Sisters Speak Out: The Lives and Needs of Prostituted Women in Chicago, A Research Study

In July 2000, the Center for Impact Research (CIR) began investigating prostitution in the Chicago metropolitan area. The first phase of the project established an estimate of the prevalence of prostitution activities, documenting that a minimum of 16,000 women and girls in the Chicago metropolitan area are engaged regularly in the prostitution industry. Due to violence, substance abuse, homelessness, and health problems, women often are unable to safely exit prostitution. The second phase of the project more closely examined the lives of women in prostitution, in order to better understand their needs for services and support.CIR trained 12 prostitution survivors to conduct in-depth interviews with women throughout the Chicago metropolitan area who were currently, or had recently been, involved in prostitution. In all, 222 women representing various segments of the prostitution industry were interviewed. While this was not a random sample, and is not representative of all women engaged in prostitution, we believe it is large enough to provide helpful information for understanding the lives of women in prostitution, and what can be done to assist them

Knocking on the Door: Barriers to Welfare and Other Assistance for Teen Parents

The 1996 welfare reform legislation, which established the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, sought, among other purposes, to move recipients off of welfare and into work and to prevent long-term welfare receipt. Policymakers recognized that concentrating on teen parents was an important part of tackling the problem of long-term receipt of welfare: although teen parents represent only about five percent of the overall TANF caseload, historically about 50 percent of adult welfare recipients began parenting as teens. The legislation adopted a new approach for minor teen parents, creating two major requirements -- commonly known as the "living arrangement rule" and the "stay-in-school rule." The first required unmarried, custodial teen parents under age 18 to live at home or in an adult-supervised setting, and the second required that they participate in school or approved training until obtaining a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) equivalency diploma.In the years since 1996, some states have reported greater declines in the number of teen parents receiving TANF relative to the general caseload declines. Limited qualitative information indicated that some teens were being turned away at local TANF offices, without having the opportunity to complete applications -- that is, they were knocking on the door but not getting in. Because TANF can have an important role in helping low-income teen parents stay on track towards economic independence, this information alarmed teen parent advocates and led the Center for Impact Research (CIR) to conduct a collaborative survey project in Chicago to determine what was happening to teen mothers who were in need of assistance. The Chicago survey was replicated in Boston and Atlanta, and this report highlights the collective findings across the three sites. In conducting the survey, CIR intended that about half of the respondents in all three sites were current recipients of TANF assistance and half were not

Accessing TANF Assistance: A Survey of Low-Income Young Mothers in Chicago

In 2000-2001, the Center for Impact Research (CIR), in collaboration with other concerned organizations, set out to obtain more information from young mothers about their experiences with TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) receipt in order to determine if changes in the TANF application process for teens are needed, and whether the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is effectively engaging teens in the TANF system. Working with community-based organizations, CIR trained young mothers to locate and survey other young mothers in low-income communities. A total of 601 young mothers, ages 13-21, were interviewed. Summary of Findings: CIR found that many young mothers were told they were ineligible for TANF and left TANF offices without having filled out applications; that those who had applied and were not receiving TANF were in need of education and employment; and that the older respondents -- who no longer qualified for the in-depth case management -- were experiencing more hardship than younger respondents

A Study of the Effectiveness of a Character Education Program to Prevent Bullying in Fourth and Seventh Grade

The purpose of this study is to assess whether bullying behaviors were impacted by the character education curriculum Character Counts! in fourth and seventh grade students. More specifically, over time are the perceptions that the students had of bullying behaviors impacted and is there a difference between the perceptions that boys and girls had of these behaviors. A survey was given to fourth and seventh grade students in a school district in a northern suburb of Chicago for three consecutive years, 2004, 2005 and 2006. The goal of the survey was to see if Character Counts! was having an impact. By using the results from this survey, questions that were directly related to bullying and bullying behaviors were analyzed. A total of nine questions were analyzed. An ex-post facto design was used for the study. Approximately 3,600 students participated in the survey over three years. The students had been exposed to the Character Counts! curriculum since 2000. The students surveyed were predominantly Caucasian and Hispanic attending public schools. Character Counts! might have had an impact on the amount of bullying that was occurring. The impact measured in this study was not enough to really know for certain if there was a change in bullying behaviors. Character Counts! does some things well. It provides a common vocabulary for students, teachers, families, and communities to discuss values as these impact students functioning in a social environment. However, the ambiguity in some of the data related specifically to bullying leads this researcher to believe that there would be a need to do this survey or other surveys again

Multidimensional Physical Self-Concept of Athletes With Physical Disabilities

The purposes of this investigation were first to predict reported PA (physical activity) behavior and self-esteem using a multidimensional physical self-concept model and second to describe perceptions of multidimensional physical self-concept (e.g., strength, endurance, sport competence) among athletes with physical disabilities. Athletes (N = 36, M age = 16.11, SD age = 2.8) completed the Physical Self- Description Questionnaire. Participants reported mostly positive perceptions of self-esteem, global physical self-concept, endurance, body fat, sport competence, strength, flexibility, and physical activity (Ms ranging from 3.9 to 5.6 out of 6). Correlations indicated a number of significant relationships among self-esteem and reported PA and various dimensions of physical self-concept. Using physical self-concept, strength, endurance, and flexibility in the first regression equation and sport competence and endurance simultaneously in the second equation, 47 and 31% of the variance was accounted for in self-esteem and reported PA, respectively. The findings support the value of examining multidimensional physical self-concept as different aspects of the physical self appear to have different influences on reported PA engagement versus self-esteem

Predictors of physical activity among European and American hearing impaired children

Research is scarce in relation to using social-cognitive theory inclusive of social-cognitive, affective and environmental constructs to predict physical activity (PA) and fitness with hearing impaired (HI) children. Hence, the purpose of our investigation was to evaluate the ability of social cognitive variables (e.g., self-efficacy and social support), environmental (i.e., time outside) and affective constructs (e.g., physical activity enjoyment) to predict PA. Children from the Czech Republic and the USA (N = 64, M age = 14.1) with hearing impairments completed questionnaires assessing predictor variables and PA. Using multiple regression analyses we accounted for 29% of the variance in PA. Based on standardized beta-weights, the best predictors of PA were gender, country, and a block of social-cognitive constructs. Compared to males and females from the Czech Republic and to females in the USA, American males receiving social support from their friends and who enjoyed physical education were the children most likely to be physically active. Future research examining environmental influences more fully (e.g., school settings, after school programs) both within the USA and cross-culturally and adult influences beyond parents (e.g., teachers, coaches) are encouraged

Intellectual achievement in pursuit of true belief

The practice of inquiry, in which we seek and pursue true beliefs by forming justified beliefs, is important to us. This thesis will address two questions concerning the significance of this practice. These are the question of what explains our preference for this particular belief-forming practice, and whether this value can be explained by the value of true belief alone. To answer these questions I will examme a variety of our intuitive commitments to particular values, assuming their general accuracy. I will use an inference from the goal of a practice to the value of a practice, an inference based on the assumption that when we pursue something it is valuable. I will discuss our intuitive commitments to the value of justification. I will also rely on the implications of the presence of pride and admiration in relation to the outcome of an inquiry (especially in situations where a belief is difficult to form). By using this methodology, I will argue for three sources of value that explain the unique significance of the value of inquiry. The first is the value of its unique role in our being able to form reliably true beliefs. Second, I will argue for Wayne D. Riggs' account of epistemic credit; Riggs defends the value of our being responsible for true beliefs, they are our achievements. Third, I will argue for an additional the value of delivering a skilful epistemic performance, another kind of achievement. I will show that although the value of true belief plays a role in explaining some of the values, the third value for inquiry is independent of the value of true belief. This means that there are intellectual rewards, which can be gained from this practice, that extend beyond the value of true belief.KMBT_363Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-i

Infusing disability sport into the sport management curriculum

Disability sport is growing around the world with momentum and is described as a “movement” (Bailey, 2008; De- Pauw & Gavron, 2005). While there are more similarities than differences with sport management for able-bodied athletes and those with disabilities, there are additional needs and considerations for persons with disabilities (DePauw & Gavron, 2005). The noticeable visibility of individuals with disabilities in society, including sport, raises concerns about the degree to which sport management academic programs have modified their curricula to ensure that individuals working in the sport management field are prepared to deal with the uniqueness of disability sport. This paper (a) discusses theoretical perspectives toward understanding and thinking about disability, (b) explores ways to enhance sport management curricula through infusion of disability sport, (c) reflects upon current social practices for curriculum integration of athletes with disabilities in sport, and (d) acknowledges infusion of disability sport businesses, organizations and events

Auditory pathways: are 'what' and 'where' appropriate?

New evidence confirms that the auditory system encompasses temporal, parietal and frontal brain regions, some of which partly overlap with the visual system. But common assumptions about the functional homologies between sensory systems may be misleading