1998 NATIONWIDE SURVEY OF THE LEGAL STATUS OF PARENT EDUCATION

This article reports the findings of a legislative survey conducted to determine the legal status of parent education in the United States. Specifically, this survey reveals that since 1994. the number of states that enacted legislation authorizing or mandating attendance at parent education programs has more than quadrupled. The article features a state-by-state analysis of the various legal models currently in effect, including the source of authority, attendence model, and legal circumstances giving rise to participation. A capsule summary describing specific characteristics of the governing law of each state is also provided for reference.     

Inter-species variation in bone mineral behavior upon heating

The characterization of inter-species variation in bone mineral (b-HAP) is of relevance to forensic science and archaeology, but has not previously been widely explored. Results of an investigation into unheated bone mineral and behavior of bone upon heating for 12 animal species (including human) demonstrate that b-HAP characteristics, quantitatively measured using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, exhibit significant inter-species variation. Human bone was found to be significantly different to all other species in terms of b-HAP lattice parameter values from unheated and heated bone and in terms of recrystallization behavior of b-HAP upon heating bone to 600°C. The amounts of b-HAP thermal decomposition products were also significantly different for human bone heated to 1400°C compared to those obtained for most other species. Therefore, there is potential for the development of an XRD-based method of species identification, particularly one that distinguishes human from non-human bone.     

Analysing decentralised natural resource governance: proposition for a “politicised” institutional analysis and development framework

There has often been a gap between policy intentions and outcomes in the field of natural resource governance. Analysing the factors for these discrepancies requires multi-level approaches that relate policy decisions formulated at the national and international level with the decisions of local resource users. A key asset of the Institutional Analysis and Development framework is precisely its ability to link multiple governance levels. Yet most commons literature has been limited to the study of collective action among local communities without considering higher institutional and government levels. To overcome this limitation, I posit for a methodological development of the framework, which bridges the gap between institutional analysis, power-centred and historical approaches, and discourse analysis. The application of the extended framework to the study of state afforestation policies in Vietnam highlights the need to simultaneously consider institutions, the politico-economic context and discourses across governance and government levels. As illustrated in this paper, such a framework does not only facilitate the analysis of policy shortcomings but also supports the design and dissemination of policy recommendations.     

Implementing multicultural policy: an analysis of the heritage language program, 1971–1981

While O'Bryan and associates carried out a good comprehensive national survey in the 1970s of non-official language use in Canada, such a major study rum needs to be done in the 1980s as well. Such a new update could use more sophisticated methods of analysis, to ensure greater penetration into the quality of language comprehension and use.     

On the transmission mechanisms in the finance–growth nexus in Southern African countries: Does institution matter?

Economic Change and Restructuring - Studies have continued to emerge on the transmission channels through which finance influences growth. It has been argued that more finance without efficient...     

Community benefit activities of private, nonprofit hospitals

The definition of hospital community benefits has been intensely debated for many years. Recently, consensus has developed about one group of activities being central to community benefits because of its focus on care for the poor and on needed community services for which any payments received are low relative to costs. Disagreements continue, however, about the treatment of bad debt expense and Medicare shortfalls. A recent revision of the Internal Revenue Service's Form 990 Schedule H, which is required of all nonprofit hospitals, highlights the agreed-on set of activities but does not dismiss the disputed items. Our study is the first to apply definitions used in the new IRS form to assess how conclusions about the adequacy of nonprofit hospital community benefits could be affected if bad debt expenses and Medicare shortfalls are included or excluded. Specifically, we examine 2005 financial data for California and Florida hospitals. Overall, we find that conclusions about community benefit adequacy are very different depending on which definition of community benefits is used. We provide thoughts on new directions for the current policy debate about the treatment of bad debts and Medicare shortfalls in light of these findings.