Reviews current knowledge of the most frequently asked questions about child sexual abuse, in areas such as its prevalence and trends, and what populations are at risk. Data presented from 19 adult retrospective surveys show that the incidence of reported child sexual abuse is rising, that less than one-third of the cases were committed by…

Illustrates, through text and graphs, that many striking variations are submerged beneath overall figures of poverty rates. The substantial differences in poverty rate according to race and ethnicity are, in large part, the consequences of major differences in family types and work situations. (SLD)

A Conservative member of the British Parliament addresses the critical need to develop the cultural resource of creative talent. The prime inhibitor of creative development is thought to be the walls of bureaucracy which pervade modern life. Implications for British schools choosing to opt out of local authority control are outlined. (DB)

Describes an undergraduate Psychology of Social Problems course. The course focuses on the psychological aspects of legal abortion for adolescents and women, the consequences of denied abortions on unwanted children, and psychological ramifications of alternatives to abortion. Summarizes student evaluations of the course. (CFR)

Examines the historical context of the current Latin American educational crisis from the colonial era to the 1980s, comparing it to the educational investment undertaken by the Republic of Korea in a similar crisis. Calls for reform in state institutions, including a commitment to education, change in the economic model, and recognition of global…

Although the society of Victorian England witnessed significant improvement in moral and social conditions, we today confront considerable deterioration in ours. Illegitimacy, crime, and deviant behavior are discussed in the context of restoring virtue to society. (SLD)

Response to "The Bell Curve." Argues that correlations between IQ and U.S. social problems are created by the IQ selection process; in addition, emphasis on testing and innate abilities has produced lowered expectations of what students can achieve through hard work and learning, resulting in lower mathematics achievement among North…

Expresses the belief that the worse social and cultural circumstances become, the more desperately and dangerously reactive formal education tends to become. The author argues that liberal arts teacher education can, in the case of true professionalism in education, be a stabilizing influence by offering sound judgment, judicious flexibility, and…

Assesses the state of black residential segregation since the court case "Shelley v. Kraemer." Focus is placed on metropolitan areas generally and on St. Louis and Detroit, in particular. It is concluded that blacks have made little progress in reducing segregation in housing since the 1948 court case that outlawed restrictive covenants…

Compares the American and British experiences in the demoralizing of society to England's Victorian Age and argues that society's moral condition is deteriorating--a trend that constitutes a threat to society's future. Various statistical evidence is presented, as well as examples stemming from economic, material, and political factors. (GLR)

Discusses the social science research literature on black males in the following four areas: demographic and statistical issues, psychosocial issues, political/economic issues, and educational issues. The article concludes that most black males are in more serious trouble than any other subpopulation in the United States, with the possible…

Describes early childhood developmental deficits associated with long-term poverty as indicated by the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY). Suggests substantial disadvantages in cognitive development among young children in chronically poor families. Deficits appear in a variety of indices of cognitive or socioemotional development,…

Summarizes ongoing research on the children of mothers assigned to participate in the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills training program (JOBS). Identifies the problems inherent in generalizing from the available data and underscores the need for future research steps to understand the implications for children of programs to enhance the…

Examined the impact of individual environmental and biological risks on the home environment of three-year olds in a sample of low birth weight, premature infants. Suggests that compared to nonpoor families, poor families experienced more multiple risk factors. Poverty clearly had a negative effect on the provision of learning experiences,…

Reviews important facts and findings from the research on the causes and consequences of teenage childbearing. Describes those parents on welfare and their life circumstances that facilitate or impede their success as young parents and ways of mitigating the adverse consequences of early childbearing for the young mothers and their children. (AA)