Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Review Of Challenges Of An Aging Society; Ethical Dilemmas, Political Issues. Rachel A. Pruchno And Michael Smyer, Editors. Reviewed By Erica Yoonkyung Auh., Erica Yoonkyung Auh

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Rachel A. Pruchno and Michael Smyer (Eds.), Challenges of an Aging Society; Ethical Dilemmas, Political Issues. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007. $49.95 hardcover.

Parental Assets: A Pathway To Positive Child Educational Outcomes, Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Yeong Hun Yeo, Kate Irish, Min Zhan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A growing body of evidence suggests parental assets have positive effects on children's well-being. Using 2004 data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, this study tests the effect of parental asset holding on child educational outcomes, and explores whether parental involvement and expectations mediate this relationship. Results indicate that assets are a significant predictor of all child academic outcomes of our study; however, income is not a significant predictor for school outcomes when controlling for assets. The mediation analyses show the effect of assets on school outcomes is mediated by two of the three parenting measures: parental expectations …

Review Of Differential Diagnosis: A Comparative History Of Health Care Problems And Solutions In The United States And France. Paul V. Dutton. Reviewed By Krista Drescher Burke., Krista Drescher Burke

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Paul V. Dutton, Differential Diagnosis: A Comparative History of Health Care Problems and Solutions in the United States and France. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2007. $29.95 hardcover, $19.95 papercover.

Review Of The Other Invisible Hand: Delivery Public Services Through Choice And Competition. Julian Le Grand. Reviewed By James Midgley., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Julian Le Grand, The Other Invisible Hand: Delivery Public Services Book Reviews through Choice and Competition. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2007. $24.95 papercover.

Testing The Relationship Of Formal Bonding, Informal Bonding, And Formal Bridging Social Capital On Key Outcomes For Families In Low-Income Neighborhoods, Daniel Brisson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The development of social capital among families living in low income neighborhoods has become a popular poverty reduction and economic advancement strategy. However conceptual scholarship suggests the broad use of social capital has diminished its importance. Scholars have begun to identify the multiple and overlapping characteristics of social capital and the field now needs empirical studies to show how specific types of social capital are important for families living in low-income neighborhoods. This study tests the relationship between three types of social capital (informal bonding social capital, formal bonding social capital and formal bridging social capital) and important outcomes for …

Review Of The Political Sociology Of The Welfare State: Institutions, Social Cleavages And Orientation. Stefan Svallfors, Editor. Reviewed By Richard J. Smith., Richard J. Smith

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Stefan Svallfors (Ed.). The Political Sociology of the Welfare State: Institutions, Social Cleavages and Orientation. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2007. $55.00 hardcover.

Review Of The Battle For Welfare Rights: Politics And Poverty In Modern America. Felicia Kornbluh. Reviewed By James Midgley., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Felicia Kornbluh, The Battle for Welfare Rights: Politics and Poverty in Modern America. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2007. $49.95 hardcover, $24.95 papercover.

Review Of The Origins Of The Welfare State: Women, Work, And The French Revolution. Lisa Dicaprio. Reviewed By James Midgley., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Lisa DiCaprio, The Origins of the Welfare State: Women, Work, and the French Revolution. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2007. $ 40.00 hardcover.

Review Of The Great American Crime Decline. Franklin E. Zimring. Reviewed By Matthew T. Theriot., Matthew T. Theriot

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Franklin E. Zimring, The Great American Crime Decline. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. $35.00 hardcover, $21.95 papercover.

Prevalence And Correlates Of Adolescent Dating Violence In Bangkok, Thailand, Penchan Pradubmook-Sherer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study explored the incidence and severity of violence in dating relationships, and identified variables that explain dating violence perpetration by Thai youths. The sample consisted of 1,296 adolescents from high schools, vocational schools, and out-of-school adolescents, between the ages of 14 and 19. Findings indicate that Thai youths maintain very intensive dating relationships. The out-of-school adolescents hold the highest dating violent behaviors. While males' dating violence scores were higher, the females were involved in all types of dating violence, exceeding the males on verbal/emotional violence. The results provide useful information about cultural influences on dating violence, and have practical …

Child Care And Development Fund: A Policy Analysis, Colleen K. Vesely, Elaine A. Anderson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Legislated as part of welfare reform, the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the main source of child care government funding earmarked for low-income families. As a block grant, with broad federal guidelines, states have significant freedom in implementing this legislation to meet the needs of their citizens. This diverse implementation has challenged legislators and scholars trying to assess the success of CCDF across the United States. In considering the evaluation research of CCDF, as well as the original goals of this legislation, several major themes related to the diverse state implementation emerged, including access, equity, and stability. This …

Promoting Positive Outcomes For Healthy Youth Development: Utilizing Social Capital Theory, Julie Anne Laser, George Stuart Leibowitz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article discusses the central tenets of the theories of social capital, which include exchanges, trust, obligation, bonding, bridging, and issues concerning the marginalization of certain groups. Included is an exploration of the limitations of the approaches of the key theorists, followed by the presentation of a theoretical framework and model of the development of social capital among youth. Additionally, the article discusses the relevancy of social capital for social work practice.

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 36, No. 1 (March 2009)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF ADOLESCENT DATING VIOLENCE IN BANGKOK, THAILAND - Penchan Pradubmook-Sherer
• CHILD CARE DEVELOPMENT FUND: A POLICY ANALYSIS - Colleen K. Vesely and Elaine A. Anderson
• PARENTAL ASSETS: A PATHWAY TO POSITIVE CHILD EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES - Michal Grins tein-Weiss, Yeong Hun Yeo, Kate Irish, and Min Zhan
• PROMOTING POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR HEALTHY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT: UTILIZING SOCIAL CAPITAL THEORY - Julie Anne Laser and George Stuart Leibowitz
• THE FAILURES OF AMERICAN POVERTY MEASURES - Stephen Pimpare
• STRUCTURATION THEORY AND CRITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS: POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE - Jennifer Wheeler-Brooks
• WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD: DOES WHERE …

The Failures Of American Poverty Measures, Stephen Pimpare

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

How we think about need or deprivation-how we judge its severity, its causes and effects, and the progress we have made (or not made) over time in reducing it-has much to do with how we define and then measure it. And, we measure it poorly. The insufficiencies of official data on American poverty are reasonably well known, yet they continue, nonetheless, to be the principal means by which we gauge need in the United States. After a review of such official measures, this article discusses alternative means of evaluating need in the United States, highlighting the benefits of examining poverty …

Welcome To The Neighborhood: Does Where You Live Affect The Use Of Nutrition, Health, And Welfare Programs?, Molly De Marco, Allison C. De Marco

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Despite the recent upsurge in neighborhood effects research, few studies have examined the impact of neighborhood characteristics on the use of nutrition, health, and welfare programs. To explore these issues, this study used data from Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study, a longitudinal dataset comprised of low-income neighborhoods in Boston, San Antonio, and Chicago (n=1,712). Using hierarchical linear models, the results indicated that both individual (education, employment, and marriage) and perceived neighborhood disorder factors were related to social service use.

Review Of Why America Lost The War On Poverty-And How To Win It. Frank Stricker. Reviewed By Mary Ager Caplan., Mary Ager Caplan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review for Frank Stricker, Why America Lost the War on Poverty - And How to Win It. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2007. $59.95 hardcover, $19.95 papercover.

Review Of Grassroots Struggles For Sustainability In Central America. Lynn R. Horton. Reviewed By Ian W. Holloway., Ian W. Holloway

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review for Lynn R. Horton, Grassroots Struggles for Sustainability in Central America. Boulder, CO: University of Colorado Press, 2007. $55.00 hardcover.

Review Of Mexican Immigration To The United States. George J. Borjas, Editor. Reviewed By Michelle Johnson., Michelle Johnson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of George J. Borjas (Ed.), Mexican Immigration to the United States. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2007. $60.00 hardcover.

Review Of The Sandbox Investment: The Preschool Movement And Kids-First Politics. David L. Kirp. Reviewed By James Midgley., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of David L. Kirp, The Sandbox Investment: The Preschool Movement and Kids-First Politics. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2007. $26.95 hardcover.

Review Of Blue-Chip Black: Race, Class, And Status In The New Black Middle Class. Karyn R. Lacy. Reviewed By Paul G. Wright., Paul G. Wright

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Karyn R. Lacy, Blue-Chip Black: Race, Class, and Status in the New Black Middle Class. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2007. $60 hardcover, $22.95 papercover.

The Social Construction Of Client Participation: The Evolution And Transformation Of The Role Of Service Recipients In Child Welfare And Mental Disabilities, Terry Mizrahi, Mayra Humphreys-Lopez, Denise Torres

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article presents a comparative analysis of client participation (CP) in child welfare and mental health and mental retardation systems. It identifies three rationales for client participation (philosophical, pragmatic, and political), along with the limitations surrounding each rationale. It uses social construction theory to examine the historical and ideological underpinnings of organized, institutionally-sanctioned client involvement inside and outside government. In order to enhance the capacity of clients to influence service and benefit systems, their role must evolve through the mutual efforts of government-strengthening client participation policies and independent organizing from the bottom up through community development and advocacy programs.

Policy Mandated Collaboration, Jan Ivery

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This exploratory study examined the collaborative strategy used by Tri Cities Partnership (TCP) to facilitate the collaborative process required by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to receive Continuum of Care funding. The study examined partner perceptions of TCP's leadership, organizational structure, benefits and drawbacks of participation, and relationships with partners. A follow-up survey and key informant interviews explored themes related to organizational affiliation with TCP, benefits and drawbacks of participation, relationships with partners, challenges impacting the ability of TCP to facilitate collaboration and strategies for involving key stakeholders. The study also identified factors that motivate …

Establishing A Basis For Multi-System Collaboration: Systemic Team Development, Rosalyn M. Bertram

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Reports of child sexual abuse require police, child protective services, forensic and medical evaluators, prosecutors, family court and treatment providers to negotiate complementary, overlapping roles with children and families. Administrators from these agencies in Kansas City, Missouri clarified this multi-system response by applying a theory-based model for team development previously studied in direct practice with families. This article presents that model and an exploratory case study of this effort. Findings suggest the model's efficacy for resolving inter-agency conflict and may contribute to constructing logic models in multi-system collaboration

African American Grandmothers Providing Extensive Care To Their Grandchildren: Socio-Demographic And Health Determinants Of Life Satisfaction, Dorothy Smith-Ruiz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The article explores the relationships between grandmothers' socioeconomic and health characteristics in relation to life satisfaction. Reasons for caregiving, assumption of the caregiver role, and grandmothers'attitudes and experiences in custodial caregiving were discussed qualitatively from data gathered in detailed interviews of a convenience sample of 99 custodial African American grandmothers caringf or one or more grandchildreny ounger than 18 in North Carolina. Most grandmothers in this sample reported mixed feelings toward custodial caregiving, both as a burden as well as a blessing. They also reported a weak support system and relied on their faith more than family and friends to …

Racial/Ethnic Differences In Religious Congregation-Based Social Service Delivery Efforts, R. Khari Brown

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The current study utilizes Swidler's (1986) cultural toolkit theory to explain racial/ethnic differences in American religious congregations' provision of social service programs. This study suggests that black Americans' reliance upon structural tools to assess poverty contributes to their congregations being more heavily involved than majority white congregations in the provision of social services that attempt to make a longer-term impact on community life (i.e. academic tutoring and job training). In contrast, white Americans' greater reliance upon individualistic tools to understand poverty arguably contributes to their congregations being more heavily involved in the provision of programs that have a shorter- term …

A Boiling Pot Of Animosity Or An Alliance Of Kindred Spirits? Exploring Connections Between Native Americans And African Americans, Hilary N. Weaver

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The relationship between indigenous people and people of African heritage in the United States is a long and complex one. An examination of historical and contemporary connections between indigenous persons and African Americans not only clarifies complex and frequently overlooked parts of American history but sets the stage for examining future possibilities. It is useful for helping professionals to understand these relationships since this history may serve as the basis for positive connections or animosities between clients and professionals. This article begins with a discussion of selected historical intersections between these populations that highlight the complex and varied nature of …

Rethinking Social Work's Role In Public Assistance, Julie Cooper Altman, Gertrude Schaffner Goldberg

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article presents an argument for revisiting social work's relationship to public assistance in the wake of 10 years of welfare reform. Three case studies drawn from a mixed-method study of the quality of life of former TANF recipients illustrate the range, depth and complexity of the needs of persons while they are on the welfare rolls, transitioning off and living without cash relief. The article briefly traces the history of social work's commitment to and provision of social services for this population and argues that it may be time to revisit the profession's role in public assistance. In light …

Review Of Saving Children From A Life Of Crime: Early Risk Factors And Effective Interventions. David P. Farrington And Brandon C. Welsh. Reviewed By Stephanie Cosner Berzin., Stephanie Cosner Berzin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

David P. Farrington and Brandon C. Welsh, Saving Children from a Life of Crime: Early Risk Factors and Effective Interventions. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. $29.95 hardcover, $21.95 papercover.

Review Of Why Welfare States Persist: The Importance Of Public Opinion In Democracies. Clem Brooks And Jeff Manza. Reviewed By Allan Brawley., Allan Brawley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Clem Brooks and Jeff Manza, Why Welfare States Persist: The Importance of Public Opinion in Democracies. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2007. $45.00 hardcover, $18.00 papercover.

Review Of Wives Without Husbands: Marriage, Desertion And Welfare In New York, 1900-1935. Anna R. Igra. Reviewed By Laura Curran., Laura Curran

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Book review of Anna R. Igra, Wives without Husbands: Marriage, Desertion, and Welfare in New York, 1900-1935. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2007. $19.95 papercover.