Incentives, Capacity, and Implementation: Evidence from Massachusetts Education Reform

Since the 1980s, most of the states and the U.S. federal governmenthave enacted policies based upon the theory of standards-basededucation reform. These policies attempt to use incentives toovercome the difficulty of implementing policy in a looselycoupled system. This article presents a case study of the implementationof standards-based reform in Massachusetts. The case study showshow poorly thought-out incentive structures, lack of capacity,and lack of trust impeded implementation of the reforms. TheMassachusetts experience has implications for the educationreform movement nationwide, because Massachusetts has been aleader in the movement. Analysis of the Massachusetts case alsocontributes to the literature on how context affects policyimplementation.     

The impact of density in a juvenile correctional institution: Research,recommendations, and policy implications

In accordance with the goal of bridging research and practice, we (a) review recent literature on correctional crowding, (b) report a recent study on density and the recommendations made to the institution on the basis of the study, and (c) discuss implications for policy involving this type of research.     

Universal Health Insurance in Massachusetts:

The Massachusetts Health Security Act is the first universal-access financing legislation in the country, and sets a precedent for providing health coverage for the 600,000 uninsured in the state. The bill is the product of prolonged negotiation among hospitals, business interests, insurers, and advocates of universal access, who debated the extent of benefits, the cost of care, and the system which will monitor and regulate its provision. While the bill represents an important first step in addressing the service requirements of the uninsured, it falls short of meeting the needs of the underinsured, for example, elderly persons unable to afford Medex insurance to supplement Medicare coverage. The article reviews the points of negotiation which led to adoption of the bill.     

Dying in jail: The phenomenon of adolescent suicide in correctional facilities

Adolescent suicide is increasing in the United States and the incidence of suicide gestures and attempts in juvenile correctional facilities is high. The attitudes of correctional staff toward adolescents and toward suicidal behavior may contribute to the increase. Suicide is often the outcome of a progression of problems that have isolated the adolescent from meaningful social relationships. Correctional staff must be aware of the phenomenon of adolescent suicide and be given training to deal with it effectively within the institution. Institutional staff have commonly seen suicide gestures or attempts as acting out behavior rather than a symptom of low self-esteem or inability to cope with institutional placement. This discussion examines the phenomenon of adolescent suicide and the impact the juvenile justice system has on its occurrence. It will also include an examination of interdisciplinary interventive strategies which can be used in an institutional setting.     

Mental health promotion in forensic & correctional environments

I hope this brief glimpse into the concept of mental health promotion within forensic and correctional environments will challenge nurses to explore creative ways in which a mental health agenda can be formulated and actualized in practice.     

Observations on going coed in a correctional center

When a school for delinquent girls converts to a coeducational program it faces major problems, including staff attitudes, residents' reactions, and the control of destructiveness, sexual acting out, and drugs.     

Isinangananga versus imbobo: negotiation of intimacy in South African female correctional centres

ABSTRACT

Isinangananga (same-sex relationships) an abomination to some but a source of pleasure to others, is a word I heard throughout my prison journeys. Imbobo refers to heterosexual relationships between males and female inmates in a correctional centre. This paper explores both the narratives of women's involvement in both forms of relationships.     

A case study of action research in probation : The improved correctional field services project

This case study of the Improved Correctional Field Services Project describes the pre-implementation history of an action research project—in this case a project to improve probation services. That history encompasses a period of about five years (1974–1978). ICFS represented a major initiative in probation programming by the now defunct Law Enforcement Assistance Administration. It was intended to be a test of some of the principle ideas for making probation more effective. Its history illustrates the pitfalls that may confront a program developer and evaluator. Further, it illustrates how concepts and objectives can change within the life-time of a given project.     

Infrastructure planning in rural Massachusetts

This paper describes the importance of understanding and dealing with the problems of infrastructure planning and maintenance in rural communities. Infrastructure is defined to include roads, bridges, water and wastewater collection and treatment systems, and public buildings and capital equipment. The authors base their findings primarily on the experience of communities in Massachusetts, but these findings are readily applied to the situation of rural communities elsewhere in the U.S.A. and other developed countries. Three major conclusions are presented in the paper: the need for rural communities to develop long-range plans for infrastructure maintenance and finance; the need to develop effective local institutions to assume this responsibility, and the importance of managing growth in fast-growing rural areas in order to minimize the need for major expansion of infrastructure systems.     

Elderly prisoners: a growing and forgotten group within correctional systems vulnerable to elder abuse

There are over 2.1 million people incarcerated in the nation's jails and prisons. Additionally, close to 600,000 prisoners are released annually into communities across the country. Many prisoners and those released from prisons are elderly. The purpose of this article is to examine the systemic abuse and neglect experienced by elderly prisoners while they are incarcerated and when they are released from prison. Most correctional systems have inadequate resources, processes, and personnel to manage the elderly population inside and outside of prisons. In addition to providing a definition of "elderly prisoner," two specific problems-prison health care and prisoner re-entry-are examined in the article. The article concludes with recommendations for both policy and research on how best we can further understand and address the multiple needs and concerns faced by elderly prisoners.     

An evaluation model for the development of more humane correctional institutions: Evidence from Penghu Prison

Over time, correctional institutions have actively implemented innovations in prison administration. Most correctional institutions constitute conservative and closed societies. Generally, people do not have sufficient knowledge or understanding of penal correction. Therefore, it is difficult but necessary to break the stereotyped impression people hold about correctional institutions, actively integrate them into society, and encourage people to assume a more humane attitude towards correctional institutions. We conducted an inductive analysis of Penghu Prison administered by the Agency of Corrections, Ministry of Justice, Taiwan. After creating evaluation indices for the development of more humane correctional institutions, we conducted a survey to classify the evaluation indices into criteria under the four major evaluation dimensions. Using DEMATEL, we determined the causal relationship among different evaluation indicators and generated an influential network relation map about the evaluation criteria. Using DANP, we subsequently calculated weightings for the influence of each criterion. Finally, using the modified VIKOR, we conducted a gap analysis. The results of this study can be used to build a more positive and human reputation for correctional institutions and enable their sustainable creation.