Does Democratization Alter the Policy Process? Trade Policymaking in Brazil

This article explores the implications of transitions to democracy for the economic policymaking process in developing countries. Democracy is supposed to give citizens oversight of their political leaders, while providing leaders with electoral incentives to respect citizens' preferences. Consequently, a shift from authoritarian to democratic rule ought to alter policymaking. Using the case of Brazilian trade policy, this article examines changed versus consistent patterns of post-transition interest aggregation, political participation, and economic goal-setting. Contrary to expectations of a notably enlarged role for the legislative houses, the study finds that Brazil's executive still dominates trade policymaking. However, significant and increasingly transparent interest aggregation occurs within the federal executive. Moreover, policy capture by sectoral special interests has decreased, while non-traditional civil society participants have gained some influence, and trade policy outcomes now are arguably more public-regarding. We find that Brazil's trade policy process has been incrementally democratized.     

Differences in intergenerational fertility associations by sex and race in Saba,Dutch Caribbean, 1876–2004

This study examines the intergenerational transmission of fertility behavior in Saba, Dutch Caribbean from 1876 to 2004 using reconstituted genealogies. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients of several fertility measures and event-history models of age at first birth are used to explore relationships between the fertility of mothers and their children. The strength of intergenerational fertility ties varies by race and gender. Individuals that are better positioned to realize their fertility preferences have the strongest intergenerational associations, while individuals with the most limited reproductive options have the weakest intergenerational associations. This evidence supports hypotheses that posit the intergenerational transmission of attitudes, goals, and behaviors and the ability to act on those preferences as drivers of the presence or magnitude of links between the fertility of parents and their children.     

Assessing the Effectiveness of Executive Order 12898: Environmental Justice for All?

This article examines several federal and state laws, such as the Worker Protection Standards and the Florida Pesticide Law, to determine whether the goals of these laws are being achieved in the State of Florida. A survey based on questions pertaining to various laws was used to gather data on farm workers in three South Florida counties. Face–to–face interviews were conducted with farm workers in Palm Beach and Indian River counties, Florida, in 1997 and in Collier County, Florida, in 1999.
Overall, the findings indicate that farm workers in South Florida have been exposed to pesticides through direct or indirect spraying. The findings of the study reveal that federal and state laws—currently in place to protect the workers from pesticide exposure—are not effectively implemented, and farm workers are uninformed of the laws that exist to protect them from pesticide exposure.
The study concludes with policy recommendations that will improve the implementation and enforcement of the current laws, which are designed to protect farm workers from pesticide exposure.     

Multiplex PCR electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS): Application to forensic mitochondrial DNA examinations

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) examinations play an important role in criminal investigations, identification of victims of mass disasters, and association of unidentified remains with family members. Typically, HV1 and HV2 are amplified via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by fluorescent sequencing. While this method produces the highest level of resolution, it is labor intensive and unable to distinguish components of a mixture. Previously, an electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) method was described to determine the base composition profile of enzymatically digested PCR amplified fragments derived from the HV1 and HV2 regions. Advantages of ESI-MS compared to sequencing include speed of analysis, automation, and increased sensitivity, while retaining a high degree of resolution. Here, we report the next generation of this method in which a base composition profile is determined from 24 overlapping PCR reactions. Because ESI-MS provides the relative abundance of each component present, this method allows for the quantitative typing of mixtures. This ESI-MS method does not rely on a priori knowledge of variable sites, allowing the capture of private mutations and individual-specific variation. Due to the multiplex design, automation, speed of analysis, and ability to interrogate mixtures, this method provides a powerful and rapid tool for forensic mtDNA examinations.     

Local Venues for Change: Legal Strategies for Healthy Environments

Mounting evidence documents the extraordinary toll on human health resulting from the consumption of unhealthy food products and physical inactivity. In response to America's growing obesity problem, local policymakers have been looking for legal strategies that can be adopted in their communities to encourage healthful behaviors. In order to provide practical tools to policymakers, this article examines four possible venues for local policy change to improve the health of a community: (1) the school environment (2) the built environment (3) community facilities and (4) the point of sale environment. Finally, the article examines the use of taxes or fees as a means of paying for nutrition policy work as well as potentially reducing the consumption of unhealthy products. This article illustrates that local laws and policies can be a valuable tool in changing a community's environment in order to improve nutritional options and increase opportunities for physical activity.     

Using Dasymetric Mapping for Spatially Aggregated Crime Data

With availability of crime data to the public via sources such as the Uniform Crime Reports, and increasing geographic information system (GIS) capabilities for mapping crime, macro-level studies of crime have advanced knowledge of how crime is distributed over large areas. Choropleth mapping, commonly used in macro-level studies, visually displays data by assigning the number of crimes or crime rate to the corresponding spatial unit and using different shades or textures for each value or classified values creating a thematic map. However, crime incidents or crime rates are not dispersed evenly within spatial units, and choropleth mapping masks the underlying nuances of the distribution. Artificial boundaries, along with variations in the size of the unit of analysis, can further distort the true distribution of crime. Dasymetric mapping provides a methodology for refining the distribution of crime within a spatial unit. It does so by using additional data, such as land use and census data, to provide a realistic estimate of how crime may be distributed within the units of analysis. Dasymetric mapping is also useful in creating density maps to reveal clusters of crime normally masked with choropleth maps. This paper will show how dasymetric mapping can estimate the spatial distribution of aggregate level residential burglary within political boundaries in Massachusetts based on land use and housing data.