Student achievement in charter schools: A complex picture

Since the inception of charter schools over a decade ago, policymakers have wanted to know how charter schools are performing. This is difficult to answer because there is no single charter school approach to educating students. By design, charter schools have innovative and distinctive education philosophies. In this research, we capture some of the uniqueness of charter schools by clustering them into four major categories: charter schools that convert from conventional public schools, charter schools that start from scratch, charter schools that rely primarily on classroom‐based instruction, and charter schools that have a significant portion of instruction outside of the classroom. Based on these four distinctions, we find significant differences in performance. These differences suggest that policymakers may want to focus greater resources on certain types of charter schools versus others. © 2005 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.     

Context, Conversation and Conviction: Social Networks and Voting at the 1992 British General Election

After some initial interest, analyses of contextual effects in British voting behaviour have tended to downplay or ignore the role of face to face conversations between electors. However, evidence from the 1992 British Election Study shows that conversations with partisan discussants do act as a statistically significant influence on voting. Those who discuss politics with supporters of a particular party are more likely to switch their votes to that party, if they had not previously voted for it, and less likely to switch to other parties. Conversations with family members are particularly important, though talking to other discussants also plays a part.     

Adaptability and cohesion: Implications for understanding the violence-prone system

Most research on physical abuse in relationships has been conducted from the perspective of the individual. Data compiled on couples have been mostly aggregate in nature. The present study examines physical violence at the level of the relationship from the perspective of both individuals involved. Using the Circumplex Model of Family Functioning as the conceptual framework, 75 intact couples in a counseling agency completed the Conflict Tactics Scale and the FACES III inventory at intake. The purpose of the research was to define characteristics of violent couples in terms of adaptability and cohesion in the relationship as measured by the self-report questionnaires. Findings suggest that violent couples are significantly more rigid on the adaptability dimension of FACES III. However, contrary to suggestions that violent couples are enmeshed, the present results showed that they were significantly more disengaged as measured by FACES III. Implications of the findings for therapeutic intervention of violent couples is discussed.     

The Positive Role of School Climate on School Victimization,Depression, and Suicidal Ideation Among School-Attending Homeless Youth

Although homeless youth face a higher risk of victimization and mental health problems, little is known about school victimization and mental health outcomes for school-attending homeless youth. This study examined the relationship between school climate and school-related victimization and mental health problems among homeless youth. Multivariate analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between school climate factors and school victimization, suicidal ideation, and depression tendency in a representative sample of 1,169 school-attending homeless youth in 9th and 11th grades in California. Findings show that school-attending homeless youth are at high risk of being victimized at school and have high rates of depression tendency and suicidal ideation. Positive school climate, especially perceived high expectations from teachers and safety in school, was associated with lower rates of school victimization and mental health problems. The role of supportive school climate in the lives of school-attending homeless youth is discussed and future implications are suggested.     

Restraint,Reaction, and Penal Fantasies: Notes on the Death Penalty in Israel, 1967–2016

What role does the death penalty play in contexts of protracted political violence? What does it symbolize for its opponents and proponents in such contexts? Can it survive as a potent topic of political life even without actual executions? Since 1967, the death penalty has been a lawful sanction in Israel's military courts, which have jurisdiction over Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. Though it has never been carried out, it has been intensely debated throughout this period and the topic has retained major political, cultural, and judicial significance. I argue that both sides in these debates use the topic mostly symbolically, rather than as an issue of public policy. For opponents, refraining from using the death penalty has become a symbol of restraint , used in self‐legitimation. For proponents, death penalty advocacy serves as what I term a penal fantasy , an outlet for frustration, symbolizing defiance against the image of restraint.     

The relationship of imagery and mental practice to learning law enforcement skills

Visualization and mental rehearsal/ practice have beem empirically evaluated in the athletic area for many years and found to be viable forms of performance enhancement. Gross motor skills and certain psychological/physiological dysfunctions are also susceptible to improvement through use of these techniques. A general overview of these concepts is presented as well as potential applications in the law enforcement context.     

Acceptance and completion of treatment among sex offenders

A sample of 778 male sex offenders, assessed from the 1960s to the 2000s, was examined on expressed desire for treatment, treatment attendance, and completion of at least one course of therapy. A variety of treatment approaches was used, reflecting practices of the times. Overall, 50.6% expressed a desire for treatment, 42.0% attended, and 13.6% completed therapy. Offenders' admitter status, criminal history, age, education, and marital status all played some role in desire for treatment, attendance, and completion. Analysis revealed that the desire for and completing treatment has declined over time. Offenders who were exhibitionists or substance abusers or who scored higher on psychopathy, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or learning difficulties or had head injuries were more likely to enter treatment but were no more likely to complete it than were offenders who scored low. The need to focus on motivating different types of sex offenders to accept and participate in treatment is discussed.