Predictors of Early Engagement in Home Visitation

Predictors of engagement in mothers receiving home visitation in the first year of service was examined. Early engagement was studied in three ways: (1) length of time active in the program during the first year of service (duration), (2) number of visits received (quantity), and (3) gaps in service between visits (consistency). Examined visits received in 515 first-time mothers in a Healthy Families America (HFA) program. Parameters of engagement were investigated, and predictors of engagement were identified using demographics and the Kempe Family Stress Inventory. Inclusive of the Assessment Visit, 31.8% of mothers disengaged prior to the first month of service. Remaining active in the program was associated with being Caucasian, and increased parenting risk (mental health/substance abuse history, low social support, increased stress). Most mothers had fewer home visits than prescribed. Gaps in prescribed service were common, with 89.4% of mothers experiencing gaps between visits of 1 month, and dropping to 16.4% having gaps of 2 months. In contrast to findings from clinic-based interventions, early engagement in home visitation is associated with lower levels of functioning and acute needs. These findings add to a growing body of literature suggesting that increased adversity promotes engagement in prevention programs in general, and home visitation programs in particular. To the extent that mothers who are actively engaged in home visitation are likely to have increased psychosocial needs, curricula may require modification and augmentation to address these needs and optimize program effectiveness.     

Separating Compensatory and Punitive Damage Award Decisions by Trial Bifurcation

In a simulated products liability trial, we tested the effects of bifurcating decisions regarding compensatory and punitive damage awards. Fifty-nine groups of 5-7 jurors heard evidence in a unitary or bifurcated format, deliberated about the case to a unanimous decision, and awarded damages. Trial bifurcation decreased variability in compensatory damage awards across juries hearing the same case, and also decreased the tendency for juries to award extremely high compensatory damages. In addition, deliberation led to lower compensatory awards in the low injury severity condition and higher awards in the high injury severity condition. Jurors reported that they were using evidence more appropriately when the decisions were bifurcated. Implications of evidence bifurcation in civil trials are discussed.     

Justice Beliefs in School: Distinguishing Ultimate and Immanent Justice

This paper combines two recent developments in just world research: the conception of belief in a just world (BJW) as a resource for coping and well-being in everyday life, and the distinction between two different facets of BJW, namely belief in immanent justice (BIJ) and belief in ultimate justice (BUJ). Moreover, these two aspects are adapted to the school context and educational psychology. Scales for measuring ultimate and immanent justice in schools were developed within a German pilot reform project with a sample of 1274 pupils. The two facets could be distinguished by means of factor analysis. The reliability of the two scales is satisfactory, and their validity is confirmed by their differential correlational patterns. Results show that not every form of BJW automatically functions as a coping resource. In fact, only BUJ is able to protect pupils' mental well-being, whereas immanent justice can actually jeopardize well-being. Similarly, BUJ is associated with the perception of solidarity and learning enjoyment in class, whereas BIJ is more closely associated with the experience of rivalry and competition in class. Finally, the socialization of the two justice beliefs is considered. The cross-sectional data provide some evidence to suggest that friendly and supportive parenting styles can promote BUJ, whereas strict parenting styles may further BIJ. More longitudinal research is needed to obtain further insights into these phenomena.     

New Panthers,old Panthers and the politics of black nationalism in the United States

ABSTRACT

The New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense has been a cause du scandale since it was formed in the early 1990s. Indeed, the Anti-Defamation League has described it as ‘the largest organized anti-Semitic and racist black militant group in America’. It is somewhat surprising, then, that there has been very little detailed analysis of the party and its activities. Mulloy begins to fill this gap by outlining the origins and development of the party, and by closely examining the ongoing dispute between the New Black Panthers and surviving members of the original Black Panther Party—established by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale in Oakland, California in 1966—over the right to claim the name, the history and the legacy of the Panthers in the United States. Critically assessing the strategies and actions of the New Black Panthers, Mulloy argues that its high-profile, media-centred approach to political activism has largely been a failure with regard to its overall aim of reviving the Black Power movement in the United States.     

族群和阶级相关联的理论探讨

严格地说,族群是一个文化概念,而阶级主要是一个政治经济概念。但在现实中,族群和阶级经常是纠缠在一起的。阶级边界和族群边界都不是岿然不动的,在一定的社会历史条件下,族群和阶级的边界就会淡化、消解、或者镶嵌和嫁接在一起。     

不真正不作为犯的结构与罪刑法定原则

不真正不作为犯的结构问题具有特殊性,加之刑事立法的缺失,造成对其处罚的根据不明确,这与刑法的罪刑法定基本原则相悖,引起了过多的争议,文章对不真正不作为犯存在的逻辑结构和规范结构进行了剖析,从而说明对其处罚并不违反刑法的罪刑法定原则。     

论新时期执政党利益整合能力建设

近年来,随着中国社会结构的变化,阶级阶层利益诉求、社会矛盾、主流意识形态发生巨大变化,整合利益需求、协调社会各个阶层矛盾,是当前党执政中面临的一个重要现实课题。现代传媒技术、社会组织的发展对党的利益整合能力产生了极大挑战。因此,需进一步加强执政党的利益整合能力建设,不断促进社会主义社会和谐稳定发展。     

艾伦·梅克森斯·伍德对技术决定论的批判

艾伦·梅克森斯·伍德认为马克思不是技术决定论者。她从三个维度批判了技术决定论:从阶级和历史维度,伍德认为技术决定论否定阶级的存在,忽视对具体社会的特殊性分析,主张超历史的和普遍的历史观,认为技术革新是社会变革的主要动力;从资本主义维度,伍德认为资本主义本身是反技术的,技术的发展会加剧自身的特殊矛盾;从社会主义维度,伍德认为社会主义追求的不是技术决定论意义上的阶级消亡和生产主义,而是自然、人与社会之间的和谐,以及生产者的自由联合体。     

论加快农民工工人阶级化的历史进程

随着我国经济的发展和城镇化进程的加快,大批农村富余劳动力进城务工,成为我国工人阶级的新成员和重要组成部分。加快农民工工人阶级化的历史进程,是工会组织一项重大的战略任务。把农民工组织到工会中来,健全农民工权益保障制度,强化农民工的培训,注重满足农民工不断增长的精神文化需求,加强和改善各级党组织对农民工工作的指导等,都是加快农民工工人阶级化的重要举措。     

红色文化与大学生励志教育

红色文化作为一种先进的文化形态,具有丰富的思想内涵,是加强大学生励志教育的有效载体。在实现中华民族伟大复兴的历史进程中,运用红色文化充分挖掘其育人价值,对于引导大学生树立崇高理想、培育积极心态、践行人生志向等方面具有十分重要的意义。因此,高校只有把红色文化纳入课堂教学、大学生社会实践活动和校园文化之中,并积极构建红色德育基地,才能推动大学生励志教育不断走向深入。