The Impact of State Fiscal Policy on States\u27 Resilience Entering the Great Recession

The U.S. economy entered the Great Recession in December 2007 and exited in June 2009. This national statistic obscures a wealth of state-level data shedding light on the policies and conditions that helped some states withstand that recessionary shock for a time. In this study, we used that state-level data in a parametric regression model, known as survival analysis, to estimate the effects that a state’s fiscal policy had on the timing of its entry into the Great Recession. Consistent with earlier, more general, studies focusing on economic growth, we found that taxes have the potential to hasten the start of a state’s recession, while expenditures could defer that event. However, not all types of taxes and expenditures were equivalent in terms of their effect on recessionary timing. Most notably, our results showed that corporate income taxes had a different timing effect than sales, property, and individual income taxes. In addition, although total expenditures tended to delay the Great Recession’s onset, relatively few individual expenditure types had a statistically-significant impact on recessionary timing. Overall, our results suggest that, while taxes likely increase a state’s recessionary risk and expenditures likely decrease it, that narrative is an oversimplification of the complex role played by fiscal policy in determining a state\u27s ability to resist a negative economic shock like the Great Recession

Support for Victims of Crime: Reality or Rhetoric?

The criminal justice system has drawn the victim of crime from the background to become a major actor in the criminal justice process. Over the last two decades, a considerable number of Irish policies have been drafted to meet the needs of the victim of crime. Whilst Ireland has followed the same path as a number of other jurisdictions such as the UK, it is interesting to consider why particular policies have been enacted. Is the victim of crime being used as a pawn in political game play? Or, are politicians genuinely addressing the needs of Irish victims of crime? This qualitative, non - reactive research examines three policies to uncover the influences on the development of victim policies in Ireland. These are the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990, the Criminal Justice Act 1993 and the Justice for Victims Initiative 2008. Whilst any number of policies could have been examined, the enactment of each of these policies was extremely noteworthy. The Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990 amended the Criminal Law (Rape) Act 1981 following a campaign spear-headed by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. The Criminal Justice Act 1993, which may be seen as watershed legislation for victims of crime in Ireland, was enacted following a period of mass public outcry, invoked by the case of Lavinia Kerwick. Fianna Fáil’s Justice for Victims Initiative 2008 was introduced at a time when rival Fine Gael’s Victims’ Rights Bill 2008 was about to be voted on in the Oireachtas. This research used document and content analysis to determine three themes of influence common to each of the policies examined. First, the power of the media was evident in each of the policies. Media coverage of particular cases and campaigns by advocacy groups pushed the victim of crime to the forefront of public attention. Second, advocacy and support groups were pivotal, either by directly driving a campaign forward, or by expressing their views regarding prospective policy changes. Finally, it was found that Government actions can influence the development of victim policies by, for example, the refusal to pass substantial legislation drafted by opposition parties

Inquiry-based instruction: The role of mindset for students with mathematics difficulties

The effectiveness of inquiry-based instruction (IBI) is well documented, however its use with students with mathematics difficulties (MD) has been limited, since it is often thought such methods are unsuitable for low attaining students. However, this belief is not entirely evidence based, and little research has explored how students with MD perceive IBI. In addition, previous research has demonstrated that students’ beliefs can have an impact on mathematics performance. This thesis therefore explores two research questions: (1) How do students with mathematics difficulties perceive inquiry-based instruction? and (2) Are students’ beliefs (e.g. mindset) associated with the effectiveness of inquiry-based instruction for students with mathematics difficulties? In a multiple case study involving two secondary schools from the United Kingdom, students with MD were taught using an inquiry approach to learning mathematics. Data were collected through a combination of questionnaires, lesson observations, student interviews, and pre-test/post-test assessments. Cross-case analysis suggested that students with mathematics difficulties perceived inquiry-based instruction according to four themes: IBI as a form of empowerment, IBI as a form of neglect, importance of the teacher, and importance of peers. The expression of the first two themes seemed to differ depending on the students’ mindsets. In addition, the students’ beliefs (including mindset) were analysed according to McLeod’s (1992) framework of beliefs in mathematics. Beliefs about mathematics, mathematics teaching, the self (including mindset), and the social context appeared to be associated with the effectiveness of IBI. Students with fixed mindsets showed poorer engagement and persistence compared to students with growth mindsets, but surprisingly, this effect was not reflected in test scores. Future research should seek to further explore the contextual factors that contribute to the effectiveness of inquiry instruction for students with MD

Early Retirement and Inequality in Britain and Germany: How Important Is Health?

Both health and income inequalities have been shown to be much greater in Britain than in Germany. One of the main reasons seems to be the difference in the relative position of the retired, who, in Britain, are much more concentrated in the lower income groups. Inequality analysis reveals that while the distribution of health shocks is more concentrated among those on low incomes in Britain, early retirement is more concentrated among those on high incomes. In contrast, in Germany, both health shocks and early retirement are more concentrated among those with low incomes. We use comparable longitudinal data sets from Britain and Germany to estimate hazard models of the effect of health on early retirement. The hazard models show that health is a key determinant of the retirement hazard for both men and women in Britain and Germany. The size of the health effect appears large compared to the other variables. Designing financial incentives to encourage people to work for longer may not be sufficient as a policy tool if people are leaving the labour market involuntarily due to health problems.health, early retirement, hazard models

Quality or quantity?: Refining the definition of the means efficacy construct and its relationship to task specific self-efficacy

The purpose of this study was to expand on the definition of the means efficacy construct and its relationship to task-specific self-efficacy. The current research has three studies: assesssing quality means efficacy from a self-report method, study two assessing quality means efficacy from a self-report method, and study three comparing quality and quantity means efficacy to determine which would be a better predictor of confidence in various tasks

Annotated Bibliography: The Reference Desk: Grand Idea or Gone Down the River?

This bibliography is from a panel presentation at the 2017 ACL Conference. The goal of this panel was to explore different rationales or sets of values that illustrated the continuation of the reference desk and reference service as essential to the success of the academic community. We discovered that “what to do with reference” is far from a settled question. We discovered passionate arguments, diverse models, and an array of data. In this current stage of figuring out the value of academic libraries to the campus as a whole and to students in particular, it seemed that there was limited hard data connecting Reference services to how they met students’ needs. How do we make ourselves valuable, important, essential, and useful? Maybe we need to change our model? If so, how do we examine ourselves and our environment appropriately to make this happen? What factors should we examine? Which ones must we keep? What things can we discard or change? When students come to seek assistance, they generally need the short, instant, and personal help, without having to attend a whole training session or class. Individual and personalized guidance for their immediate need is the most important factor for them. How do libraries provide that

China Maritime Report No. 13: The Origins of Near Seas Defense and Far Seas Protection

This report traces the origins and development of China’s current naval strategy: “Near Seas Defense and Far Seas Protection.” Near Seas Defense is a regional, defensive concept concerned with ensuring China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. Its primary focus is preparing to fight and win informatized local wars within the first island chain. Far Seas Protection has both peacetime and wartime elements. In peacetime, the Chinese navy is expected to conduct a range of “non-war military operations” such as participating in international peacekeeping, providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, evacuating Chinese citizens from danger, and engaging in joint exercises and naval diplomacy. In wartime, the PLAN could be tasked with securing China’s use of strategic sea lanes and striking important nodes and high-value targets in the enemy’s strategic depth. Nears Seas Defense and Far Seas Protection is rooted in the ideas of Alfred Thayer Mahan and Mao Zedong.https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cmsi-maritime-reports/1012/thumbnail.jp

The State of Health Insurance in California: Findings From the 2003 California Health Interview Survey

Provides an overview of the shift from job-based health insurance to enrollment in public insurance programs, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of key public policy options to extend coverage to California's uninsured residents