Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Human Trafficking In Maine: Protection, Prevention, And Prosecution: The Need For A Stand-Alone Statute, Laura M. Cyr

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

The United States enacted the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 to combat the crime of organized firms engaging in the trafficking of humans. The TVPA has resulted in competing definitions and competing agendas which contribute of a public misunderstanding of the nature and scope of human trafficking as a domestic policy issue. Early goals of protection of victims, prevention of future trafficking crimes, and prosecution of traffickers have not been met with empirically driven success. This paper outlines obstacles facing evidence-based legislation in the state of Maine which currently has no stand- alone law protecting victims of sex …

Public Pensions And Debt In The State Of Maine, Ryan Knaus

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Maine has taken important steps in recent years to reduce indebtedness and adequately fund their Public Employee Pension System (MainePERS), and is well-positioned relative to other U.S. states. The challenge for the State is to continue financing MainePERS and existing UALs with the same commitment, diligence and prudence.

Managing Social Security Disability & Other Public Benefits: Development Of A Guide For Consumers And Providers, Stephanie L. Derochers

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

One in five Americans has a disability, making it the largest minority group in the U.S. (Soffer, McDonald, & Blanck, 2010). In 2011, 13.4 million working-aged adults received a disability cash benefit from the Social Security Administration (Kregel, 2012).

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is the federal agency responsible for managing, executing and overseeing retirement, survivor, old-age and disability benefits. There are over 1,500 Social Security offices and over 65,000 employees nationwide (SSA, 2013). SSA manages at least five disability benefit programs: Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Disabled Widow(er) Benefit (DWB), Childhood Disability Benefit (CDB), though …

Regionalizing Government In Maine: Opportunities For The Future, David Alexander, Alan Baldwin, John Carroll, Elizabeth Chapman, Dorraine Diebold, Lisa Harvey Mcpherson, Daniel Stevenson, Earlene Wilson

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

In keeping with his promise to make government work better for the people of Maine, Governor Angus King commissioned the Task Force on Regional Options for Better Government. The Governor charged the task force with recommending some alternative regional arrangements for the delivery of government services currently provided by state or local government. The task force evaluated three services in which regionalism offered some advantages: economic development; demand response transportation; and municipal management information systems.