Selected findings are presented from the National Prisoner Statistics (NPS) program, a survey of both inmates in state and federal prisons, and the National Crime Survey (NCS), a survey of victims of crime. Certain conventional beliefs or myths about the nature of crime in the United States are challenged by providing the statistical realities.…

Communities experiencing rapid growth due to energy development have serious and predictable social and human service problems, especially concerning women, the aged, and other minorities. The Wyoming Human Services Project, a model of impact mitigation, might be emulated elsewhere to modify the effects of such growth now and in the future.…

Small western boomtowns typically respond to increased social problems by placing greater demands on existing formal service systems rather than taking advantage of the potential of utilizing informal sources of help as part of a coordinated and comprehensive approach to meeting community needs. (Author/SB)

Explores possible relationships between the mass media of communication and social problems by three-way comparisons between the incidence of social problems suggested in media portrayals, conceptions of the incidence of these problems held by the public, and the relative frequency of such problems reflected in statistics accumulated by official…

Two examples of social area analysis are illustrated. The demography of an urban region and its distribution of social problems are studied; and social area analysis is integrated within a larger evaluation effort. Available from: Pergamon Press, Maxwell House, Fairview Park, Elmsford, New York 10523. (Author/GDC)

Three projects are described that were observed during a two-month study tour to Latin America in 1975: urban and rural community development in Bolivia; nonformal initial education in Peru; and international education in Argentina. The projects are carried out in situations involving particularly difficult social problems. (ND)

The paper describes the Moss Side District Centre (MSCD), a community development project in the inner city of Manchester, England, the problems and struggles associated with it, the social consequences of the MSDC, options for social change, and the need for community action. (MF)

This discussion guide considers the issues of racism and race relations in the nation and in its communities and recognizes the importance of public dialogue as a critical step in making progress on those issues. The discussion guide is designed to help organize and facilitate the kind of dialogue about racism and race relations that can make a…

This discussion guide is designed to help students engage in the kind of dialogue about racism and race relations that can make a difference in their community. In study circles (small-group, democratic, participatory discussions), students have the chance to get to know one another, consider different points of view, explore disagreements, and…

This study explored personal reports of problematic experiences with friends and family, agencies, and neighborhoods encountered by 402 older people living in two urban communities. Older people reported relatively few instances of victimization, with neighborhood problems presenting the greatest concern. Socioeconomic factors were the best…

Designed to discover the influence of rapidly increasing commercial recreation on social interaction, this study dealt with the nature and changing significance of community institutions. The study was conducted from 1963 to 1965 in the emerging community of Osage Beach, Missouri, as a basis for the author's doctoral dissertation. Data for the…

Dr. Gabor, the inventor of holography (lenseless photography), defines "innovation" as a methodical creation of the human spirit, a novelty that once created can be usefully and repeatedly applied. He describes and evaluates 100 important technological and biological inventions that can probably be expected within the next 50 years. He also…

Describes a year long graduate course in social work education that utilizes an experiential service learning framework. Illustrates how the graduate course could be adapted for teaching undergraduate sociology students about social problems within the community by linking fieldwork with a case study component. Discusses the undergraduate model in…

The American system of higher education consists of public and private institutions, of which there are three segments: universities, four-year institutions, and two-year colleges. Further, there are three types of two-year colleges: comprehensive community colleges, offering a broad array of programs and services; junior colleges, focusing on…

The Future Problem Solving Program has a noncompetitive Primary Division that challenges gifted children in grades K-4 to think creatively about society issues, develop research skills, interact as a team, develop oral and written communication skills, become interested in the future, think critically, and solve problems. (JDD)