Loose Coupling and Defining Deviance Down: Correctional Officers’ Perceptions of Organizational Responses to Mental Health and Well-being.

Correctional work is characterized by high rates of occupational stress, which can produce a plethora of negative outcomes for the officers employed within such institutions. The present study examines Canadian provincial correctional officers’ perceptions of how occupational stress is created within the context of their employment. Through in-depth interviews with 11 correctional officers, I examine the political, organizational, and cultural factors that are perceived to negatively affect employee stress and well-being. From this analysis, I present three principal arguments. First, I uncover how correctional officers perceive ministerial policies to be loosely coupled from frontline practices. I argue that this loose coupling can create occupational stress, as correctional officers may experience frustration in navigating daily tasks in accordance with orders that they perceive to be irrelevant or impractical. Second, I argue that occupational stress that is connected to ministerial policies can be further amplified by institutional managers, as ministry guidelines are enforced within institutional operations. Further, I contend that officers perceive institutional supervisors to normalize traumatic and stressful events that occur in the line of duty. Third, I examine how the occupational culture exhibited within correctional work, which reflects notions of hegemonic masculinity, maintains the potential to trivialize occupational stress. I argue that this occupational culture places emphasis on the adoption of physical, psychological, and emotional strength, which may lead officers to perceive colleagues struggling with occupational stress or mental health concerns in a negative manner

Encounters with the military : toward an ethics of feminist critique?

This conversation developed from a panel titled “Interrogating the Militarized Masculine: Reflections on Research, Ethics and Access” held at the May 2013 International Feminist Journal of Politics conference at the University of Sussex, UK

Optimization of a Non-Invasive Temporary Deafferentation Protocol to Improve Upper Extremity Rehabilitation

Background: After a spinal cord injury neural structures that survive reorganize. The brain “ignores” past associations with weaker muscles below the level of injury so stronger, spared muscles take over cortical maps of weaker muscles. Temporary Deafferentation (TD) is a method that utilizes short-term anesthesia, such as over-the-counter lidocaine cream, to inactivate sensation pathways from stronger muscles so that the brain releases inhibition that was placed on weaker muscles, thereby strengthening them. There has been research supporting TD approaches to rehabilitation; however, there is not an established protocol to apply TD in a clinical setting. Here, we seek to optimize a protocol to deploy TD using over-the-counter lidocaine cream. Methods: We will utilize Ebanel 5% lidocaine cream to anesthetize the biceps muscle on healthy participants. Sensation, using monofilaments, will be measured before placing the cream and then every 10 minutes after the cream has been placed, up to one hour in duration. We will evaluate how long it takes to achieve TD and how long TD lasts after application of the lidocaine cream. Results: Results will show when a patient no longer feels sensation on their biceps muscle and later when they regain sensation, thus helping establish a timeline as to when a participant has the best window of opportunity to exercise and thus strengthen a weaker muscle, such as the triceps. Conclusions: By establishing a clearer timeframe for a TD approach, this mode of rehabilitation can be adapted to more varied clinical settings, in addition to non-medical settings

Theorising how art gallery interventions impact people with dementia and their caregivers

Dementia refers to a variety of diseases that are characterised by cognitive difficulties and an overall decline in daily living skills. Psychologically-informed arts and health programmes may be particularly beneficial ways of improving the lives of people with dementia and their caregivers. This study sought to better understand how programmes at contemporary and traditional art galleries might play a role in the lives of people with dementia. Participants included 12 people with mild to moderate dementia, their 12 caregivers and 4 gallery facilitators. Those with dementia and their caregivers were engaged in art-viewing followed by art-making over an 8 week period. Data, collected through post-intervention interviews with participants, field notes and extensive written communication between the facilitators and research team, were analysed using grounded theory methodology to theorise how gallery-based interventions affect people with dementia and those who care for them. The emerging theory has four primary components: the art gallery is seen as being a physically-valued place that provides intellectual stimulation and offers opportunities for social inclusion that can change how dementia is perceived. These components coalesced to create positive emotional and relational effects for those with dementia and caregivers. The resulting theory has potential implications for the use of gallery-based programmes in dementia care within public health, healthcare and museum/art gallery policy and practice

Overview of a born-digital archives access workshop held at Wellcome Collection

This report outlines the findings of a workshop organised by the Collections Information Team at Wellcome Collection and the Department of History at the University of Sussex, to bring together researchers and archival professionals to explore methods for providing access to born-digital archives

Singing City -- A Case-Study of Governance Chaos in FY '09

What could possibly cause a non-profit organization to have three executive directors within one fiscal year? Singing City is a non-profit choir in Philadelphia founded in 1948 on the principle of intolerance to discrimination. The choir has performed in collaboration with organizations including the Philadelphia Orchestra and to this day maintains to be a prestigious choir in the Philadelphia area. However, in FY '09, the choir experienced considerable administrative trouble when it was operated by three executive directors and two office managers. This paper describes the organization of Singing City, giving the reader an idea of the mission and foundation which the organization was built on. Moving on to identifying issues and problems, this paper describes the role that connection to board governance, executive planning, and attention to strategic planning played in the high executive turnover Singing City endured. Finally, suggestions are made by the author as to how the organization may continue in a way which would improve the administrative function in order to reduce turnover.M.S., Arts Administration -- Drexel University, 201

Library Privacy Policies: A Content Analysis

The following study is a qualitative analysis of the content of 30 academic library privacy policies. These policies were analyzed to identify how libraries approach patron privacy through published policies. The key findings of the study include that there is a strong focus on legislation and regulatory compliance among academic libraries. Notably, there was a smaller focus on information regarding how personal records may be released and to whom they were released. Among libraries studied, there was little reference to ALA practices, policy making ethics or other guidelines. Finally, there was little emphasis on information regarding patron consent and release of information. With the advent of newer technologies and a greater population of individuals able to use and understand them, libraries must implement a variety of measures to protect patrons private records and information.Master of Science in Library Scienc

Do Hens Use Enrichments Provided in Free-Range Systems?

Hens in free-range systems are given enrichments to increase foraging and limit injurious pecking, but the efficacy of enrichment types requires investigation. We studied hen behaviour and feather cover in eight commercial free-range flocks each given access to four enrichments within the shed. Sheds were split into quarters, in which two enrichments (jute ropes (R) + other) were installed. Other enrichments were: lucerne hay bales (B), pecking blocks (PB), pelleted feed (PF), or further R (control). Hens were observed at three ages, at three times per age (−1, 0, ≥1 h relative to PF application), in 1 m diameter circle locations around ropes (ControlR), Enrich (B, PB, PF, R), and Away from each enrichment. Feather scores were recorded at all ages/times, at the Away location only. Significantly more birds were in Enrich locations where PB, B, and PF were available, and least near R, ControlR, and Away locations (p p p p < 0.001) but were not consistently affected by enrichment. Enrichment replacement rates varied between farms. Enrichments costs were highest for PB and cheapest for R. Enrichments except R were used by hens, but with no obvious effect on feather cover. A balance has to be struck between enrichment benefits to hens and economics, but evidence suggested that hens did not benefit from R

Spatio-temporal judgements of observed actions : Contrasts between first- and third-person perspective after motor priming.

When observing actions, motor simulation processes aid the prediction and understanding of future events. A central issue concerns whether such action simulation serves social functions of interpreting other people, where performance is predicted to be better when third-person perspective (3PP) actions are viewed; or whether it is most beneficial to guide self actions, whereby the first-person perspective (1PP) would be advantageous. We show that in a spatio-temporal judgement task there is an advantage for the prediction of 1PP. However, this is only detected after motor priming whereby participants perform the observed actions prior to making spatio-temporal judgements. The results, firstly, confirm that we draw on our motor experience for the accurate simulation and prediction of action. Secondly, the results suggest that such experience facilitates more accurate state estimation for actions perceived in the 1PP which map more closely onto visual input of self-generated action. More forward prediction error is retained for 3PP viewed actions, which may however have the benefit of compensating for the uncertainty involved in interacting with others