Social Work Commons^™

Review Of Tramps, Unfit Mothers And Neglected Children: Negotiating The Family In Late Nineteenth Century Philadelphia. Sherri Broder. Reviewed By Leslie Leighninger., Leslie Leighninger

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Sherri Broder, Tramps, Unfit Mothers and Neglected Children: Negotiating the Family in Late Nineteenth Century Philadelphia. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002. $39.95 hardcover.

Strangers And Kin: The American Way Of Adoption. Barbara Melosh.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Barbara Melosh, Strangers and Kin: The American Way of Adoption. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2002. $29.95 hardcover.

The Distributional Aspects Of Social Security And Social Security Reform. Martin B. Feldstein And Jeffrey B. Liebman (Eds.).

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Martin B. Feldstein and Jeffrey B. Liebman (Eds.), The Distributional Aspects of Social Security and Social Security Reform. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2002. $40.00 hardcover.

Indicators For Safe Family Reunification: How Professionals Differ, Brad R. Karoll, John Poertner

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Many professionals who work with substance-affected families consider the time limits prescribed by the Adoption and Safe Families Act (1997) to be unrealistically short. The high prevalence of substance use in child welfare cases requires professionals to quickly determine when it is safe to reunify children placed because of abuse or neglect in concert with this serious family problem. This exploratory study identified similarities and differences on different indicators of safe reunification between judges who hear juvenile cases, private agency child welfare caseworkers, and substance abuse counselors. The study examined these professionals' rating of the importance of each indicator. Judges, …

Review Of Colored White: Transcending The Racial Past. David R. Roediger. Reviewed By Kurt C. Organista, Kurt C. Organista

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of David R. Roediger, Colored White: Transcending the Racial past. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2002. $29.95 hardcover.

Generational Equity, Generational Interdependence, And The Framing Of The Debate Over Social Security Reform, John B. Williamson, Tay K. Mcnamara, Stephanie A. Howling

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article analyzes the differences between the generational equity and generational interdependence conceptual packages used to frame arguments in the debate over policies such as Social Security reform. It begins with a history of the generational equity debate. This is followed by an analysis of the assumptions, values, and beliefs that inform each of these two ideological frames. It presents an analysis of why the generational equity frame has dominated the debate and highlights some of the limitations of this perspective.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 30, No. 3 (September 2003)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• GENERATIONAL EQUITY, GENERATIONAL INTERDEPENDENCE, AND THE FRAMING OF
• THE DEBATE OVER SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM - John B. Williamson, Tay K. McNamara, & Stephanie A. Howling
• THE CULTURE OF RACE, CLASS, AND POVERTY: THE EMERGENCE OF A CULTURAL DISCOURSE IN EARLY COLD WAR SOCIAL WORK (1946-1963) - Laura Curran
• THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF WELFARE REFORM IN DRUG-USING WELFARE-NEEDY HOUSEHOLDS IN INNER-CITY NEW YORK - Eloise Dunlap, Andrew Golub, & Bruce D. Johnson
• SERVING THE "HARD-TO-SERVE": THE USE OF CLINICAL KNOWLEDGE IN WELFARE REFORM - Rufina Lee & Laura Curran
• PREVALENCE OF CHILD WELFARE SERVICES INVOLVEMENT AMONG HOMELESS AND …

The Lived Experience Of Welfare Reform In Drug-Using Welfare-Needy Households In Inner-City New York, Eloise Dunlap, Andrew Golub, Bruce D. Johnson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Welfare reform has transformed a needs-based family income support into temporary assistance for persons entering the workforce. This paper uses observations from an ethnographic study covering the period from 1995- 2001 to examine the impact on drug-using welfare-needy households in inner-city New York. The analysis suggests that studies may underestimate the extent to which substance use is associated with welfare problems. Nearly all of these already distressed households lost their AFDC/TANF benefits, had difficulty with work programs, and were having more difficulty covering expenses. The conclusion highlights ways to better study this population and policy initiatives that could help them …

Serving The "Hard-To-Serve": The Use Of Clinical Knowledge In Welfare Reform, Rufina Lee, Laura Curran

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This critical analysis of recent research and evaluations of welfare reform efforts describes how states have increasingly drawn on clinical knowledge in their efforts to move "hard-to-serve" recipients into the labor force. It argues that a clinical perspective is helpful as it brings attention to the mental health needs of low-income women. At the same time, however, this article suggests that states' use of a clinical framework is problematic in so far as it based on limited knowledge, dampens a broad discussion of the relationship between poverty and mental health, contributes to policy ambiguity, and increases recipient oversight.

Prevalence Of Child Welfare Services Involvement Among Homeless And Low-Income Mothers: A Five-Year Birth Cohort Study, Jennifer F. Culhane, David Webb, Susan Grim, Stephen Metraux, Dennis Culhane

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper investigates the five-year prevalence of child welfare services involvement and foster care placement among a population-based cohort of births in a large US city, by housing status of the mothers (mothers who have been homeless at least once, other low-income neighborhood residents, and all others), and by number of children. Children of mothers with at least one homeless episode have the greatest rate of involvement with child welfare services (37%),followed by other low-income residents (9.2%), and all others (4.0%). Involvement rates increase with number of children for all housing categories, with rates highest among women with four or …

Spousal Abuse: Vietnamese Children's Reports Of Parental Violence, Yoko Baba, Susan B. Murray

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This exploratory study used mailed questionnaires completed by 131 Vietnamese students to examine domestic violence patterns in parents' marital relationships. Research objectives included: (1) gaining an understanding of spousal abuse among Vietnamese couples; and (2) assessing which variables (demographic characteristics, decision-making power, and cultural adaptation, beliefs in traditional gender roles, and conflicts in the family) are correlated with spousal abuse. Findings suggest that although both parents used reasoning, mental abuse and physical abuse in their marital relationships, Vietnamese fathers were more likely to be physically abusive than mothers. Additional variables associated with family conflicts are also examined. Research implications and …

The Social Problem Of Depression: A Multi-Theoretical Analysis, Rich Furman, Kimberly Bender

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the social problem of depression from a multi-theoretical perspective. It explores depression through the lens of two psychologically based theories of human behavior, existential theory and cognitive theory, as well as through the vehicle of two sociological theories, Marxist theory and the theory of oppression. By understanding how each of these theories explains depression, social workers may be helped to see the complexity of treating the problem. It is the belief of the authors that social work literature, which is often dominated by reductionist, quantitativelybased research studies, has increasingly ignored theoretical explorations …

Review Of Emotionally Involved: The Impact Of Researching Rape. Rebecca Campbell. Reviewed By Laura S. Abrams., Laura S. Abrams

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Rebecca Campbell, Emotionally Involved: The Impact of Researching Rape. New York: Routledge, 2002. $21.95 papercover.

Review Of Sociology Of Religion: Contemporary Developments. Kevin J. Christiano, William H. Swatos Jr. And Peter Kivisto. Reviewed By Ram A. Cnaan., Ram A. Cnaan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Kevin J. Christiano, William H. Swatos Jr. and Peter Kivisto, Sociology of Religion: Contemporary Developments. Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press, 2002. $44.95 papercover.

Review Of The Making Of The Chinese Industrial Workplace: State, Revolution And Labor Management. Mark W. Frazier. Reviewed By M. K. Lee., M. K. Lee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Mark W. Frazier, The Making of the Chinese Industrial Workplace: State, Revolution and Labor Management. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002. $60.00 hardcover.

Drug Courts In Theory And Practice. James L. Nolan Jr. (Ed.).

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for James L. Nolan Jr. (Ed.), Drug Courts in Theory and Practice. Hawthorne, NY: Aldyne de Gruyter. $51.95 hardcover, $25.95 papercover.

Fatherhood Arrested: Parenting From Within The Juvenile Justice System. Ann M. Nurse.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for

Prostitution Policy: Revolutionizing Practice Through A Gendered Perspective. Lenore Kuo.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Lenore Kuo, Prostitution Policy: Revolutionizing Practice through a Gendered Perspective. New York: New York University Press, 2002. $40.00 hardcover.

Practicing Sociology: Selected Fields. Robert A. Dentler.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Robert A. Dentler, Practicing Sociology: Selected Fields. Westport, CT: Praegar, 2002. $22.95 papercover.

Review Of Diminishing Welfare: A Cross National Study Of Social Provision. Gertrude Schaffner Goldberg And Marguerite Rosenthal (Eds.). Reviewed By Charles Guzzetta., Charles Guzzetta

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Gertrude Schaffner Goldberg and Marguerite Rosenthal (Eds.), Diminishing Welfare: A Cross National Study of Social Provision. Westport, CT: Auburn House, 2002. $28.00 paperback.

Children As Pawns: The Politics Of Educational Reform. Timothy A. Hacsi.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Timothy A. Hacsi, Children as Pawns: The Politics of Educational Reform. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2002. $39.95 hardcover.

Council On Social Work Education: Its Antecendents And First Twenty Years. Katherine Kendall.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book note for Katherine Kendall, Council on Social Work Education: Its Antecendents and First Twenty Years. Alexandria, VA: Council on Social Work Education. $23.95 papercover.

Linking Welfare Clients To Jobs: Discretionary Use Of Worker Social Capital, Michelle Livermore, Alison Neustrom

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The overarching theme of the 1996 welfare reform law was to move clients from dependency to self-sufficiency by facilitating their entry into the labor market. While numerous mechanisms were used to do this, this study explores discretionary actions taken by workers to help clients find jobs, namely, tapping into their own social capital. Respondents in one urban and one rural county in a southern state reported using their own social capital to get information regarding job openings and to exert influence to get clients hired. Notably, respondents at all levels of the bureaucracy expected this behavior to occur. Both the …

What's Need Got To Do With It? Barriers To Use Of Nonprofit Social Services, Rebecca Joyce Kissane

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In recent years, legislators have called upon private nonprofit and proprietary organizations to assume a larger role in provision of public benefits to poor persons. Little research, however, has examined poor people's willingness to use nonprofit agencies in lieu of public welfare. This analysis draws data from over 2 years of fieldwork and in-depth interviews with twenty poor women in Philadelphia. I demonstrate that decisions to use nonprofits are contingent upon stigma, information, practical predicaments (e.g., agency hours), and perceived need. I explore the implications of these impediments in a post-welfare reform landscape, while focusing on how decisions to use …

Review Of Creating Fear: News And The Construction Of A Crisis. David L. Altheide. Reviewed By Allan Brawley., Allan Brawley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of David L. Altheide, Creating Fear: News and the Construction of a Crisis. Hawthorne, NY: Aldine de Gruyter, 2002. $26.95 papercover.

The Mommy Track: The Consequences Of Gender Ideology And Aspirations On Age At First Motherhood, Jennifer Stewart

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

While there is extensive and compelling evidence that growing up in an impoverished background leads to early fertility, few studies explain why early socioeconomic disadvantage leads to early childbearing. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, I test whether gender ideology, as well as educational and occupational aspirations, mediates the connection between poverty and teen fertility patterns. Traditional gender ideology depresses age at first motherhood. Adolescent aspirations appear to act as protective factors in the production of early pregnancy.

Changing Women: An Ethnographic Study Of Homeless Mothers And Popular Education, Lorna Rivera

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article discusses ethnographic research conducted between 1995 and 1998 that studied the impact of popular education on the lives of fifty homeless and formerly homeless mothers. Data collection involved indepth interviews and participant observation in a family shelter located in one of Boston's poorest neighborhoods. The article argues that popular education increased the women's self-esteem, they were inspired to help other low-income women, they learned to advocate for their rights and they became more involved in their children's education. The findings suggest that popular education can best address the academic, personal, and community goals of very poor women.

The Settlement House Tradition: Current Trends And Future Concerns, Beverly Koerin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The settlement tradition represents a comprehensive approach that "strengthens individual and neighborhood assets, and builds collective capacity to address community problems" (Hirota, Brown, & Martin, 1996, p. i). While there is a rich literature on the history of the settlement movement, there is little information about contemporary settlement houses. This paper reports findings of a national survey of settlement houses/neighborhood centers that provide information about programs and services offered, populations served, unmet community needs, and policies or trends that contribute to or respond to these needs.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 30, No. 2 (June 2003)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• THE MOMMY TRACK: THE CONSEQUENCES OF GENDER IDEOLOGY AND ASPIRATIONS ON AGE AT FIRST MOTHERHOOD - Jennifer Stewart
• CHANGING WOMEN: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF HOMELESS MOTHERS AND POPULAR EDUCATION - Lorna Rivera
• THE SETTLEMENT HOUSE TRADITION: CURRENT TRENDS AND FUTURE CONCERNS - Beverly Koerin
• THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS IN A NEW FOSTER PLACEMENT: PSYCHOSOCIAL ADJUSTMENT,
• PARENTAL CONTACT AND PLACEMENT DISRUPTION - James G. Barber & Paul H. Delfabbro
• LINKING WELFARE CLIENTS TO JOBS: DISCRETIONARY USE OF WORKER SOCIAL CAPITAL - Michelle Livermore & Alison Neustrom
• HEAD START, OTHER PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS, & LIFE SUCCESS IN A YOUTH COHORT …

The First Four Months In A New Foster Placement: Psychosocial Adjustment, Parental Contact And Placement Disruption, James G. Barber, Paul H. Delfabbro

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Intake and four-month follow-up measures were obtained for 235 children referred into a new foster care placement over a 12-month period in the Australian State of South Australia. Twenty-five percent of the sample returned home within 4-months, and for those who remained in care throughout, there had been modest gains in behavior, psychological adjustment and adjustment at school. On the other hand, there were considerable levels of placement disruption, a high degree of non-compliance with parental visiting plans, and a high proportion of children fell outside ninety-five percent confidence intervals for the general adolescent population on most well-being measures, particularly …