The design and implementation of Family Foster Care Services for high risk delinquents Transitioning from Correctional Confinement

Specialized Family Care (SFC) provides planned, long term family foster care to youth who have been adjudicated as delinquent and who are at high risk of on-going delinquent behavior following their transition into the community from correctional confinement. The program is funded and operated through a collaborative arrangement among The Casey Family Program-Bismarck Division, the North Dakota Department of Human Services (DHS) and the North Dakota Division of Juvenile Services (DJS). Specially recruited, trained and supported foster families work closely with a dual case management system of services provided by SFC social workers and DJS case managers responsible for community-based aftercare. Individual case plans for youth involve a mix of intensive aftercare programming for delinquent behaviors, individually designed intervention strategies, intensive supervision, and intensive casework. This article discusses the program model, implementation challenges, costs and preliminary outcomes.     

FAMILIES IN TRANSITION

This article describes one of the first mandatory divorce orientations in the country. Beginning in 1976, this program has served as the model for other highly successful programs throughout North America. The program helps couples deal with the psychological and social divorces as well as the legal divorce. It also provides information for parents about how to tell their children and to monitor the effect of divorce on their children's lives.     

Accreditation and the state of North Carolina: The revitalization of national standards

From the mid to late 70s, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) developed a process for accrediting post-secondary criminal justice education programs. The academy gave form to the program by developing guidelines and a complex organizational network. However, the program did not reach fruition for a variety of economic and political reasons and it is doubtful that the Academy will attempt to resurrect the program soon. Even though the accreditation movement was abandoned on the national level, the North Carolina Association of Criminal Justice Educators (NCACJE) decided to implement the program and stepped into a very lengthy and political process.     

Japan's Research Whaling Is Not Unlawful and Does Not Violate CITES Trade Rules

This article is a critique of two reports of “independent legal experts” sponsored by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW); the “Paris Panel” and the “London Panel.” The article shows that the Paris Panel's conclusion that Japan's research whaling in the Antarctic is unlawful and an abuse of rights under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) is based on misuse of evidence and failure to properly interpret Article VIII of the Convention and the legal status of recommendatory non-binding resolutions. It also shows that the London Panel's conclusion that the import of humpback whales from Japan's research program in the Antarctic and sei whales from its research program in the North Pacific are a violation of trade rules under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is based on incorrect interpretation of that Convention's trade rules. It is concluded that the two independent legal experts panel reports are, from a legal perspective, seriously flawed, rendering their conclusions invalid and relegating the reports to the status of IFAW propaganda.     

The effectiveness of art therapy in reducing depression in prison populations

Major obstacles block the effectiveness of therapy in prison. Many inmates have an inherent mistrust for verbal disclosure. Rigid defenses exist for basic survival. Despite these defenses, there has been support for art therapy as a valuable tool. Unfortunately, there has been little research to measure the effectiveness of art therapy in prison. Two quantitative studies were initiated in a North Florida prison to measure the effectiveness of art therapy with inmates, specifically in decreasing depressive symptoms. This article will present a pilot and follow-up study. The methods, including the Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale (FEATS) and the Beck Depression Inventory-Short Form, will be delineated. What was revealed was that although the FEATS proved more effective as a measurement tool for the pilot than for the follow-up study, ultimately, the results reflected a significant decrease in depressive symptoms in those inmates who participated in the program.     

An Intermediate Sanction That Fosters the Mother-Child Bond

Abstract

Summit House is a residential alternative-to-incarceration program in North Carolina that operates in a home-like setting for female offenders and their children; the Program is designated an intermediate sanction. The Program has been recognized by experts in the field as a national model. And, in 1996 and 1998 respectively, it received two national awards-The President's Service Award and The Improvement of Justice Award. Despite national recognition and honor, however, little is known about the process by which the Program assists women in their role as mothers. This paper provides a process evaluation of the Summit House Program. To assess the Program, I reviewed an array of documents (e.g., resident manuals, incident reports, individualized treatment plans) and conducted a total of 44 interviews with administrators, staff, and clients. These individual face-to-face interviews took place in a private setting and averaged an hour in duration. Based on this information, I explain how the Program assists residents in building competency in the relationships they have with their children. The Program's strengths and weaknesses are highlighted and recommendations are offered for improvement.     

Building bridges between the parole officer and the families of serious juvenile offenders: a preliminary report on a family-based parole program

Responding to a model of juvenile offender case supervision that called for a new intervention paradigm to guide the work of probation and parole officers, the present article reports on the use of a family-based parole initiative known as the Growing Up FAST program. Developed in part as a tool for use within this new intervention paradigm, the Growing Up FAST parole program targets serious youthful offenders who have been released from juvenile correctional facilities and their families. Based on elements contained within the "what works" literature and the Balanced and Restorative Justice model, this program recognizes the central role that field staff can play in rehabilitation efforts. Demographic information and formative data regarding the first set of families to participate in this program are presented, then program limitations and lessons learned as part of the initial offering of this parole initiative are discussed.     

Coal Ash Disposal in North Carolina: The Road after Eden

Coal ash legislation came to North Carolina in the wake of two significant spills, one at the nearby Tennessee Valley Authority coal power plant in Kingston, Tennessee, and another at the Dan River Steam Station along the Dan River in the town of Eden, North Carolina. These two events, combined with an impending study by the USEPA, would galvanize the North Carolina General Assembly to pass Senate Bill 729 (the Coal Ash Management Act). This bill mirrors the federal system of prioritizing the different energy utilities based on their hazard potential and eventually terminating their use as power production and coal ash storage facilities. Additionally, the act created a coal ash management commission and the process for confirming members. In summation, this legislative step shows the North Carolina General Assembly taking concrete steps to address a problem in the handling of coal combustion residuals. In North Carolina, however, only time will tell if these measures are substantial enough to ward off another Eden.     

Turnout and Party Registration among Criminal Offenders in the 2008 General Election

This paper estimates the voter registration, turnout, and party registration in the 2008 general election for men with felony convictions in Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, and North Carolina. The findings indicate that turnout among felons is much lower than previous research has shown. Ex‐felon turnout in 2008 varied by state, averaging 22.2 percent. People captured and convicted for their first offense after the election voted at similarly low rates. Also contrary to the expectations of previous literature, the ex‐felon population does not seem overwhelmingly Democratic. In North Carolina and Florida, two states for which the data are available, party registration varies by race. Among registered black male ex‐felons, 71.7 percent in North Carolina and 84.2 percent in Florida are registered Democrats. Among whites, however, only 35.3 percent and 36.4 percent of ex‐felons are registered Democrats in North Carolina and Florida, respectively.     

WINNING THE BATTLES AND THE WARS. An evaluation of comprehensive,community-based delinquency prevention programming

This three-year program evaluation investigated the primary prevention aspects of Youth Assistance (YA), a community-based program of the Oakland County Probate Court providing casework and prevention services. The activities studied included parent education sessions, supervised teen recreation, summer camp scholarships, skill building activities, and a one-to-one mentorship program. The goals of the study were to determine how effectively the program succeeded in mobilizing community volunteers, and to examine whether the incidence of neglect and delinquency had been reduced as a result of children and parents participating in one or more of these primary prevention activities. Ethnographical as well as quasi-experimental approaches were used. The following results are highlighted: YA primary prevention services do serve “at risk” populations in the community; overall, participation in the YA activities had positive effects on the participants, such as improved communication skills, increased respect for authority, and more use of positive discipline techniques; 92% of the primary prevention program participants had no subsequent contact with YA or the Court; the program is cost-effective. The study also confirmed that volunteers are an essential part of the success of a community-based prevention program. The study resulted in a number of specific recommendations which will be implemented over the next few years in order to continuously improve the program.     

Preventing Salmon Escapes from Aquaculture in Canada and the USA: Limited International Coordinates, Divergent Regulatory Currents and Possible Future Courses

Following an introductory review of the continuing problem of salmon escaping from aquaculture operations along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America, and the considerable uncertainties over ecological impacts, this article examines the law and policy context for preventing escapes from three perspectives. First, the limited guidance for addressing aquaculture escapes under existing global and regional agreements/arrangements is highlighted. Second, how Canada and the USA have sought to control escape events at national and provincial/State levels is summarized. Third, possible future courses are identified, which improve the way salmon escapes are addressed, with stronger regional responses suggested as most promising. Enhancing the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization's role in preventing escapes and placing transboundary aquaculture issues on the agendas of North Pacific regional cooperative arrangements are the potential courses emphasized.     

Working Through Work Release: An Analysis of Factors Associated with the Successful Completion of Work Release

In line with reentry and life course research that has shown increases in desistance for individuals connected with employment, work release programming attempts to achieve desistance from crime by linking criminal offenders to the labor market while in the correctional system. Recent research has speculated that the completion of rigorous employment programming may serve as a signal to employers that criminal careers have ceased and the offenders are employable. Therefore, it is important to understand factors associated with successful program completion. This study utilizes a sample of jail-based work release participants to explore factors correlated with program completion. Consistent with prior research, we find that offenders who are older, Caucasian, and employed at time of arrest are more likely to complete the program and that minority participants and those with prior mental health treatment are less likely to complete the program.     

Arbitrary Arbitration: Diverting Juveniles Into the Justice System

Abstract Considerable research has examined the effects of diverting juveniles away from the juvenile justice system. These studies have seldom investigated the possibility that diversion may inadvertently “widen the net.” This article assesses the relationship between diversion and net-widening by evaluating a leading Florida-based diversionary program, and this program's capacity to “create a clientele” in order to justify its very existence. The diversionary program under evaluation herein boasts a 98% nonrecidivist rate among its clients, and is touted as a prototype diversionary program for the nation. The current study results, however, indicate that a majority of youths diverted by this program have committed such trivial acts that entrance into any aspect of the juvenile justice system—even under the guise of a diversionary program—seems unwarranted. The results further suggest that among youths who have committed serious juvenile crimes, most are terminated unsuccessfully from this program, and are returned to the justice system for prosecution.     

Environmental implications of trade liberalization on North American transport services: the case of the trucking sector

The paper offers an assessment of the environmental impact of trade liberalization on the cross-border trucking sector in North America. Specific policies in the realm of transportation, environment and trade are investigated with data directly related to the time of implementation that varied across ports on each of the two international borders in North America subsequent to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The data on truck flows, wait times, air quality and trade value are analyzed using econometrics for quantitative analysis. Results show various policies do have a positive impact on reducing air emissions through changes in trucking characteristics (technology, patterns) in particular ports where they have been implemented.     

Northern Democrats and Party Polarization in the U.S. House

Abstract: Over the last 25 years, there has been a steady increase in party voting in the U.S. House, with much of this increase attributed to changes in the South. We argue that changes in the North are also important. Democrats now win a higher percentage of elections in the North, and a larger percentage of the congressional party comes from the North. Northern Democrats became steadily more liberal in the 1980s and 1990s, which increased the liberal record of the entire party. We examine two factors in the rise in liberal voting in the North. First, Democrats now win more seats in urban, lower‐income, nonwhite districts that tend to generate liberal voting records. Second, there has been an increase in the number of districts that tend to produce liberal‐voting Democrats. Together, these changes have resulted in more liberal Democratic Party voting and greater polarization between the parties.     

Regional forensic medical characteristics of sexual maturity

Published data on sexual maturity of women in the North are reviewed. The authors analyze the findings of their studies and the anthropometric parameters of sexual maturity recorded in Regulations of Forensic Medical Obstetrical and Gynecological Expert Evaluations (1966) and find essential differences in the values of some parameters as regards the population of the Russian European North. The authors propose revision of the current Regulations in order to define regional standards.     

“She's Way Too Good to Lose”: An Evaluation of Honolulu's Girls Court

This research evaluates the efficacy of a gender-specific, problem-solving court for girl offenders. Official statistics, interview data, and focus group data are utilized to determine whether the court is achieving its stated goals of reducing recidivism, risky behaviors, and confinement for the girls who attend this court program. The present research demonstrates that the program does seem to be effective in terms of reducing both recidivism and risky behavior as well as increasing the development of prosocial and healthy relationships. The article concludes with some lessons learned from the implementation of this court program as well as ideas for future research.     

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, Medically Underserved Areas for 1999--OPM. Notice of medically underserved areas for 1999

The Office of Personnel Management has completed its annual calculation of the States that qualify as Medically Underserved Areas under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program for the calendar year 1999. This is necessary to comply with a provision of FEHB law that mandates special consideration for enrollees of certain FEHB plans who receive covered health services in states with critical shortages of primary care physicians. Accordingly, for calendar year 1999, OPM's calculations show that the following States are Medically Underserved Areas under the FEHB Program: Alabama, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wyoming. West Virginia has been removed from the 1998 list, and Idaho and North Dakota have been added.     

A program analysis of Esuba: helping turn abuse around for inmates

This investigation is an empirical evaluation of Esuba, an abuse awareness program implemented in the Florida correctional system. Research has indicated a link between violent and abusive behavior and criminal activity. This study specifically addressed whether the Esuba program had an impact on offenders' self-esteem, stability of self, faith in people, and sensitivity to criticism as measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The results from the application of the Esuba program to an incarcerated offender population are encouraging. The results suggest that the Esuba program does appear to significantly increase offenders' emotional self-preservation.