Birds of a Feather? The Effect of Organizational Value Congruence on the Relationship Between Ministries and Quangos

In this paper we investigate differences between the organizational values of ministries and semi-autonomous executive agencies (quangos) that operate at arms’ length. Quangos are expected to operate more business-like, hence they can be expected to value profitability and other NPM-related values higher than ministries. Value incongruence between quangos and ministries is hypothesized to decrease their level of trust. These hypotheses are tested, using combined data from two Dutch surveys (n = 324). The results confirm the expectations, although different types of quangos have different degrees of value (in)congruence, which may lead to variations in the quality of the relationship with their parent ministry.     

Beliefs about overconfidence

This experiment elicits beliefs about other people’s overconfidence and abilities. We find that most people believe that others are unbiased, and only few think that others are overconfident. There is a remarkable heterogeneity between these groups. Those people who think others are underconfident or unbiased are overconfident themselves. Those who think others are overconfident are underconfident themselves. Despite this heterogeneity, people overestimate on average the abilities of others as they do their own ability. One driving force behind this result is the refusal to process information about oneself: not only does this lead to overestimation of one’s own ability, but by means of social projection also to overestimation of others’ abilities.     

An empirical approach to theoretical perspectives on sentencing in a young offender court

Cette communication présente une analyse de cinq théories des déterminants des decisions des tribunaux à la lumière des donnees quantitatives tirées d'entrevues realisees avec un échantillon de parents de jeunes contrevenants. Les résultats indiquent qu'en dépit des réformes législatives, les infractions liées au statut juridique de la personne demeurent une réalité dans le système judiciaire canadien, et les facteurs associés aux décisions des tribunaux different selon que le délit est de nature criminelle au sens traditionnel ou qu'il est lié au statut juridique de la personne. À la différence de certaines études récentes, les résultats n'appuient pas la thèse libéralo-consensuelle, car diverses variables juridiquement pertinentes n'ont aucune influence sur les décisions du tribunal à l'égard de l'un ou de l'autre type de contrevenant. Par contre, les données relatives aux contrevenants de type traditionnel cadrent assez bien avec l'approche féministe, font penser que les sentences rendues sont plutôt l'inverse ce que prédirait un modèle strictement néo-marxiste et semblent indiquer que les tribunaux entretiennent des liens «flous» avec d'autres secteurs du systeme judiciaire juvénile. D'après les données relatives aux infractions liées au statut de la personne, l'explication des décisions des tribunaux résiderait surtout au niveau des mécanismes de contrôle social. Based on interviews with parents of a sample of young offenders appearing before a family court, this paper presents a quantitative test of five theoretical perspectives on sentencing. The results indicate that despite legislative change, status offenders are still a reality in Canadian courts and factors associated with court outcomes differ depending on whether the offence is of a traditional criminal nature or is a status offence. Contrary to recent research findings, results do not support a liberal/consensus perspective. Legally relevant variables are not found to affect court outcomes for either type of offence. Results for traditional offenders provide considerable support for a feminist perspective on court decision-making processes, suggest that social class effects on court outcomes may be the opposite to that predicted by a strictly neo-Mamian perspective, and provide some support for the notion that courts are ‘loosely coupled’ to other sectors of the juvenile justice system. Results for status offenders point in the direction of a social control explanation for court outcomes.     

A New Era in Governmental Reform: Realizing Community

The good government models of the 1990s realized a focus that included reinventing, reengineer-ing, rethinking, quality, empowerment, and devolution of the organization. These organizational reform ideologies sought to increase involvement, improve productivity, manage performance, and drive results. One essential key that has been disregarded in these government models is the involvement of community in the decision-making process. This paper points to the importance of involving and empowering citizens in the decision-making process, particularly in regard to community justice based on the notion of restorative justice system. Community justice, a modern day reform movement with international proportions, is based on the principles of empowering community, repairing harm caused by a crime or disturbance, and reducing risk to the community.     

Evaluating from the outside: conducting cross-cultural evaluation research on an American Indian reservation

There is limited guidance for conducting competent and responsive cross-cultural evaluation research with American Indian communities. The authors draw on Fisher and Ball's Tribal Participatory Research Model to highlight ways in which this project is attempting to be culturally appropriate and sensitive as they partner with an American Indian community to implement and evaluate a youth-based initiative. Challenges encountered during the evaluation are shared, as well as the authors' collective responses to such challenges. Implications for future cross-cultural evaluation researchers are also discussed in light of these experiences.     

An online learning course in Ergonomics

For the past two years, the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Haifa has offered an online course to third year occupational therapists on the topic of Ergonomics for Health Care Professionals. The development and implementation of this course was funded by the Israeli Ministry of Education. Unique teaching materials, developed and uploaded to the University's server via "High Learn", included interactive and self-directed documents containing graphics, animations, and video clips. Extensive use was made of the discussion forum and survey tools, and students submitted all assignments online. For the final topic, an expert in ergonomics from Boston University delivered a lecture via two-way videoconferencing. The course site included comprehensive library listings in which all bibliographic materials were made available online. Students accessed course materials at the University in a computer classroom and at home via modem. In an accompanying research study, the frequency of student usage of the various online tools was tracked and extensive data were collected via questionnaires documenting students' demographic background, preferred learning style, prior usage of technology, satisfaction with the course and academic achievement. This paper focuses on the results of the research study that examined how the students responded to and coped with teaching material presented and accessed in this format.     

Effectiveness of couples treatment for spouse abuse

Despite its controversy, carefully conceptualized and delivered couples treatment appears to be at least as effective as traditional treatment for domestic violence, and preliminary data suggests that it does not place women at greater risk for injury. However, the body of research on which these conclusions rest is sparse. Only six experimental studies have been done, each using different eligibility criteria, outcome measures, and treatment approaches. Thus, further study of this modality is warranted. Marriage and family therapists have an important part to play in continuing to develop and test innovative ways of helping couples end violence and improve their relationships--an endeavor that promises to improve the quality of the partners' lives as well as those of their children.