Does this fit? : a study of the perspectives of Home Detention Probation Officers : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Social Policy, Massey University

The thesis is a qualitative study informed by Standpoint Theory (Smith, 1997) examining the perspectives of six Home Detention Probation Officers (HDPO's). In particular, the research explores the participants' perspective of two of the three major objectives of the Home Detention Order outlined in the Community Probation Service Operations Manual (CPSOM) Volume four. These are to: a) ensure that the criminogenic needs are met by the constructive use of programmes; and b) to ease the transition of inmates back into the community through a staged process of release by providing support and control structures. The research questions were focused on the 'fit' between the two objectives, the part the objectives and electronic monitoring play in guiding practice, and the combined impact of these on the everyday practice of HDPO's. The primary questions explored whether these objectives are working or achievable, what supports them and what barriers exist to their effective operations. The findings of this research show that, while the stated objectives are achievable, the fit between the manual and everyday practice for the participants could be challenging due to high caseloads, management regime requirements and areas within the manual and policy that were considered sparse, effectively leaving HDPO's without clear guidelines or procedures. Programmes were considered vital to home detention but issues around rescheduling, entry criteria to programmes and availability of programmes caused concern. Participants identified training areas such as working with families, combined with practice-based training would assist their practice delivery. They suggested that regular conference based trainings and meetings would inform policy and clarify practice issues, for instance in relation to after hours incidents. Electronic monitoring was considered to be a major component of home detention, however equipment reliability and communication problems with the monitoring company created difficulties with effective management of home detention

No longer fledglings but struggling to fly: peer support workers' experiences of forming an occupational identity within an urban NHS trust: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Background: Mental health policy promoting the notion of self-management and the patient as the expert welcomed the advent of peer support (Watson, 2017; Gillard, 2019), which is now regarded as the fastest growing profession within mental health services (Rebeiro Gruhl et al., 2016). Research has noted the benefits of using peer support workers (PSWs) to encourage service user (SU) involvement by using their shared identity to improve mental health, well-being and confidence (Gillard et al., 2013; Simpson et al., 2018; Davidson et al., 2012). Rationale: With increased numbers of PSWs employed within the NHS, it is essential to understand how PSWs develop/construct their occupational identity (OI). Employment has been shown to positively affect individuals well-being by affording them a sense of identity and purpose. How OI is experienced during development and then maintained will be the focus of this research. Methodology and main findings: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was adopted for this research. Three superordinate themes were generated from the semi-structured interviews and analysis: 1) Symbiotic Green Shoots of Identity; 2) The Occupied Self; 3) A Limited and Limiting Role. The findings provide a timeline of how participants developed their OI, highlighting the life-changing events that led to a greater sense of self and a more meaningful life. By feeling accomplished at work, being future-orientated and having a solid OI provided participants with the motivation to spread their metaphorical wings and explore the transferability of their skills. However, despite participants significant experience of performing the role, they were met with a series of organisational hurdles that appeared to invalidate their OI outside of the originating organisation

Sloped and Mitered Concrete Headwalls

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) currently uses several pipe culvert end treatments, including standard headwalls, slope and flared headwalls, sloped and parallel headwalls, and safety metal ends. These treatments, however, can pose a safety hazard to motorists and those performing landscaping work (e.g., mowing). Crash statistics from 2012 through 2016 for Kentucky reveal that 49 fatalities and 148 incapacitating injuries occurred in incidents where culverts/headwalls were coded as the first harmful event on the police report. One solution to the safety hazards associated with standard pipe culvert headwalls is to use sloped and mitered concrete headwalls instead. To evaluate the viability of sloped and mitered concrete headwalls for widespread use, Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) researchers reviewed industry guidance and best practices; observed, documented, and analyzed several projects on which sloped and mitered concrete headwalls were used; developed cost comparisons for sloped and mitered concrete headwalls and conventional headwalls, and evaluated specifications for sloped and mitered concrete headwalls adopted by other states. Sloped and mitered concrete headwalls conform with industry guidance and protect against significant vehicle damage. Observations of sloped and mitered concrete headwalls used on KYTC projects attested to the importance of establishing and applying unambiguous design and construction criteria. Specifically, the grade should be set before a slope and mitered headwall is installed. Furthermore, adding grate bars will improve performance as will securing pipe ends to the headwall. A sample of headwalls should be chosen for long-term monitoring purposes, with inspections conducted each year. Overall, sloped and mitered concrete headwalls are an attractive option given they can be installed quickly and without special equipment, their robust performance, and low cost compared to standard pipe culvert headwalls

2012 Maine Child Support Guidelines: Review and Recommendations

This report summarizes the quadrennial review of Maine\u27s child support guidelines conducted by the USM Muskie School , which complies with federal law requiring each state\u27s child support guidelines be reviewed at least once every four years. Principle findings of the extensive review by the Muskie School show that many aspects of Maine\u27s child support system work well. Maine\u27s low deviation rate reflects a reasonably high level of consistency in apply the guidelines, and in large part, protect the needs and interests of the children. The report provides background and overview of child support modes and the Maine guidelines, and describes the elements of the review: Literature Review, Policy Analysis, Economic Analysis, Deviation Study, Stakeholder Input, Interviews with other State Child Support Officials, and concludes with several findings and recommendations. For additional information about the report or the study, contact Janice Daley at the Muskie School

Are there valid proxy measures of clinical behaviour?

Background: Accurate measures of health professionals' clinical practice are critically important to guide health policy decisions, as well as for professional self-evaluation and for research-based investigation of clinical practice and process of care. It is often not feasible or ethical to measure behaviour through direct observation, and rigorous behavioural measures are difficult and costly to use. The aim of this review was to identify the current evidence relating to the relationships between proxy measures and direct measures of clinical behaviour. In particular, the accuracy of medical record review, clinician self-reported and patient-reported behaviour was assessed relative to directly observed behaviour. Methods: We searched: PsycINFO; MEDLINE; EMBASE; CINAHL; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; science/social science citation index; Current contents (social & behavioural med/clinical med); ISI conference proceedings; and Index to Theses. Inclusion criteria: empirical, quantitative studies; and examining clinical behaviours. An independent, direct measure of behaviour (by standardised patient, other trained observer or by video/audio recording) was considered the 'gold standard' for comparison. Proxy measures of behaviour included: retrospective self-report; patient-report; or chart-review. All titles, abstracts, and full text articles retrieved by electronic searching were screened for inclusion and abstracted independently by two reviewers. Disagreements were resolved by discussion with a third reviewer where necessary. Results: Fifteen reports originating from 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. The method of direct measurement was by standardised patient in six reports, trained observer in three reports, and audio/video recording in six reports. Multiple proxy measures of behaviour were compared in five of 15 reports. Only four of 15 reports used appropriate statistical methods to compare measures. Some direct measures failed to meet our validity criteria. The accuracy of patient report and chart review as proxy measures varied considerably across a wide range of clinical actions. The evidence for clinician self-report was inconclusive. Conclusion: Valid measures of clinical behaviour are of fundamental importance to accurately identify gaps in care delivery, improve quality of care, and ultimately to improve patient care. However, the evidence base for three commonly used proxy measures of clinicians' behaviour is very limited. Further research is needed to better establish the methods of development, application, and analysis for a range of both direct and proxy measures of behaviour