Public service responsiveness to users' demands and needs: theory, practice and primary healthcare in England

Analyses and policy statements about publicly funded services frequently distinguish 'demands' from 'needs'. The distinction has been challenged, calling into question the coherence of formulating welfare policy and evaluating public services in terms of needs. This paper explicates the conceptual distinction between demands and needs in terms of derived demand and information asymmetry. 'Needs' can be defined as 'rational demands', where 'rational' means 'consistent and evidence–based', and 'demands' as 'desires' rather than 'effective (i.e. economic) demand'. On that basis, practical demand management in needs–based public services would require:
1. Knowledge of users' demands for services;
2. Content analyses of users' demands to identify any misinformed demands;
3. Conversion of any misinformed demands into evidence–based specifications of needs;
4. Formulating coherent, evidence–based demands on behalf of users who cannot to do so themselves.
A study of English NHS Primary Care Groups explores the problems which authorities responsible for publicly funded services face in undertaking these activities. Demand management receives low priority in terms of the incentives and intellectual resources applied to it. Needs assessment has higher priority but is regarded as a branch of evidence–based professional practice, controlled by professionals rather than responsive to users. This separation tends to defeat the purposes of needs–based public services.     

College Student Evaluations of Parent–Child Disciplinary Situations

This study examined the influence(s) of the type of physical discipline administered and the type of child misbehavior on college student’s evaluations of parent–child disciplinary situations. Participants evaluated vignettes describing a child’s behavioral transgression and the subsequent parental disciplinary response. Evaluations were assessed in terms of the abusiveness, effectiveness, and appropriateness of the discipline. As predicted, evaluations varied as a function of both the type of physical discipline and the type of behavioral transgression. For example, parent–child interactions were evaluated as being more abusive when the severity of the discipline exceeded the severity of the transgression. Gender differences emerged with women evaluating mild discipline as being just as appropriate as moderate discipline while men evaluated mild discipline as being less appropriate than moderate discipline. Further, men evaluated moderate and severe discipline as being more effective than mild discipline. Results are discussed in terms of how the current research extends previous work in this area. Implications and areas for future research also are discussed.     

Forensic science and criminal justice: An analysis of curricular models

The multi-disciplinary field of forensic science frequently finds its academic home within criminal justice programs. After examining the reasons for this academic linkage, an analysis of criminal justice curricular models and courses was undertaken to assess their applicability to forensic science education and careers. The authors concluded that the relationship between criminal justice and forensic science can be mutually beneficial; however, most criminal justice programs do not provide adequate preparation for meaningful careers in forensic science.     

Medical school forensic psychiatry units in health care delivery facilities rather than criminal justice institutions: an alternative model

We have presented a model for developing forensic psychiatric treatment and teaching services of a medical school Department of Psychiatry, but where these services are the basic comprehensive health care delivery system for the entire community. These offer consultative and treatment services for adult and family court clinic, psychiatric forensic services, of forensic psychiatry open bed and medium security-type bed, as well as day hospital and outpatient services. All of these are sited in the normal health care delivery system of the university teaching hospitals and its patient treatment, teaching, and research facilities. Consultative services are offered on request to the criminal justice system, but the basic health care delivery system is controlled administratively by the ordinary university teaching hospital authorities and exists as a one of a kind unit at the Royal Ottawa Hospital. The Royal Ottawa Hospital is a private nonprofit hospital, with its own Board of Trustees, and is affiliated with the medical school, as part of a major university network. We believe it important to present this model for an overall forensic psychiatric service, in contradistinction to the more commonly established forensic psychiatric facilities in state mental hospitals, in a special facility for the criminally insane, or in a criminal justice system institution such as a penitentiary. We believe that our model for forensic psychiatric facilities has great advantages for the patient. Here the patient is treated in a specialized facility (as all psychiatric patients with specialized problems should be); but one which is a specialized forensic facility, within the range of specialized psychiatric facilities that are needed by an urban community.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The Idea of a Legal Science

Too many have helped with this for me to mention them all here. However, I would like to thank the numerous journals who, over a period of six years, have saved me from publishing my more embarrassing earlier attempts as well as my wife, Rachael, above all for her patience, but also for help with the diagrams now, sadly, discarded.     

Who Is Helping the Homeless? Local, State, and Federal Responses

This article examines the sources of support for services forthe homeless. It delineates the extensive role of the privatesector in both funding and actually delivering shelter, meal,and other services for the homeless. It also indicates the extentto which certain states are providing financial support forhomeless services, and the relation of new federal efforts throughprograms funded by the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless AssistanceAct to state and private activities.     

Isomeric amphetamines--a problem for urinalysis?

Alkyl amphetamine isomers (amphetamine, 1-phenyl-2-butylamine (PBA), methamphetamine, N-methyl-PBA, N,N-dimethylamphetamine, N-ethylamphetamine, N-ethyl-PBA and N,N-diethylamphetamine) were purchased or synthesized and tested by immunoassay and GC/MS for their detectability in urine. Some cross reactivity was observed with PBA, N-methyl-PBA N-ethylamphetamine, and N-ethyl-PBA when analyzed using a series of commercial amphetamine and methamphetamine immunoassays. Chromatographic co-elution problems were observed for the underivatized isomeric group N,N-dimethylamphetamine, N-ethylamphetamine, and N-methyl-PBA under GC/MS conditions used; and their GC/MS spectra were quite similar. Of the potential derivatives, pentafluoropropionyl (PFP) anhydride and heptafluorobutyryl (HFB) anhydride provided adequate separation and easily distinguishable spectra using the electron-impact GC/MS conditions specified.     

Déjà vu all over again: Elliott's critique of eyewitness experts

Northwestern University.