A Risk Management Procedure for the Washington State Ferries

The state of Washington operates the largest passenger vessel ferry system in the United States. In part due to the introduction of high-speed ferries, the state of Washington established an independent blue-ribbon panel to assess the adequacy of requirements for passenger and crew safety aboard the Washington state ferries. On July 9, 1998, the Blue Ribbon Panel on Washington State Ferry Safety engaged a consultant team from The George Washington University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute/Le Moyne College to assess the adequacy of passenger and crew safety in the Washington state ferry (WSF) system, to evaluate the level of risk present in the WSF system, and to develop recommendations for prioritized risk reduction measures, which, once implemented, can improve the level of safety in the WSF system. The probability of ferry collisions in the WSF system was assessed using a dynamic simulation methodology that extends the scope of available data with expert judgment. The potential consequences of collisions were modeled in order to determine the requirements for onboard and external emergency response procedures and equipment. The methodology was used to evaluate potential risk reduction measures and to make detailed risk management recommendations to the blue-ribbon panel and the Washington State Transportation Commission.     

Structural and Supportive Changes in Couples' Family and Friendship Networks Across the Transition to Parenthood

This article prospectively examined the patterns of change in couples' family and friend networks and supports across the transition to parenthood as well as stability in individual differences over time. Additionally, parental adjustment and depression were examined with respect to changes in couples' social systems. Participants included a total of 137 couples recruited prior to the birth of their first child from prenatal clinics in rural North Carolina. Couples were interviewed about their social networks and supports at four different time periods: prenatally and when target children were 3, 12, and 24 months of age. Couples also completed measures of depression and adjustment at each of the time periods. Across‐time correlations computed for the social network, support, and parental functioning variables revealed that there was considerable stability in the rank ordering of husbands and wives from the prenatal period through 24 months postpartum documenting continuity in parental networks in the context of change. However, growth curve analyses revealed dynamic changes in mothers' and fathers' social systems during this transition and that many of these changes were related to parental adjustment and depression. The discussion highlights the contribution of these data to understanding continuities and discontinuities in mothers' and fathers' social networks over time.     

The board-executive relationship in nonprofit organizations: Partnership or power struggle?

The interactional dynamics of the board-executive relationship in the typical nonprofit agency are not well understood. This article first examines conflicting viewpoints in the literature and then describes an in-depth study of the board-executive dyad at four nonprofit organizations, using decision making as the focus. The data suggest that, in noncrisis situations, internal factors and the nature of the issue under consideration influence which pattern will be adopted and that the stability arising from this kind of leadership accommodation strongly contributes to organizational effectiveness.     

The need to know caregiver perspectives toward using smart home technology

This article reviews the literature on adults with serious mental illness, their caregivers, and smart home technology. The article provides compelling evidence for social workers to undertake research aimed at investigating caregivers' perceptions toward using smart home technology for care of adult family members or friends with a serious mental illness. Empirical support for using smart home technologies with adults with serious mental illness is provided, and recommendations for future social work research are offered.     

Paternal Work Stress and Latent Profiles of Father–Infant Parenting Quality

The current study used latent profile analysis (LPA) to examine the implications of fathers' experiences of work stress for paternal behaviors with infants across multiple dimensions of parenting in a sample of fathers living in nonmetropolitan communities (N = 492). LPA revealed five classes of fathers based on levels of social–affective behaviors and linguistic stimulation measured during two father–infant interactions. Multinomial logistic regression analyses suggested that a less supportive work environment was associated with fathers' membership in multiple lower quality parenting classes. Greater work pressure and a nonstandard work schedule also predicted fathers' membership in the latent parenting classes, although these associations differed depending on the number of hours fathers spent in the workplace.     

On the Relationship Between Antisocial and Anti-Environmental Behaviors: An Empirical Study

According to relevant literature, anti-environmental behaviors such as wasting natural resources are a type of antisocial behaviors. However, there is limited empirical evidence showing a significant relationship between those kinds of negative actions. The aim of this study was to investigate such relationship. One hundred and fourteen persons living at a Mexican city responded to a questionnaire investigating their tolerance to antisocial behaviors (hitting somebody, stealing objects, cheating, etc.). Direct observations of people engaging in water waste actions were also conducted. These included observations of the time the individuals invested in washing their cars, washing their households' sidewalk and washing the portion of street in front of their houses. Results of a structural model indicated that a significant relationship between people's tolerance to antisocial actions and their waste of water exists, as anticipated. Implications of these findings for research in conservation behavior are discussed.     

Social Workers' Experiences of Fear

Correspondence to Dr Martin Smith, Emergency Duty Team, Katherine Knapp House, Stretton Close, Tylers Green, Bucks, HP10 8EW, UK. E-mail: msmith{at}buckscc.gov.uk Summary This paper argues that the impact of fear on social workersand social work practice is a relatively neglected topic thatdeserves attention. With this in mind a sample of 60 employeesof social services departments comprising home carers, rehabilitationofficers, receptionists, residential workers in children's homes,special hospital social workers and social workers working inNorthern Ireland were asked to talk of a time in their workwhen they had experienced fear. Eighty-two fears were reported.These comprised fear of being assaulted, fear of being killed,fear of losing control/being overwhelmed, and fear of disapprovaland rejection by seniors and managers. The social workers interviewedappreciated talking openly about their fears in a manner andcontext that was acceptable to them. It is recommended thatfurther work be undertaken to build upon this research so thatfear in the professional context becomes acknowledged as a realityand the need to share the experience becomes an accepted partof practice.     

Men who work at age 70 or older

The federal policy on older workers has shifted from the encouragement of early withdrawal from the labor force to the encouragement of continuous participation in the labor force. In this light, it is instructive to investigate the backgrounds of elderly people who work at age 70 or older. This article presents the findings of a study, using data from the 1993 Asset and Health Dynamics of the Oldest Old Study, that investigated the effects of health, economic conditions (net worth, employer-provided pensions, and supplemental medical insurance coverage), education, and spouse's work status on the probability of working among men aged 70 or older. The study addressed the probability of working, the probability of working fulltime and of working part-time, and the probability of being self-employed and of being employed by others. Implications for policy are discussed.