Reeling in Disengaged Students: An Assessment of a Countywide Juvenile Court Attendance Program

On any given day, thousands of youths are absent from school; many are absent without a legitimate excuse and thus deemed truant. Truancy has been linked to various problem behaviors including academic failure, delinquency, and school dropout. Thus, the prevention of truancy is assumed to have beneficial effects far into the future. This study provides an overview of an innovative truancy abatement program operating in southwestern Idaho known as the Ada County Attendance Court. Qualitative and quantitative data are presented to show how the program operates, its effects, and how it differs from other truancy prevention programs nationwide.     

MEDIATION IN CHILD PROTECTION AND THE NOVA SCOTIA EXPERIENCE

In recent years, mediation has become a device used to settle disputes in the area of child protection. The first legislatively based child protection mediation program in Canada was implemented in the province of Nova Scotia in 1993. This program has been criticized for not safeguarding children from neglect and abuse, for redundancy with respect to settlements offered by child protection workers, for its nonuse of child protection workers as mediators, and for power imbalances between negotiating parties. It has also suffered from a low number of referrals to mediation. The Nova Scotia experience emphasizes the need to gain support not only from child protection agency leadership but also from frontline staff to create a stable and beneficial mediation program. Even in light of the complications with respect to child protection mediation in Nova Scotia, there is a growing interest and implementation of mediation programs throughout Canada.     

Evaluating the Long-Term Effects of Prisoner Reentry Services on Recidivism: What Types of Services Matter?

We analyzed data collected for a large multi-site evaluation of 12 prisoner reentry programs in 12 states to examine the impact of pre-release services on time to rearrest and number of rearrests up to 56 months post-release for male offenders. A two-stage matching quasi-experimental design was used to define the comparison groups and multivariate models were used to examine the relationships among service and program receipt and recidivism. Participation in the reentry program was associated with longer time to arrest and fewer arrests after release. However, the specific services delivered as part of the program showed modest or inconsistent impacts on recidivism. Services that focused on individual change were more beneficial than services that focused on practical skills and needs. Practitioners should consider careful sequencing of program and service delivery in prison, linking in-prison services to post-release assistance, and evaluating all services and programs for fidelity and effectiveness.     

DOES PRESCHOOL HELP PREVENT DELINQUENCY IN BOYS WITH A HISTORY OF PERINATAL COMPLICATIONS?*

We examined whether a preschool intervention program moderates the effects of perinatal complications with a sample of boys from the most disadvantaged areas of Montreal (Canada). Some boys experienced the preschool program and some did not, which allowed us to test whether the program had any effects on the boys' risk for early adolescent delinquency given their perinatal histories. We hypothesized that perinatal complications would place boys at significantly greater risk for antisocial behavior during early adolescence and that participation in a preventive preschool program might circumvent this risk. Independent of maternal sociodemographic characteristics, boys with a history of perinatal complications showed no greater risk of reporting delinquency during early adolescence than their same-sex peers without a history of perinatal complications. Surprisingly, the program showed a beneficial effect on boys with no history of serious perinatal complications. Such boys were less at risk for delinquency. In the presence of a serious medical condition after birth, the benefits of the program decreased significantly to the point that it placed the boys at risk.     

中国社会分配制度改革的经济法学分析

针对当前分配领域中存在的失范现象，学界提出了“机会公平”和“结果公平”两种矫治方案，但由于陷入过多的理论化、哲学化争论，缺少对其可实施的条件和制度改造的分析，难免流产。倘若换一条思路，基于“问题-解决”方案，从“市场-政府-社会”和“问题-原因-对策”框架切入，在尊重市场、政府和社会三种不同的分配原则前提下，将法律作为政策的工具来执行，通过构建市场、政府和社会之间相互协调补充的分配法体系，规范当前不同领域的分配失调行为，将有可能改善贫富差距过大现象.     

Parenting and Safety Program for System-Involved Female Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Follow-up Study

This article reports findings from a qualitative follow-up investigation of a mandated parenting and safety program for system-involved female IPV survivors. Participants were contacted 12 months or more after program completion and invited to participate in individual interviews. The interviews focused on the longer-term life changes survivors attributed to the program. Data were collected from 38 survivors. Qualitative analysis determined 4 key themes: relationship changes (e.g., most women were no longer with abusive partners), parenting changes (e.g., improved communication and discipline strategies), personal life changes (e.g., improved help-seeking and self-esteem), and new or ongoing challenges (e.g., financial stress). Overall, findings suggest that tailored, mandated programming — when positive and empowering — may lead to some longer-term beneficial outcomes.     

Hazardous waste,distributional conflict,and a trilogy of failures

Environmentally dangerous but profitable hazardous waste disposal is an instance of market failure. Tort law has failed as a social mechanism to sanction powerful corporations for such crimes against the environment. The federal Superfund hazardous waste cleanup program, a regulatory system created to fill this void, is also marked by failure. This article makes the case that the inability to resolve Superfund-engendered distributional conflicts has precluded the efficient and equitable outcomes that characterize a socially beneficial market, tort, or regulatory response. A political economy of regulation that links conflict, conflict resolution, and Superfund failure is examined.     

Family Drug Treatment Courts As Comprehensive Service Models: Cost Considerations

Literature on family drug treatment courts (FDTCs) suggests that parental participation in these courts is associated with improved substance abuse treatment and child welfare system outcomes. Despite these beneficial outcomes, FDTCs serve only 7‐10% of eligible child welfare involved families. As part of a FDTC evaluation, this FDTC site sought to provide stakeholders with information about costs and benefits. Considering the program costs alongside the cost avoidance from reduced time in foster care, this analysis determined that FDTC participation resulted in a net savings per child of $9,710. The cost component of the evaluation proved valuable, challenging, and informative.     

Impact of emergency department intimate partner violence intervention

The objective of the study is to assess the impact of emergency department (ED) intimate partner violence (IPV) counseling and resource referrals on patient-perceived safety and safety planning. ED patients with risk factors were offered consultation with trained IPV advocacy counselors who completed safety assessments, provided resource referrals, and helped patients develop safety plans. Patients were contacted after ED intervention to assess progress and further assist in IPV counseling. Over 96% of patients perceived an increase in their safety after the intervention, and approximately 50% had completed a portion of their safety plan. Legal assistance and/or law enforcement were considered the most beneficial resource referrals. Although follow-up was limited, this study appears to demonstrate that an ED IPV intervention program may be useful in helping IPV victims achieve safer living environments and access local resources.     

Use of a television crime-drama series to promote legal understanding in mentally ill, incompetent defendants: a pilot study

Videotaped material is used for educational purposes in many areas of medicine. In forensic facilities, programs designed to restore competency to stand trial (CST) in incompetent, mentally ill defendants have utilized videotaped courtroom proceedings as learning tools. This pilot study reviewed the progress of incompetent defendants (N = 15) who participated in a program that utilized videotaped segments of the television crime-drama "Law & Order", among other techniques, to promote CST in individuals deemed unfit to stand trial. The authors hypothesized that participation in at least one cycle of the Competency Restoration Group (CRG)'s curriculum would be associated with improvement in the areas of understanding, reasoning and appreciation. In order to assess whether the group was beneficial to the patient's treatment goal of competency restoration, patients were screened using the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Criminal Adjudication (MacCAT-CA) prior to starting the group and after completing a cycle of the group's curriculum. The Wilcoxon signed ranks test was employed to analyze the results from the pre- and post-group MacCAT-CA testing. The tests yielded significant (p < 0.005) post-test differences in the hypothesized direction for each of the three subsections: Understanding, Reasoning, and Appreciation as well as a significant post test improvement in the total MacCAT-CA scores. These results suggest that a didactic program, using a popular crime drama series, can be effective in facilitating learning in competency restoration programs. Limitations of this study include its lack of a control group and small population.     

Health plan selection in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

A survey of over 8,500 employees of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) during the May 1982 open season, supplemented by enrollment data for all DHHS employees enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), was used to study insurance plan selection when multiple fee-for-service options as well as HMOs are available. There is evidence of biased selection of health risks in the FEHBP, yet historically the program has exhibited considerable stability. The stability may be attributable partly to control over entry and over changes in benefits and premiums and partly to inertia on the part of enrollees. In spite of large changes in relative premiums and benefits, only 21 percent of all enrollees in the DHHS switched plans during the May 1982 open season. Those employees who did switch plans astutely identified bargains; on average they lowered their annual contribution to premium by almost 40 percent while maintaining the level of benefits. Insurance plans offering relatively generous coverage of a particular service attract a disproportionately high share of enrollees who expect substantial use of that service. The extent of adverse or beneficial selection into HMOs depends on the price and the comprehensiveness of benefits of each available fee-for-service option.     

信赖保护与相对人授益权的实现

信赖保护原则作为政府行为的道德底线、行政法治化的内容和经济效益的需求,有助于实现授益行政行为的预期目标。信赖保护可以并且应当体现在授益行政行为过程中的多个环节,比如本着诚信原则作出授益行政行为,不得随意改变其依据,非经法定程序不得任意撤销和废止授益行政行为等等。     

Mentoring programs to affect delinquency and associated outcomes of youth at risk: A comprehensive meta-analytic review

Objectives

To conduct a meta-analytic review of selective and indicated mentoring interventions for effects for youth at risk on delinquency and key associated outcomes (aggression, drug use, academic functioning). We also undertook the first systematic evaluation of intervention implementation features and organization and tested for effects of theorized key processes of mentor program effects.

Methods

Campbell Collaboration review inclusion criteria and procedures were used to search and evaluate the literature. Criteria included a sample defined as at risk for delinquency due to individual behavior such as aggression or conduct problems or environmental characteristics such as residence in a high-crime community. Studies were required to be random assignment or strong quasi-experimental design. Of 163 identified studies published from 1970–2011, 46 met criteria for inclusion.

Results

Mean effects sizes were significant and positive for each outcome category (ranging from d?=?0.11 for academic achievement to d?=?0.29 for aggression). Heterogeneity in effect sizes was noted for all four outcomes. Stronger effects resulted when mentor motivation was professional development but not by other implementation features. Significant improvements in effects were found when advocacy and emotional support mentoring processes were emphasized.

Conclusions

This popular approach has significant impact on delinquency and associated outcomes for youth at risk for delinquency. While evidencing some features may relate to effects, the body of literature is remarkably lacking in details about specific program features and procedures. This persistent state of limited reporting seriously impedes understanding about how mentoring is beneficial and ability to maximize its utility.     

Partial program evaluation with observational data: the effect of treatment on drug addiction

A partial identification methodology is proposed in which self-selection into treatment is motivated by the expectation that treatment is beneficial. Identification is partial because it is not possible to establish empirically that treatment is effective. However, it is possible to establish that treatment is ineffective or even harmful. The evaluation methodology combines control function estimation with differences-in-differences in which the treatment effect is qualitative. The methodology is illustrated using administrative data on drug addicts in Israel in which some addicts were treated and others were not. Controlling for observed heterogeneity, we find that there is no significant difference in the change in drug use frequency between the treated and the untreated. Therefore, although it was not possible to demonstrate that treatment is beneficial, it is possible to establish that it is not beneficial. This type of negative evaluation is most probably useful in many other contexts.     

Hazardous waste management programs; Florida: authorization for interim authorization phase I--Environmental Protection Agency. Notice of final determination

The State of Florida has applied for interim Authorization Phase I. EPA has reviewed Florida's application for Phase I and has determined that Florida's hazardous waste program is substantially equivalent to the Federal program covered by Phase I. The State of Florida is, hereby, granted Interim Authorization for Phase I to operate the State 's hazardous waste program, in lieu of the Federal program.     

论节目名称商标侵权纠纷中“商标性使用”的判定——从“奇葩说”商标侵权案谈起

近年来,节目名称与已注册商标之间的商标侵权纠纷频发,然而,各个法院对于在节目名称中使用他人商标标识是否构成商标性使用,却尚未形成相对一致的判断标准。鉴于合理划分节目名称与节目商标以及平衡节目名称利益与他人商标利益的需要,商标性使用的判定在处理此类纠纷时具有重要意义。依据商标性使用的应有内涵,在司法实践中,应综合考量被诉侵权者在节目名称中使用标识的主观意图、使用行为产生的客观效果以及是否属于描述性正当使用的因素,以准确判定商标性使用的事实。     

BRINGING PEACE TO THE LATINO COMMUNITY

This study addresses the need for a parent education program for divorcing and separating parents in the Latino community. It is intended to identify special needs and issues that may affect the implementation of such a program and proposes a framework as to how such issues might be addressed and met. This study is based on the implementation of the PEACE (Parent Education and Custody Effectiveness) program, an existing parent education program in New York State. This study will explore how the program may need to be adapted or modified to serve adequately and effectively the Latino community.     

Corporate compliance and voluntary disclosure

In any event, the decision to institute a corporate compliance program is a relatively simple one. In view of the ambiguity surrounding certain fraud and abuse provisions, and the corporate "death sentence" that may result from program exclusion, a compliance program is always sound corporate policy. To be sure, if the compliance program is administered improperly, it can actually increase the likelihood of whistleblower actions and create a body of potentially hurtful documentation. But these dangers can be minimized by structuring the program to protect the self-evaluative process through relevant privileges. The risks also pale in comparison to the exposure to criminal or exclusionary sanctions when improper conduct goes undetected by an organization.     

The impact of prospective payment: a multi-dimensional analysis of New Jersey's SHARE program

The SHARE program, which set per diem prospective rates for New Jersey hospitals during the period 1975-1982, is evaluated. Analysis suggests that this program did contain hospital cost increase. However, the program threatened the viability of most inner-city hospitals. Indirect evidence suggests that there was cost-shifting in response to this program, which regulated payment for only Blue Cross and Medicaid patients. Structural features of this program and its successor, the New Jersey DRG program, are analyzed; and implications for the Medicare prospective payment system are examined.     

Simulated evidence on the prospects of treating more drug-involved offenders

Despite a growing consensus among scholars that substance abuse treatment is effective at reducing offending, strict eligibility rules and budgetary considerations greatly limit the impact that current models of therapeutic jurisprudence can have on public safety in the United States. A question of pressing importance for U.S. drug policy is whether it is beneficial to expand application of this model to treat every offender in need and, if so, whether a set of evidence-based, going-to-scale strategies can be developed to prioritize participation. We use evidence from several sources to construct a synthetic dataset for answering the question: What are the benefits we can reasonably expect by expanding treatment to drug-involved offenders? We combine information from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) program to estimate the likelihood of various arrestee profiles having drug addiction or dependence problems. We use the same sources to also develop prevalence estimates of these profiles among arrestees nationally. We use information in the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study (DATOS) to compute expected crime-reducing benefits of treating various types of drug-involved offenders under different treatment modalities. We find that annually nearly 1.5 million (probably guilty) arrestees in the U.S. are at risk of abuse or dependence and that treatment alone could avert several million crimes that these individuals would otherwise commit. Results vary by treatment modality and arrestee traits and those results are described herein.