Sociology Commons^™

Juvenile Delinquency And The Transition To Monopoly Capitalism, Kevin I. Minor

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper identifies three macrosociological forces (i.e., the social position of youth, private market relations, and poverty and inequality) that are crucial for understanding delinquency and analyzes how these forces evolved together as part of the historical transformation in the United States to monopoly capitalism. The thesis is that these forces have contributed to delinquency by acting collectively to decrease the capacity of social institutions to maintain informal social control. Implications for policy are also considered.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 20, No. 3 (September 1993)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

SPECIAL ISSUE: FOCUS ON FAMILY ISSUES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• FAMILY PRESERVATION: A PROFESSIONAL REFORM MOVEMENT - Marc Mannes
• DOUBLING UP: LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS SHELTERING THE HIDDEN HOMELESS - Edward F. Vacha and Marguerite V. Marin
• HOMELESSNESS: THE SERVICE PROVIDERS’ PERSPECTIVE ON BLAMING THE VICTIM - Elizabeth Tracy and Randy Stoecker
• WOMEN OFFENDERS INCARCERATED AT THE OHIO PENITENTIARY FOR MEN AND THE OHIO REFORMATORY FOR WOMEN FROM 1913-1923 - Rudolph Alexander, Jr., Lola Butler, and Patricia Sias
• UPPER MIDDLE CLASS SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA OF FAMILY ALLOWANCES - Beth Spenciner Rosenthal
• PUBLIC POLICY AND THE ENERGY NEEDS OF LOW INCOME FAMILIES …

Family Preservation: A Professional Reform Movement, Marc Mannes

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Family Preservation is examined as a manifestation of collective professional activity intent on reforming various aspects of the social welfare system. George Smelser's theoretical framework is used to analyze and interpret the emergence and development of the Family Preservation Movement. The article identifies societal problems which spawned the movement, the formation of a shared belief system, and the confirmation and sanctioning of those beliefs. Factors which mobilized increasing numbers of professionals to the cause, efforts which reflect collective action, and the conventionalization and standardization of the movement are discussed.

The Fifty Percent Divorce Rate: Deconstructing A Myth, Dennis L. Peck

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

An overview of competing perceptions about divorce in the United States establishes the basis for a discussion of the incidence of divorce, divorce rates, and the public myth of a 50 percent divorce rate. A partial explanation for the acceptance of this myth is offered through a discussion of the salience of attitude as well as other public issues.

Doubling Up: Low Income Households Sheltering The Hidden Homeless, Edward F. Vacha, Marguerite V. Marin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The costs and benefits of sheltering the homeless experienced by "informal shelter providers "-people who shelter their homeless friends and relatives-are investigated. The benefits of informal sheltering to the community are also examined. Informal shelter providers are among the most destitute in the community, and they are at great risk of becoming homeless themselves. The community receives considerable benefit from informal sheltering. The dependency of the community on the fragile system of informal shelter providers for prevention of homelessness indicates the inadequacy of present housing programs and the failure of our housing policies. Recommendations for preserving and nurturing the invisible …

Home Care Allowances For The Frail Elderly: For And Against, Jorma Sipila

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Arguments that have been presented for and against HCAs are considered below. The focus is on debates around traditionalist and feminist standpoints. Another central concern is to draw attention to the contextual boundaries of these debates; therefore we shall consider arguments both from the U.S. and Europe. Finland is presented as a special case, because this Scandinavian welfare state has an exceptionally extensive HCA programme.

Homelessness: The Service Providers' Perspective On Blaming The Victim, Elizabeth Tracy, Randy Stoecker

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Service providers who work with the homeless are frequently characterized as victim blamers. Eighteen service providers who work with homeless people were interviewed. The victim-blaming typification oversimplifies service providers' views on homelessness and of the individuals their programs serve. Service providers have a wholistic analysis of homelessness which encompasses both individual and systemic components.

Women Offenders Incarcerated At The Ohio Penitentiary For Men And The Ohio Reformatory For Women From 1913-1923, Rudolph Alexander, Jr., Lola Butler, Patricia Sias

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Unquestionably, women offenders have been subjected to discrimination by the criminal justice system. However, the quality and extent of the discrimination have been the subject of debate. Early male scholars wrote that women offenders were treated chivalrously and leniently. Later female scholars have disagreed and contended that under so-called chivalry women offenders were punished more severely, especially for sex crimes. World War I had a national influence on women imprisoned in reformatories for prostitution, as federal legislation was passed to suppress prostitution and related behaviors. This paper examines qualitative and quantitative data from 1913 to 1923, especially data on the …

Upper Middle Class Support For The Idea Of Family Allowances, Beth Spenciner Rosenthal

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

There is a newly arisen opportunity for reassessment and redirection of children's policy using non-ideological, pragmatic solutions. Middle class attitudes toward family allowances are crucial to the implementation of the proposed solutions. This paper presents preliminary data indicating that current middle class attitudes are favorable toward the idea of family allowances. Potential explanations of this phenomenon are presented along with policy implications.

Correlates Of Job Satisfaction Among Private Sector Employees In Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Al-Helelah

Masters Theses

The primary objectives of the present study were to explore the level of job satisfaction and commitment among private sector employees in Saudi Arabia, and to examine the relationship between job satisfaction and employees' commitment.

Seven alternative hypotheses were tested against seven null hypotheses. Chi-square (x^2) was the test statistic for all seven hypotheses. The critical value of chi-square was determined by the degrees of freedom (df) and an alpha level of.05. Three hypotheses were confirmed that related job satisfaction to employees' commitment, satisfaction with length of working hours, and satisfaction with opportunities for interaction with co-workers on the job. …

The Job Search Process In Michigan 1990-1991, Zhuoyan Gu

Dissertations

Two statewide general public surveys of non-retired adults conducted in March of 1990 and 1991 were analyzed to examine patterns of job search activity. Primary attention was placed on the 1991 survey. The core questions asked were about preferences for future job search media in terms of the respondents' past job seeking experiences . The general pattern observed was a movement away from the public state employment service towards "informal" contacts. There were, however, important differences in terms of the respondents' age, sex, education, occupation, and prior employment experiences.

The Impact Of Third Party Reimbursement On Occupational Therapy And Vision Rehabilitation Services: A Comparative Case Study, Tiehan Liu

Dissertations

This is a comparative case study of occupational therapy and vision rehabilitation services. The purpose of this study is to describe how environmental forces, especially third party reimbursement, shape occupational therapy in terms of organizational form, setting, procedure of services and documentation process. The study will further examine the current external and internal conditions under which vision rehabilitation professionals may develop third party payment, especially Medicare and Medicaid. Based on environment theories and the experience of occupational therapy, the potential impact of such reimbursement on vision rehabilitation services is discussed.

Three forms of data were used in this study: (1) …

Caring For Dementing And Nondementing Chronically Ill Elderly In Belgium: Modeling Salutogenic And Pathogenic Processes, Timothy John Gallagher

Dissertations

The predominant model in the study of stress and disease has been identified as the pathogenic orientation. The underlying assumption of this orientation is that stress is, by nature, disease causing. An alternative model is the salutogenic orientation (Antonovsky, 1979). Researchers using the salutogenic approach are concerned with explaining the origins of health. In the present study, a sample of Flemish caregivers {N = 126) to persons with chronic dementing and nondementing disorders is examined in order to detail how sense of coherence (a measure of personality disposition), the nature of patient pathology, demographic characteristics, coping resources, and perceived negative …

Offense Perceived, Appropriate Actions And Possible Solutions: A Research Of Censorship, Sharon K. Van Poolen

Masters Theses

Students at Western Michigan University were asked via a survey to read lyrics and indicate an offensiveness rating. Lyrics containing vulgar or sexual language or derogatory statements about religion received higher offensive ratings. Actions deemed acceptable in response to offensive lyrics include picketing and boycotting. Prevalent themes identified in the lyrics are antagonism toward religion, sexism and unhealthy sexual relations. Groups cited most frequently as potentially harmed by lyrics are children 5-12, adolescents and women. Respondents were questioned about participation in certain activities and what alternatives to direct censorship are acceptable. Most would prefer to be involved indirectly, for example, …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 20, No. 2 (June 1993)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DISASTERS: THE NAVAJO URANIUM EXPERIENCE - Susan E. Dawson
• VICTIMS OF TERRORISM: IS IT A "NON-ISSUE" - Uri Yanay
• THE IMPACT OF WORK HISTORY ON ECONOMIC SECURITY AT OLD AGE AMONG AFRICANS IN SOUTH AFRICA - Martha Tshitsi S. Mbatha
• REFORMULATION OF THE CONTEXT OF COMMUNITY BASED CARE - Phillip Fellin
• CHILD CARE NEEDS OF WELFARE RECIPIENTS IN MARYLAND'S WELFARE REFORM PROGRAM - Barbara H. Vann & Todd W. Rofuth
• PURCHASE OF SERVICE CONTRACTING IN THE 1990'S: HAVE EXPECTATIONS BEEN MET? - Peter M. Kettner & Lawrence L. Martin
• CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL …

Language Abilities Of Male Adolescents In A Juvenile Detention Center, Krista J. Klein

Masters Theses

This study was designed to analyze the language abilities of male adolescents with delinquent behavior. It was based on the hypothesis that male adolescents with delinquent behavior would have lower language skills during expressive language tasks. Language skills of male adolescents in a juvenile detention center were examined by comparing 12 grammatical variables, four subtest scores, and one total score from the Screening Test for Adolescent Language (STAL; Prather, Ausdal-Breecher, Stafford & Wallace, 1980). Results indicated that the adolescents with delinquent behavior omitted significantly more words, but also produced significantly more secondary verbs in a narration task. Significantly lower results …

Aggressive Dating Behavior Among College Students, Felicia D. Flowers

Masters Theses

Past studies have revealed that people with traditional gender role views are often involved in dating violence. This study examines both male and female athletes and non-athletes in terms of traditional gender role views and dating violence. Athletes and non-athletes are an important focus because literature is virtually silent on these two populations in terms of dating violence. The researcher surveyed 188 undergraduate students attending Western Michigan University on their attitudes and experiences concerning gender role views, athletic involvement, and history of dating violence, respectively. The results indicate that gender role views and athletic participation appeared to have no significant …

Correlates And Infant Mortality: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Among Black Women In The United States, Paulette Aubrey

Masters Theses

Often referred to as "cot death" or "crib death," sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the single leading cause of infant death in infants aged 28 days to 1 year of life. Although the exact etiology of SIDS remains unknown, epidemiological studies have identified risk factors associated with higher rates of SIDS. In this study, the relationship between sudden infant death syndrome and maternal education among black women who gave birth in the United States during 1983 was examined.

The population for this study consisted of black infants who were born in 1983 and died before their first birthday. Among …

Lounge Chair Criteria For The Elderly, Edna M. I. Bosco

Masters Theses

This study investigated relationships between lounge chair design, functional positioning and comfort for the elderly. Thirty-five elderly residents from two local congregate living residences were assessed utilizing lounge chairs located at the residence. Measurements of the chairs were taken, coded and compared to specific norms established by Harris and Mayfield (1983b). Measurements consisted of armrest dimensions, seat depth and height, seat slope, and backrest dimensions. Each chair was scored based on the number of recommended standards for comfort met in the Harris and Mayfield research (1983b).

Frequency counts were taken and descriptive data collected and analyzed to determine relationships between …

Theory And The Generation And Subversion Of Knowledge, Dennis Saleebey

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This essay is an argument for the refurbishing of theoretical thinking in social work. In particular, the author calls for the infusion of generative as opposed to normative theory in the profession. Only generative theory has been proven to invigorate the thinking and doing of professional social workers.

Beyond An Underclass: An Essay On Up-Front Politics, Paula L. Dressel, Jeff Porterfield

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Debate about underclass conceptualization has once again forced sociologists to acknowledge the political context and implications of our work. This article extends the critical examination of underclass conceptualization to relatively undeveloped but politically important areas of concern. Initially we discuss the political economic context of conceptual controversies surrounding poverty. With a preference for structural analysis, we call for the return of class to economically marginalized people and suggest how that goal might be enhanced by a focus on relations of distribution as well as production. Valuing subjects' vantage points, we recommend how sociologists' work can return agency and diversity to …

Race, Gender, Occupational Status, And Income In County Human Service Employment, R.L. Mcneely, Jerome L. Blakemore, Robert O. Washington

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Data obtained from more than 1,900 public welfare workers employed in five regions of the country were examined to compare occupational status and earnings by race and gender. The study group was stratified so that respondents' educational attainment and job seniority levels could be taken into account. Findings indicate the presence of significant sex and race-linked differences.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 20, No. 1 (March 1993)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• THEORY AND THE GENERATION AND SUBVERSION OF KNOWLEDGE - Dennis Saleebey
• BEYOND AN UNDERCLASS: AN ESSAY ON UP-FRONT POLITICS - Paula L. Dressel and Jeff Porterfield
• RACE, GENDER, OCCUPATIONAL STATUS, AND INCOME IN COUNTY HUMAN SERVICE EMPLOYMENT - R.L. McNeely, Jerome L. Blakemore, and Robert 0. Washington
• FROM WELFARE TO WORK: DOES IT MAKE SENSE? - Ann E. Kerlin
• CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES AND NON-WELFARE FAMILIES - Kimberly A. Folse
• FOCUS GROUPS, PROGRAM EVALUATION, AND THE POOR - Robert S. Magill
• INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS OR WELFARE CLIENTS: THE SELECTION OF A MASTER STATUS FOR INDOCHINESE REFUGEES BY AMERICAN VOLUNTARY …

The Construction Of The Right To Development: The United Nations, Human Rights, And Economic Development, Nader Izzat Said

Dissertations

The origins of human rights are of interest to social scientists. This study focuses on the construction process of the right to development as related to the UN. The emphasis is on the claims-making processes surrounding the creation of the right to development. To understand these processes, a theoretical framework has been developed. This framework combines interactionism, collective-behavior approaches, a dialectical theory of law-creation, and a capitalist world-economy theory. It is expected that this theoretical framework will explain the specific, organizational, and structural processes that led to the creation of the right to development.

Data for this study came from …

Entrepreneurial Activities Of Homeless Men, Steven Balkin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Encouraging and assisting homeless people to become self-employed provides a way for some of them to increase their incomes, and may help close the gap between the cost of housing and labor market earnings. A survey of operators of homeless shelters was conducted to determine the types of work activities that adult homeless men participate in. Self-employment was found to be a common activity for a substantial proportion of adult homeless men; and a preferred mode of employment for many. Advantages and disadvantages of such an approach are discussed. Several program models are described which can be used to enhance …

Acting On Their Own Behalf: Affiliation And Political Mobilization Among Homeless People, Marcia B. Cohen, David Wagner

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Homeless people have been portrayed in the literature as passive, isolated, and unable to act on their own behalf. The authors discuss the findings of an ethnographic study of homeless activists which challenge the stereotypical view of homeless people as disaffiliated and disempowered. Collective social action was found to have a long term impact on access to material resources, development of social networks, and construction of positive homeless identity.

Poverty, Homelessness, And Racial Exclusion, John R. Belcher

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article reviews the societal forces that have made homelessness the end result of racial exclusion and inner city isolation. It is argued that significant societal change is necessary to reduce racial exclusion and prevent homelessness.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 19, No. 4 (December 1992)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

SPECIAL ISSUE ON HOMELESSNESS - Edited by Padmini Gulati

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• EDITORIAL - Padmini Gulati
• HOMELESSNESS IN PHILADELPHIA: A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF STATE WELFARE REFORM ON INDIVIDUALS - Anthony Halter
• ACTING ON THEIR OWN BEHALF: AFFILIATION AND POLITICAL MOBILIZATION AMONG HOMELESS PEOPLE - Marcia B. Cohen and David Wagner
• POVERTY, HOMELESSNESS AND RACIAL EXCLUSION - John Belcher
• ABSENCE OF A FAMILY SAFETY NET FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES - Kay Young McChesney
• FIVE-YEAR COHORT STUDY OF HOMELESS FAMILIES: A JOINT POLICY RESEARCH VENTURE - John Stretch and Larry W. Kreuger
• WOMEN AND HOMELESSNESS: THE NEED TO LOOK BEYOND SHELTERS …

Absence Of A Family Safety Net For Homeless Families, Kay Young Mcchesney

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Analysis of data from interviews of 80 mothers in five shelters for homeless families suggests that the availability of housing support from kin may be a selection mechanism determining which families become homeless. The availability of kin housing support is seen as a function of four factors: family structure, proximity, control of adequate housing resources, and estrangement. Policy implications are discussed

Five Year Cohort Study Of Homeless Families: A Joint Policy Research Venture, John J. Stretch, Larry W. Kreuger

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Over the past ten years there have been significant investments in families uprooted by homelessness, but no data which clearly delineated what types of families had been helped, and how long help may have sustained them. Reported are preliminary data on 875 families who resided in a 60 day family shelter from 1983 through 1987. Field interviews in 1989 with 201 of those families provide data on residential history, employment, familial and demographic changes, service needs and additional homeless episodes. Policy questions focus on current residential stability and community reintegration.