“Like Butter Scraped over Too Much Bread”: Animal Protection Policy in Mexico1

Over the past fifteen years Mexico has developed a string of comprehensive animal protection regulations designed to address the serious problems that affect both wild and domestic animals in the territory. Yet for all their detailed coherence and despite serious government efforts, the regulations continue to lack effective enforcement and authorities are increasingly overstretched. This study discusses three key areas that obstruct the effective implementation of Mexican animal protection policy, but where advances could be feasibly initiated. The first concerns deficiencies at the political level. The second addresses the awkward relation between government and civil society on the issue. The third examines the scope of the problem in Mexico and some implications this has for international involvement. Finally the study suggests a more collaborative approach for implementing the policy that attempts to address central concerns in each of the three areas considered.     

Father- and Mother-Adolescent Decision-Making in Mexican-Origin Families

Understanding the prevalence and correlates of decisional autonomy within specific cultural contexts is necessary to fully comprehend how family processes are embedded within culture. The goals of this study were to describe mothers’ and fathers’ decision-making with adolescents (M = 12.51 years, SD = 0.58; 51% female), including parent-unilateral, joint, and youth-unilateral decision-making, and to examine the socio-cultural and family characteristics associated with these different types of decision-making in 246 Mexican-origin families. Mothers reported more joint and youth-unilateral decision-making and less parent-unilateral decision-making than did fathers. Fathers reported more youth-unilateral decision-making with sons than with daughters. Further, for mothers, more traditional gender role attitudes and higher levels of mother-adolescent conflict were associated with more parent-unilateral and less joint decision-making. In contrast, for fathers, lower levels of respect values were associated with more youth-unilateral decision-making with sons, and higher levels of parent-adolescent warmth were associated with more youth-unilateral decision-making with daughters. The importance of understanding the different correlates of mothers’ and fathers’ decision-making with sons versus daughters is discussed.     

A death due to subinvolution of the uteroplacental arteries

A 19-year-old G1P0 Caucasian woman died 8 days postpartum because of the subinvolution of the uteroplacental arteries. Microscopic examination of the placental implantation site revealed large, dilated spiral arteries containing partially occluding thrombi in the superficial myometrium. The presence of cytotrophoblasts within and surrounding the spiral arteries was confirmed by low molecular weight cytokeratin immunohistochemistry. Infection of the Cesarean section incision site was demonstrated by the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae Group B in the wound as well as the intrauterine blood clot. Although subinvolution of the placental site may be a cause of delayed postpartum hemorrhage and significant morbidity, the underlying pathophysiologic mechanism is unknown.     

Drug testing in the public sector: The role of unions

Not surprisingly, unions have traditionally played an active role in employee drug testing. And, although the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of drug testing in two 1989 decisions, unions have continued to wage challenges to urinalysis under the U.S. Constitution and in the labor arena. As this research shows, federal as well as state and local government unions have had some success in challenging the categories of employees targeted for testing, good faith bargaining over drug testing, and due process and equity violations around testing.     

The New Public Management, Homeland Security, and the Politics of Civil Service Reform

This article examines the George W. Bush administration's efforts to apply New Public Management reforms to the Department of Homeland Security. The primary focus is the administration's attempt to implement the law. The managerial strategy that Department of Homeland Security and Office of Personnel Management executives used to carry out the law in the massive new department receives attention, with a special focus on the approach used in dealing with the federal courts. The article suggests five general lessons concerning civil service deregulation at the federal level. The case reaffirms the notion that successful administrative reform requires a keen appreciation for the politics that shape it.