The treatment ideal and detention reality: Demographic,professional/ occupational and organizational influences on detention worker punitiveness

For some time, corrections researchers have focused on the punitive and rehabilitative orientations of correctional officers. Relatively little research attention, however, has been devoted to understanding the support for these orientations among correctional workers responsible for the care and custody of juvenile delinquents. Based on survey data drawn from a sample of detention care workers (DCWs) in two facilities in a Southeastern state (N=109), this paper examines the extent to which, and why, DCWs adopt a punitive orientation to youth in detention despite policies and training that discourage this view. Findings, that contrast the relative impact of demographic, occupational/professional and organizational environment variables in accounting for variation in punishment/control orientation among DCWs, suggest that demographic indicators (i.e., age, gender) and organizational environment contribute disproportionately to explained variance in punitive orientation once other variables are controlled. Implications for detention policy, staff recruitment and training are discussed.     

Pedophiles: A case study

This study characterizes men who have engaged in habitual sexual conduct with children, or pedophiles. This examination is designed as a content analysis using the academic and practitioner press to describe pedophilia characteristics among predators. The sample of three convicted predators is not the focus of this investigation but used to primarily to help operationalize the realities of pedophiles as seen in the literature. All three participants were offenders in a high profile event in the region of the country where they individuals were apprehended, tried, and eventually convicted. The findings indicate that the behavior of most pedophiles is a way of life prior to, during, and after incarceration. One implication arising from this finding is that rehabilitation might be pointless for these offenders. Further research is suggested to determine classification levels of pedophiles in order to best serve the communities these offenders are released into.     

Priming time for Blair? Media priming, Iraq, and leadership evaluations in Britain

Priming is often mentioned in studies of media effects in Britain, yet empirical tests of its extent and nature are lacking; most evidence of priming effects is from the United States. Moreover, research on British elections concludes that the media have little impact on the public’s perceptions of issues, including in the 2005 election. In this paper we argue that priming by the British media has been misconceived and thus not studied adequately. We demonstrate that the issue of the war in Iraq was primed by media coverage in 2005, both as a consequence of the volume of coverage of the issue and its tone. The influence of Iraq was not just long-term, via its impact on confidence in the Labour government or Tony Blair’s reputation, but was also affected by media coverage during the campaign. We also demonstrate that the media’s coverage of Iraq in 2005 influenced voters’ evaluations of Blair by polarizing consumers of the same news. Finally, we find slightly more of an impact of the tone of coverage of Iraq in 2005 but it is moderated by the editorial stance of the newspaper—the editorial stance of British newspapers still seems to matter, suggesting that the dealignment of the British press has not eliminated the influence of reading a newspaper that endorses a party, no matter how qualified that endorsement may be.     

The Status of Democracy and Human Rights in the Middle East: Does Regime Type Make a Difference?

The collapse of communism and the end of the Cold War have been accompanied by the spread of democracy, advancement in human rights, and the introduction of market reforms throughout the world. The Middle East has been no exception to this trend. There, in response to mounting economic crises and domestic pressures, several governments introduced democratic and economic reforms. This article investigates the progress that Middle East states have made on the path to political liberalization. In particular, it explores whether democratic reforms vary between regional republics and monarchies. To do so, the study analyzes patterns and trends associated with the distribution of political authority and human rights. The article employs five dimensions in this process, including electoral procedural democracy, liberal democracy, personal integrity rights, subsistence rights, and economic freedom. On the one hand, our findings comport with the view that Middle East states have not made significant progress toward institutionalizing procedural democracy and civil liberties. On the other, they lend support to the notion that liberalization is occurring in the region, particularly among monarchies.     

Managing financial resources in the states: the role of computerized information systems

One of the principal and most visible functions of public managers is the allocation of public funds across multiple, many times competing services and constituencies. This vital process must be as efficient and effective as managerial skills and the application of technology permits. Yet, as the effects of technology escalate, little is known about the application of computerized information systems (CIS) to important strategic and operational, financial management decision-making. This study examines the use of information technology in financial decision-making in state governments. The findings suggest that computerized information systems play central but diverse functions in various financial decisions, but that public managers will continue to play a key role in ensuring that CIS use enhances decision-making capabilities.