Peacebuilding: A broad review of approaches, policies and practices

This background paper has been produced for a workshop on “Civil society views on next generation peacebuilding and conflict prevention policy and programming issues and responses”, convened by Peacebuild in Ottawa on March 14, 2011 with the support of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Interrogating the prevention approach of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 for people with mental health needs who are homeless

Rates of homelessness and poor mental health present significant challenges across the globe. In this article, we explore how these intersecting issues have been addressed in Wales through Part 2 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 through a paradigm shift towards a prevention model. This article reports findings from a study (conducted between 2016 and 2018) which evaluated the processes and impacts of the Act against the backdrop of welfare reform and systemic changes taking place in Wales and the UK. Using new evidence, we offer a critical examination of how homelessness prevention policy operates in practice and how social values and power affect policy implementation. We offer new evidence of the translation of policy into practice through the experiences of two stakeholder groups: people with mental health needs and service providers. In doing so, we offer a critique of how policy and practice could be modified to improve outcomes for homeless people with implications for prevention policy in Wales and in other contexts and different welfare regimes

Substance misuse: education & prevention policy.

The purpose of the policy described in this document is to - 1. Outline the aims of the Midland Health Board in responding to substance misuse in terms of: preventing substance misuse, particularly amongst young people; and; providing interventions, including counselling, treatment and support for those with problems associated with substance misuse. 2. Provide a consultative framework for the development of a multi-agency strategy on substance misuse in the Midland Health Board region. The background to this policy is described in the context of discussions locally in the Midland Health Board (MHB), the development of the Government's overall strategy for combating substance misuse, and the health board's regional policy for health gain. The extent of substance misuse in the region is described using statistics for prosecution of drug offences, psychiatric admissions, and use of the Community and Alcohol Drug Service. The key factors involved in substance misuse are discussed: the individual; substance used; and the environment in which substance is taken. The MHB's position on effective approaches to substance misuse education is outlined. Other important elements in the policy include treatment and rehabilitation, information and research, monitoring and evaluation, and assigning responsibility for implementing the policy

Using a community of practice to evaluate falls prevention activity in a residential aged care organisation: a clinical audit

Objective This study evaluates whether a community of practice (CoP) could conduct a falls prevention clinical audit and identify gaps in falls prevention practice requiring action. Methods Cross-sectional falls prevention clinical audits were conducted in 13 residential aged care (RAC) sites of a not-for-profit organisation providing care to a total of 779 residents. The audits were led by an operationalised CoP assisted by site clinical staff. A CoP is a group of people with a shared interest who get together to innovate for change. The CoP was made up of self-nominated staff representing all RAC sites and comprised of staff from various disciplines with a shared interest in falls prevention. Results All 13 (100%) sites completed the audit. CoP conduct of the audit met identified criteria for an effective clinical audit. The priorities for improvement were identified as increasing the proportion of residents receiving vitamin D supplementation (mean 41.5%, s.d. 23.7) and development of mandatory falls prevention education for staff and a falls prevention policy, as neither was in place at any site. CoP actions undertaken included a letter to visiting GPs requesting support for vitamin D prescription, surveys of care staff and residents to inform falls education development, defining falls and writing a falls prevention policy. Conclusion A CoP was able to effectively conduct an evidence-based falls prevention activity audit and identify gaps in practice. CoP members were well positioned, as site staff, to overcome barriers and facilitate action in falls prevention practice

Public opinion and policy on crime prevention in Europe

In this second monitor report the focus is put on people’s perceptions and attitudes on the one hand, and on priorities in crime prevention policies across Europe on the other hand. What does the general public think about the police: their relationship with the communities, their effectiveness in preventing crime, their fairness with which they wield their authoritative power, their integrity,...? What do Europeans think of the effectiveness of policies on the different levels (national vs. European)? What do they believe to be the challenges to the security in the prevention and fight against crime? These are some questions approached in this report. The information and data used to answer these questions come from the Trust in the Police & Courts Module of the European Social Survey and from the Eurobarometer surveys conducted by the European Commission. Besides these existing survey data, the EUCPN Secretariat collected some additional data from the EUCPN members on the priorities in the crime prevention policies in their countries. More specifically, questions were asked about the country’s top three priorities in crime prevention policy/strategy and compared to the country’s three most prominent crime problems based on crime statistics. Also, it was examined whether or not the top three priorities in the country’s crime prevention policy were based on statistical or recorded data, or – if not – what other basis was used to pick these priorities. And finally, some questions were added about any remarkable or new developments in the Member States over the past five years

Internet Poker Websites and Pathological Gambling Prevention Policy

Despite the widespread increase in online poker playing and the risk related to excessive poker playing, research on online poker websites is still lacking with regard to pathological gambling prevention strategies offered by the websites. The aim of the present study was to assess the pathological gambling-related prevention strategies of online poker websites. Two keywords ("poker” and "poker help”) were entered into two popular World Wide Web search engines. The first 20 links related to French and English online poker websites were assessed. Seventy-four websites were assessed with a standardized tool designed to rate sites on the basis of accountability, interactivity, prevention strategies, marketing, and messages related to poker strategies. Prevention strategies appeared to be lacking. Whereas a substantial proportion of the websites offered incitation to gambling such as betting "tips,” few sites offered strategies to prevent or address problem gambling. Furthermore, strategies related to poker, such as probability estimation, were mostly reported without acknowledging their limitations. Results of this study suggest that more adequate prevention strategies for risky gambling should be developed for online poke

Workforce development: is there a paradigm shift?

Editorial for a Special Issue on Workforce Development in the alcohol and other drugs field published in Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy

Critical Criminology, Traditional Crime, and Public Policy

Critical criminologists have often ignored the serious problem of traditional or common street crime. As a result, crime prevention policy has been forfeited to the political right or to those who advocate ineffective liberal reforms. This paper argues that critical criminology can make a contribution to the formulation of public policy concerning traditional crime. Recent theoretical developments within the criitical perspective on crime, as.well as a variety of supporting data, are reviewed and specific policy recommendations to reduce traditional crime are offered. These progressive recommendations constitute an important alternative to the individualistic approaches (liberal or conservative) which now dominate crime prevention policy

Les Politiques De Preventions Et La Criminalite En Afrique Sub-Saharienne

This paper aims to examine the short and long-term effects of the prevention policy on crimes in Sub-Saharan Africa over the period of time ranging from 1985-2018 We used an estimated model of panel data by the fish regression method The results showed that an increase in government expenditures on education led to a decrease in crime in Sub- Saharan Africa Otherwise we also found out that the increase in defense forces led to a slight increase in the crime rate in Sub-Saharan Africa This work has therefore shown us that the long-term prevention policy is more effective than the shortterm prevention polic

The influence of childhood circumstances on adult health

Early childhood is acknowledged as the most crucial developmental period in a person’s life; it creates a foundation for the later years and offers a critical opportunity to establish good health and learning outcomes for a lifetime.  As part of our broader focus on chronic disease prevention policy, the Mitchell Institute is looking at the costs and benefits of action (and inaction) in early childhood and the evidence that indicates a much-needed shift in health policy. To inform this work, the Institute commissioned Dr Kim Sweeny of the Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies to look at what is currently known about the relationship between socio-economic disadvantage in early childhood and poor health and education outcomes in adulthood