THE 1996 FARM BILL: IMPLICATIONS FOR FARMERS

Agricultural and Food Policy,

Racial Disparities and Similarities in Post-Release Recidivism and Employment Among Ex-prisoners with a Different Level of Education

Previous studies rarely examined racial disparities in post-release employment and recidivism. Finding a job is an immediate challenge to all released ex-prisoners, and often more difficult for African American ex-prisoners who typically return to economically-depressed neighborhoods upon release from prison. The present researchers conducted a 5-year (2005-2009) follow-up study in an attempt to understand racial disparities in post-release employment and recidivism among 6,394 released ex-prisoners (2,531 Caucasian and 3,863 African American), while controlling for the ex-prisoner’s level of education. Results of this study showed that African American ex-prisoners had a higher unemployment rate and recidivism rate than Caucasian ex-prisoners. This study also revealed that released ex-prisoners, if employed, would likely be under-employed and experience difficulties in sustaining employment, regardless of the ex-prisoner’s ethnicity. Most importantly, post-release employment and level of education were the two most influential predictors to recidivism among ex-prisoners, regardless of ethnicity

EXPLANATION OF THE BASIC FORMULA PRICE PROVISIONS OF THE PROPOSED RULE

An important segment of milk marketing order reform involves replacing the current BFP. This working paper explains the background of the BFP issue, the options considered and the provisions of the proposed rule as related to the BFP issue.Marketing,

The Elementary Classroom Computer Initiative: Teacher Perceptions of Three Years of Implementation

Henrico County Public School received funding in 1995 to place five computers and an ink jet color printer in each of its regular elementary classrooms fist through fifth grade. The goals of the initiative were numerous but focused on: (1) increasing student performance, (2) addressing different learning styles, (3) providing students with daily access to computers, (4) increasing student proficiency with computers, and (5) preparing students for the future. To accomplish these goals, teachers were required to acquire the capacity to integrate computers into their daily classroom lessons and the school division needed to install, maintain the technical hardware and courseware required to support teacher efforts. The implementation of the initiative was evaluated in each of the three years since 1995 in order to provide information to the school division for use in planning, work tasks and staff development. Teacher attitudes, ability, and instructional behaviors were sampled as well as their perceptions of student motivation and performance due to the initiative. Student achievement was not reviewed until the third year of the study. It was, and is, thought that the full impact of the initiative on student achievement will not be achieved until at least the fifth year of the initiative. During the three years, data were collected through classroom observations, focus group interviews, teacher surveys, software surveys, and standardized test scores. The evaluations found that the school division had been successful in the implementation of the initiative and staff reactions were positive to their services. Those reports also indicted that teachers perceived that student learning, student proficiency with computers had been greatly enhanced by the initiative and thus afforded better preparation for future work plans. Teachers also reported that their ability to use the computers and their instructional styles had been positively impacted by the initiative. This executive summary provides specific information which describes the benefits students and teachers received from initiatives

IMPACTS OF EPA DAIRY WASTE REGULATIONS ON FARM PROFITABILITY

Agricultural and Food Policy,

The Elementary Classroom Computer Initiative: Software Survey Report

Henrico County Public School received funding in 1995 to place five computers and an ink jet color printer in each of its regular first through fifth grade elementary classrooms. The goals of the initiative were numerous but focused on: (1) increasing student performance, (2) addressing different learning styles, (3) providing students with daily access to computers, (4) increasing student proficiency with computers, and (5) preparing students for the future. This report examines the type of courseware/software being used by teachers to implement the initiative

EVALUATION OF THE PROPOSED RULE FOR SETTING CLASS III AND CLASS IV MILK PRICES UNDER FEDERAL MILK MARKETING ORDERS

Marketing,

Kepler-18b,c, and d: A System of Three Planets Confirmed by Transit Timing Variations, Light Curve Validation, Warm-Spitzer Photometry, and Radial Velocity Measurements

We report the detection of three transiting planets around a Sun-like star, which we designate Kepler-18. The transit signals were detected in photometric data from the Kepler satellite, and were confirmed to arise from planets using a combination of large transit-timing variations (TTVs), radial velocity variations, Warm-Spitzer observations, and statistical analysis of false-positive probabilities. The Kepler-18 star has a mass of 0.97 M_☉, a radius of 1.1 R_☉, an effective temperature of 5345 K, and an iron abundance of [Fe/H] = +0.19. The planets have orbital periods of approximately 3.5, 7.6, and 14.9 days. The innermost planet "b" is a "super-Earth" with a mass of 6.9 ± 3.4 M_⊕, a radius of 2.00 ± 0.10 R_⊕, and a mean density of 4.9 ± 2.4 g cm^3. The two outer planets "c" and "d" are both low-density Neptune-mass planets. Kepler-18c has a mass of 17.3 ± 1.9 M_⊕, a radius of 5.49 ± 0.26 R_⊕, and a mean density of 0.59 ± 0.07 g cm^3, while Kepler-18d has a mass of 16.4 ± 1.4 M_⊕, a radius of 6.98 ± 0.33 R_⊕ and a mean density of 0.27 ± 0.03 g cm^3. Kepler-18c and Kepler-18d have orbital periods near a 2:1 mean-motion resonance, leading to large and readily detected TTVs

ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF CHEMICAL USE REDUCTION ON THE SOUTH

Agribusiness,

IMPACTS OF REDUCED PESTICIDE USE ON THE PROFITABILITY OF THE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE SECTOR

Environmental Economics and Policy,