Social Work Commons^™

Relationship-Based Justice For Gender Responsive Specialty Courts, Margaret H. Lloyd

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Family drug courts (FDCs) have existed in the U.S. since 1994. Since that time, dozens of studies have found evidence that FDCs improve child welfare outcomes compared to traditional dependency courts. The level of sophistication of this research has stalled, however, arguably because the theoretical foundations of the approach are underdeveloped. The social psychological theory of procedural justice can predict and explain outcomes in treatment courts better than therapeutic jurisprudence. However, in light of evidence suggesting that gender impacts treatment court outcomes, procedural justice alone falls short as the mechanism of change in family drug courts, because women constitute the …

Race–Gender Differences In The Impact Of History Of Heavy Drinking On Current Alcohol Consumption During The Transition To Adulthood, C. André Christie-Mizell, Whitney Laster Pirtle, Benjamin D. Tyndall, David M. Merolla Phd

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

American youth transitioning to adulthood consume more alcohol than in any other period of the life course. This high level of consumption can result in serious consequences, including lost productivity, death and disability, sexual assault, and addiction. Nevertheless, relatively little is known, especially by race and gender, about how prior history of heavy drinking (e.g., in late adolescence) impacts drinking in young adulthood. Utilizing data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1994-2004) for African Americans, Latinos, and Whites (N = 2,300), we found that Whites and Latinos drink more than African Americans, and men report drinking more than women. …

Review Of Reconciling Work And Poverty Reduction: How Successful Are European Welfare States? Bea Cantillon And Franz Vandenbroucke (Eds.), And Activation Or Workfare? Governance And The Neo-Liberal Convergence. Ivar Lødemel And Amilcar Moreira (Eds.). Reviewed By James Midgley, James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Bea Cantillon and Franz Vandenbroucke (Eds.), Reconciling Work and Poverty Reduction: How Successful are European Welfare States? Oxford University Press (2014), 464 pages, $40.00 (hardcover). Ivar Lødemel and Amilcar Moreira (Eds.),

Activation or Workfare? Governance and the Neo-liberal Convergence. Oxford University Press (2014), 384 pages, $59.99 (hardcover).

Review Of All I Want Is A Job: Unemployed Women Navigating The Public Workforce System. Mary Gatta. Reviewed By Joyce Bialik., Joyce Bialik

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Mary Gatta, All I Want is a Job: Unemployed Women Navigating the Public Workforce System. Stanford University Press (2014), 168 pages, $19.95 (paperback).

Review Of The Power Of The Past: Understanding Cross-Class Marriages. Jessi Streib. Reviewed By Mary Ann Kanieski, Mary Ann Kanieski

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Jessi Streib, The Power of the Past: Understanding Cross-Class Marriages. Oxford University Press (2015), 290 pages, $24.95 (paperback).

Review Of Failure To Flourish: How Law Undermines Family Relationships. Clare Huntington. Reviewed By Mark E. Courtney, Mark Courtney

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Clare Huntington, Failure to Flourish: How Law Undermines Family Relationships. Oxford University Press (2014), 352 pages, $45.00 (hardcover).

Review Of Can’T Catch A Break: Gender, Jail, Drugs, And The Limits Of Personal Responsibility. Susan Starr Sered And Maureen Norton-Hawk. Reviewed By Brandy Henry, Brandy Henry

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Susan Starr Sered and Maureen Norton-Hawk, Can’t Catch a Break: Gender, Jail, Drugs, and the Limits of Personal Responsibility. University of California Press (2014), 216 pages, $29.95 (paperback).

Review Of Ghettoside: A True Story Of Murder In America. Jill Leovy. Reviewed By John Decarlo., John Decarlo

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Jill Leovy, Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America. Spiegel & Grau (2015), 386 pages, $28.00 (hardcover).

Is Community-Based Work Compatible With Data Collection?, John W. Murphy, Berkeley A. Franz, Karen A. Callaghan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Although community-based projects have introduced a successful model for addressing many social problems, less consideration has been given to how such projects should be evaluated. This paper considers whether the philosophy underlying community-based practice is compatible with data collection. Specifically at issue is whether empirical indicators are helpful to summarize a project. Although having valid knowledge is important, this paper makes a distinction between merely collecting data versus understanding the course of a project. The key point is that community participation requires a unique perspective on how knowledge is negotiated and interpreted.

Impact Of Community Investment In Safety Net Services On Rates Of Unsheltered Homelessness Among Veterans, Ann Elizabeth Montgomery, Jamison Fargo, Thomas H. Byrne

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Unsheltered homelessness among veterans has declined rapidly since 2009; however, more than one-third of veterans experiencing homelessness stayed in places not meant for human habitation during 2014. Research has identified a negative relationship between federal spending on the social safety net and community level rates of homelessness, but not specifically for veterans. The present study assessed whether investment in veteran-specific safety net resources predicted changes in the rate of unsheltered veteran homelessness. Increases in Veterans Affairs (VA) medical care expenditures were significantly associated with a decline in unsheltered veteran homelessness, perhaps explained by additional VA resources aimed at identifying and …

Ebb And Flow: A Multiple Streams Analysis Of Change In Kansas Domestic Violence Policy, Emily Bell-Sepulveda, Juliana Carlson, Sara Rust-Martin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

State domestic violence legislative interventions shape the way states define and respond to domestic violence. In 2010, Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson signed into law Substitute House Bill 2517, which included a strategy to track domestic violence offenders from the time of arrest through the court system, and an expansion of the statutory definition of domestic violence. The following policy analysis uses a multiple streams framework to examine this policy change, including the motivations and actions of key policy entrepreneurs. We also discuss the implementation of the bill as passed and implications for domestic violence victims and policy activists in other …

Can People Experiencing Homelessness Acquire Financial Assets?, Allison De Marco, Molly De Marco, Alexandra Biggers, Maggie West, Jonathan Young, Rachel Levy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Through an innovative Individual Development Account (IDA) program run by the Community Empowerment Fund (CEF), individuals at risk for or experiencing homelessness receive financial education, access matched savings accounts, and have saved a total of $89,831.55. This is notable as low-income individuals often lack access to the means to build assets, which can moderate financial distress. In this mixed-method study we examine the program's impact through administrative data, surveys, and qualitative interviews. Of the 17 interview participants, 15 opened an account, saving an average of $1,356.24 toward housing, emergency savings, cars, education, and computers. Few U.S. IDA programs have served …

A Heated Debate: Theoretical Perspectives Of Sexual Exploitation And Sex Work, Lara Gerassi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The theoretical and often political frameworks of sexual exploitation and sex work among women are widely and enthusiastically debated among academic and legal scholars alike. The majority of theoretical literature in this area focuses on the macro perspective, while the micro-level perspective regarding causation remains sparse. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the philosophical, legal, and political perspectives pertaining to sexual exploitation of women and girls and addresses the subsequent controversies in the field.

Roles Of Government And Community Support, Flood Experience, And Flood Education In Livelihood Resilience, H. R. Tewari, P K. Bhowmick, Melinda Mccormick

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Flooding is a perennial problem in the state of Bihar, India with devastating impact on the livelihood of people. In spite of the government's measures of flood mitigation, households continue to live with suffering on account of severe damage to their material and non-material assets. In this background, the objectives of the study are: (1) to explore the differential role of the community and government support in livelihood resilience; (2) to assess the impact of flood experience and flood education in livelihood resilience; and (3) to explore the impact of level of education, reflected in average years of schooling of …

Review Of The Age Of Acquiescence: The Life And Death Of American Resistance To Organized Wealth And Power. Steve Fraser. Reviewed By Gertrude Schaffner Goldberg, Gertrude Schaffner Goldberg

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Steve Fraser, The Age of Acquiescence: The Life and Death of American Resistance to Organized Wealth and Power. Little, Brown and Company (2015), 470 pages, $28.00 (hardcover).

Review Of Our Kids: The American Dream In Crisis. Robert D. Putnam, And Labor's Love Lost: The Rise And Fall Of The Working-Class Family In America. Andrew J. Cherlin. Reviewed By Edward U. Murphy, Edward Murphy

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Robert D. Putnam, Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis. Simon and Schuster (2015), 386 pages, $28.00 (hardcover)

Andrew J. Cherlin, Labor's Love Lost: The Rise and Fall of the Working-Class Family in America. Russell Sage (2014), 272 pages, $35.00 (paperback).

Review Of Climbing Mount Laurel: The Struggle For Affordable Housing And Social Mobility In An American Suburb. Douglass. Massey, Len Albright, Rebecca Casciano, Elizabeth Derickson, And David N. Kinsey. Reviewed By Aretousa Bloom, Aretousa Bloom

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Douglas S. Massey, Len Albright, Rebecca Casciano, Elizabeth Derickson & David N. Kinsey, Climbing Mount Laurel: The Struggle for Affordable Housing and Social Mobility in an American Suburb. Princeton University Press (2013), 288 pages, $35.00 (hardcover).

Review Of Some Men: Feminist Allies And The Movement To End Violence Against Women. Michael A. Messner, Max A. Greenberg, And Tal Peretz Reviewed By Deborah Mullin, Deborah Mullin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Michael A. Messner, Max A. Greenberg, & Tal Peretz, Some Men: Feminist Allies and the Movement to End Violence Against Women. Oxford University Press (2015), 256 pages, $24.95 (paperback).

Review Of The End Of Normal: The Great Crisis And The Future Of Growth. James K. Galbraith. Reviewed By Charles Levenstein, Charles Levenstein

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

James K. Galbraith, The End of Normal: The Great Crisis and the Future of Growth. Simon and Schuster (2014), 304 pages, $26.00 (hardcover), $16.00 (paperback).

Vocational Readiness: The Effect Of Pre-Prison And Incarceration-Based Trauma On Cognitive Appraisals And Self-Perceptions Of Incarcerated Women, Joi Dykes Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The number of women incarcerated in the United States has grown at an alarming rate. This research study presents a conceptual framework for examining pre-prison and incarceration-based trauma and its effects on cognitive appraisals and self-perceptions. Literature from psychology, feminist psychology and neuropsychiatry are integrated to discuss how pre-prison trauma creates pathways to crime for females, how incarceration serves as a form of traumatization (or retraumatization), how the social dynamics of the prison environment potentially exacerbates mental health issues (i.e., PTSD, anxiety, depression), how this negatively affects a female inmates vocational readiness—the ability to obtain and maintain employment once engaged …