Social Work Commons^™

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 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 For many, crack use became an obsession, dominated their lives, and superseded family responsibilities.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. …

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.

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 …

Citizen Participation In Neighborhood Organizations In Poor Communities And Its Relationship To Neighborhood And Organizational Collective Efficacy, Mary Ohmer, Elizabeth Beck

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Collective efficacy describes residents' perceptions regarding their ability to work with their neighbors to intervene in neighborhood issues to maintain social control and solve problems. This study examines whether citizen participation in neighborhood organizations located in poor communities is related to neighborhood and organizational collective efficacy among residents. The results indicate that the more residents participated in their neighborhood organization, the greater their level of organizational collective efficacy, but not neighborhood collective efficacy. The results of the current study will help support social workers and other community practitioners understand how to effectively facilitate citizen participation in ways that enhance collective …

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 Home Ownership And Social Inequality In Comparative Perspective. Karen Kurtz And Hans-Peter Blossfeld (Eds.). Reviewed By James Lee., James Lee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Karin Kurtz and Hans-Peter Blossfeld (Eds), Home Ownership and Social Inequality in Comparative Perspective. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 2004. $70.00 hardcover.

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.

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

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.

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.

The Earned Income Tax Credit: A Study Of Eligible Participants Vs. Non-Participants, Richard K. Caputo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, this study (N = 1,504) showed that about half the EITC eligible tax filers in 2001 did not file EITC tax returns and that differences between EITC tax filers and non-EITC tax filers varied by birth place, Food Stamp program participation, marital status, race, residence, sex, socioeconomic history, and worker classification. Findings suggested that the EITC is well targeted in the sense that economically marginalized groups are likely to participate and that increased outreach efforts are also needed to ensure greater participation among tax filers eligible for the EITC but who …

Professional Hope In Working With Older Adults, Terry Koenig, Richard Spano

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Writings about hope within gerontological literature assume social workers already possess hope that they can use in their practice. The purpose of this article is to challenge this assumption and to examine ways in which social workers can sustain hope in personal life, in their agencies, and in the reform of larger social structures that impact older adults. The authors examine culture change in nursing homes as an emerging approach that can be more fully developed by applying the strengths perspective to interpersonal work with elders, agency change and broader structural change.

The Roles Of Buddhist Temples In The Treatment Of Hiv/Aids In Thailand, Tomoko Kubotani, David Engstrom

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Although efforts are being made to decrease the number of new HIV infections in Thailand, less support is give to the growing population that is already affected by the disease. This qualitative study explores the roles of Buddhist temples in the treatment of AIDS in Thailand, specifically the perspectives of both Buddhist monks and persons who are living with AIDS on HIVIAIDS and the care provided at the temples. Three major themes were derived from the interviews: (1) temple as a last choice; (2) temple as a support group; and (3) the role of Buddhism and monks at the temple.

An Exploratory Study Of Neighborhood Choices Among Moving To Opportunity Participants In Baltimore, Maryland: The Influence Of Housing Search Assistance, James X. Bembry, Donald F. Norris

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study examined the neighborhood choices of 150 families who participated in the Moving To Opportunity Program (MTO) in Baltimore, Maryland. The MTO program, utilizing an experimental design, provided intensive housing search and counseling services to the experimental subjects. This study found that the counseling services were instrumental in altering the subject's cognitive maps, and they were more likely to move to neighborhoods that were more racially integrated, safer, and, also, had higher levels of satisfaction with their new neighborhood. The authors conclude that the MTO program in Baltimore represents a clear case of public policy that, at least in …

Hate Crimes Against The Homeless: Warning-Out New England Style, Sandra Wachholz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article reports on the hate crime victimization experienced by thirty individuals over the course of their homelessness in a New England city. Indepth interviews were conducted with the participants in order to provide a detailed, contextual account of the nature and forms of their hate crime victimization in public and semi-public spaces. Central to the article is the argument that hate crimes against homeless people function as informal social control mechanisms that impose spatial constraints, not unlike the character and objectives of the warning-out laws that were used to exclude homeless people from the public and private space of …

Review Of One Nation, Underprivileged: Why American Poverty Affects Us All. Mark Robert Rank. Reviewed By Joel Blau., Joel Blau

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Mark Robert Rank, One Nation Underprivileged: Why American Poverty Affects Us All. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. $29.95 hardcover.

Designing For The Homeless. Sam Davis.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Sam Davis, Designing for the Homeless. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2004. $34.95 hardcover.

Child Welfare Revisited: An Africentric Perspective. Joyce E. Everett, Sandra P. Chipungu And Bogart R. Leashore (Eds.)., Amy C. Conley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Joyce E. Everett, Sandra P. Chipungu and Bogart R. Leashore (Eds.), Child Welfare Revisited: An Africentric Perspective. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2004. $62.00 hardcover, $23.95 papercover.

America's Environmental Report Card: Are We Making The Grade. Harvey Blatt., Terry V. Shaw

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Harvey Blatt, America's Environmental Report Card: Are we Making the Grade. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2004. $27.95 hardcover.

From Self-Sufficiency To Personal And Family Sustainability: A New Paradigm For Social Policy, Robert Leibson Hawkins

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Current social policy that affects welfare recipients focuses on the concept of "self-sufficiency" where leaving welfare for work is the goal. While this approach has reduced welfare rolls, it has not necessarily helped low-income people improve their economic, educational, or social outlook. This paper suggests that the concept of Personal and Family Sustainability (PFS) may be a better way to evaluate and direct social policy. A definition of PFS is developed from the environmental and community development roots of sustainability and four domains for creating PFS indicators are introduced.

Review Of Perspectives On The Economics Of Aging. David A. Wise (Ed.). Reviewed By Martin B. Tracy., Martin B. Tracy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of David A. Wise (Ed.), Perspectives on the Economics of Aging. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2004. $90.00 hardcover.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 32, No. 4 (December 2005)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• THE ROLES OF BUDDHIST TEMPLES IN THE TREATMENT OF HIV/AIDS IN THAILAND - Tomoko Kubotani and David Engstrom
• QUANTIFYING SOCIAL ENTITIES: AN HISTORICAL-SOCIOLOGICAL CRITIQUE - Julian Neylan
• COPYING FAILURE: AMERICAN-STYLE WELFARE REFORM IN OTHER COUNTRIES LONE MOTHERS AND WELFARE-TO-WORK POLICIES IN JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES: TOWARDS AN ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVE - Aya Ezawa and Chisa Fujiwara
• WORKFARE IN TORONTO: MORE OF THE SAME? A RESEARCH NOTE - Ernie Lightman, Andrew Mitchell, and Dean Herd
• FROM SELF-SUFFICIENCY TO PERSONAL AND FAMILY SUSTAINABILITY: A NEW PARADIGM FOR SOCIAL POLICY - Robert Leibson Hawkins
• AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF NEIGHBORHOOD CHOICES …

How Has The Violence Against Women Act Affected The Response Of The Criminal Justice System To Domestic Violence?, Hyunkag Cho, Dina J. Wilke

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study uses an interrupted time series design to examine the association between the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) and several different dimensions of the criminal justice system's involvement in violence against women. These include examining the domestic violence incidence rate, and rates of police notification, arrest, and judicial authorities' involvement. Data from the National Crime Victimization Survey from 1992 to 2003 is used. Results suggest that overall the incidence of domestic violence has decreased while police notification and perpetrator arrest have increased over time. Further, victim involvement with judicial authorities significantly increased after enactment of the VAWA. …

A Future For Everyone: Innovative Social Responsibility And Community Partnerships. David Maurrasse.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for David Maurrasse with Cynthia Jones (Eds.), A Future for Everyone: Innovative Social Responsibility and Community Partnerships. New York: Routledge, 2004. $21.95 paperback.

Quantifying Social Entities: An Historical-Sociological Critique, Julian Neylan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In formulating social policy the administrative arm of government relies heavily on number-based significations of knowledge, such as needs indicators and performance measures. Relying on numbers increases administrators' confidence in their decisions and shifts responsibility for error away from the decision-maker and towards the numbers. A close examination of the technology of social quantification reveals instability in many of the definitions and codes that needs analysts and program evaluators adopt when numerically inscribing social entities. To deal with these risks, bureaucracies must establish ways of explicitly assessing the uncertainty, imprecision and social construction that often lies behind the evidence presented …

Lone Mothers And Welfare-To-Work Policies In Japan And The United States: Towards An Alternative Perspective, Aya Ezawa, Chisa Fujiwara

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper compares recent efforts to reduce lone mothers' reliance on cash assistance and support their increased participation in the workforce and economic independence in Japan and the United States. Similar to reforms introduced in the U.S. in 1996, lone mother policies in Japan have been subject to a series of cuts leading to the introduction of time limits and work-related programs in 2002. In this paper, we examine the character of recent welfare reforms in both countries and their implications for lone mothers' welfare and economic independence. Based on Japan's experience and recent lessons from the U.S., we show …

Workfare In Toronto: More Of The Same?, Ernie Lightman, Andrew Mitchell, Dean Herd

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper uses a recent survey of welfare leavers in Toronto to examine Workfare, a uniquely American initiative introduced into Canada, with its different welfare state history and traditions. When classic American workfare was imported by an enthusiastic government in Ontario, its application led to employment outcomes remarkably similar to those in the US (reduced caseloads, insecure and contingent employment, high recidivism). Yet, Canada's earlier commitment to community and collective responsibility have not been entirely subsumed below the overarching American umbrella. Welfare programs in Canada-specifically, workfare-reflect both the difficulties of maintaining great difference, and also the possibilities of following an …

Language Barriers & Perceptions Of Bias: Ethnic Differences In Immigrant Encounters With The Welfare System, Philip Kretsedemas

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article demonstrates why research on immigrant language barriers should account for local variations in the way these barriers are experienced by different immigrant groups. It makes the argument that variations in language barriers experienced by immigrant groups are often reflective of differences in the local migration histories and socio-economic status of these groups. These themes are illustrated by discussing the findings of a comparative survey of welfare service barriers experienced by Haitian and Hispanic welfare clients in Miami-Dade county. Secondary data on South Florida migration patterns is also used to explain disparities in the bilingual fluency of welfare caseworkers, …

Review Of Handbook Of Social Work With Groups. Charles D. Garvin, Lorraine M. Gutierrez And Maeda J. Galinsky (Eds.). Reviewed By Steven Rose., Steven Rose

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Charles D. Garvin, Lorraine M. Gutierrez, and Maeda J. Galinsky (Eds.), Handbook of Social Work with Groups. New York: Guilford Publications, 2004. $70.00 hardcover.