Elected Mayors: Leading Locally?

The directly elected executive mayor was introduced to England a decade ago. Drawing inspiration from European and American experience, the elected mayor appealed to both New Labour and Conservative commentators in offering a solution to perceived problems of local leadership. There was a shared view that governance of local areas was failing and that elected mayors were the answer. The first local referendums were held in 2001. Most have continued to reject the idea of the elected mayor. During 2012, the coalition government initiated 10 further mayoral referendums in England’s largest cities but only one, Bristol, opted for an elected mayor. Overall, there is no evidence of widespread public support, yet the prospect of more mayors – with enhanced powers – remains firmly on the policy agenda.

Drawing from a decade of research, this paper considers reasons for the persistence of the mayoral experiment, the importance of local factors in the few areas where mayors hold office and the link to current policy debates. Using the authors’ analytical leadership grid, this paper links the governmental, governance and allegiance roles of mayors to the problematic nature of local leadership. It then draws tentative conclusions about the strange case of the elected mayor in England.     

The Ombudsman: What's in a Name?

The role of the ombudsman is perhaps the least well understood inthe field of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). This essay introducesreaders to the differing conceptions of the role; the sometimes fractiousdivide that has existed in the past between classical andorganizational ombudsmen; and a collection of essays by four well-known practitioners that shed lighton what it is ombudsmen do; the kinds of disputes they deal with and howthey operate; how they view their role (and how others view it); and boththe possibilities and limitations of the ombuds function.     

Une assise au développement des PPP: la confiance institutionnelle,interorganisationnelle et interpersonnelle

Sommaire: Le succès d'un partenariat public‐privé ou PPP repose principalement sur l'efficience de la relation de collaboration entre partenaires qui est elle‐même tributaire de la confiance qu'ils s'accordent mutuellement. L'objectif de cette recherche est de comprendre la dynamique de la formation et de l'évolution de la confiance dans le cadre particulier d'un partenariat impliquant une entreprise privée et un organisme gouvernemental. Trois principaux types de confiance sont d'abord identifiés: la confiance institutionnelle, la confiance interorganisationnelle et la confiance interpersonnelle. L'analyse des événements et des éléments déclencheurs du passage d'un type de confiance à un autre permet de constater que les trois types de confiance se complètent tout au long de la relation de collaboration bien que chacun puisse prédominer à un moment donné. De plus, il ressort de l'analyse de cas que la confiance de type institutionnel demeure la condition nécessaire pour envisager une relation partenariale performante et la maintenir. Abstract: Collaboration between the partners, which itself is linked to the trust they have in one another, is of crucial importance to the success of a public‐private partnership, or PPP. The objective of this research is to understand the dynamics involved in the establishment and evolution of this trust within the specific framework of a partnership involving a private corporation and a government agency. At the outset, three major types of trust are identified: institutional trust, inter‐organizational trust, and interpersonal trust. The analysis of the events and elements that trigger the switching from one type of trust to another makes it clear that the three types complement one another throughout the collaborative relationship, although any one of them can predominate over the others at any given time. Furthermore, the conclusion based on the case analysis is that institutional trust remains the most important condition for ensuring and maintaining a well‐performing partnership.     

Variations in mental health problems, substance use, and delinquency between African American and Caucasian juvenile offenders: implications for reentry services

The incarceration of young people is a growing national problem. Key correlates of incarceration among American youth include mental health problems, substance use, and delinquency. The present study uses a statewide sample of incarcerated youth to examine racial differences in African American and Caucasian juvenile offenders' outcomes related to mental health, substance use, and delinquency. The data indicate that relative to Caucasian offenders, African American offenders report lower levels of mental health problems and substance use but higher levels of delinquent behavior such as violence, weapon carrying, and gang fighting. The data further reveal that African American offenders are more likely than Caucasian offenders to be victims of violence and to experience traumatic events such as witnessing injury and death. Recognition of these patterns may help to improve postrelease services by tailoring or adapting preexisting programs to patterns of risk factors and their relative magnitudes of effect.