Evaluating drug law enforcement interventions directed towards methamphetamine in Australia

This report presents a preliminary analysis comparing the costs and impacts different types of law enforcement have on methamphetamine use. Methamphetamine belongs in the class of stimulant drugs referred to as Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS). The category of ATS includes ecstasy, amphetamine and methamphetamine. This research project concerned itself with the amphetamine and methamphetamine class and excluded ecstasy (and henceforth we use the generic term methamphetamine). In Australia, methamphetamine is available in three forms—powder, base and crystal. Methamphetamine is associated with significant harms and is an important drug policy priority. The National Amphetamine-Type Stimulants Strategy (2008–2011) articulates the following priority areas in relation to methamphetamine: improve community awareness and understanding of amphetamine-type stimulant use and related problems; reduce the supply of amphetamine-type stimulants; develop specific strategies to prevent and reduce amphetamine type stimulant use; and develop organisational and system capacity to prevent and respond to amphetamine-type stimulant problems This research concerns the second priority area—reducing the supply of methamphetamine. The specific aims of the research were twofold: to provide a rich description of the Australian methamphetamine supply chains in order to inform drug law enforcement interventions; and to conduct an initial economic evaluation comparing law enforcement interventions directed at the methamphetamine market. The work focused on the methamphetamine market(s) and supply chains in Australia above the retail level. Previous research has examined retail methamphetamine markets in Australia. Governments and policymakers are interested in determining which interventions are more or less effective than others, such that the scarce funding resources can be allocated in the most efficient manner possible. There is scant research available to law enforcement to guide such decisions. The main impediments to such research are the fundamental methodological challenges inherent in such an undertaking. This project is an attempt to conduct a preliminary analysis comparing the costs and impacts of different types of law enforcement. It is a ground-breaking study as this has not been previously attempted and it should be seen as the initial development of a methodological approach that can be improved upon with subsequent research. The project aimed to determine the relative cost-to-impact ratios of different law enforcement strategies aimed at reducing methamphetamine production and distribution. In an environment focused on efficiency in resource allocation, it is hoped that this research will provide the impetus for further research on the effectiveness of drug law enforcement. As the results of such research accumulate, it is hoped that policymakers will be able to use the information to improve decision making on law enforcement investment

Successfully Building a Virtual Community: What Are We Learning as We Create the Future of the IP Community?

This paper provides a brief summary of the activities, successes and challenges faced within the IP Community after the September 2002 community-wide Appreciative Inquiry Summit. The Summit produced several successes and represented a major step forward in the evolution of the community. Post-summit activity generated and provided clarity regarding many issues the community currently faces. A framework for assessing these issues is presented

Game Theory, the Walking Dead, and Rebuilding Civilization in the Zombie Apocalypse

In the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse, there will be two categories of survivors: those who scavenge off the collapsed civilization, and those who commit to rebuilding civilization anew. If the latter are to succeed, small groups of survivors will inevitably encounter and engage with other like-minded groups. Drawing on the television series The Walking Dead, this paper applies the principles of game theory to explore how the pre-conditions for re-building civilization might be established

Williams keynotes Black Symposium

Article from the University of Maine student newspaper The Maine Campus regarding Hosea Williams delivering the keynote speech at the Black Symposium on Black America held at the University

Place Based Education as a Tool for Rural Career Development

Rural career development is rarely studied despite a large portion of American students attending school in a rural area. Rural career development is affected by factors such as student attachment to place, access to professional role models, local economic development, school funding, and geographic proximity to professional industries and higher education. A Critical Pedagogy of Place (Gruenewald, 2003) empowers students to critical explore the spacial and social constructs of their local area.Given that school counselors are in a unique position as career development and social justice advocates, this article explores the use of a Critical Pedagogy of Place as an approach to rural career development

Being homeless: The influence of personality and coping styles on health outcomes.

In 2007/2008 there were 56,561 applications to Scottish local authorities by individuals or households seeking assistance under the homeless persons legislation. This thesis examines the legislative background to homelessness and considers issues of definition. The link between homelessness and health outcomes is reviewed and homelessness is identified as a stressor. People react differently to being homeless and the influence of personality, and coping styles on health outcomes, measured by a modified version of the General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg and Hillier, 1979), was examined. Ninety-six people who had applied to a local authority for assistance due to homelessness completed a questionnaire and participated in an interview at a single session. The Ten Item Personality Index (Gosling, et. al, 2003) and the Internal-External scale (Rotter, 1966) were used to measure personality and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (Folkman and Lazarus, 1988) was used to measure coping styles. The data was analysed using descriptive, correlational and regression analysis for the quantitative data and a reporting framework, which was developed to report on the qualitative data. It was found that emotional stability, planful problem solving, seeking social support and accepting responsibility were significant predictors of both mental and physical symptoms. Conscientiousness, and accepts responsibility were significant predictors of (social) dysfunction. Locus of control was found to have no significant influence on health outcomes. An interesting finding was that seeking social support as a coping style had the result of worsening health outcomes. Further analysis revealed that the outcome of seeking support is important and that to fail to achieve this can have a detrimental effect on health outcomes. The interview data gives an account of what being homeless means from a participant’s perspective and provides useful context to the quantitative data. The interview results were consistent with, and supported the questionnaire results. The implication of these results for an intervention strategy for homeless people assisted by a local authority is discussed, and a possible intervention is suggested which would enhance coping skills and improve access to health care for this group

Rural Community Dynamics: Implications for School Counselors

Research shows that rural students face increasing challenges to academic, social-emotional, and career success. An understanding of student culture, background, and needs is required for a school counselor to advocate for all students. Research into the needs of rural students is lacking when compared to other populations. Research suggests that poverty, geographic isolation, cultural isolation, lack of school and community resources, and barriers to educational success as factors influencing the development and success of rural students. This article reviews the available literature and provides implications for rural school counseling practice and future research

The Relationship Between Sexual Abuse and Disordered Eating: Applications of Narrative Therapy

While research has demonstrated a significant relationship between sexual abuse and the development of disordered eating behaviors, research on techniques to address disordered eating formed in this manner remains limited. Posttraumatic stress as well as internalized feelings of guilt, shame, and blame all contribute to the development of disordered eating in those who have experienced sexual violence. Narrative Therapy focuses on restorying an individual’s experienced and lived themes to make the creation of a new, healthy interpretation of trauma. Limited research has explored the potential application of restorying to populations experiencing disordered eating and sexual abuse trauma, independently. This conceptual article explores the potential application of Narrative Therapy with clients who have experienced sexual abuse and developed disordered eating behaviors. Implications in clinical practice as well as future research directions are presented. Keywords disordered eating, sexual abuse, narrative therapy, mental health, bulimi

Comparison of Ultrasound-Guided Vs Traditional Arterial Cannulation by Emergency Medicine Residents

Introduction: We sought to determine whether ultrasound-guided arterial cannulation (USGAC) is more successful than traditional radial artery cannulation (AC) as performed by emergency medicine (EM) residents with standard ultrasound training.Methods: We identified 60 patients age 18 years or older at a tertiary care, urban academic emergency department who required radial AC for either continuous blood pressure monitoring or frequent blood draws. Patients were randomized to receive radial AC via either USGAC or traditional AC. If there were three unsuccessful attempts, patients were crossed over to the alternative technique. All EM residents underwent standardized, general ultrasound training.Results: The USGAC group required fewer attempts as compared to the traditional AC group (mean 1.3 and 2.0, respectively; p<0.001); 29 out of 30 (96%) successful radial arterial lines were placed using USGAC, whereas 14 out of 30 (47%) successful lines were placed using traditional AC (p<0.001). There was no significant difference in length of procedure or complication rate between the two groups. There was no difference in provider experience with respect to USGAC vs traditional AC.Conclusion: EM residents were more successful and had fewer cannulation attempts with USGAC when compared to traditional AC after standard, intern-level ultrasound training.

Culture, Wasta and perceptions of performance appraisal in Saudi Arabia

This article explores the relationship between Arabic culture and employees’ perceptions of performance appraisal in a Saudi Arabian company named SACO. Using an interpretive and qualitative methodological framework, the article suggests that Western models of performance appraisal rooted in rationality and objectivity conflict with aspects of Saudi Arabian culture. Specifically, the personal relations implicated in the social practice of Wasta. However, the article also shows how SACO employees are beginning to reject Saudi Arabian cultural norms and adopt alternative values which are linked to notions of organisational justice and individual egalitarianism. These values are compatible with Western models of performance appraisal