Youth Gangs: A 1990s Perspective

The juvenile gang in the 1990s differs in many significant ways from the gangs described in the “classical” gang studies of the 1950s and 1960s. Juvenile justice professionals should be aware of the changes in the nature, organization, motivation, and activities of gangs and plan intervention strategies accordingly. One important issue in gang research—one which has great implications for public policy—is defining “gang” and “gang-related crime.” The existence of a “gang problem” in a community may be more related to the definition of “gang” and “gang-related” than to the objective issue of whether, or not, a gang problem exists. Further issues relating to the gang of the 1990s involve changing age and sex distribution of gang members, increasing violence by gangs, and deeper involvement with drug distribution. Implications for public policy are discussed.     

National health insurance and the new health occupations: nurse practitioners and physicians' assistants

This article considers a number of issues which might arise in formulating policy for new health occupations. Its particular focus is on nurse practitioners and physicians' assistants and their treatment under potential national health insurance arrangements. The development and expansion of these occupations are described, as is the evidence on their performance with respect to the quality of medical care provided, the impact on the cost of such care, and changes in access to care. We then discuss several issues which might arise in the context of national health insurance legislation, including reimbursement rates and methods, certification and licensure, training subsidies, deployment incentives, and compatibility with an increased supply of physicians.