Fairbanks Gang Assessment

The Justice Center at University of Alaska Anchorage partnered with the Fairbanks Gang Reduction and Intervention Network (GRAIN) to perform a thorough assessment of the gang problem in Fairbanks following the protocol outlined by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)’s Comprehensive Gang Model. Law enforcement data show that there are at least 12 active gangs in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, with the percentage of crime reported to law enforcement attributable to gangs (2007-2009) varying from a low of 4.3% in 2007 to a high of 7.2% in 2008. The complete assessment, contained in this report, includes a review of community demographic data, law enforcement data, student and school data, and community perceptions data.Fairbanks Gang Reduction and Intervention Network Grant No. 2007-JV-FX-0331Index of Tables and Figures / Acknowledgements / Section I Fairbanks Gang Assessment: Executive Summary / Section II Fairbanks Gang Assessment: Community Demographic Data / Section III Fairbanks Gang Assessment: Law Enforcement Data / Section IV Fairbanks Gang Assessment: Student and School Data / Section V Fairbanks Gang Assessment: Community Perceptions Data / Section VI Fairbanks Gang Assessment: Community Resources Data / Section VII Fairbanks Gang Assessment Methods / References / Appendix A Community Resident Survey / Appendix B Student Survey / Appendix C Youth Serving and Law Enforcement Agency Survey / Appendix D Gang Member Interview For

Harmonious Journey: Understandings of the Healthy Body and Body Image for First Nations Girls in the Battlefords Tribal Council Region through Photovoice

First Nations peoples in Canada are increasingly referred to as an ‘at risk’ population for the development of poor health outcomes. While these health inequalities are well established in the literature, there is a lack of understanding of how health is both defined by First Nations peoples. This thesis describes a community-based participatory research project with First Nations girls in the Battlefords Tribal Council region. The purpose of this project was to explore the ways in which these girls negotiate different meanings of health and the body, as guided by their words and stories. The project design incorporated various methods including individual interviews, sharing circles, photovoice, and art collages. The participants were given cameras with which to take photographs that represented their understandings of health in their communities; they also completed art collages that further explored the healthy body and body image. Following the completion of the photovoice and art projects, the girls discussed their photographs and their understandings of the healthy body and body image in further detail in both individual interviews and sharing circles. This research has been informed by feminist and sociological theories of the body, which acknowledge social and historical influences on health and the body and the agency of individuals. The thesis is organized in a manuscript style format and, as such, contains three analysis chapters comprised of manuscripts either published in or submitted to academic journals. The findings of this study reveal that the girls have both insightful and holistic definitions of both the healthy body and body image. The first manuscript discusses findings of the girls’ perceptions of health as a holistic concept. The second manuscript details findings of the girls’ personal resilience showcased in their narratives of the healthy body and body image. The third and final manuscript discusses in detail the undertaking of this community-based participatory project, focusing on the strengths and challenges of this particular research project. The discussions and knowledge created by the girls make a valuable contribution to the literature by increasing our collective understanding of how the healthy body and body image are defined by First Nations girls living on-reserve. In this thesis, I argue, as guided by the words of the girls, that health needs to be understood in a more holistic manner, particularly in the design of health promotion materials, programs, and services designed for First Nations youth. This compliments recent literature that views health in a holistic manner. I also discuss the empowering potential that a community-based participatory project presents when working with First Nations youth

Bridging the Gaps Between Earnings and Basic Needs in Massachusetts: Executive Summary and Final Report

In the United States, it is generally assumed that holding a steady job is enough to make ends meet. But, in today’s labor market, where nearly a quarter of jobs pay low wages and offer no benefits, this couldn’t be further from the truth for millions of workers and their families. Most workers do not make ends meet on their wages alone. Upper- and moderate-wage workers are not “selfsufficient” as most receive on-the-job benefits, such as employer-provided health insurance or paid sick days, and are eligible for unemployment or disability insurance if they need it. Workers in low-wage jobs find themselves with insufficient wages to cover their basic family needs and also do not typically have access to job-related benefits to supplement their earnings. Public work supports — programs to assist working families access basics, such as health care, child care, food, and housing — could fill in the gaps and for many, they do. But, many families who struggle to bridge their resource gaps find that they make too much to be eligible for work supports. One reason for this problem is that many of our work support programs were established to assist very low-income, non-working families or single parents with very low, but steady, earnings. These programs were not typically designed to serve working families with earnings above the official poverty threshold, even though low-wage workers are not typically offered employment-based benefits. Moreover, even those who are eligible often do not receive them. These problems are widespread and are particularly acute for families with children, as well as those with one adult earner

Latinos in Massachusetts: A Mid-Decade Status Report

This research report provides an updated socioeconomic profile of Latinos in Massachusetts. Using data from the 2000 Census, the 2004 American Community Survey, and the 2002 Economic Census and Survey of Business Owners, it provides a comprehensive, comparative overview of a variety of statistical indicators – including population, national origin, age, gender, education, employment, poverty, income, and household composition. This information should prove useful to a range of individuals and organizations concerned with issues that impact the Latino community: policy-makers, advocates, community-based organizations, businesses, and the media. The report focuses primarily on Latinos as a group in Massachusetts, though where information is available, it also contains information on Latino subpopulations as well as the geographic areas in which they are concentrated. Some comparative historical figures are also provided. The report illustrates that the state’s Latino population is growing and is becoming more diverse. At the same time, Latinos in general and those from particular countries of origin tend to be concentrated in a few geographic areas. While the economic situation for Latinos appears to be improving, it still lags behind the population as a whole

Bridging the Gaps Between Earnings and Basic Needs in Massachusetts

In the United States, it is generally assumed that people who hold a steady job are able to make ends meet. But, in today’s labor market, where nearly a quarter of jobs pay low wages and do not offer benefi ts such as health insurance and retirement plans, this could not be further from the truth for millions of workers and their families. In fact, most workers do not make ends meet on their wages alone. Even upper- and moderate-wage workers are not “self-suffi cient” in a literal sense, as most receive onthe-job benefi ts, such as employer-provided health insurance or paid sick days, and are eligible for unemployment or disability insurance if they need it

School Improvement Grants: Take 2

Outlines lessons from the FY 2009 funding process and failed strategies to turn around failing schools, including the importance of accountability for student achievement and innovative partnerships. Offers advice on application design and implementation

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: An International Update on the Comparative Performance of American Health Care

Using data from patient and physician surveys, finds that the U.S. healthcare system ranks last or next-to-last when comparing healthcare performance against that of five other nations -- Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom

Feasibility of Focused Cardiac Ultrasound in Pre-participation Screening

Objective: Current American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for pre-participation athletic screening recommend a 12-point history and exam to minimize the risk of sudden cardiac death. We tested the hypothesis that focused cardiac ultrasound (FCU) performed and simultaneously interpreted by a cardiologist using a handheld ultrasound device would be a feasible addition. Methods: We performed pre-participation screening according to AHA recommendations on high school athletes in a multi-purpose room at their school. In addition to the standard 12-point assessment, a cardiologist simultaneously performed and interpreted a FCU on each athlete using a handheld ultrasound. Results: The mean age of the athletes was 16.6 ± 3.4 years; 68% were male. No evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy, bicuspid aortic valve, or aortopathy was identified. Coronary ostia could not be visualized. Echocardiography added 1.35 ± 0.51 minutes to the standard exam. Conclusion: This feasibility study suggests that the addition of handheld echocardiography with real-time interpretation performed by a cardiologist to a standard AHA pre-participation screening adds less than two minutes of time to the assessment. While the study is not as comprehensive as an office based echocardiogram, it can provide valuable information which may be useful in ruling out some of the most common causes of sudden cardiac death in the young athlete or in selecting those who would benefit from further testing

Latino Business Owners In East Boston

The main objective of this research was to investigative the contribution of Latino immigrant business owners (or entrepreneurs) in East Boston. Twelve Latino business owners in East Boston were interviewed and supplementary interviews with public officials and other key informants served to further document the contribution of Latino entrepreneurs. The main finding of the report is that Latino business owners have made, and continue, to make extremely important contributions to East Boston’s economy and neighborhoods