Social Welfare Commons^™

Stability Without Support: Kinship Care And The Reproduction Of Inequality In Child Protection, Kiera Fischer

Senior Seminars and Capstones

This project examines child protection outcomes in Minnesota through a structural and inequality focused lens, analyzing how poverty, housing instability, racism, and system overlap shape family involvement with Child Protective Services (CPS). This literature review draws from sociology, anthropology, social work, and child welfare research, to examine how child protection systems disproportionately surveil and penalize low-income families and families of color, often framing structural disadvantage as an individual parental failure rather than a systemic or institutional issue. I specifically consider placement outcomes following child removal, with particular attention to differences between kinship care and non-relative foster care. Kinship placements are …

Hb 1938: Ending Prison Privatization In Tennessee, Skyler J. Duplessis, Xavier Tharpe-Patton, Josie Lerer, Carley Wood

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The term recidivism refers to the tendency of an individual convicted of a crime to reoffend after release. A growing body of research has found that individuals incarcerated in privately operated correctional facilities often demonstrate higher rates of recidivism compared to those held in publicly managed prisons. Scholars suggest that differences in access to rehabilitative programming, staffing patterns, and institutional resources may contribute to these disparities. Critics argue that cost-containment priorities unique to for-profit correction can conflict with investment in education, treatment, and reentry preparation -factors consistently linked in the literature to reduced reoffending and improved community reintegration. This is …

Brokerage Competition In Demographically Differing Neighborhoods: A 25-City Study, Jason Beck

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

The Death Penalty & State Executions In The Mountain West, 1976 - 2024, Mia Tschan, Sydney Mitchell, Yiselle Olivas Ruiz, Dre Boyd-Weatherly, Olivia K. Cheche, Kristian Thymianos, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Criminal Justice

This fact sheet presents 1976-2024 data on the death penalty and state executions in the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. The Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC) report, “State Execution Rates,” includes data on the 36 states that have conducted state executions and the 38 states, federal government, and military institutions that imposed the death penalty between 1976 and 2024. This fact sheet focuses on cumulative executions, executions per capita, and executions per death sentence in each Mountain West state.

Pastoral Listening Skills Training In The Black Baptist Church: Equipping Clergy To Better Support Congregants, Regina Pair Allen

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

This study engages a historical survey of qualitative studies of perspectives of Black pastors regarding pastoral care, examining various avenues for training in pastoral listening and the role of ministers as theological clinicians in supporting church ministries and community needs. The findings highlight the ongoing need for professional development among pastors as primary educators and theological clinicians. The study underscores the importance of equipping Black Baptist pastors to address the clinical pastoral needs of African American congregants. The significance to this field of study is providing Black Baptist clergy with practical skills and tools, grounded in theological principles, to better …

Nh Ece Research Consortium 2025 Activity Timeline, Jess Carson, Evan England

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

The New Hampshire Early Care and Education (NH ECE) Research Consortium is a network of researchers and research users committed to strengthening the state's ECE landscape through the use of data. Discover what Consortium staff accomplished throughout 2025 in this 2025 Activity Timeline.

Status Of New Hampshire Public School-Affiliated Preschool Programs: 2024-2025 School Year Infographic, Tyrus Parker, Kamala Nasirova, Jess Carson

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

This infographic describes findings from the second annual census of New Hampshire elementary schools conducted by the Carsey School of Public Policy to identify preschool programs implemented by school districts. These data reflect the 2024-2025 school year.

Nh Ece Data Collection Efforts Running Inventory, Jess Carson, Evan England, Tyrus Parker

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

Updated April 2026!

The NH ECE Research Consortium maintains an inventory of current and complete NH ECE-relevant data collection efforts. Included are surveys, interviews, focus groups, needs assessments, and other ways people in the field collect information. The inventory strengthens public access for data users, improves awareness and coordination among researchers, and minimizes duplication.

April 2026 Nh Ece Research Consortium Newsletter, Evan England, Jess Carson, Harshita Sarup

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

The April 2026 NH ECE Research Consortium Newsletter includes a registration link for the 2026 Consortium Convening coming in May. Also find the latest data, research publications, Consortium resources, upcoming events, opportunities, and more.

Nh Ece Research Consortium Data Technical Assistance, Jess Carson

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

The New Hampshire Early Care and Education (NH ECE) Research Consortium helps community partners access and interpret data to support funding, business, and planning decisions. This resource outlines the variety of data available.

Nh Ece Data Collection Inventory Overview, Jess Carson, Evan England, Tyrus Parker

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

The NH ECE Research Consortium maintains an inventory of current and complete NH ECE-relevant data collection efforts to strengthen public access for data users, improve awareness and coordination among researchers, and minimize duplication. Check out this graphic that describes what the data collection inventory is and how you can use it.

Nh Ece Research Consortium Member Information, Evan England, Jess Carson

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

NH ECE Research Consortium membership is open to individuals and organizations with relevant expertise that aligns with the purpose of the Consortium, including the advancement of knowledge to support early care and education in NH. This document describes the benefits of membership, what it means to be a member, and the role of the Carsey School.

Review Of Reinventing Food Banks And Pantries: New Tools To End Hunger, 2021, By Katie S. Martin, Washington, Dc: Island Press. Paper, 253 Pages., Thomas Hansen

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Review of book which makes recommendations on setting up and conducting successful food pantries and food banks to help persons suffering from food insecurity issues.

Protection Vs. Progression: A Macroeconomic Approach To Military Expenditure Direct Effects On Social Outcomes Using Ihdi Measures, Connor Graham

Global Tides

This study examines whether military expenditure reduces inequality-adjusted human development and how national governance quality moderates these effects. Using panel data covering 121 countries from 2010-2023, two-way fixed effects models are employed to estimate the relationship between military spending and the Inequality-Adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI). Three key findings emerge from the analysis based on the resulting data. First, a one percentage point increase in military spending reduces IHDI by 0.0012-0.0015 points. Second, the effects prove seven times larger in developed countries than in developing ones, which runs contrary to expectations and prior literature. Lastly, political stability emerged as a …

Restricting Academic Dishonesty At A Japanese University, Joel Weinberg

Japanese Society and Culture

This research explores three approaches to handling academic dishonesty: punitive, preventive, and positive. First, the history of cheating and the punitive approach is briefly discussed. Next, research results of a preventive approach that was used at a Japanese university are given. During this research, three surveys were conducted to gauge students’ opinions about cheating, to account for the methods, and to measure the prevalence of cheating on post-reading quizzes. The survey results show that at least eleven types of cheating on post-reading quizzes were used and that non-cheating students were concerned about this issue. As a result of the surveys, …

Healthcare Decision-Making In An Ageing Society: Legal, Policy, And Ethical Challenges In Japan, Yukio Sakurai

Japanese Society and Culture

This paper examines the evolving landscape of healthcare decision-making in Japan’s rapidly ageing society, with a focus on the legal, policy, and ethical challenges it entails. It analyzes the limitations of the adult guardianship system, the risks associated with family-dependent decision-making, and the underutilization of advance care planning (ACP). The study further considers how demographic shifts, advances in medical technology, and socio-legal inertia affect end-of-life care, particularly for individuals with diminished capacity. A central theme is the inherent ethical dilemma in balancing individual autonomy with Japan's cultural context, where explicit self-assertion can be challenging, especially for older adults. Cultural dimensions …

Institutional Transitions In The Employment Of Foreign Workers In Japan’S Agriculture And Food Manufacturing: From Technical Intern Training To Employment For Skill Development And Specified Skilled Worker In Comparison With The Uk, Tomoyuki Kuwaharada

Japanese Society and Culture

This paper investigates the institutional transition in Japan’s acceptance of foreign workers in the agriculture and food manufacturing sectors, focusing on the restructuring of entry-stage training schemes and their linkage to skill-based employment. In particular, it traces the shift from the Technical Intern Training Programme (TITP) to the Employment for Skill Development (ESD) Programme as the primary entry route, and examines how these institutional changes are embedded within the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) framework.

Drawing upon official statistics from 2012 to 2024 and sector-specific case studies, the analysis demonstrates that the introduction of the SSW status in 2019 marked a …

A Consideration Of Food In A Diversity Society, Masayo Morofushi

Japanese Society and Culture

In recent years, the number of foreign visitors such as tourists and businesspeople, and the number of foreign residents such as workers and international students, have been steadily increasing in Japan. However, the decrease in the number of foreign residents in Japan is relatively small compared to the number of foreign visitors to Japan, due to travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regarding restaurants, Japan has experienced diversity, progress, and cross-cultural understanding; however, these changes have been stagnant due to a decrease in the number of foreign visitors to Japan during the pandemic. Many natural disasters have recently occurred, and …

Exploring The Definition Of Child Poverty : For Consideration Of Legal Policy, Kazuko Ikeya, Fumie Adachi, Kazutoshi Imade

Japanese Society and Culture

We explore the definition of child poverty for consideration of legal policy.

Survey of the actual situation in local governments and private organizations concerning child poverty.

① Some parents don’t know how to prioritize their spending, and there are cases where parents don’t provide for their children.

② This cannot be addressed only with financial investment.

It is inappropriate to define child poverty only by low household income. It should also be

defined as whether children are being provided for through their development.

U.S. Foreign Aid’S Effects On Un Voting Patterns From Years 2017-2023, Brody Young

Undergraduate Theses

This is a study of the relationship between U.S. Foreign Aid and its effects on a receiving nation’s voting coincidence, with voting coincidence measuring how often a nation votes the same as the U.S. in the UN General Assembly. In this study the dependent variable is voting coincidence in the UN General Assembly. The primary independent variable is the average amount of foreign aid UN nations have received from the U.S. in 2017-2023. With several other more minor independent variables including average GDP of nations from 2017-2023, the average population of a nation from 2017-2023, whether a nation is a …