In May 1988, New Jersey Commissioner of Education Saul Cooperman allowed the state department of education to take over the Jersey City (New Jersey) public schools. Because of nepotism, cronyism, and overzealous fault finding, this state-school district confrontation ended ignominiously for both parties. States contemplating takeover legislation…

Except for life expectancy, older women are relatively disadvantaged in terms of living arrangements, income, health, and medical care. Although often lumped together in research, older women and men have vastly different personal and social resources and problems. (SK)

Discusses problems homeless families encounter in educating their children. Covers public policy issues regarding homeless children, such as accessibility to schools, accessibility to day care, and support for individualized educational programs.(RJC)

Two years ago, a study led by Peter H. Rossi found that 7,000 people were without homes in Chicago at some time in the course of a year. An expanded version of that study recommends changes in state and national policies affecting the homeless. (MLW)

Discusses the definition, size and composition, and growth of the underclass. Suggests the following policy directions: (1) invest in children; (2) provide support for families who want to move out of the ghetto; and (3) replace the welfare system with income support more closely tied to employment. (FMW)

In New Jersey suburban communities, blacks were most exposed to property and violent crime and whites and Asians were least exposed. Individual characteristics such as home ownership, income, and education did predict crime level of an individual's community, but contextual factors (community racial composition, poverty, and population size)…

Studied effects on nutritional supplementation, with or without psychosocial stimulation, on the development and growth of 129 stunted children compared with 32 nonstunted children. Found that after six months, initially low activity levels of stunted children matched those of nonstunted children, regardless of treatment. Supplementation improved…

Examined extent of intergenerational welfare use, strength of the association across generations, and reasons underlying such a dynamic, utilizing nationally representative data set of American households (n=13,017). Three-quarters of welfare recipients do not grow up in households that received welfare. Parent economic background, not welfare use…

Investigated household arrangements of adolescent mothers. Data from 1980 U.S. Census showed that arrangements varied by marital status, race/ethnicity, age, number of children, and central city residence. Found differences by race/ethnicity in how other variables related to household arrangements. Household arrangements were related to school…

Describes the work of the Romanian Orphanage Trust, which is working in partnership with the Romanian government to develop a model foster care program. Discusses the scale of the challenge facing those attempting to build services for families and children in that country. (HTH)

Examined how expenditure patterns of elderly persons at various income-to-needs levels differ from those of younger mature adults at similar income-to-needs levels. Assessed patterns of spending in a variety of areas within three domains: giving, recreation, and essentials. Age and income exerted an effect on spending. (RJM)

Evaluates the goals and objectives of the childcare component as outlined by the Family Support Act. Following a brief discussion of the legislation's childcare provisions, the authors outline Project Independence, Louisiana's response to the federal mandate, and explore the Toyota Families in Learning Program developed through this project.…

Reports on a qualitative study of the psychosocial dynamics of school completion. A group of high school dropouts were compared with school completers in a large group of Haitians in New York City. Social support for education was the key variable that differentiated the two groups. (JPS)

Because welfare entitlements are increasingly unpopular, social work advocates need to place greater emphasis on job growth and alternate mechanisms for wealth redistribution, including refundable tax credits for working poor people. The Internal Revenue Code can be an effective weapon in combating poverty if antipoverty approaches in the code are…

Considers the role of social welfare and public assistance policies in the promotion of African American family life. Examines race, sex, and age demographics as predictors of poverty in the United States. Reviews the history of social programming and public family assistance, including intervention assumptions and demographic characteristics that…