Ex-offender employment programs and recidivism: A meta-analysis

One consequence of the tremendous growth in the number of persons under supervision of the criminal justice system, whether incarcerated, on parole, or on probation, is the effect of this criminal history on finding and keeping a job. Ex-offenders, especially those recently released from prison, face substantial barriers to many types of legal employment; nonetheless, stable employment is one of the best predictors of post-release success. Thus, policy-makers concerned about high recidivism rates face an obvious need to improve the employment prospects of ex-offenders. Over the last 25 years, many programs that were designed to increase employment (and, by so doing, reduce recidivism) among ex-offenders have been implemented and evaluated. [Wilson, D. B., Gallagher, C. A., Coggeshall, M. B. & MacKenzie, D. L. (1999). Corrections Management Quarterly 3(4), 8–18; Wilson, D. B., Gallagher, C. A. & MacKenzie, D. L. (2000). Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 37(4), 347–368] conducted a quantitative synthesis and meta-analysis of 33 evaluations of educational, vocational, and work programs for persons in correctional facilities. To date, however, the evaluation literature on employment programs for those with a criminal record who are not in custody has not been systematically reviewed. This paper presents the results of a quantitative meta-analysis of eight random assignment studies of such programs, using the Campbell Collaboration methodology. The results indicate that this group of community employment programs for ex-offenders did not reduce recidivism; however, the experimental design research on this question is small and does not include some of the promising community employment programs that have emerged in the last decade.     

Common mitochondrial DNA deletion associated with sudden natural death in adults

One of the most frequent causes of death in developed countries is sudden natural death (SND), which is the most common indication for medico-legal autopsies. Cardiac diseases are frequently detected among SND. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is easily damaged by reactive oxygen species, and it may cause dysfunction in tissues, leading to early events in cardiovascular disease. A specific mtDNA deletion of 4977 bp is associated to aging, myocardial dysfunction, and bioenergetic deficit. The potential link between mtDNA damage and SND has not been investigated before. Our aim was to evaluate the accumulation of the common mtDNA4977-deletion in cardiac muscle samples from autopsies of SND in adults (n = 14) in comparison to control samples from unnatural deaths (n = 12). Serial dilution-polymerase chain reaction method was performed to estimate the proportion of the total mtDNA harboring the mtDNA4977-deletion. Coefficient variation intra-assay was 8%, and inter-assay was 12%. MtDNA4977-deletion percentage was higher in samples obtained from victims of SND than in those from subjects who died of unnatural causes (p < 0.05). No differences in mtDNA4977-deletion were found between SND victims 39-51 years old, and no correlation was found between these samples and age, r = 0.30, p = 0.29 while it was significant among control samples, r = 0.68, p < 0.05. The association between mtDNA4977 deletion with SND victims might offer a tool to provide additional information to clarify complex SND investigations.     

Is domestic violence relevant?: An exploratory analysis of couples referred for mediation in family court

Mediation is an essential component of custody evaluation and reconciliation services in domestic courts. Data from 306 couples with and without a reported history of domestic violence (DV) who were ordered to attend an assessment for mediation were analyzed to determine differences in the mediation process. More than one third reported a history of DV. Chi-square analysis showed that differences in the mediation process exist between couples reporting DV and couples reporting no DV. A greater proportion of couples with reported DV (a) actually attended the court-mandated assessment session, (b) were deemed unsuitable to participate in the mediation process, (c) were in default of child-support payments, and (d) reported drug and alcohol abuse. No significant differences were found between the two groups in the measured mediation outcomes. Implications for the use of mediation with couples who reported DV and recommendations for future research are discussed.     

A program analysis of Esuba: helping turn abuse around for inmates

This investigation is an empirical evaluation of Esuba, an abuse awareness program implemented in the Florida correctional system. Research has indicated a link between violent and abusive behavior and criminal activity. This study specifically addressed whether the Esuba program had an impact on offenders' self-esteem, stability of self, faith in people, and sensitivity to criticism as measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The results from the application of the Esuba program to an incarcerated offender population are encouraging. The results suggest that the Esuba program does appear to significantly increase offenders' emotional self-preservation.     

Introduction to Special Issue on the Institutional Balance and the Future of EU Governance: The Future of the Union and the Trap of the "Nirvana Fallacy"

The question of the "institutional balance" strikes at the very core of what the European Union is and where it is headed. In Declaration 23 of the Treaty of Nice, member states committed themselves to launching "a deeper and wider debate about the future of the Union" (point 3). As the articles in this volume indicate, in addressing the future of the Union, it is crucial that member states and the institutions dispel the myths upon which some of the need for reform has been conceived. In any institutional reform process, it is vital that the architects of reform avoid what Demsetz has referred to as the "Nirvana fallacy." In examining the institutional balance(s) in the EU and addressing the future of the Union, it is important that the realities of contemporary praxis are fully understood and that unrealistic goals are avoided. The EU can no more be expected to conform to some mythical ideal of "good governance" than can the member states of which it is constituted.     

What determines the value of life? a meta‐analysis

A large literature has developed in which labor market contracts are used to estimate the value of a statistical life (VSL). Reported estimates of the VSL vary substantially, from less than $100,000 to more than $25 million. This research uses meta‐analysis to quantitatively assess the VSL literature. Results from existing studies are pooled to identify the systematic relationships between VSL estimates and each study's particular features, such as the sample composition and research methods. This meta‐analysis suggests that a VSL range of approximately $1.5 million to $2.5 million (in 1998 dollars) is what can be reasonably inferred from past labor‐market studies when “best practice” assumptions are invoked. This range is considerably below many previous qualitative reviews of this literature. © 2002 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.     

Responsive bureaus,equity, and regulatory negotiation: an empirical view

Rulemaking agencies commonly delegate the implementation and enforcement of rules to affected parties, but they rarely delegate rulemaking authority. Regulatory negotiation is an example of this uncommon behavior. Compared to conventional rulemaking, regulatory negotiation is thought to be an attempt to make bureaucracy more responsive to affected stakeholders, especially when the rulemaking concerns politically complicated and technical issues. However, negotiation, while it may make bureaucrats more responsive, may also be less fair in that it is likely to result in relatively more responsiveness to interests supported by those with greater resources. This study presents empirical evidence that compares negotiated to conventional rulemaking processes at the Environmental Protection Agency in respect to both responsiveness and equality. The results uphold the expectation that negotiating rules appears more responsive than the conventional rule‐writing process. Furthermore, the results show inequality in both processes; outcomes of negotiated rules may be more unequal than outcomes of conventionally written rules. © 2002 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.     

Community Development Block Grant Spending Revisited: Patterns of Benefit and Program Institutionalization

This article analyzes Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)spending by local governments between 1988–1992. We addressfour issues examining actual expenditure patterns in a smallcentral city and five satellite cities in Michigan: changesin CDBG expenditure patterns; levels of social targeting; theextent of institutionalization of expenditure patterns; andthe level of privatization of CDBG spending. We conclude thatwhile spending for housing and public works is related to thefiscal health of cities, expenditures for economic developmentand social services are related to political characteristics.Further, local governments exceed federal social targeting guidelines.Finally, while there is little privatization, the communitiesstudied evidence modest levels of program innovation in thelater years of the CDBG program.