Language,discourse and empowerment: changing approaches to children and young people who have sexually abused others

The sexual abuse of children by other children and young people has gained an increasing profile during the previous decade. It has been increasingly recognised that there has been a significant change in the way that this issue has been responded to, both in philosophy and practice, as research has developed and also as the value base of initial constructions of this behaviour has been questioned. This article describes the development of a project to work with children and young people who have sexually abused from its inception in 1995 to the present, outlining the original assumptions and working practices and the reasoning behind changes. The growth of the project illustrates the changing nature of constructions of this behaviour, along with the introduction of new theoretical approaches to respond to this change. In particular, the changes can be seen to reflect a move away from a ‘modernist’ position and this is discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Forging the links: (de)constructing chains of behaviours

This paper will discuss an article by Becker and French (2005) in this Journal which proposed the general acceptance of correlations or the ‘links’ between child abuse, animal abuse and domestic violence. Becker and French claim this topic has ‘seen a growth of interest’ (p. 399) over the past two decades and they suggest that organizations across the UK should ‘institutionalize the “links” within policy and practice’ (p. 410). In this paper we question the appropriateness of linking different forms of violence in such a mechanistic and predictive way by drawing on and extending arguments we have made elsewhere. We consider the proposed ‘links’ in terms of assumptions, de?nitions, methods and logic, and raise concerns for a prospective practice which is based on retrospective (and ?awed) research. We aim to appeal to in?uential doubters (social workers, child care workers, animal welfare workers, vets, educators and policy‐makers) in a language of ‘reason’, and we propose that the identi?ed reluctance of professionals in the UK to adopt the rhetoric of ‘links’ can be viewed as an informed and re?ective response. Throughout, we offer a corrective commentary to the ?awed assumptions of the ‘links’ argument and seek to encourage others to remain sceptical about these claims and the suggested implications for practice. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Recent trends in multiple-caused mortality 1968 to 1982: Age and cohort components

Declines in mortality at advanced ages have been observed recently in the United States. These declines have been related to a reduction in the risk of major circulatory diseases, such as stroke and heart disease. In this paper we examine the contribution of two additional major factors in those declines. The first is the effect of conditions associated with circulatory diseases. This effect can be examined by using multiple-cause mortality data in which all conditions reported by the physician on the death certificates are recorded. The second is the contribution of cohort mortality differentials to temporal changes. If major cohort differentials are identified, we may be able to determine if recent declines in mortality are likely to continue-and to what levels. Such insights would be useful both in improving projections of the size and age structure of the U.S. elderly population and its entitlement groups and in helping to identify future patterns of needs for preventive and other health services.     

WORKING WITH MEN IN FAMILY THERAPY: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY*

The results of this exploratory research provide a beginning formulation of a gender-sensitive approach to working with men in family therapy. A panel of 36 family therapists endorsed 131 interventions as appropriate and effective ways to work with men. The results suggest the importance of therapist awareness of gender issues and socialization in working with male clients. Interventions were highly endorsed in the areas of developing therapist perceptual and conceptual skills regarding gender, promoting mutual responsibility, and challenging stereo-typical behaviors and attitudes. Surprisingly few interventions pertaining to structuring treatment and encouraging affective expression in men had sufficient consensus to be included in the final results.     

OUTCOME RESEARCH ON FAMILY THERAPY TRAINING: A SUBSTANTIVE AND METHODOLOGICAL REVIEW2

This article examines developments in empirical research in family therapy training since Kniskern and Gurman's (1979) review. It assesses present knowledge concerning training outcomes in marital and family therapy, evaluates research methodologies, and makes recommendations for future rearch.     

Common Law in Action: the Prosecution of Felonies and Misdemeanors*

This paper draws attention to the common-law distinction between felonies and misdemeanors. It asks whether this distinction, when drawn on the level of formal criminal procedure, has its counterpart on the informal level, in the use of different criteria to decide whether and how to prosecute the defendant. Analysis of data from the District of Columbia indicates that the felony-misdemeanor distinction clearly conditions the role of both legally relevant and irrelevant factors, but not in the simple straightforward way initially hypothesized. The paper concludes with a discussion of the empirical and theoretical implications of the findings.     

Religious Homogamy and Marital Quality: Historical and Generational Patterns, 1980 – 1997

Despite significant social changes in the past 50 years, research continues to find a strong and enduring link between religious homogamy and marital quality. Yet, research has not explicitly examined whether this link has changed over time or over generations. To address historical and generational trends, I use national, longitudinal data collected between 1980 and 1997 that represents 3,211 respondents in the parental and offspring generations and 2 measures each of marital quality and religious homogamy. The findings show that the relationship between religious homogamy and marital quality weakened significantly between 1980 and 1997 from intragenerational change and generational replacement. The homogamy–marital quality link was weaker in both generations partly because of the increasing relative influence of gender, work, and family issues. Additionally, a decline in perceptions of religious authority has altered the religion–marital quality connection, though mostly among the younger generation. Even so, religiously homogamous couples still report higher marital quality.