of the American family has changed over the years. Although the traditional father, mother, child structure still dominates, other family patterns are emerging. In this article the authors present 1) current statistics relating to diverse family structures, 2) reasons for using diverse family structure literature with children, 3) recommendations of books to read depicting the various family structures such as: children of divorced parents, children in stepfamilies/blended families, children of adoption, children of international adoption, children of gay and lesbian parents and children in all kinds of families. The authors also include a list of suggested reading for …

Patient Insurance Status And Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders: Survival Of The Richest?, Gigi Nordquist

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study investigated the effect of patient insurance status upon physicians' decisions to write do-not-resuscitate orders (DNRs). Ninety-four physicians completed a questionnaire consisting of demographic data and a case vignette. In addition to the main research question, the study explored the effect of religious affiliation on writing DNRs and performing "slow codes." Results indicate that insurance status has a significant effect upon the likelihood of writing a DNR, with physicians more likely to write DNRs for patients covered by public (i.e., government-funded, as compared to private) insurance. Religious affiliation was also significant, with greater church attendance associated with a lesser …

Welfare To Web To Work: Internet Job Searching Among Former Welfare Clients In Florida, Steve Mcdonald, Robert E. Crew Jr.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study provides the first empirical test of whether searching for jobs on the Internet can help people gain access to high quality jobs. Using new data from former welfare clients in Florida, we present results from a multivariate regression analysis of Internet job searching on wages and on a number of job benefits. On average, Internet job searchers receive better jobs than people who conducted more traditional job searches, net of numerous control variables. These findings suggest that welfare recipients have a great deal to gain from searching for their jobs on the Internet.

When Policy Meets Practice: The Untested Effects Of Permanency Reforms In Child Welfare, Amy D'Andrade, Jill Duerr Berrick

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The Adoption and Safe Families Act (P.L. 105-89; ASFA) passed into federal law in 1997. ASFA emphasized child protection over family preservation, and introduced reforms intended to increase the likelihood and the speed with which children in the child welfare system attain a permanent home. This article details two provisions of the law, concurrent planning and reunification exception, and explores challenges in their implementation. These provisions have the potential to shift the nature of how child welfare services are delivered, and which families zill receive them. An examination of implementation in the state of California suggests there is a need …

The Social And Economic Impact Of Sanctions And Time Limits On Recipients Of Temporary Assistance To Needy Families, Taryn Lindhorst, Ronald J. Mancoske

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A central feature of the reforms enacted through the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (welfare reform) has been the adoption of strategies to involuntarily remove Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) recipients from the welfare rolls, including increased use of sanctions and time limits on welfare receipt. Drawing on data from a three year panel study of women who had been receiving welfare in a state which adopted stringent sanctioning and time limit policies, we investigate predictors of recipients' TANF status after implementation of welfare reform, and identify differences in post-reform material resources, hardships and quality of life …

The Severely-Distressed African American Family In The Crack Era: Empowerment Is Not Enough, Eloise Dunlap, Andrew Golub, Bruce D. Johnson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Numerous African American families have struggled for generations with persistent poverty, especially in the inner city. These conditions were further strained during the 1980s and 1990s by the widespread use of crack cocaine. For many, crack use became an obsession, dominated their lives, and superseded family responsibilities. This behavior placed additional pressure on already stressed kin support networks. This paper explores the processes prevailing in two households during this period. In the 2000s, children born to members of the Crack Generation are avoiding use of crack but face major deficits from their difficult childhoods. This presents both challenges and opportunities. …

Social Assistance And The Challenges Of Poverty And Inequality In Azerbaijan, A Low-Income Country In Transition, Nazim N. Habibov, Lida Fan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Although low-income countries in transition are facing the challenges of poverty and inequality, evidence on the performance of safety nets in these countries is scarce. This article uses micro-file data from a nationally representative household budget survey to analyze the existing social assistance programs in Azerbaijan, a low income country in transition, from the perspectives of poverty and inequality reduction. The empirical evidence presented in this paper indicates that the poverty and inequality reduction effectiveness of social assistance programs is inadequate. First, the benefits are very modest and the poor receive only a small proportion of them. Second, some programs …

The Effect Of Parental Work History And Public Assistance Use On The Transition To Adulthood, Stephanie Cosner Berzin, Allison C. De Marco, Terry V. Shaw, George J. Unick, Sean R. Hogan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

No abstract provided.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 33, No. 1 (March 2006)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• SPECIAL ISSUE ON COPING WITH POVERTY THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT: A STUDY OF ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS VS. NON-PARTICIPANTS - Richard K. Caputo
• WHEN POLICY MEETS PRACTICE: THE UNTESTED EFFECTS OF WELFARE REFORM - Amy D'Andrade and Jill Duerr Berrick
• FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE LOW-INCOME POPULATION: EFFECTS OF A FINANCIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM - Min Zhan, Steven G. Anderson, and Jeff Scott
• PATIENT INSURANCE STATUS AND DO-NOTRESUSCITATE ORDERS: SURVIVAL OF THE RICHEST? - Gigi Nordquist
• THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT OF SANCTIONS AND TIME LIMITS ON RECIPIENTS OF TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY FAMILIES - Taryn Lindhorst and Ronald J. …

The Sequential Costs Of Poverty: What Traditional Measures Overlook, Elizabeth A. Segal, Laura R. Peck

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This research note proposes an addition to the poverty measurement debate. Motivated by dissatisfaction with the official poverty measure, which many scholars and practitioners share, we propose the use of sequential costs of poverty to enrich the poverty measure so that it might capture more closely the life-experiences of low-income families. After presenting some background on poverty measurement, this research note explores the conceptual framework that surrounds the notion of sequential costs. Drawing on our past research, we propose ways in which these sequential costs surface, with illustrative examples from health, employment, housing, and income maintenance.

Review Of Healing From The Trauma Of Childhood Sexual Abuse: The Journey For Women. Karen A. Duncan. Reviewed By Carol T. Tully., Carol T. Tully

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Karen A. Duncan, Healing from the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse The Journey for Women. Westport, CT: Praegar 2004, $39.95 hardcover

Democracy In Action: Community Organizing And Urban Change. Kristina Smock.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Kristina Smock, Democracy in Action: Community Organizing and Urban Change. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004. $62.50 hardcover, $26.50 papercover.

Review Of Double Jeopardy: Adolescent Offenders With Mental Disorders. Thomas Grisso. Reviewed By James W. Callicutt., James W. Callicutt

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Thomas Grisso, Double Jeopardy: Adolescent Offenders with Mental Disorders. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2004. $29.00 hardcover.

Review Of Legalizing Gay Marriage. Michael Mello. Reviewed By Ronald J. Mancoske., Ronald J. Mancoske

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review for Michael Mello, Legalizing Gay Marriage. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 2004. $68.50 hardcover, $22.95 papercover

Concepts And Strategies For Combating Social Exclusion: An Overview. Jordi Estivill.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Jordi Estivill, Concepts and Strategies for Combating Social Exclusion: An Overview. Geneva: International Labour Office, 2004. $11.95 papercover.

Choice And Coercion: Birth Control, Sterilization And Abortion In Public Health And Welfare. Johanna Schoen., Peggy Proudfoot Mcguire

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Johanna Schoen, Choice & Coercion, Birth Control, Sterilization, and Abortion in Public Health and Welfare, Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2005. $63.00 hardcover, $18.00 papercover.

Financial Knowledge Of The Low-Income Population: Effects Of A Financial Education Program, Min Zhan, Steven G. Anderson, Jeff Scott

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study examines the effects of one large financial management training program for low-income people. The data are from tests of pre- and posttraining financial knowledge of 163 participants. The test was designed to measure basic knowledge of participants in five content areas: predatory lending practices, public and work-related benefits, banking practices, savings and investing strategies, and credit use and interest rates.

The findings demonstrate that substantial pre-training knowledge deficiencies existed on basic financial management issues, especially on public and work-related benefits and savings and investing. Results also indicate that the program was effective in improving the financial knowledge of …

From "Poor" To "Not Poor": Improved Understandings And The Advantage Of The Qualitative Approach, Eleanor Wint, Christine Frank

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Re-analysis of qualitative data generated in six Country Poverty Assessments in the Caribbean, suggests that traditional ways of seeing the poor might well lead to unfair categorisation of a people who are unwilling to be seen as living in poverty. Use of qualitative data software was able to bring out new understandings of the conceptual difference between being poor and living in poverty. Wint and Frank suggest that this is a distinction which those responsible for designing and implementing poverty intervention strategies would be wise to bear in mind as it would allow for creative and timely use of community-based …

Review Of The Politics Of Multiracialism: Challenging Racial Thinking. Heather M. Dalmage (Ed.). Reviewed By Wilma Peebles-Wilkins., Wilma Peebles-Wilkins

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Heather M. Dalmage (Ed.), The Politics of Multiracialism: Challenging Racial Thinking. Albany, NY.: State University of New York Press, 2004. $65.50 hardcover, $21.95 papercover.

Social Policy For Development. Anthony Hall And James Midgley., Joon-Yong Jo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Anthony Hall and James Midgley, Social Policy for Development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2004. $110.00 hardcover, $42.95 papercover.

University Assessment Grant Fellows 2005-06 - Public Presentation Agenda, Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Assessment Grants

Program of public presentations by the University Assessment Grant Fellows of 2005-06.

Western News, Feb. 23, 2006, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: President funds seven innovative initiatives; Planning underway for 2006-07 budget; Obituaries for Herbert Scott, Herbert Warren, James Zietlow; On Campus with Jennifer Wendling.

Assessing Cultural Competence In Hper: What Do We Say We Do?, Jody Brylinsky

Assessment Grants

Presentation on assessing cultural competence in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation programs.

Western News, Feb. 9, 2006, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: Recent graduate earns Gates Cambridge Scholarship; Takashi Yoshida garners Abe Fellowship; Western Brass Quintet celebrates 40th birthday; On Campus with Suzanne Moorian.

Prism #13, February 2006, Office Of The Provost

Prism: Western Michigan University's Newsletter for Academic Affairs

No abstract provided.

Western News, Jan. 26, 2006, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: Aviation college moving into airline security research; Four state universities partner to increase minorities in science, math; Krawutschke, McGurn, Minnick honored; On Campus with Maggie Coughlin.

Western News, Jan. 12, 2006, Western Michigan University

Western News (1972-2018)

Story highlights: Dolan garners $20,000 NEA fellowship; Kent gets Fulbright to study in Latvia; Herb Scott poetry is inspiration for campus concert; Obituaries for Ada Berkey, Bobby Burpo; On Campus with Cindy Town.

2006 University Employee Service Recognition Program, Western Michigan University

25 Year Club

• 25 Year Club
• New Inductees
• Members
• Retirees
• Forty Years of Service
• Thirty-Five Years of Service
• Thirty Years of Service
• Twenty Years of Service
• Fifteen Years of Service
• Ten Years of Service

Women, Drugs, And Crime, Angela M. Moe

Sociology Faculty Publications

Throughout feminist criminological scholarship, a concerted effort has been focused on understanding the backgrounds, criminal contexts, and programming needs of criminalized women. It is clear that criminalized women enter the justice system with a host of interconnected experiences and issues, ranging from childhood victimization, sexual assault, and intimate partner abuse, to homelessness, poverty, and illness. While these contribute to the motivations and rationales of women’s criminality, they are often aggravated by drug addiction. In a variety of ways, drug use is interlaced with women’s efforts to survive on a daily basis. This article examines the role drugs play in criminalized …

Id Hysteria Says More About Some People's Freudian 'Id' Than About Science, William W. Cobern

Scientific Literacy and Cultural Studies Project

One of the dumbest things I have ever heard from an otherwise intelligent person came not quite a decade ago and from astronomer Alan Hale commenting on the Heaven’s Gate mass suicide (Hale, 1997). It is silly enough that he thought that his personal encounters with a few psychotic speculators regarding the Hale-Bopp comet represented a commonly held view of comets; but no, we learn from Alan Hale that the real reason 39 people in the Heaven’s Gate cult committed suicide is that they were ignorant and superstitious. They apparently didn’t know that after all a comet is nothing more …