Russell K. Schutt

Race and Juvenile Justice Processing in Court and Police Agencies

Studies of race bias in the juvenile justice system have yielded contradictory and inconclusive findings. The diversity of findings, though due in part to inadequacies in the methods used in pervious studies, is also attributable in part to the differential possibilities for bias in different settings. This paper develops and tests hypotheses that specify two conditions which affect the likelihood of bias: the characteristics and procedural constraints of processing agencies and the characteristics of their social environments. Long-linear analysis is used, to allow simultaneous control for the influence ofprior record, type of allgation, family type, sex, race, and country in analyzing data from police and court records in a populous eastern state. Consistent with the hypotheses, the findings indicate that racial bias is more apparent in police dispositions than in judicial decisions. In the more urban ofthe two social settings studied, minorities constitute a relatively high proportion of the population; police bias is especially pronounced there. In thesame setting, however, this bias may be compensated for, to some extent, by the courts.

Self-report and observer measures of substance abuse among homeless mentally ill persons in the cross-section and over time

The comparability of self-report and observer measures of substance abuse among 118 homeless mentally ill persons was assessed using cross-sectional and longitudinal measures. Possible correlates of nondisclosure were identified from demographic variables and clinical indicators. Lifetime abuse reported at baseline was a sensitive predictor of subsequent abuse behavior in the project, but cross-sectional measures based only on self-report or observer ratings failed to identify many abusers. A total of 17% of the subjects never disclosed abuse that was observed during the project. The level of substance abuse is likely to be severely underestimated among homeless mentally ill persons when only one self-report measure is used at just one point in time. This problem can, however, largely be overcome by incorporating information from observers and from multiple follow-ups or by focusing on lifetime rather than current abuse. We also conclude that underreporting may bias estimates of some correlates of substance abuse.

Goals and Means for Research Methods Courses.

an identification of the central issues in social science research, these goals range from some that provide students with an understanding of the centralproblems in all scientific investigations, to others that introduce students to the specific problems sociologists confront in designing research projects. Following Goldsmid and Wilson (1981), operational statements of the goals arepresented, and means for their achievement are discussed. Particular attention is given to the implications of the specific research methods, statistics, research, and computer experience included in the course for achievement of the eight goals.

Neuropsychological Function in Homeless Mentally Ill Individuals

Because little data are available on the neuropsychological functioning of severely and persistently mentally ill (SPMI) persons who are homeless, our primary goal was to describe accurately and extensively the general neuropsychological functioning of a large group of such homeless individuals. In addition, we have sought to examine the relationship between some neuropsychological functions and demographic, illness, and clinical state measures in this population. A 5-hour neuropsychological test battery was administered to 116 SPMI homeless individuals. Neuropsychological, diagnostic, substance abuse, clinical, and psychopathology data were obtained in a standardized manner. SPMI homeless individuals were significantly impaired on a wide range of neuropsychological functions. Specific test performances were most significantly related to precursor variables (level of education and parental socioeconomic status) and state variables (level of psychosis and anticholinergic medication dose). Gender and substance abuse had significant effects limited to sustained attention. Neuropsychological performance was impaired in this sample of homeless SPMI persons. Further research, using profile analysis to directly compare groups composed of homeless persons without psychiatric illness or demographically matched persons of comparable psychiatric status who are not homeless will help clarify the role of homelessness and psychosis on neuropsychological function.

Models of Militancy: Support for Strikes and Work Actions among Public Employees

This paper examines support for militant action among the employees of a public assistance agency in which negotiations were occurring over a first contract. A questionnaire survey obtained information on whether employees were willing to strike over various issues during negotiations; whether they would participate in certain work actions, such as sick-outs, in the future; and whether they actually had participated in any work actions during the previous year. The survey results show that attitudinal support for both strikes and work actions, but not actual participation in work actions, was generated partially by the incongruity of professional aspirations within bureaucratic constraints. A political process involving the relations of union members and office stewards also affected support for work actions. The social-background variables of age and sex shared common effects on support for strikes and work actions, whereas race only affected strike support. An economic model of militancy received little support, perhaps because of the nature of the sample.

Satisfaction with residence and with life: When homeless mentally ill persons are housed

Abstract The disconfirmation model is used to specify hypotheses about the effect of housing type and housing preferences, of clinical status, social characteristics and personality on satisfaction with housing and with life. These hypotheses are tested with data collected from homeless mentally ill shelter users who were randomly assigned to either group or individual housing. As hypothesized, subjects were more satisfied with their residential accommodations after moving into permanent housing and liked independent housing more than group living. Housing satisfaction did not vary as a consequence of the discrepancy between type of housing preferred and obtained. Life satisfaction was related to personality measures but was not affected by the move into housing or by the type of housing obtained. These findings highlight the limits of applicability of the disconfirmation model, the need to treat satisfaction as multidimensional, and the importance of personality in explaining more general aspects of satisfaction.

Client Satisfaction in a Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program: The Influence of Ethnicity and Language, Health, Resources, and Barriers

ABSTRACT Objectives: Satisfaction is a critical outcome for the healthcare system and an important influence on subsequent interactions with that system, yet findings have been inconsistent. This paper examined satisfaction as a multidimensional construct and focused on the interrelated influences of ethnicity and language, the potential confounding effects of economic resources and health status, and the possible role of perceived barriers to service delivery. Methods: The study was based on a phone survey conducted in 2005 of a stratified random sample of 207 Massachusetts patients in the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which used case managers to increase the rates of diagnostic testing among uninsured women at risk of breast or cervical cancer. Ethnicity, primary language, economic resources, and health status were each related to particular dimensions of patient satisfaction, but mostly independent of perceived barriers to program participation. Results: The findings indicated that adequate evaluation of public health programs must conceptualize and measure satisfaction as multidimensional and supported the prediction of “segmented assimilation theory” that satisfaction can decline with time in the U.S.

Client Goals for Participating in VHA Vocational Rehabilitation Distribution and Relationship to Outcome

Research into vocational rehabilitation (VR) consumer service preferences has been limited. The current study describes the self-reported goals of 228 applicants to a VR program sponsored by the Veterans Administration (VA) and documents the relationship of those goals to participant background variables and outcomes. Participants endorsed a wide variety of goals for participation, including clinical and practical goals. Competitive employment was a goal of only 53% and was the primary goal of only 5%. The apparent contrast between the diversity of VA participant goals and the growing focus by VA rehabilitation professionals on competitive employment suggests that greater dialogue is needed between providers and consumers.

The Homeless Alcoholic

Although homeless alcoholics constitute no more than 5% of the entire alcoholic population, no alcoholic subgroup has been studied more thoroughly over the past 50 years.1 Homeless alcoholics have been visited by social workers, sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, doctors and psychiatrists, urban planners, and public health officers. They have been studied and observed in the streets and on skid rows, in bars, jails, drunk tanks, and “bottle gangs.” The body of literature resulting from these studies provides an extensive picture of the social, personal, and medical backgrounds of homeless alcoholics.2

Recent Research Methods Texts: Means for Achieving Course Goals.

The undergraduate research methods course encourages critical examination of the social world, aids understanding of empirical studies, and develops skills essential for actually conducting social research. The importance our discipline attaches to these functions is reflected in the almost universal requirement of methods for sociology majors and in the profusion of undergraduate research methods texts. Given the number of texts, it may be hard to muster enthusiasm for a careful inspection of each new entry prior to a course adoption decision. Yet the nine new methods texts